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Saturday, March 12, 2011

Painting

Lately I've been experimenting with using acrylics as a water medium and then adding pastels over the top. I like spontaneous looking paintings, like Stephen Quiller, who is one of my all time favorite artists. I feel like my painting voice is coming back and that makes me happy. 

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

When Renoir was an older man he was afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis. During the last years of his life the pain was so bad he was confined to his home and he painted on in great pain. Matisse was much younger than he was but they were good friends and Matisse often visited him. Once when he was watching Renoir paint on in pain he asked him how why he continues when it was obviously so painful to him. Renoir replied "The pain passes, but the beauty remains."

Isn't that how we should be when difficult times come to us? To be patient as the Lord refines and shapes us, but ever with the hope that when the pain passes, the beauty will remain. I find that very hopeful to think on.


kerri

Thursday, March 3, 2011

I made a springtime treasury!


Water color pencils

Today I tried something new!  Water color pencils.




I've decided that I love then and want to practice.  :)


This last one isn't water colors, it's just colored pencils but it was fun to draw.  :)

Shay

Painting


Lately I've been playing around with water color landscape abstractions, combined with colored pencil. 

10"x14"

5.5"x8.5"

4"x6"
They are calming to do. After getting the boys' schoolwork done (I homeschool) and dinner going the older kids and I have been clearing off the dining room table and watching The Cosby Show on instant on Netflix and working on various pieces. Am I the only one who feels very nostalgic about the Cosby Show? They were so nice and normal when my own family life was so crazy. I watched it every Thursday night as a kid. I get such a kick out of looking at the clothes and stuff. My daughter commented on how we were so into crazy , bulky sweaters. To True! To aquire a new cozy sweater was pure bliss in the 80's. And we did like things bulky, at least on top. And the colors are so bright and primary and solid looking. Maybe that's why I went for tie-dye-too many clearly defined edges! Anyway, it's funny to watch them again. I think we are on like season 6. In I think 4 days. Kind of bad, huh. 

Kerri

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Elisa sold this picture at an art auction benefiting a missions trip to Poland. Her first sale. Kind of cool. :) 

Monday, February 28, 2011

One of my favorite things in the whole world to do is to poke around Portland with no real agenda. And some of my favorite company to do that with are my girls.

Last week my girls got invited to do some voice recognition recordings for a doll thats being developed. The ones doing the developing needed samples of girl's voices from the targeted age groups and my girls were invited to come do some samples. Always up for an easy $20 (well, mostly always) and an excuse to head into Portland we grabbed the chance.

This is a new sandwich stand in NW. Grilled P&J. Sound wierd? They were so good! Fiona got the Oregonian. Hazelnut butter, blue cheese and I think strawberry jelly. Me, the Thai, orange marmalade, hot pepper sauce, hmmm... can't remember the rest.. But it was really good. And Irene got one with peanut butter, bacon, and I can't remember what else. Hers was sooo messy. But they were all really good. I thought the whole idea of the stand was really fun and creative though. We'll definitely go back when out that a way.


The differences in my girls personalities was very marked when walking past the windows of this shop. Fiona (The youngest of the three middle girls) saw all the pink and bling and about had a heart attack. "Oh, mama can we go in there ohpleaseohpleaseohPLEEEEEAAASE!!!!!!"

But walking in Elisa says "PINK. Why? Why? Why?!"

This is what a telephone pole looks like after 50 years of concert posters are stuck to it. Kind of gross, really.



Red door on the Episcopal Church. 
William Temple House.

Portland provides metal rings along the sidewalk for folks to tie up their horses.



Elisa had to go into the Jaguar Dealership on Burnside. Here she shamelessly covets. :)

I'd rather something a little more sedate. 

It was a fun day. Elisa took the pictures, my camera being out of batteries. If I'd have taken them there would be ones of them reading the manga books at Powells. I love that I can go shopping with my girls and have a great day together. :)

Thursday, February 24, 2011

A new blog! Just what the world has been waiting for!

Hi, Nice to meet you! This is our first post on this blog! Talk about blank canvas syndrome!

Anyway, we wanted to have a blog solely dedicated to art-what we are learning, projects being worked on, and other artists that we like. We both are Etsy addicts and are always amazed at all the creativity and talent we see! We are both working on finding our own artistic voice and trying to learn new skills and hope to receive and give encouragement and inspiration to other learning, growing artists.

Today, I woke up to find that this item 


was featured on this treasury:


A nice beginning to a new blog and a new day!

How did your day begin?

Kerri