7in7: Day 6: The Riches of Friendship

Well...I've had two requests this week for commissioned paintings. I'm so excited! I love doing paintings for other people. Here's my sketch for one of those. ((They are for Christmas gifts...so I'm barely in line with the rules.))

Inspiration::
-Friends like Jonathan and David
-Would take care of each other's Mephibosheth (he was welcomed to the king's table)
-Friends lean on each other
-Worshipping with each other
-David dancing in the streets

Got more of this type of artsy stuff at www.marycarlisleart.com.
7in7: Christmas Edition is almost finished.... only one more day. Check out all 7 of Elizabeth's posts, too: http://naminganimals.blogspot.com/

There's a Flock of Birds in my Kitchen

So... it rained today.
I had big plans to get a ton finished up in the apartment, to get a new TN driver's license, and to get ahead on some things for work before heading there tomorrow morning.

But like I said, it rained today.

And with the rain, my motivation to get things done dwindled instantly. So what did I do? I went to Michael's. I should own stock with them. I've been twice in the past 3 days and have spent a small fortune on canvases, paint, brushes, and scrapbook paper. Today's activity: a flock of birds for my kitchen. It's one of my favorite art projects to date... and was a really fun one to complete with my roommate, Jen.

Here's the finished project:

 Now to get some curtains for that window....

Adoption Journey Paintings

I had the blessing to get to complete this fun piece for some great friends, Jeremy and Emily Echols. I didn't put them up because I didn't want Emily to see them, but now they are hanging in their home, so I can share them now!
What a great picture of God's faithfulness...

"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make." Isaiah 42:16

http://jeremylovesemilyechols.blogspot.com/2010/05/painting-about-our-journey.html

Welcome to the Inside of My Heart

Well guys, I feel like it's time to take another step in this relationship. We've been friends for a while, right? I think it's time to share some stuff I don't share with everyone I know, only the the best of friends... like you. So... here's a little picture of what I love to do...and what I spend a good bit of my free time doing.

Dining Room = Mary's Art Studio

I started painting a lot in my room, only to result in lots of headaches and funny paint smells in my clothes. So I moved downstairs to the dining room so that I could share the wealth of paint fumes. These are a few of the paintings I've done over the past year, beginning with my final semester of college when the whole "I think I'll paint," "Why not get college credit for it," and "No, I can't go get coffee tonight. I'll be in the studio. I have to finish my painting before morning."

Third time to use oil paint... On the left is a master's copy of a Georgia O'Keefe painting..just in bright, more fun colors. No offense, Georgia. My style is just a little more bold than blacks and blues.  


To the right is my fourth assignment in Painting 101: Combining the organic with the non-organic (in relation to shapes). My teacher dared me to attempt "creepy" by doing these two canvases. Apart they are not as creepy, but together, ehh...

 I painted these in August for our apartment. The one on the left was created by accident in about 30 minutes... Sometimes, art just happens.

Here's the last one I finished on the left...it took forever for some reason. Inspiration: Music and the freedom that it creates. On the right: a new one I started last week. Inspiration: a picture a friend took... It, too, reminds me of freedom. I've been walking down this road of freedom concepts for a while... and what freedom in Christ in this world looks like. When I think about the feeling of freedom, my heart goes back to these things: music and being outside... among many other things. What do you think about when you think about freedom? I may need some inspiration when I run out of ideas...

Chasing as a Process

Everything we do in life tends to be the product of a process.
I started a new painting yesterday, only to be reminded of the extensiveness of that process today when I returned to it. Yesterday I moved quickly and mapped out the painting in a step called "underpainting." This includes taking a sketch and mapping it out on canvas with very few colors and a focus on shading values. Underpainting sets the final product up for success or failure. I didn't finish this part yesterday, so it was a bit disappointing to still be working with the "Raw Umber" color today, but without this step, the rest would be a disaster.

Chasing dreams is a process. No one suddenly becomes the best at what they do. They work for it and are constantly learning how to still get better than before. Sometimes, the beginning steps aren't fun, and those who aren't willing to make sacrifices to get to their dreams quit. Sometimes an underpainting gets erased over and over again. Changes are made, but only changes to make it better. Although the process that has to happen before fun colors are added isn't always the most fun part, it is the most important because it lays the foundation for the rest.

What kind of foundation are you laying? What are you doing today that is preparing you to chase your dreams?