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 - 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.

Family Portrait - Finished

Well, it has taken me long enough, (but not as long as I thought it would) to complete this portrait of my son and his family.  Started it the latter part of December and signed it just a couple of days ago.  They are very pleased with - I am so glad for that.  Needless to say when I compare it to artists like Daniel Greene or Michael Shane Neal, it falls way short.  Oh well, my son and his wife love it and that's what matters.

It was such a challenge doing five faces on the same canvas.  Needless to say, I will probably never do anything like this again.

Finished Underpainting

Just a quick post today.  I've completed the underpainting on the family portrait.  Some painters do just a loose, sketchy type underpainting, which is what I usually do, but in this case I wanted to be right on with likenesses.  I don't think I can get any closer than this.  I've been kind to the adults, shaving off a few years.  Now comes the color - scary.  (18x24 oil on stretched canvas.)

Women of the Bible - Eve and Other

Those who follow my blog know that I have been working on a series entitled "Women of the Bible."  Painting women of the Bible who I have been impacted by.  So far I've done Ruth (Book of Ruth); Mary, the mother of Jesus; Queen Esther (Book of Esther) - All of these women, in my opinion, were strong women who followed God's will and helped Him to accomplish what was necessary.  Today I am posting the woman who changed the course of our lives - Eve. 

This painting is actually not finished, but you know sometime you get to a point in a piece and you just lose the motivation to "finish" it - well that is where I am here.  I used several pictures to come up with this composition and while scanning through the photos it was interesting to find that many renditions were an Eve with red hair ..... hmmmm! 

Maybe the reason I'm not motivated to finish this is because I've taken on a "huge" art challenge - at least for me.  A portrait of my son's family - five faces.  Laying the sketch down and capturing the likenesses took me about two weeks.  Here's the initial sketch, to which I have refined a lot ...

I really wanted them in a more unconventional pose, but this is what they wanted, so this is what I'm working on.  I'll post my progress periodically.  So far I've done a first layer of underpainting and redefining features more closely.  I must be crazy, but wish me luck anyway.  Truth be told, I am excited about doing this.

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.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

There are so many things that I am thankful for, but the one that rises above all else is Christ Jesus; my Lord, my Savior, my Redeemer, my Comforter - that list goes on and on. From 2 Corinthians 5:21 "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."

A Man of Sorrows

My family is all important to me also and for them I am most thankful. My gratitude to my Lord for the fact that they know Him, worship Him, and walk in His light.

So on this day of Thanksgiving, celebrate with those you care about and give thanks for all the blessings you have received.

P.S. I am reminded of my friends who add so much to my life, I thank God for each and everyone of you.

PAINTING AND BEYOND

Although I love to paint, there is another “craft” that I thoroughly enjoy and that is scrap booking. Of course, like anyone else, I did have photo albums of children and other family members with descriptive phrases to identify each photo. However, even before the scrap booking “craze” started I was journaling and adding embellishments to my photo albums. I discovered it was something I really enjoyed doing. Not only was I leaving a pictorial legacy for my children, I was leaving them family history. Some drawbacks to scrap booking is that it does take a lot of time, it makes a mess, and it is never finished. I know these will be enjoyed by family in later years. Even now, my grandchildren (10 and 6) enjoy looking through them.

A painting can take a lot of time, it can make a mess, but it does come to completion. Even though you may start anew, each painting is a project that you can bring to completion.

Here are first two photo pages out of my “Ohana” (family) scrapbook.





You may notice that the photo of my son and his wife on the first page is a photo of a painting that I did of them.

Another Diversion

http://www.reverbnation.com/cashcreek?eid=A1428970_8095925_34132250

Yes, as I said in my last posting...my granddaughter is one of my diversions. Here's another..."Cash Creek." The dad of that beautiful little girl is my son Kimo Forrest (to your far right) who leads this contemporary country band. Other than just recently being commissioned to design an album cover, my involvement is to sit anxiously on the "end of my seat" waiting for his album to grab hold and take off. So, go hear Cash Creek, just click the above link, read about him and the band, then listen to the tunes. I'm sure it will get your foot tapping.

As a footnote; I did a painting for him last Christmas of him on the road in performance, see it here.

Christmas - 2009

Here we are, the day after Christmas, sorting through pictures, gifts, cards, thoughts and reflecting on the day of the celebration of the birth of the Christ child. I live in a "Mother-In-Law" apartment attached to my son's home (why do they call it that; why not "Mother's" apartment - I've often wondered that)and in the past four Christmases that I've lived here; one of the children always knocked on my door at the outrageous early hour that little kids are up and chomping at the bit to see what Santa has brought for them. This year I fooled them...I set my alarm and my coffee pot for that outrageous Christmas morning hour and was in front of the tree dressed for Christmas morning with my cup of coffee waiting with my daughter-in-law and 8-year old grandson for everyone else to wake up. First came my 4 yr. old granddaughter being prodded along by Jack. My son dragged himself downstairs looking frazzled and worn out to the enth degree (he was the "bicycle-put-togetherer" and Santa's helper the night before) some 30 minutes after my arrival and my 18-yr. old grandson had to be strongly coaxed out of bed by dad much later when we just could not make the little ones wait any longer. When we were finally all gathered, cameras ready...it began. It was so fun watching the little guys open their presents from Santa and family.


Here's my 4-yr. old granddaughter trying to get ALL of her "ponies" and farm animals in her barn. She said to us..."How did Santa know to bring me the barn, I didn't ask him for it?" We perpetuated the myth by telling her that he knew what she was thinking. She is so into animals, especially horses and was absolutely thrilled with her barn and animals. She told us that when she grows up she's going to be a Vetenarian, sing and play all the instruments just like dad, and be an artist like Tutu (that's me - grandma).

Jack is 8-years old and this is his first Christmas knowing that Santa is make believe. When he first learned that several months ago he was very sad over that fact. After all presents were opened I asked him how he like playing Santa this year he said it was sooo fun. He outgrew his first bike so mom and dad got him a larger, fancier John Deere bike.


Ellie and Jack made sure each package went to the right person.







Surprise of surprises...Jack opening his X-Box. He had no idea and couldn't imagine someone giving him X-Box games by mistake...mom assured him it wasn't a problem and that it could always be exchanged for PS2 games...when all of a sudden Santa - in the guise of dad in his pjs - brings in a present he found in the hallway. I wish I had had my camera ready to get the expression on Jack's face when all the wrapping was ripped away...then came the tears of unbelievable joy.

Where is Jacob (the 18 yr. old) in all of this...you may ask? Laying on the bean bag covered up with a quilt. I couldn't get a decent picture. He was very much an active participant; however, in that reclined position.

That's what Christmas is all about...the children. Even when they know what the season is all about, the presents take a front seat for that time, but they remember to wish Jesus a happy birthday!!!

I pray you all had a wonderful Christmas and didn't forget to wish Jesus a Happy Birthday and to thank His Father, God almighty for His Son. I love you all and thank you for following my blog.

Iao Valley

My father was 100% Hawaiian, my mother maybe 1/8 Hawaiian. It was my mother’s family that we were closest to, learned things Hawaiian from and lived with my Tutu (grandmother) Rose off and on for many years. There were five of us. In order of birth there was; Gloriann, Leina’ala, Charlene, me Lokelani, and the only boy Kaiwa. We were pretty close in age and I often wonder how my mother kept her sanity raising us. I don’t believe she had much help from my father. I say that because as far back as I can remember, there were long spaces of time that he wasn’t with the family. I don’t know why, but that was the case. I do remember one of his absences though when he was gone for a long time. He went to what was Canton Island to work and was gone for a couple of years. My mom, with the help of her family, kept us together…for that I will always be thankful to her. A lot of what I learned of my heritage came almost exclusively from my Tutu Rose. She told us the stories and legends of Hawai’i, most of them scary and prayed every night to her gods. I learned on being a girl from my older sisters and also learned on what not to do and how to keep from getting into trouble from them.

To get a feel for painting landscapes, I did a practice piece of The Needle in Iao Valley on the island of Maui. What was a simple, practice landscape turned out to be a powerful reminder that touched my soul deeply. It took me back to my childhood…the fun, the trauma, my siblings, my family… the emotions it invoked completely overwhelmed me. Not only was I so touched by it, but so were the family members who viewed it. For some it brought tears, for others deep reflection of the memories that surfaced at dealing with that time of their lives. Maybe as someone mentioned…the lone figure…the lost little girl??

As children we (my siblings and cousins) would trek up to Iao Valley by way of a cow path that led out of the small cemetery at the end of Vineyard Street in the town of Wailuku. We would swim in the Wailuku Creek at the Mahi’s pond and other ponds on our way to Kepaniwai Park and The Needle. On the way we picked and ate guava and nuts; drank the fresh, cold, sweet water out of the creek; picked clusters of ti leaves and rode them down the muddy slopes. When the ginger was in bloom, the scent of the flowers permeated the valley so thickly that it felt that the scent was completely absorbed by your clothing and even your body.

I recall a time when we, my mother, Tutu Rose and the kids, went to Mahi’s pond for a family picnic. After swimming for a while I went back to the car to change my clothes and get ready for some lunch. When I was changed ready to return to the fun, I looked out the window and found myself and the car surrounded by cows. I was petrified. I screamed and screamed, crying like a baby for my mother. The cows just stood there through all my caterwauling looking at me as if I was a complete idiot. Needless to say, both Mama and Tutu came running to rescue me. When they saw what was really going on they both let me know how silly I was being and that the cows would not have hurt me. How was I to know that, I’d never been that close to cows before. Check out this fun sketch, which was done for one of my art forum challenges called Silly Situations.




















I often wish my children and grandchildren could experience the innocence of that time.

Aloha for now.

Family Portraits

As most artists, I have done my share of family portraits and I would like to post some of them here. I’ve already posted a few of them such as “Captive Audience” and “Mo’opuna” (both in the post of Sunday, June 21, 2009) which are paintings of my grandchildren. Most recently, “From Whence I Come”… a portrait of my son showing his ethnicity (post of Monday, July 20, 2009).

"Soul Mates"
Private Collection
(16x20 oil...son and wife)



“Kalani”
Private Collection
(11x14 oil…oldest grandson)









“Kai"
Private Collection
(11x14 oil…youngest grandson)

“Keohokulani”
Private Collection
(18x24 portrait of oldest sister)

I’m getting ready to ship my sister’s portrait to her. Hope she likes it.

Aloha…that’s it for now.