Wintry Nights

One night in the 70's, my dad looked out at the full moon and the softly falling snow.

"Let's take a walk."  Even though the family included a mom, a dad, and three teenagers, no one said, "I'm too busy," or "That's lame, Dad." 

If Dad wanted to walk, it was sure to be a good time. We geared up with hats, gloves, heavy coats, winter boots.  The air was crisp and twenty-something, but there was little wind. 

We walked to the top of the lower field and trampled through high weeds to the neighbors' fields. High above the town, we could see the sparkling lights below, but the heavenly stars and moon put all that to shame.  Even the snow sparkled and glowed.  

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Fence posts

Every year, I paint some things to give family and friends.

 Michelle requests a Cheesehead snowman this time around.

My paint room smells like cedar!  My husband

bought these boards at Home Depot and cut them to size. 

I'm using inexpensive paint as the wood soaks up the 

acrylics like a dry desert after a short rain. 

I'm playing around with landscapes, too, as the rough wood

makes an interesting texture. 

These evergreens will sprout lights and snow and glittery

ornaments soon.  

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Weekend paint!

In between shopping and church, modifying tests, and laundry, I painted a little.

I'm not sure who the lady with the lions is.  A snow queen of some type.  She deserves a story.  I will continue to work on the big cats. 

I found some happy houses that sparkled in the night, added my grandchildren, and have the beginnings of a white Christmas. 

A little re do

      After hanging around a friend's shop for a couple of years, these early works came home to roost. What mixed feelings!  My fledgling paintings which were so.... ugly.  Yes, they were.  Perspective was not bad.  however, the grass was splotchy and the sky looked like blue mange.  

     I spent last night redoing the skies.  A pearly pink sunrise on the one below contrasts with the evening blue in the one above. 

    Of course, the church and the railway have both fallen into some disrepair.  But while the the tracks are a symbol of dreams past, the staunch little church points to a hope that can never fade. 

The horses in spring graze peacefully in a field of bluebonnets. This is a true Texan picture.  But I don't have horses or bluebonnets or a large stone house.  I'd like to live in the pic, though.  

A Neutral Beginning

Beige and blue are the background colors here. This is soothing, not exciting.  A calm river on a hot summer day. . . a welcoming doorway into cool, enchanted spaces.  Even a desert can be restful with the monochromatic blending. The sky has a washed-out look over the sparkling sand. 

I paint in order to calm myself down and escape other tasks.  There are always dishes, laundry, and lesson plans.  For the same reason I read mysteries, I paint.  It's an escape into another land, another life. 

Think "Winter"

You wouldn't know it in Houston, but winter is coming! The high was 93 one day this past week.. 

I'm working on adding figures in order to humanize my painting. This castle is actually a take-off on the Chicago water tower, which sparkles with Christmas lights in December. I think that lady has lions with her, although they resemble dogs. 

This messy canvas is a repaint of an inept beginner pic. I filled it with Christmas trees. My middle daughter said, "I want to be right there in that picture." So here you are, KG. 

Colors,of Autumn

This turned out to be an easy paint with a simple, clean look. The one below was more ambitious. I did a little sponge work on the leaves. The mossy stones were harder. I still have some shadows to fill in.