Flowers White Peony Oil Painting

White Peony
Remembrance
Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas
12 x 12 x 1.5

Peonies are the sort of transition flower, between spring and summer.  In my part of the world they are often blooming on Memorial Day, and I remember my Mother arranging huge bouquets in Mason canning jars to take to the cemetery to decorate the graves.  I believe that hers were mostly red and pink, but I found this one in Minnesota several years ago while vacationing near Grand Marais.  I took a photograph mostly for the novelty of seeing a peony in bloom in July - their growing season is much different from ours.  I thought at the time it would make a nice painting, but it took me all these years to develop the skills and the patience to attempt such a feat.

This is another in my series of close up paintings of flowers. It may have been somewhat inspired by the work of Georgia O'Keefe, although my style is entirely different.  I wasn't consciously thinking of her when I began to realize that my point of view is somewhat different from that of many artists.  It happened on a painting trip with my husband to the North Shore of Lake Superior.  We had been painting at various spots along the shore for a few days when one morning I looked out over the water and saw a quiet lake,  much like the lake I had painted the day before, some rocks that resembled those I had already painted and some trees...well, you get the picture.  So did I, several times already.  Then I turned around and there it was!  A tiny blue flower on the end of a long delicate stem  - and it was growing out of the smallest of crevices between two rocks!  Such unexpected beauty, as well as some deep symbolism which I still haven't quite figured out, but it made a great painting.  Unfortunately, I did not take any photos of the painting and it found another home a long time ago,  but I will never forget that "ah ha moment."

 I learned two important lessons on that trip:
1. When you find yourself unable to move forward, change your point of view.
2. Always take a closer look.


 It reminded me of the first verse of a somewhat long and rambling poem by William Blake,   
To See the World in a Grain of Sand:

To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour. 

I have always loved those particular lines.  In one way or another, it is what all artists do.

This painting is on gallery wrapped canvas,  1.5 inches deep and is meant to be displayed without a frame.  I think it is my favorite of this series so far, but then I have said that about all of them.  It is listed on Daily Painters and Art Helping Animals and I hope to have it on Fine Art America soon.

Dinner Plate Hibiscus

Hibiscus

Passion 
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

12 x  12

1.5 inches deep

The newest in my series of garden flower portraits is called a "Dinner Plate Hibiscus," because it is supposed to be the size of a dinner plate,  though I am sure that eating all the food on something so big would make me gain weight!  The hibiscus is often considered a tropical plant, but this one is a hardy variety that does very well in my part of the country.  It usually blooms around the middle of August and it is well worth the wait. With its oversize, vibrantly colored  blooms the hibiscus could have been the centerpiece flower in the Garden of Eden. Seeing it takes my breath away. What is such a lush exotic plant doing in my garden?

I have always loved flowers and have painted them many times over the years, but this series is new and a little different.  Each painting is in oil on gallery wrapped canvas,  either 12 x 12  or 12 x 16 inches in size and extra deep  - 1.5 inches.  No staples show on the sides and the edges are part of the painting, so no frame is needed.  It is a contemporary look that would also feel right at  home in a traditional setting, small enough to be displayed in a grouping, but large enough to hang alone.  All   but one have come from my garden.  The White Rose came from a floral shop and was in a Valentine bouquet from my husband!  There is something delicious about getting  right up into a flower to take in all its incredible beauty and detail.  It completely  fascinates me.  The response has been tremendously encouraging and I plan to keep painting them for a while.  I can't imagine either running out of flowers or growing tired of painting them.

We are coming out of several days of rain, though no severe storms this time around.  The bright red flower makes me think of the warm summer days ahead.  Maybe we might even see the sun today.  The weather man says so, but I am having a little trouble trusting him....

Have a great day! 

Floral Painting Series

Love in Any Language

Pink Rose

Original Oil on Canvas

12 x 12 x 1.5

No longer available

I began this series earlier this year - well, actually the first was painted last year, but I didn't realize it would become a series then.  I had purchased a square canvas, 12 x 12, with deep sides and decided it was just the perfect ground for a close up painting of one of the pink roses from the garden. The painting received many positive comments, and before long an entire series developed from that experience.  There are countless varieties of flowers with infinite color combinations so this series should keep me fascinated and busy for a long time. I love, love, love, painting color and light,  love painting close ups, and find myself wondering if I am in heaven when I am working on them.  Well, part of the time, anyway.  Every painting has its "difficult passages" -  that is what artists euphemistically call those times of absolute frustration when you are ready to tear the piece to shreds or take it down to the river and drown it.  It is during those times when as an artist you just have to grit your teeth and keep going until you see the light at the end of the tunnel. But even then there is joy because you are living your passion.

Though I have been painting flowers for years, this format just seemed to click with my close up viewpoint. While the style is realistic, the composition tends to be a bit abstract, so the look can be either modern or traditional and they aren't intended to be framed, so that is one less hassle.  At this point there are two sizes: 12 x 12 for the smaller, rounder blooms and 12 x 16 for the more complicated shapes.  It makes them easier to design, ship, store and much less complicated to pack and display for art shows and fairs.  And people can mix and match them for a great arrangement.

All the flowers in this series have found good homes: two iris, two roses and one amaryllis.  I will be hard at work on the next one as soon as I figure out what it will be.  I have been blessed with lovely gardens through the years - great flowers to paint and photograph.  The pink rose, above, was done from photos I took in the garden, the white rose below from a Valentine's Day bouquet.  The iris used to grow in our garden but we lost it during an especially wet spring a couple of years ago.  When we find this particular color again, we will replace it.

All of these, as well as a white iris and a scarlet amaryllis have been purchased, so I guess it is time to be painting more flowers.   Wonder what the next one should be...

Love in Bloom

White Rose

Oil on Canvas 

12 x 12 x 1.5

No longer available

Light Play

Iris

Oil on Canvas

12 x 16 x 1.5

No longer available

Wildlife Art Big Cats African Lion

The Lion Sleeps Tonight

African Lion

Pastel, 9.5 x 11.5

Remembering Cha Cha, the African Lion at the Blank Park zoo in Des Moines who passed away recently at the age of 16.  He was majestic, playful, courageous, fierce, truly awe inspiring, and quite photogenic.  Everyone, both the staff and the public, loved him but like Aslan, the great hero of Narnia,  though he was "good - very very good, he was not a tame lion."  And that also is why we loved him.

This pastel is matted and ready to frame, I have listed it on Daily Painters, Art Helping Animals and Chisholm Trail Art and will offer it for sale in my Facebook store whenever that gets up and running.

Resurrection Day Dance

This is my favorite You Tube video.  On April 4, 2010, over 1,300 young people, all of them members of Faith Church celebrated Resurrection Sunday in Budapest, Hungary.

Wishing you all a glorious Resurrection Day!

Good Friday Painting

Crown of Thorns

Pastel

This painting was inspired by the second stanza of an old hymn, "My Jesus, I Love Thee,"  I first painted it many, many years ago and have been asked to paint it over twenty times since.  It has always been a labor of love and this seems like a good time for me to share it again.  The words of the hymn are printed below, with my special verse in bold print.  The words may be considered a bit outdated, but the meaning behind them has not changed.  I hope it speaks to you as it does to me.

My Jesus, I Love Thee

1. My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
   For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
   My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
   If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
2. I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,
   And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;
   I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
   If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
3. I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
   And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
   And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
   If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
4. In mansions of glory and endless delight,
   I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
   I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,
   If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

 And yes, I know He does seem to be smiling.   I like to tell people it is because He is thinking about them - about you! -  and looking forward to being with you in Heaven forever.   Don't let Him be disappointed...

Black Horse Oil Painting

Beauty

Black Arabian Horse

11 x 14, Oil on canvas

I attended a Arabian Horse show at the state fair and was pleased to see that a number of them were black or near black, as I had rarely seen them in this area.   They are absolutely gorgeous and dramatic to watch, but a challenge to paint, as is any animal with a black coat.   "Black" as it comes out of the tube of oil paint appears somewhat flat on the canvas, no matter which hue you use. Can you believe there are different colors of black - ivory black, lamp black, intense black to name a few - but in oil paint at least I rarely use them, and never straight from the tube.  Over the years I have experimented with different mixtures but eventually settled on the blues and browns for blacks with depth and interest.  The "lights" in this painting are a mixture of ultramarine, burnt umber and white, the mid tones are the same with burnt sienna and a little less white added, the "darks" have little or no white added.  Occasionally I will add a smidgen of black to very dark passages, when nothing else seems to provide the depth I need, but very, very sparingly.   The game changes when you start using acrylics which don't work at all the same as oils.  And pastels,  of course,  are not mixed at all but they can be blended very carefully.  All of which are topics for later posts.

This painting is oil on stretched, wrapped canvas, all the edges have been painted and no staples show.  I have found that people prefer to purchase paintings unframed, so that they can chose what fits their decor, lifestyle and budget.   Unframed artwork is easier, cheaper and a whole lot safer to ship.

Have a great day, and say a prayer for those who have been hit recently by the devastating storms.  We have lived through a couple of them,  though none as devastating as those we have been seeing over the past few weeks.  My heart goes out to all those affected.

Scarlet Red Amaryllis Flower Painting

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Red Amaryllis

Oil on canvas

12 x 12

 No longer available

"Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" is a title that reflects life for all of us - the spent faded blooms of yesterday are no more than memories, beautiful in their time but fleeting; the bud is the unfulfilled bright promise of tomorrow as yet unknown; and the blooming flower is today and today is what really matters.  In the best of times, in the worst of times, we look for the bright colors in every day, remembering the joys of yesterday, looking forward to tomorrow but knowing that today, this moment, is all we really have. 

 

This is the second in the new series of closeup paintings, portraits really, of my favorite flowers.  This amaryllis was an early Christmas gift a year or two ago - the date on my reference photos is December 26, so it must have bloomed in time for the holidays.  It is such an adventure to plant the lifeless looking bulb and then watch and wait impatiently for even the tiniest sign of life.  You check it every day, several times a day, hoping against hope to see "green."  There is no containing the excitement when at last the first leaf hesitantly breaks above ground.  Another and another appear and you really don't care if it ever blooms or not. It is green!  It is alive!  There is something more in your future besides snow and cold and one gray day following another.  When you have just about given up hope that it will ever bloom,  a stock shoots up, almost overnight and you know, you really know, that this one will fulfill its promise and bring bright color into your dreary life.  They bloom profusely but only for a short time, then it is time to put them into a "dark, dry area" to rest until next year.  But what joy they bring!

Flowers have always been a favorite subject, and I love painting them "up close and personal."  This particular series is unique in that I am painting them all on similar sized canvases, either 12 x 12 or 12 x 16 and on the deep, 1.5 inch thick stretched canvas.  The painting extends over the edges of the canvas,  so no frame is necessary.   They will be easy to mix and match, if anyone is so inclined, and easier for me to transport to art shows.  I may increase the size to 16 x 20 if it seems reasonable, but the smaller size will keep prices down, is easier to ship and to take to art shows.  Besides, as I mentioned, they can be mixed and matched.

This painting has been sold, but I love painting these, so there will be others.  There is no end to my list of favorite flowers,  so this series could continue for years. 

Thank you for reading - and enjoy today!

New Painting New Series Elegance White Iris OIl

White Iris

Elegance

Oil on stretched, wrapped canvas

12 x 16 x 1.5

Every year about this time, no matter how mild or how harsh the weather has been, I begin to long for signs of spring.  The days become longer and more pleasant - more sunshine, warmer days, bluer skies - and to me the most enjoyable - flowers seem to appear out of nowhere.  Crocus and Hyacinth, daffodils and tulips -  even the dandy lions and violets can be a welcome sight, depending on the kind of winter it's been.  Among my favorites are the beautiful iris - there are so many varieties, so many colors and color combinations.  And of course, the iris was a favorite of my mom's so there is a sentimental connection for me there as well.  This painting was done from a photograph taken in my garden during the late spring when flowers are at their most beautiful.   Each year I take hundreds of them, keeping in mind the long, dreary winter days ahead.  If I happen to miss a bloom or bud, I can always count on my photographer husband to share one of his. 

Most of my floral paintings are close ups of single or perhaps two or three blooms, rather than than panoramic paintings of gardens.  Don't know why, it is just the way I am wired, probably.  Looking closely at things may simply be a result of nearsightedness, but the idea of exploring the intricate beauty of a flower petal has always appealed to me.  I admire the work of Georgia O'Keefe, and even though my style is nothing at all like hers, we do seem to look at things in the same way.  The result for me is a painting that is realistic in style, yet somewhat abstract in composition. 

"Elegance" is one of a new series of floral paintings.  I love the 12 x 16 inch format and especially the deep canvas.  It is a dramatic statement, as the painting is extended to the sides, top and bottom of the canvas and it is displayed without a frame. 

This painting has now been sold, but watch this space for others available soon.  And remember,  spring always comes, eventually...

Sheltie, Shih Tzu and Schnauzer

Shetland Sheepdog

"Gentle Guardian"

Pastel, 9 x 11 

Shelties are among the sweetest, most empathetic of dogs.   Perhaps it is their herding instinct that also makes them highly intuitive, I don't know for sure, but they sense when someone is hurting and needs comforting, they are protective and very tender toward children. At least that is true of those whom I have met.  Most herding dogs may have similar traits.  I know that our dog Barnabas,  a Border Collie mix,  though a "wild child" in many ways absolutely loves children and seems to be able to read my mind.

At Christmas time, I am always busy with commissioned work - portraits of both humans and animals.  Here are a couple of doggie portraits I did for the holidays.  A cute little Shih tzu and a handsome Schnauzer.  I love doing portraits of people's pets,  it is heartwarming to see how much they are loved and give love in return.   Even after they are gone, the love goes on forever...

Have a great day and don't forget to hug your pet.   If you don't have one, hug the  pet of some kind soul who doesn't mind sharing the love.

Shih Tzu 

Schnauzer

Giant Panda Wildlife Art Print

Giant Panda

Art Print 10 x 10

I love his happy face, his roly-poly body, his soft black and white outfit, his cute little ears.  I really can't think of anything about him not to like.  For the most part he is what you would call laid back, not aggressive, noncompetitive and non demanding. All he asks is a nice quiet rain forest and some bamboo to munch. Admittedly he isn't much of a "go-getter." He has not invented the wheel,  high speed computers or a cure for the common cold, though in his defense, he has no need for any of those things.  On the other hand, neither did he invent the atomic bomb, network TV or high heel shoes.  So at least his lack of ambition has done no harm.  It is true, I have read that pandas have been known to attack humans, but only when they are irritated by them.  Yes, well, I don't hold that against them, as I myself have had similar feelings.  All in all, this is one I would like to claim as a friend.

To introduce you to my new print shop page, I am offering "Giant Panda" and other requested reproductions at a special  price.  These reproductions are printed on fine, acid free art paper and are subjected to scrupulous inspection by the artist herself -  (that would be me!)   During this difficult economy, it is a perfect opportunity to own artwork, without paying the price of an original.  And they make great gifts.

Visit  Della's Print Shop page.

If you don't find what you want, more prints will be added often.  Or email me with special requests.

Email Della

Wildlife Art African Lion Print

The King
Wimoweh

8 x 10

art print from my original pastel painting

I love cats - those who live in houses and those who live in the jungle or forest.  Even with all their differences, it is obvious that they belong to the same family.  If you look closely, you can see the lion in the kitten, and the kitten in the lion.  They purr, they pounce, they play, they stalk.  I read somewhere that God created the cat so that man might enjoy the pleasure of petting a lion.  But of all the majestic cats, large and small, there is only one called "King." 

Despite its ferocity,  the lion seems to be a favorite character in stories and songs.  Usually he is softened a bit in order to help us cope with him.  I loved the Narnia series, the books and the movies, in which the lion Aslan was a character both loved and feared, who many believe was meant to represent Jesus. It was a wonderful adventure as well as a sort of parable.  Near the end of the movie, as Aslan walks off into the sunset,  Tumnus the faun tells young Lucy,  "He isn't a tame lion, you know."   May that be said of all of us...

My favorite lion song is of course, The Lion Sleeps Tonight, also known as Wimoweh.  This particular version from the movie, the Lion King is just for fun, although that story could also be called a parable about coming of age and accepting responsibility...




To introduce you to my new print shop page, I am offering "The King," and other requested reproductions at a special  price.  These reproductions are printed on fine, acid free art paper and are subjected to scrupulous instruction - the artist herself (that would be me!)   During this difficult economy, it is a perfect opportunity to own artwork, without paying the price of an original.  And they make great gifts.

Visit  Della's Print Shop page.

If you don't find what you want, more prints will be added often.  Or email me with special requests.

Email Della

Kitty Cat Sleeping Kitten Art Print

Sweet Dreams

Art Print

7 x 9

Sold

Anyone who has ever shared their life with a cat will attest to the notion that kittens are a study in extremes.   During any ten-minute period, they can be seen racing through the house with paws barely touching the floor,  climbing the walls and curtains, stalking some dangerous but completely invisible prey,  purring quietly on a lap and sleeping like an angel on whatever bedding may be available.  Then the cycle begins all over again.  And they are alternately described as "angelic" and "little devils," sometimes in the same breath.  Life with a kitten is never boring. They can be great companions but they are not dogs, (who by the way I also love) they do not think the way dogs think and they will never behave as dogs. Their unpredictability is part of their charm, and one of the reasons that we cat-lovers find them so absolutely irresistible.  And,  like all of God's creatures, they are beautiful and our respect and care as they fill their own special place in creation.

To introduce you to my new print shop page, I am offering this, and other requested reproductions at a special  price.  These reproductions are printed on fine, acid free art paper and are subjected to scrupulous instruction - the artist herself (that would be me!)   During this difficult economy, it is a perfect opportunity to own artwork, without paying the price of an original.  And they make great gifts.

Visit  Della's Print Shop page.

If you don't find what you want, more prints will be added often.  Or email me with special requests.

Email Della

Equine Art Black Friesian Horse Art Print

Freedom

Friesian Horse Print

I have renamed this painting Freedom in its print form because that is the emotion it expresses.  If you have ever watched horses galloping across the distant hills,  you know what I mean.  For just  a moment, you know the wild and free and free feeling of the freedom of running, stirring up the wind, filling your heart with the joy of life, of movement, of being. 

To introduce you to my new print shop page, I am offering this, and other requested reproductions at a special  price.  These reproductions are printed on fine, acid free art paper and are subjected to scrupulous instruction - the artist herself (that would be me!)   During this difficult economy, it is a perfect opportunity to own artwork, without paying the price of an original.  And they make great gifts. 

Visit  Della's Print Shop page.

If you don't find what you want, more prints will be added daily.  Or email me.

Email Della

Art on the Prairie

A big thanks to everyone who supported the artists at the Art on the Prairie show this weekend, and a special thank you to those who made the effort to find Larry and me on the second floor of Town Craft.   You went the extra mile, hunting us up,  climbing stairs or waiting for a very slow elevator and I really do appreciate it.  We had a great time, met some lovely new friends and became reacquainted with others we haven't seen for a long time.

Here are a some shots of our exhibit.  It was a great but exhausting experience.

                                                       

We are thinking that perhaps this may be the beginning of a new phase of our lives,  as family and work obligations begin to dwindle, we would like to do more of this kind of show.  It was our dream when we were younger to travel the country in an RV and paint,  but things that sound good to you when you are young, don't always work out when you "mature." The Internet has changed the art world considerably, as has the economy.  So, while we don't really know what the future holds, we know that we will always keep painting.

A Flower Called "Glad"

Glads

Acrylic on gesso board

11 x 14

My mom called them "Glads," and they were one of her favorite flowers.  Their scientific name is gladiolus, from the Latin, gladius, "a sword,"  and it is sometimes known as a  "sword-lily."  Somewhere back in history, someone must have decided those long, slender stalks look like swords, but I sure don't see it. They do make me feel happy, however,  so the nickname "Glads" seems much more appropriate.  Flowers may not seem important but think how much they enhance our lives.  They cheer us when we are sad, add to our joy when we celebrate.  They are an expression of love, of sympathy, of friendship and their language is universal.  They are the art from the hand of God Himself and I can do nothing except stand and applaud.  "Bravissimo!"  (that is for the flower, not the painting)
 This painting has been listed on Daily Painters, Art Helping Animals, and Chisholm Trail Art, and is available through my Etsy Shop.

Monarch Butterflies - the Road Not Taken

It was a beautiful sight, but not exactly the one I had hoped to see.  A handful of Monarchs made their way to the Zinnia patch in the garden on September 19.  They were late, and much fewer in numbers than last year, when they covered all the trees and bushes in our yard and gardens.  I waited for the others to follow but they never appeared. Their times and routes do vary from year to year and as the temperatures began to lower, it became obvious we would not see the same spectacular show as last year.  I read on one of the Monarch websites (yes, they have several) that some people in Nebraska had seen the roosts as early as September 8, while others in northern states thought they were later than usual.  Frost and cold can affect their migration patterns, as can drought and flooding.

Glad to know they are still alive and well, though we won't see them in such great numbers as last summer when it looked like this:

"Butterfly Tree" photo taken on Sept. 6, 2010

Still, we enjoyed a quiet beauty, and that can be the best kind...

Photo taken on Sept. 19, 2011

Sometimes I can be so focused on finding the spectacular that I miss the beautiful.....


Have a great week end. Hope to see you next week with a new painting.   Hot air balloons - a completely new direction for me!   If it turns out, you will see it here,  and if not we will quietly move on and forget I ever mentioned it...

Ebenezer, a Tornado, Philistines, and a Badly Painted Rock

This is not one of my more artistic efforts, and it wasn't designed to impress.  As a matter of fact I did it in a hurry with no intention of ever showing to anyone.  I remember the day very well, even though it was spent in the same way as so many that came before and after - in the studio and frame shop. I don't even remember what I was working on, but I do remember the date: November 11, 2005.  That morning I had been reading in 1 Samuel about the Israelites and the Philistines.  The Israelites had gathered in a place called Mizpah for a time of repentance and worship and when their enemies, the Philistines, heard of it they gathered their forces to attack. The people cried out to the Lord and He answered them, thundering from Heaven and throwing the enemy into confusion so that they were defeated by Israel.   Then Samuel,  Israel's priest, set up a stone at Mizpah and called its name "Ebenezer," because he said "the Lord has brought us this far."

For some reason, I could not get that story out of my mind.  Though I hadn't battled any actual Philistines at that time,  there were some formidable enemies that threatened me - things like health concerns, family worries, financial problems.  And I realized that, yes, "God had brought us this far," and that I needed a tangible reminder of that, something I could see every day.  Of course!  I needed an Ebenezer stone of my own. At the end of the day, when I finally decided it was no longer possible to put off this nagging feeling, I found a rock in the garden,  brought it in, and painted on it the words from the book of 1Samuel.   I set it on the filing cabinet in our studio where I could see it every day, but didn't dream how soon I would need its message.

The following day, a rare November  tornado hit our town.  Usually here in Iowa they reserve their terror for the summer months.  Because of modern technology, we were given just enough warning to get everyone into the basement, although it had been difficult to convince my then 95 year-old father that he couldn't stay and watch it through the big picture window in his room. Larry had gone back to get Barney the border collie who refused to go down the stairs by himself, so he had heard the "freight train" sound before I did.  He looked at me and said, "We are going to lose the house." It was at that moment that I remembered the rock sitting in our studio. and a feeling of peace came over me.  I thought, well we would have to start over. People do,  Or if the house came crashing in on us, as they sometimes do, well, then we would be in Heaven and none of this would matter.   Of, course. God had brought us this far, we could trust Him with the rest. 

The storm had come up our street but then veered off into a nearby field, wrecking  havoc where it traveled, and causing devastation in a couple of different areas of town.  But there were no deaths and, as far as I knew,  no really serious injuries.  We ended up with lots of debris and the loss of a couple of pine trees at our place.  Some people lost so much more, and their lives were changed forever, but at least they still had their lives, In the light of recent events in many parts of the country, it was not that significant, but at the time it was the end of the world.

Ebenezer Stone still sits on the filing cabinet but over the years it has become one of those things that is there, but I just don't actually see it, like background music or a seldom used piece of furniture. Until one day last week when suddenly its message jumped up at me and I remembered.  Once again, in the middle of different kind of "storm," I am reminded that God has brought us this far and he will not let us down now.  If you haven't already discovered this, there will always be storms of one kind or another, debris to dodge or Philistines to defeat.  If you aren't "going through" something right now, you will be soon. It is a fact of life  But for me at least, there is comfort in knowing that He is right there with me and He will always bring me through.  Til the next storm.

I once read something that was attributed to Mother Theresa.  She said, "I know that God promises not to give you any more than you can handle. I just wish sometimes He wouldn't trust me so much."
Be of good cheer, He will always bring us through.

Wildlife Art Arctic White Wolf

White Wolf

Pastel, 9 x 12

Of course, I did not make a trip to the North Pole to see this guy.   Well, yes, I know they don't actually live at the North Pole but in Canada and Alaska and whatever other country is up there.  This one was in a zoo,  and I imagined the snow as a fitting background for him.  Somehow a white wolf surrounded by trees and green grass just doesn't do it for me.  I hope this hasn't taken away from the mystery of the piece.  He does look at home in a snowbank, doesn't he?   Actually there was a dog living next door to us for a while whose people called him a wolf but I was never quite sure.  He might have been a mixture.  But, oh my, what an amazing howl he had! And he was gorgeous!  Anyway,  though at this point I wouldn't be prepared to encounter one in the wild, I  appreciate their beauty and enjoy them from afar.  Very far.

This is a pastel painting on board.  The image size is 9 x 12 and it is matted to a standard frame size.
It is available through Art Helping Animals and Daily Painters.  And it will also be listed on Chisholm Trail Art, though I am almost certain none of the cowboys saw one of them while driving their cattle along the trail. 

Floral Art Dinner Plate Hibiscus

Exotic Beauty

"Dinner Plate" Hibiscus

Acrylic, 12 x 12

The huge, lush blooms of the hibiscus plants would seem to belong in a lush tropical setting rather than an ordinary Iowa garden, yet this beauty is growing right outside my door.  A few years ago we discovered that a hardy variety was available that could withstand the harsh Iowa winters.  It is one of those bushes that catch you by surprise. The first year we planted it - nothing. The second year there were a few small blooms.  leading us to decide we must have been mistaken about it being of the "dinner plate" variety.   Then, this summer, we were blessed with this unbelievable sight.  The flowers are a good 10 to 12 inches in diameter and we have been treated to a new one every day for several days now.  I am thinking that "dinner plate" may be an understatement, this may be the size of a frying pan, or maybe even a hub cap. But the idea of eating off a giant flower is a rather romantic one, so I won't mess with the name.


This flower just had to be painted and I had a wonderful time with it.  The contrast in colors, the crepe paper texture and the abstract patterns all appealed to me.  Think of it as reminder to look closely at things, everything - or you will miss something wonderful and unexpected! To me it is also a tribute to the Master Artist, the only original creator - all the rest of us either copy or respond to what He has done.  Every day I thank Him for His inspiration.
"...they toil not, neither do they spin, yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."

This acrylic painting has been listed online on Daily Painters, Art Helping Animals and Chisholm Trail Art.  For more information contact me:

dellartist@yahoo.com