THE BLOG
Artist on a Mission – Painting Some Homesick
I started this painting as an in class demo and then finished it at home. As I painted away I started to get that feeling of homesickness, missing this little lady with the big heart. I could smell the salmon cooking and see the Brussels Sprouts steaming away. It’s her birthday soon. She has had a lifetime of loving and caring for those around her. Didn’t matter when you showed up at her house, she would pull out some food and cook up a very nice meal to share with you. And if you called on her phone and she didn’t happen to answer in person, you got a nice song to cheer up your day.
She has set an example of kindness and giving that will stay with me and hopefully pass down to those who I serve. Influence. She has influenced my life for good. Happy Birthday Momma.
2 Corinthians 6
6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints
Artist on a Mission – Muscle Memory
The muscles in the arm can also be trained to draw. You use your eyes to see and your brain to analyze angles and shapes and value. Your arm moves searching for the figure, finding where one angle or line meets another. The more you practice, the more all these parts learn to work together. With enough practice, when you draw from your imagination, your arm can take over and it’s almost like drawing from life. It’s important to practice both, drawing from life and from your imagination.
Muscles get stronger with use. It’s the same with prayer or finding that quiet time in life when you can feel inspiration from above. It gets stronger with use. Life is busy so stepping back from the chaos and taking a moment to look at the beauty around us can bless our lives.
“The Lord promises that when His shepherds feed His lambs and sheep, those in His fold “shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking.”
Good Shepherd, Lamb of God by Elder Gerri’s Gong April General Conference 2019
Artist on a Mission – Fitting It In
One comment I often hear is “I don’t have time to paint.” “I don’t have time to sketch.” “After I finish my day, I’m too tired to draw.” Some times that is true. Because of life and circumstances, we might be too tired to create. But it is also true you can fit it in between the cracks of time. If you have a sketch book and carry it with you, you can pull it out and sketch. Models are all around you. They are in restaurants and PTA meetings. You can pull them out at a devotional and sketch and take notes. It keeps you alert and engaged with the speaker and you end up with a nice illustrated journal .
Artist on a Mission – Preparation
My son trained to run a marathon. He trained almost everyday, taking a break on Sundays. He worked up the miles from 5 to 6 to 8. He ran 10 miles and slowly built up to 12, 15, and 18 mile runs. He trained his body to endure the longer runs. The day of the marathon he met one of his buddies at the start line. They took off running at a good pace, running stride for stride. They chatted a bit while they ran. They chatted about training. My son’s friend said, “I never ran over 10 miles in my training.” My son said, “Ooooh.” About 4 minutes later they hit the 10 mile mark. My son’s friend gave a sigh and drifted back behind my son and out of sight. He had met the level of his training and his body couldn’t keep up.
Like a race, you can prepare for paintings. Some training and some warming up of the muscles can help you get off to a good start. The years of sketching in your sketch book can help your drawing ability. In the above sketch, I’m trying to get to know my subject and becoming familiar with the angles and pose. I’m also starting to think of the finished painting. What do I want it to look like. Below is a rough value study . These get me thinking of what I want to have the finished painting look like. It’s like practicing before you begin.
I also want to think about the design of the entire painting. By doing some thumbnails, I can think about design and see in my minds eye the impact that I want to create with the design and values of my watercolor. It helps me get into my painting and prepares me so that when I start to paint, I can paint for the whole 24 miles so I can finish the marathon. So go ahead and paint and create.
1 Cor. 9:24
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
Artist on a Mission – Called to Serve
I love the effect of the light on this couple. The woman’s face is pushed back into the shadow. There is that nice, rich black behind them, tying them together visually. Then there is the shadow lines of the lawn chairs that lead you into the figures. There is the shadow on the wall behind that leads right to the woman and then her hand catches us and leads to the plate and the knees of the man. Your eyes get lost in the details of their lives.
They have given up the comfort of routine, home and family bringing their expertise and a few belongings packed in a suitcase with them.. They are serving the Lord in a unique way, bringing their life-learned skills with them. The service we give to others, lifts them up. They see the love of God in the kindness shared by others.
Each act of kindness binds together like the strands of this braided rope bringing strength to the recipient and the giver.
D&C 4:2-3 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.
3 Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;
The Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints.
Artist on a Mission – Guided by the Light
We are all travelers here. We are on a voyage. We may plan and prepare but sometimes much like when we create a painting, we end up somewhere we didn’t expect.
On a Voyaging Canoe, in the middle of the night ocean, the travelers can be guided by the rising and the setting of the stars. The night sky is memorized like the tying of the knots in the rope. They know where the moon is even when it is hidden by the earth.
We can be guided on our journey here. We can listen to the quiet whispering of the good voices in our lives. We can learn from those that have gone before. We can put all we learn in our tool box so we can share them with others to help them find their way.
Yiu can see the Iosepa at the Polynesian Cultural Center. The link is below.