Copper and Apple : with a warmer background

Oil on Canvas 12x14

Shih Tzu with Orchids

How Much is that Doggy in the Window?

Rebekah's Pansy

Road Block Moove Over

A Friend of mine captured a Photo of these cows when she was on her honeymoon in Ireland, and I just had to paint them.

Hannah in the Sunlight

Hannah in the Sunlight: This Painting won second place in the January 2013 Artist Monthly Challenge for Contemporary Fine Art International

http://www.cfai.co/art-challenge-january-2013-shiny-and-new/

Purple Pansy

The Golden Gifts

I did a photo shoot of my grand daughter this Christmas and when I got ready to paint I saw the Easter Bunny laying in the rocker behind her. I pondered painting it out and after serious consideration decided to leave it in. The reason I left it in is because Christmas and Easter are not just two separate Holidays. As I painted this picture of my grand daughter I decided its title would be "The Golden Gifts" and  I hope one day my granddaughter will understand why. As I reflected on all of this I pondered God sending his son to earth to be the way of salvation for those who believe. How else could we connect with a God who is a spirit unless we realize he knows what it is like to be human? This story is not complete with out Easter and the knowledge that just as Jesus chose to come to earth to be an example of forgiveness and holiness he also chose to be a sacrifice  for our sin, how else can we connect with a God so infinitely holy and pure?   No other God that men choose to worship died for His people. When He walked the earth He told us to lay down our lives for each other, how could he ask that unless he was willing to do this himself?

..and this is my commandment that you love one another, greater love has no man than this, that he would lay his life down for his friends. You are my friend if you keep my commandments..John15: 13:14

I received little rocking chair in the background as a Christmas gift in 1960.

What Getting A Speeding Ticket And Art Critics Have In Common

The Traveling Artist recently put her camera in the car to visit an old friend. A bit of snow had jsut fallen in North Carolina and Virginia  and I was already anticipating the joy of coming around the corner on one of the back roads to see a cow in the snow, I was going to pull over and capture a shot. I did not anticipate pulling over for anything else. I do not like highways but  in this case I had to begin the trip by taking the highway and I got behind a large truck throwing bits of debris, I was  deep in thought about art, so at first I just trudged along behind it. When I decided to pass I gunned the engine and pulled into the left lane only to look up and see flashing blue lights behind me. What was my reaction? I was not surprised, or angry, and my heart did not change a beat -I thought to myself, " Hum, I am curious what I did besides pass this truck."  I know you do not believe me but you will have to take my word for it. I got around the truck and pulled over into the right lane and was pulling onto the shoulder when the flashing blue lights whipped on past me, I was not the offender. I pulled back on to the road and continued my thoughts about art, but thoughts about policemen and tickets now interfered. Why was I not afraid when I thought I was about to get a ticket, or relieved when I did not? I think it is because I know that receiving correction is good for a person. I try hard to see life as learning, even if it is from a policeman telling me he found something I did that deserved punishment. Even if I do not understand another persons reasons or interpretation of a situation I still celebrate honesty and correction.

A policeman is not going to preface his words with  "Well I think you may have been.. or maybe you should have," neither is he going to say " You always.. You never, You are this or that.- Each mistake will be handled on the side of the road, individually.  He is going to get right to the point and I like that.

I think an artist has to learn  to accept  judgement and to refrain from being defensive in order to grow as a painter. You can only get peace with your painting and your life until you are able to accept criticism and instruction.  It is not enough to say to yourself, well that is your opinion when someone looks at your art and gives an honest appraisal, instead you must get to the place of being able to take a fresh look at it from their eyes. You do not have to change it, although I have found that when I try what ever it is the person has told me, more often than not- it was just what I needed to do. When I can not do the suggested correction in my experience it is good to put that information, instruction or opinion into my"things to think about " file. When you are able to approach life that way it makes it so much more interesting to ask another - So tell me what you think honestly . As they give me their advice I try hard not to think of my own reasons or explanations of why I am doing what I am doing. It is harder when one person in the conversation is trying to prove they have the only way of looking at something, or if they feel they have a case against you, your work, action or personality. Some people compromise, some give in, some only want to win.  Once reasonable people realize you are willing to learn and value their opinion you can grow and learn so much faster.  This is fun to do with strangers, but is especially rewarding in relationships with people you trust and value, and this approach works with so much more than art. Trust me.

Bronze Pot and Apple Blossoms

All Her Ducks In A Row

This is a painting I did of my nieces daughter.. she is the blond with the determined look on her face leading the pack! This child has the biggest brown eyes I have ever seen and she has a great imagination.

Pickles and more Pickles

14x16.. and 11x14 oil on canvas

Meager Breakfast

11x14 Acrylic on Canvas

Vincent (Starry Starry Night) Don McLean

I have always loved this song, but I will admit I did not like Vincent van Gogh's art until I learned his story. The struggles Vincent van Gogh  had and his beautiful swirling colors remind me to be nonjudgmental and enjoy the differences that make each one of us unique. We all suffer, some of us suffer in black and white, some of us struggle in vivid color.

When I was at Duke University Hospital as part of  the Chaplaincy training, we were reminded to search for and listen to a patients life story, each person has a string of events that they have lived through that becomes a part of them. During times of trouble, pain, sickness, death, or hurt, our past story intertwines with current trials and things can become overwhelming; until some one comes along beside you and tells you it is okay to experience life, struggles and all, and assures you that they will work through it with you. Chaplains do that, true friends do that. 

I discovered the same thread when working with troubled teens. Their story is still all entwined with their family, their story sometimes is short and confusing. Many times they get hung on a certain narrative of what they feel life is supposed to look like.  When you put a blank canvas in front of a troubled teen they see one blank canvas and think of all the
 complicated steps to make one painting. They are afraid to make a mistake. When you tell them to just paint one block of shape at a time and that if they do not like it they can paint the canvas back to white and start over - then they begin to relax and create something they can enjoy. Life is like that, one step at a time, add a little color and see what takes shape, give yourself and others lots of forgiveness to cover up the mistakes, start over.  

If no one else believes or listens to your story, paint it. If you do not like what you have done, paint over it.  

Brothers On The Beach

A client sent me this photo to paint as a gift to her daughter. She said " I know the little one is scratching his bum but we think this is so cute!" I had a hard time not calling it the " Red Solo Cup" - because the older brother is sipping his breakfast juice from a red Solo cup and enjoying the scenery. It was fun to paint- little boys with jammies on and little squirrels hopping around on their little back sides. The client texted me after Christmas and said " My daughter loved her painting!"

Love Peace Goodness

This was a mural done for a home for battered women. The youth in the community also came with me that day and put together beds and moved furniture.    

Not My Cup Of Tea

Although the title of this painting is "Not My Cup Of Tea." Actually this is my cup. I purchased it recently at a local Pottery Gallery. Then I got a new one that I love better. Tea cups are like that. I was considering putting this painting under the heading "Things I Put in My Coffee Cup", but while I was painting this I was thinking of tea.

Things I Put In My Pink Coffee Cup

Hydrangeas in Pink Cup

Pansy in Pink Cup

Shadows of Turning

 Over Thanksgiving my husband and I went out of town to visit old friends. We began our journey home  around sunset and took the scenic route. On a back road I saw this church with a tree shadow on the side that was stunning. So I hollered "Stop and let me get a picture!" My husband who years ago would have kept driving did stop and I hopped out and got a few shots. Tonight, while I painted it I reflected on how it would have only taken a few moments for the sun to have changed positions and I would have missed this wonderful picture. Sometimes change is not so easy.. change seems to take things away, but sometimes it gives us something better. Certainly an example of a change for the better is that now my husband will take back roads and stop to enjoy looking at shadows on churches, I guess after 34 years he is beginning to understand  my relationship with both my art and church! I love churches and all they stand for, but I have always served in church like it was a full time job... lately there has been a change and I sense God teaching me to slow down and enjoy Him in a more prayerful, quiet way. I am enjoying my gift of painting, I am enjoying the solitude and the peace, I am enjoying going to church and listening. Things change... but I am so glad God never does..Every good gift and every perfect gift cometh down from the father of lights, in whom there is no variableness neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

A Morning Ride With Gus, Tuffy, and Smokey

A Morning Ride With Gus, Tuff & Smokey.

One Autumn morning I took my camera and went out

 to take photos of  these barns and old house with colorful

 weeds that hugged the porch.

To my delight a family rode up on Gus, Tuff and Smokey

and tied them up to go into the country grocery which was

across the road from the old house. These are well loved horses

and from what I understand they have lots of cute "horse clothes"

you know, blankets and such that they wear. 

Up on Blocks

UP ON BLOCKS

This is an old gas station that I had to drive by 4 times a day for about 15 years. It was on the way to take the kids to school and back. Under the eaves there was always something awesome, sometimes a tractor, or a truck. When I went to take the photo  the old sign was gone and I could not remember what gas company it was. Thankfully the metal case was still hanging from the wire and with a little research I found out it was a Phillip's 66. That rang true, I remember telling the kids that I was going to go climb up the pole and get the sign for their dads 66th birthday because his name is Phillip. Now in my old age I realize maybe it isn't such a good idea to tell your kids you are going to take a sign.. at any rate it was a a trip down memory lane to paint it, and I am glad I took the time to do it before this old station is gone.

Portrait of My Daughter

Portrait of My Daughter

This is a portrait of my daughter sitting in an old art deco chair that belonged to her great grandmother. The Dog is Oz,  and Boisley is the cat calmly looking out of the window over her shoulder. Courtney has always loved books so a portrait with out books would not be complete. The books are on an old Hoosier cabinet passed down from me, on which sits the infamous trailing Philodendron which has traveled with Courtney from city to city and manages to thrive in any environment. Can there be any more sentiment stashed in a portrait? Well, yes! The painting in the background is one of the first canvas paintings I  painted and it travels with my daughter and hangs in her home.

Far Away

This is a painting that I wanted to do because of the way this old lady in India is in such deep thought. I find myself wanting to depict  the lives of women, especially as we get older and wiser.

Gerbera Daisy in Red Vase

First Snow on the Autumn Leaves

First in a Series of Barns and Places along the Wayside

There are old barns, gas stations, beat up trucks, and tractors dotted along the road sides of the paths we take in life. They testify of  the hopes and plans others have had many years ago. As we pass by these places each day  we begin to feel comfortable with them, we know them like the back of our hand yet we never stop and really look at them. Seasons change, time passes as the new moves in and the old goes the way of things of age, these things begin to slowly get rusty or gray, shrivel up, lean, groan and then one day we pass by and notice too late, that it's gone. We miss it and we never really knew we were going to.

 I wanted to stop and paint a few of them. Not for you, or my kids, but for myself. To say hello to them for the first time maybe, and or even possibly good-bye, because even if they are not going away anytime soon, I for one am just passing though.

For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. James 4:14

Pansy in Blue Willow Vase

Non Profit Ministry Project Summer 2012

Tammy uses art in the community in order to reach out to drug addicted youth with destructive habits such as self-mutilation, alcoholism, and drug use. She has had success in rehabilitating and restoring them to a life that is productive and effective contributing members of society. Her nonprofit, Hosanna Covenant Ministries -Art for Transforming" completed a 20x 60 community mural in the summer of 2012 to offer youth an opportunity to express themselves and create something beautiful.

The Difference in Me and Emily Dickinson

IMAGES FROM THE PAST ....

Click on image to enlarge...

This one thing I know, everything is relative to the moment. 

No matter how much you want to do the right thing you can not always do the perfect thing to save someone else's heart from breaking......

especially  in the moment that yours is breaking too. 

It is the intention of your heart that counts, and that is all that matters in the end. Sometimes that Robin is going to faint or fly away whether you help it or not, and sometimes your best efforts are not going to be enough.  All in all- do your best- to do your best -and then you can peacefully rest... in your own little nest!

Pear In Gold Rimmed Glass

Pear on a Petite Stand

Clay Jar and Watermelon

Dual Pansies in oil

Pansy Days

Oranges and Grapes

Waiting For The Dawn- Summer and Winter

Fall Pears

Apples in the Sunlight

Just For Fun

Kerr Lake Diva

This is a quick rendering combining several old black and white family photos. I wanted to do this painting just to relax and have fun. The beloved boat was called the Jolly Ollie, and the marina house in the back ground was Norwood's, run by old Mr Norwood himself. My mother in law who poses here in her stylish hat, had five sons. Somehow according to her  that gave her the rights to Diva status.  Each summer the five boys could not wait til the week of the fourth of July to  go to the lake.  Saturday morning she would pack everything  all up in the car and as all five boys watched in agony she would then sit down by the door to leisurely repair her manicure and paint her toe nails. This apparently drove the boys and her husband stark raving mad.

Pickle Jars

The Entrance: Large Trompe-l'œil Mural

My reproduction of " The Grape Picker" by William-Adolphe Bouguereau

My Reproduction of  the little Girls Face.

William Adolphe Bouguereau (William Bouguereau) (1825-1905)
This is " The Grape Picker" original

You can find more information about
William-Adolphe  Bouguereau
at Artsy  https://www.artsy.net/artist/william-adolphe-bouguereau


and also here: https://www.bouguereau.org/

Oranges for Breakfast

Tiger Alcove Large Trompe-l'œil Wall Mural

This is a 4x8 foot mural painted on a wood panel with canvas.