Limner Event

In August 2010, I participated in an event right here in Joplin, MO that coordinated with our local monthly downtown aRtwalk. The Limner Society based out of NYC sent one of their artists to collaborate and paint and teach alongside local artists.

Link for Limner ->
Limner Society

The weeklong event culminated with local artists and the Limner artist,

daniel Baltzar ->
dB,

exhibiting their works of art they had created during the Limner week alongside each other at a local studio/gallery all based on the same theme.  The theme of this particular Limner Event was Heroes...specifically Heroes of Faith.
These could be biblical heroes, heroes of the past or heroes of current who wave the banner of Christ as their inspiration and life.

For me, personally, it was my effort to jump start myself into creating art on a more regular basis and to show something in the community my family currently lives in.  I painted 2 things.

First I painted this ->

This painting was about Deborah from the Old Testament(OT).  She was a strong woman who God used mightily.  Deborah mean, "Queen Bee", so I painted a Queen Bee above her head on the upper right hand of the painting.  She is an inspiring woman in the the OT for other women to look to, thus the title on the painting, "INSPIRED STRENGTH".  A gal who was visiting Joplin for NYC bought it, her name was Deborah too. Fun to think about this hanging in her loft apt. Kinda fun.

Then I painted this ->

This painting is called, "5 Smooth Stones".  This painting is my modern take on the story of David & Goliath that you can read about in the OT.  I LOVE color.  A. LOT. But, I love the God who David believed would deliver him from harm more.  I love the faith of a small child, and his belief that there is a God bigger than him who is faithful and mighty and able to deliver us from things that loom bigger than life.  Although this is often viewed as a kid's story, I find great inspiration in that little David child when life looms large over me and those I love. God saves.  My church bought this one.

Anyway - I met some great people at Limner. I got to paint. I got to exhibit a bit. I was inspired to paint more.

Make stuff friends...it's good for you!

foxy boxy

Soooooooo...I realized this morning that I have a few things to post that I have made in the last almost year since I posted last...but, soon and very soon Imma gonna have to get up off my lazy butt and get to makin stuff. That's good news!! Whoo hooo! I love makin stuff! Ha!

Our youngest son is doing a "program" our church has this year called Frontier Year Team (FYT). He is spending the year at another church within our family of churches serving.  He does lots of "fun" stuff like: vacuuming, secretarial stuff, stuffing envelopes, cleaning...cool stuff like that. ha! BUT, he also does things like outreach within the church, outreach into the community, hanging out with school kids, reading books, studying the Bible, attending some classes on theology kinds of things...and...hmmm...oh! because he is a guitar player and a singer he helps lead worship at 3 different church sites. Most importantly, it gives him a year to seek the Lord as to what the next part of his life will look like. He is serving on FYT with 2 other lovely gals in another small town USA in northern Missouri. So - why do I tell you this? Well - he has had to raise most of his own finances to be able to do this FYT thang.  We did several fund raiser kind of things, and he worked his little tail feathers off too. I made some things for him to sell...rabbit trail now begins -> oh yeah! I need to get busy making those necklaces for him to sell too!...back from the rabbit trail. Whew!

Anyway - I made some boxes for him to sell. They are woodburned, painted, and then fabric is applied in spots on the top. Then I apply like 50 million coats of varnish to the top. It makes the top look thick and glass like.  I made one of these for a dear friend a couple of years ago. I also made a matching journal to go inside hers.  So...here's a few pics of 3 of the boxes. Thanks for taking a look!

Flower Foxy Boxy

Tree Foxy Boxy

Modern Foxy Boxy

PS - if you are trying to follow me, plz be patient with me. For some reason - I am not sure where that button is on here. I'm trying to figure that one out. I'm so techie. meh.

"His eye is on the sparrow, and i know He watches me..."

Happy New Year Friends!  I posted that I was working on this painting long ago, and it's been hanging on my wall for awhile. My New Year's resolution is to post on my blogs much more regularly. So, I thought I'd start with this painting. Now about this painting, I love this old hymn. I like to think about how we feel so caged at times, and yet the love of God sets us free when we can truly rest in Him.  Along the sides of the skirt of the dress are handwritten the words, "***I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free.  For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.***  The photo color is not the best ... and it's also a lil fuzzy, but you get the idea. SO - maybe in 2011 I also need to work on getting this taking photos of my art work down a little better too. ha ha!  I also included a couple of videos of a couple of my fav versions of this hymn that i lurve.  enjoy! 

Lyrics to His Eye Is On The Sparrow 

Words By: Civilla D. Mar tin, 1905

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

"Let not your heart be troubled," His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain