What God Told Her, Saint Catherine Of Siena

I painted this large painting 4 ft x 8 ft in 2001 and called it " What God Told Her."  I adapted it from a photo I ran across of  a marble carving in the year 1386  on the tomb of  Giovanni da Legnano  in San Domenico, Bologna, Italy. The tomb of course had no color and I really wanted to bring this little nun back to life.

I prayed over this painting and reflected on my life as I painted it. I made sure to paint that ribbon in her book scarlet red, to me the book represents the bible, the column represents the church, the gold rings the Trinity, the wooden floor earth and the rays spiritual understanding. After it was finished it hung in my studio a while and later  I rolled it up and tucked it in a closet. 12 years later I rolled it out when my kids were over visiting and told them, she needs to be in a Catholic Church or school somewhere. However, I did not know any Catholics personally !

So a few weeks later, out of the blue a Catholic lady I did not know called me for a commission. We became friends and talked often. I still forgot about the nun in the closet and then one day this lady mentioned her husband was the principal at the Saint Catherine of Siena school,.. I mentioned the nun and as it turns out she will be hung at the Saint Catherine of Siena school. .. here is the catch, in 2001 I did not know that this little nun WAS Saint Catherine of Siena.....

but after many hours research of the tomb we found out that  she is.

                                                            I guess it was time for her to go home.

                                                                             I'm going to miss her. 

                                                                     The providence of God is amazing.

I

Harnette County Homestead

I wanted to call this painting  "The Old House in My Mom's Neck of the Woods" but I was not sure if any one who is not a Southerner would understand that term. My mother and I went out driving one day so she could show me some of the old houses that our relatives had lived in. Most of the ones we were looking for had already been torn down . We did stumble on this one and although it is not connected to any family member living there it was still an old landmark my mom had known forever. So she patiently sat in the car on the side of the road so I could jump out and take photos.  I decided to leave this one sorta "shabby" in style. I  made that decision when I  got to a point in the painting  that if I tried to push it any further it would begin to look to new and spruced up.

Waiting For the Rain

        I pass by this house often and  each time I would tell myself I would stop one day and take some photos. Then one almost rainy afternoon when I was in a hurry to get home I passed by to see the azaleas had burst into bloom and made the contrast of old and new so vivid. I stopped. Mr Smith was 76. He posed on the porch of his ramshackle old tin roofed house and spit tobacco and told me stories, he has lived here all his life. He said "Do you like figs? Come back when the figs are ripe and I will let you have some."

Actually I love figs, or as Face Book would say I am in a relationship with figs. So  I unabashedly ( like a two year old) clarified what he meant when he offered figs" I  questioned him, "Mr. Smith do you mean one Fig, or two figs, or enough to make a jar of jelly?" He laughed.

Then he tried to give me a rooster. As he looked off into the clouds from his place on the porch I hollered from where I was snapping shots... "Mr Smith, I am going to call this one "Waiting for the Rain!"

Autumn Harvest

Learning the Ropes

This painting is of two young boys out at sunset pulling in a lobster trap in Maine. I visited Maine earlier in the year and took many photos to paint.. yet I was disappointed that  in spite of running up and down the coast I did not see any lobster boats with men actually fishing. Later I was told it was not the season. I came back to North Carolina and when looking for something else I found  this image on a web site.  I could not resist so I found the number of who I thought  it belonged to, took a  chance, and called to ask permission to paint it. To me  this whole painting symbolizes the wonderful people I met in Maine. It is a testimony of good will and trust among strangers. I explained to the man who answered the phone who I was and what I wanted and this kind man  said "Sure, we would be delighted for you to paint it!"

It made my day. I am going to paint it several more times, changing, tweaking, and  playing with the light and the water reflections. For sure it is my all time favorite.

Soon I will pack my camera and be will be headed back to Maine to see my son. I can not wait to get some more pictures of this beautiful area.

Red Boat on Rainy Day

I think I must have visited Maine in the rainy season. I was content with that because I was able to get most of my photos with out having to work around a lot of tourist. This painting was adapted from a photo I took of a crowded rainy boat dock . There was an abundant supply of boats, docks and water to choose from!

All Docked Up and No Where to Go. Rockport, Maine

Rockland Maine- Passing By the Light House- 2

This is not the same Painting as the one I did yesterday. I liked the composition so I Painted it again in a softer style. Note the clouds.. they were not in the other painting. Just trying new things! You can see that the paint is still wet. These are done in oil so they take longer to dry.

Passing By The Light House- Rockland Maine

It was raining very hard when I visited this light house. I put on my rain coat and dwaddled on out there. It took longer than I expected because I had to be cautious with the rocks being slippery and not all the same size. There is a 7/8 mile long rock walk that they call a "breakwater". It appeared to be about 10 foot wide. You can walk the rocks all the way and then go up the stairs to see around it.

Our Town

 This was my entry to the Wake Forest Call to Artist Competition. The entry's were supposed to depict the growth and updating of the Main street and the plans that the town of Wake Forest has to promote arts and entertainment. This painting took second place in the Competition.

Portland Maine- Lucky Catch

Camden Maine, Misty Boat Dock

Recently I took  a trip to Maine to visit my son. It was my first time flying alone and  I planned to  travel  alone  by car to take photos and explore. The first hotel I stayed in Orono Maine I told the clerk to give me a "safe" room. Close to the desk and not on some lonely hall by myself. The next morning my son called and asked me what I would be doing. I told him I would be out and about town taking pictures. He said "Have you looked out side? It is raining." I opened the big draped window curtain on the sliding glass doors to see a steady light rain falling and the most beautiful view. " Don't worry about me!" I said," I will be happy just painting my view from this hotel window!" At that moment I made up my mind never again to ask for a safe room... but for the best view.  A few nights later I was staying in Camden and this painting is  the view from  my window at the Lord Camden Inn.

Rockport Maine: The Green Garden Hose

Rocky Shore Light House

George Washington -Fayetteville Street, Raleigh Nc

As I painted this I imagined old George saying, "Don't make me have to come down and straighten this city out." My son works on the 6th floor of the pink building with blue windows, so I painted this  one for his office.

Carriage Ride , Charleston

Ford Fordson

I found this old car on a trip up north hiding in what appeared to be a junk collectors barn. I was thankful to have my camera ready to take a photo because I knew right away that it would be perfect for what I call " Under the Eaves" Collection- Things  that people have stored under the eaves of barns and sheds in the country. Really. You never find this kind of thing around the city.

Ride 'em John

This is a painting I did a few years ago of my son on his hobby horse. His daughters now ride the horse and call him Jingle Bells because he has a ribbon and some bells around his neck. Life moves on but Jingle Bells never ages.

Evening Visitor 2

This is a tiny 8 x 10 painting. It is of one of the cows I discovered on a snowy farm in Virginia. Yes, that was one beautiful yellow sunset. It looked just like I painted it, and that is why I felt compelled to jump out of my car and trudge through the cold snowy air and watch the sun set on this cow.

Evening Visitor

It had just snowed earlier  on this almost spring  day and the sun was setting across this farm in Virginia. The cows were actually "lowing" which seems to be a long quiet slow drawn out sound which was not like the normal moo. They seemed  a bit concerned about me visiting them so late in the evening. Although it was February, the sound they made reminded me of  a song we sing in December.

  The cattle are lowing the poor baby wakes, but little Lord Jesus no crying he makes. I love thee Lord Jesus look down from the sky and stay by my cradle til morning is nigh."Away in Manger" ..

North Raleigh News, March 5 2013

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COMMUNITY - ART NOTES
Tuesday, Mar. 05, 2013

Art After Hours Painter Uses Art To Help Community

BY SARAH BARR - SBARR@NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Painter Tammy Sorrell knows inspiration can turn up when you least expect it.

She keeps a camera at the ready to record the scenes that captivate her so that she can paint them later. And she has found a way to use her art that she didn’t expect – by working in the community to help at risk youth with problems such as cutting, depression, and drug addiction.

The Local-based artist, who paints under the name T. Angelique, is the featured artist at The Cotton Company,. The gallery will hold an artist’s reception Friday for Art After Hours.

Vandalism in the Pottery Shed

He was Baaaaaad.. really really BAAAAD! 

My reproduction of William-Adolphe Bouguereau's Painting -"l' innocence

This is a very large painting and so it was the one I decided to put in the window of my display at the Cotton Company in Wake Forest. I was delighted when the mother of an 11 year old girl called and explained to me that her daughter begged her to stop the car and go back to let her get out and look at it. After inspecting it she requested a smaller 11x14 reproduction for her upcoming  12th birthday.

https://www.bouguereau.org/

http://www.bouguereau.org/home-7-24-1-2.html

______________________________________________

You can also find more about William-Adolphe Bouguerau at Artsy: 

https://www.artsy.net/artist/william-adolphe-bouguereau

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