Out of Overflow

"Out of Overflow"

8x10" Oil on Canvas Panel

     This is #24 of the 30 in 30 challenge.  I'm taking Dreama Tolle Perry's Painting Course.  That called for a practice lesson to get acquainted with her palette and a new kind of brush, and medium.  The idea was to meditate and come up with an inspiring word that we can keep coming back to from time to time.  I thought about it all day.  Then, I realized that is is out of the overflow of everything that we create.  The overflow determines what we create; good or bad.  What's in our heart comes out.    

I haven't painted with oils in about 2 months or more.  Gosh, I forgot some important things that Nancy Medina taught me.  I image that I will do another one of these practices to feel like I have a handle on it before the actual painting lesson starts.  It's hard to remind an old dog of new tricks.  

Motherhood

"Motherhood"

28"x24" Original Oil on Canvas

Purchase this Painting

     I think the Lord has been teaching me about layers and depth.   Layers of his love.  Layers and depth of spirituality.  Seems like I've spent the last few weeks observing layers and depth in everything from depths of oceans to clouds in the sky.  This painting is a good example of layers and layers of color.  There is no telling how many layers there are of transparent oils.  The white that I used is the most lucius, buttery paint I've ever seen.  It's made by Richardson.  It makes all the other tubes that I have take a back seat.  This has a feminine feel to it, and I'm calling it "Motherhood".  My son and daughter-in-law are expecting their second baby in the spring.  Somehow, this just reminds me of the miracle of motherhood.  What do you think of the colors?

He Loves Me

"He Loves Me"

20"x16" Oil on Stretched Canvas

Purchase This Painting

     I sure have enjoyed painting flowers over the past 6 weeks.  I took a workshop from Nancy Medina,  and it has proven to be one of the best things I've done for my artistic self.  These flowers are really special to me, because my sweet hubby dug them up and brought them home to me.  He knew that days before, I walked and scouted the dry pastureland behind our house looking for something colorful and alive.  I'd returned with nothing but the realization that we are definitely in the desert without spring rains.  There was nothing but parched and dry grass.  I don't know where the man found these beauties,  but he did.  It meant so much to me, that he would be scouting for me.  We put them in this old crock full of water and now 10 days later they are still pretty.  I used to play a little game when I would pick a flower.  I would pull the petals off one by one, saying, "He Loves Me...He Loves Me Not"...and hopefully I would be left with the "He Loves Me" petal.  I couldn't help but think of that as I painted.  I couldn't help but soak in the blessing of knowing that "He Loves Me". Texas has some of the most beautiful wild flowers in the spring when we get moisture.  This year has not been one of wetness.  However, as I blog this today, we have measured 2.5 inches of rain!  Perhaps those beauties will not find it too late to pop their little heads out!

     

"Sweet Fragrance"

"Sweet Fragrance"

14x16

Original Oil on Canvas

Purchase this Painting

     Song of Songs 4:16 Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread everywhere. Let my beloved come into his garden and taste its choice fruits.

     I just couldn't help but think about the fragrance of the Lord as I painted this.  Man, He is so creative.  The very idea of how in the world he created each and every petal of these flowers wrecks my brain.  Then, to think of all of his creation...even the things that I don't know about.  My God is amazing.  I hope you enjoy this painting!  Tell me what you think about it.

All Inked Up

"All Inked Up"

Acrylic Ink on YUPO

6"x6"

50.00

Buy this Painting:

     Number 7 of the 30 in 30 Day Challenge.  I'm still experimenting with acrylic inks on Yupo.  I'm finding that if you try to back over the first layer, it will completely lift the paint off!  The colors that I'm using are basic primaries, not so much mixing colors.  I think I like working with these inks, but prefer the alcohol inks for their blending and unpredictability.  The acrylic inks are not total predictable, but very workable with a brush.  I think the next time I play with them, I will experiment with some texture and see how they cover.  

"Horizons of Blessing"

"Horizons of Blessing"

12x24

Acrylic on Canvas

     I've been working on pet portraits lately, fulfilling some Christmas commissions.  I started this piece before the commissions and really wasn't happy at first.  Today, I got back in the studio and reworked the road.  I like it much better.  While contemplating the title, I just couldn't see anything except "Horizons".  I had to consider all sorts of things.  Things like, "what's on the horizon', to the hope and light that is on the horizon, to the people that I love that seem to have nothing on the horizon.  That makes me gloomy.  But, when I painted this, everything was bright for me, and still is. My son had just come home from many a year separation!  My only granddaughter had been introduced to me, my other two boys and grandchildren are healthy, my husband and I are healthy, and we all love the Lord Jesus!  My children are taught of the Lord and they are blessed.  We are blessed in the city and blessed in the land!  Somehow this painting reminds me of that Blessing.

http://lillianjaneneal.weebly.com/horizons.html