Music Soothes ...

Again I find I must apologize - I cannot believe that I have not posted here since March 7th. I keep telling you that I'm going to do better, but do I?  No!!  I would have to say that is a pretty poor way to keep those who follow my blog interested.

However, in defense of myself, for some reason I have not been motivated to do any of the activities that I usually enjoy. Such as painting.  When I discovered this picture I was so taken with the sweet innocence it portrayed that I just had to do a painting of it. Got it sketched in, did the underpainting, and started laying in the color.  It was at that point that I - just like an inch worm - inched through it until finally I felt I could call it finished. The background may appear unfinished, but that was the look I wanted it to have - blurry but clear enough to give the viewer the idea of what they were viewing.  I wanted the main focus to be on the boy, his flute and his "audience."  I hope I've accomplished that.

I've titled it "Music Soothes ...."  I'm not too pleased with that title so if you have a better one, let me know.

Until next time, mahalo for looking and I will try to be better about posting more regularly.

Children of the Rainbow - Family of God FINISHED!!

Omigoodness ... July 29, 2013 was my last posting - that was when I started laying in the color of the painting "Children of the Rainbow - Family of God."  This has proven to be quite an undertaking.

It started years ago while on vacation on the Big Island of Hawai'i with my sisters and their children and children's children - confused?  Anyhow, I took a picture of my nieces and nephews as they posed with a sea urchin that they retrieved from the ocean.  I developed the film and as I viewed the results that one picture said to me "these are children of the rainbow." The photo showed me  children from diverse ethnicity groups who were all of one family in the earthly sense - but also one family in the spiritual sense - the Family of God.  That was when I decided that someday I would paint a picture of the "children of the rainbow."

The painting reflects the event - and it truly is an event - getting 18 children together to take a group picture.  We have those who are so excited about being a part of it, those who would rather be somewhere else, those who dressed up for the affair and those who didn't.  Of course we have to have the cut-ups. Four generations are present in the painting.  The little blonde toddler with the boy's arms around her - that boy is her father.  Then the boy (blue shirt and tie) and the boy with arms around the toddler are brothers.  I am their mother in the pink dress with white flowers just above them.  I could explain each one, but that would take forever, just know they are all family.

This is where I started - the sketch.

Then the underpainting.

And here is the finished painting, almost seven months since starting...

Many changes made along the way - correcting and changing.  I am so glad it's done; however, I did see a few places that needed work.

Mahalo ke Akua!!  (Thank you God.)

Children of the Rainbow - progress

It has been almost four weeks since I started the underpainting on this piece.  Longer than I expected; however, four days out of the four weeks I was unable to paint because I had out-of-town company.  My niece, an artist herself and a tattoo artist for a living, was here from Hawaii so had to show her around.  I live in the Nashville, TN area, so needless to say, there was a lot she wanted to see and experience.

Anyway, today - July 29th other than details and touch-ups on the underpainting, I am close to laying the color in.  I can see areas where adjustments are needed.  So far it has certainly been a trip - the faces bringing back so many memories. Oh yes, one other thing - these children are all related and there are four generations represented.

Children of the Rainbow - Family of God

Many, many years ago while on vacation with my sisters and their children and their children's children (confused?) on the Big Island of Hawaii, I snapped a picture of my grandnieces and nephews.  After developing my photos and viewing the different races that came into play in those young faces the thought that came to mind was "Children of the Rainbow."  It was then that I decided someday I would do a painting of those children.  Below is my start.  Call me crazy, but I'm looking at it as individual little portraits.  There will be a lot more children in this painting than was in my photograph - in fact, I plan to fill the entire canvas, which is 21-3/4 x 27-3/4 with children's faces.  I intend to take my time with this piece and use photos of my children as well as my nieces and nephews when they were very young - now those children have children and grandchildren of their own.  It has taken me long enough to tackle this one.  I probably will not post for a while on this particular project, but I will post at a stage of much further progress.

I am a little anxious, but excited about doing this.  I could say that if it doesn't work out I can just "dump" the project, however, I'm keeping a positive attitude about it.  Wish me luck.

Captive Audience II

Omigoodness...I cannot believe I have finally signed this painting as being complete. It has been really a project with a purpose and a history. I've done two other paintings of this pose and after completing the painting for her uncle in 2010, I decided that one day I would do one for myself. Captive Audience II - although showing the same little girl pose, she is now soon to be seven. The story behind the puppies is actually pretty amazing. Her mom fostered an abandoned mama Labrador from the shelter who had just given birth to seven puppies. The puppies were so brand new that their eyes were still closed. The plan was that my granddaughter and her brother would help socialize the puppies when it was time. My granddaughter's whole life at that time centered on the puppies and the need to socialize them. The whole family was commended on what a wonderful job they had done on those puppies. A vet who saw to one of the adopted puppies stated that he had not seen a puppy that young to be so well socialized. When it was time to let the puppies go to new homes, you can be assured that the tears did flow. The two puppies closer in are now part of the family - Piglet and Milkshake. Shiver, the third puppy in the back has gone to his new home. What I wanted to show here was a treasured moment in life.

Let me go back in time, starting with 2010 when her uncle commissioned the same pose but with specifics, like that exact color green ???

In 2008 I did the first of three paintings of this pose of my little granddaughter - she was about 3-1/2 at the time and I entitled it Captive Audience. Some may remember this particular painting.

For me, it was a realization of how far I've come in my painting skills since 2008.

My Apologies

My apologies for not posting for such a long time...life has been hectic. For now enjoy this painting that I am about to work on. I thought I completed it about three years ago, but now that I look at it I see where much improvement is needed.

It is my granddaughter and I call it "Captive Audience."



I will try to be more timely in posting. I know, I know, I've said that before, but this time I'm really going to work on that.

Omigoodness - It's Been Awhile

These two commissioned paintings is why I haven't posted for a while. My granddaughter is the little ballerina and her cousin. The pose of my granddaughter has been so endearing to family members that her uncle asked that I do one for him. He was very specific about the background color.

Now it is on to other things. Thanks so much for visiting.