Blog – Page 14 – Sherry Meidell

Artist on a Mission – Self Quarantine Day 4

March 27, 2020 4 Comments

B7261E63-10AE-4BA8-B95F-2EFC550B1A99 — Self Quarantining in the basement.

The senior missionaries in Hawaii were called home because of the Corona Virus. We did not have a lot of time to pack up and clean up. We traveled through airports with people wearing surgical face masks. We arrived at the Salt Lake Airport with luggage heavier than it should be. We walked outside from Hawaii sunshine and pleasant temperature into cold wind in your face and a bleak winter grayness in the sky.

We climbed into a truck that had been delivered by a son who ran back to get into his family car filled with his wife and kids. We drove our friends who were also leaving their mission in Hawaii and flying with us, up to their home in Providence.

We drove home and walked into our basement where we are self quarantining for two weeks. The son and daughter-in=law upstairs with our three grandkids had set up the basement for our comfort. We have more room in the basement than we did in Hawaii and grandkids to talk to through the window.

B3AE31BE-8A6B-4F6F-B4F3-375572F59EA8 — The view from our window yeaterday

We are still on our mission and doing classes online remotely for BYU Hawaii. Our hearts and prayers are with the students at the University, and the people that we have grown to love in Hawaii. We are going to join in the worldwide fast that President Neisen has asked for. We are praying for all the people that inhabit this beautiful world.

I have put up a video on You Tube of a watercolor painting demo. It is for my watercolor students at BYU Hawaii but you welcome to have a look and try the painting. Hunker down and stay safe.

Here is the link to the You tube Video and the picture that I used for the demo. Enjoy

Here is the link to President Nelson’s call for a worldwide fast.

38EA1FB7-727D-45ED-BF7A-43DF4DC6F03F — Group of people at Fisherman’s Wharf San Francisco last year.

Artist on a Mission – Leaving before were done

March 21, 2020 2 Comments

3B180AD1-86E5-4200-87EF-76AE5862F031 — Jasmine

No amount of words can express what is happening in my heart. We have grown to love the students here from all over the world. We have learned of the great strength and kindness that they possess. We have been inspired by the depth of spirit of the People who live and work in Laie, and Hauula and Kahuku. Their testimonies speak of faith and love of others and their ancestors and family. We have loved the young sister missionaries and their resilience and smiles. We have loved the professors who teach and work at the university. We have loved the other senior missionaries that have strengthened our faith and brightened our time here, people that I got to know for a short time but who will be carved into my heart forever. I will miss the drum beats and singing from the students at the Polynesian Cultural Center. And the random fire crackers that go off in the neighborhood.

I love my Heavenly Father. I have felt His blessings in my life. I feel his love and help as we head back to Utah. God bless us all and help us as we try to help and love and strengthen others during this unsure time in the world’s history.

D8717060-95EC-4C9A-A2F5-AE719EB2B931 — Elsa

AD65E162-B498-4087-A106-F69DD0070EEC — Julie

B220336F-44F8-4E0C-9DBF-7BC11F947678 — Gifts from dear friends.

Artist on a Mission – Good Company

March 11, 2020 2 Comments

61438200-38C5-436C-833A-A52503509BE8 — St. George Art Museum Newsletter

“Wind Blown Sand” was in good company at the St. George Art Museum. It shared some space with “Monolith” by Maynard Dixon 1909. The abovet article is from the St. George Art Museum Newsletter.

One day my husband and I were stuck in traffic heading into San Francisco. Traffic was crawling and our car was barely moving. But it was a great opportunity to snap some pictures for future paintings. The gentleman in the watercolor below was vacuuming his car at a local car wash. He made a great demo for the watercolor class over here at BYU Hawaii.

0FC3B3E2-650C-46D9-B3C1-A5FD41915FA6 — “Flannel and Beret” Watercolor by Sherry Meidell

My friend Sister Kimura posted this comment on prayer from me on Face Book I thought I would share it here also

1340EC0F-D23A-447E-9E04-1BB275B0A616 — 100 Year Anniversary of the Hawaii Temple

What prayer has meant in my life?

Prayer has been a part of my life since I was little. I’ve always prayed to a loving Heavenly Father who listens to my prayers. He has been there to guide and comfort me from my first memories until now. I can kneel to Him in times of great stress and plead for His blessings to be with my loved ones. I can ask for His guidance when I wonder which direction to go. I can ask His forgiveness when I do something wrong and need to repent. I can look out the window in the morning and thank Him for the beauty I see everyday. This morning I thanked Him for the wind blowing through the palm trees and the beautiful orange that kissed the edge of the clouds. When I’m far from those I love, I can ask Him to watch over them and send blessings their way.

Sister Kimura is part of a group of young sister missionaries that serve up here at the visitors center. If you have questions about prayer, you can go to ComeuntoChrist.org and get some answers from these young missionaries.

Link to St. George Art Museum

Artist on a Mission – Celebration

February 26, 2020 1 Comment

DC76C963-D11E-454E-8995-4D50229F678D

So my friend Faye Gibbons, the author of many fine books including “Emma Jo’s Song” which I had the privilege of illustrating, is going to receive a great honor. She is being inducted into the Alabama Writer Hall of Fame. If I was home, I would be heading out to Alabama to join in the celebration.
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When I got the manuscript for “Emma Jo’s Song” and read it for the first time, pictures jumped into my head. It was a delight to illustrate the story.

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Part of the fun was doing the research for the book. Illustrating picture books becomes quite an adventure. It can take you into worlds you have never been before.

7D61B651-D5B1-4FF6-9257-B93EA6919391 — Congratulations to Faye Gibbons

Alabama Writers Hall of Fame

Artist on a Mission – Getting There

February 19, 2020 No Comments

If you are crossing the road here at Brigham Young University Hawaii, you have to keep your eyes open for more than passing cars. Here are some different ways that the students get around.

7BD1522B-3243-4220-9E57-728AF936CF27 — The motorized skateboard and passenger in tow.

213BDA71-5C39-4C57-902D-9D358F98A544 — The cruiser bike with surf board carrier attached.

A93C51E7-86A7-44E9-A087-494DD84A7066 — The scooter

FE6B0631-AEAC-4368-AE5E-4AE48270B976 — The parking lot..

There are a lot of ways to get around but it’s good to know where you’re going so you’ll end up in the right place. Directions are not East and West, they are Makai (ocean) and Mauka (Mountain). I like both directions.

Here is the one of the BYU-Hawaii devotional messages given by Russell and Lola Osguthorpe January 28th, 2020 on “Finding Your Way Back Home”.

Artist on a Mission – Sisters

January 29, 2020 4 Comments

9A4853A9-EC68-4A93-9B76-1523710D2D12 — “Sisters” 15” x 22” watercolor on paper

So there’s the sister I shared a room with, and an iron-barred double bed. I would tap to the middle bar, then bring my arm down like a hatchet to make sure she was not on my side of the bed. A bedroom can be tight quarters for two sisters, and there is much to learn from sharing a room. We fought until the day we became dear friends.

There are the Senior Sister Missionaries here that come and go. They touch your life for a brief moment. They help lighten your load and you stand amazed at their talents and kindness. They teach you to decorate your table with seasonal cutouts like a kindergarten teacher. They bring their talents to share with others.

There are the young sister missionaries that serve at the visitor center and are so full of good, righteous, youthful energy. They greet you daily as they run up and down the stairs by our apartment. They wonder if we know how to get into a coconut. We do not.

So here’s two sisters who have the world ahead of them. They shared some moments at the Luau Show. I tried to capture their energy and connection to each other in this watercolor.

The Laie Temple Visitors Center

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