Proverbs 31:16 Tribute

One thing I have realized doing this series is that the Proverbs 31 woman is an ideal, no one woman can live up to all these qualities – there is not enough hours in a day! Another factor is that our circumstances might not require us to fulfill the criteria. Alice my grandmother certainly never was involved in the business of gardening, that was strictly my grandfather's role. She was in charge of indoors and he was in charge of outdoors. Although this verse could be referring to her thrifty housekeeping.

However, my maternal grandmother, Phyllis fulfilled this role very well. She was was widowed when my mother was 4 years old and she found herself the other side of the world from her family and had no means to get back to England. There was no pensions in those days so she cleaned, ironed, taught piano and gave singing lessons and eventually became a successful business woman. Throughout, it all she had a large vegetable garden and kept hens. Mum had all she could ask for.

So, Phyllis you were a good proverbs 31:16 woman. You were an inspiration for us to be all we can be, we can learn from your industry, integrity, and resourcefulness.

This week, I have painted my tribute in oil, no computer manipulation! I wanted the portrait to be a thoughtful study, as I think this verse is more about planning and organizing the way ahead.

29 Faces - no 14

For my 14^th Face in the 29 Faces in September challenge I have used watercolour and pencil. I tried a new technique of scattering salt on the wet paint in the background and as it looks like snow so she is a winter nymph.

Linked to Paint Party Friday

and Spiritual Sundays

Face 13

This watercolour sketch is of a lady that I draw from time to time in an attempt to get her illusive quality of confidence. Her image has stayed in my head for a number of years. She was fascinating. I saw her at a wine festival, and she was decked out in her finest. Her clothes were bright and contrasting, she had used strong colours for her makeup and her hair was spiky and stood out like in the sketch, The colours were purple red and orange. She walked head tall and proud. I would say she was not a day under 50! Even though the colours were loud, she gave out the air of elegance. Oh to have such courage to be herself, I always think of this lady whenever I get nervous about what people will think of me. One day I will capture her qualities, I am nearly there, but I am missing something.

Faces 11 and 12

These two faces are ideas I have for a children's book I am writing, I have one chapter to go and I need to get cracking on the illustrations. The drawings in it will be black and white, but I need a colour one for the cover. I like to work out the main characters in colour as it gives me a good foundation for the black and white sketches. I can't make up my mind whether to have the main character, Columbia, as the first one or the second one.

The story is for 8 to 11 year olds and is a mystery fantasy. It is set on an magical island. The characters are slightly old worldy, which I think I captured in the first one. However my gut says the second picture will appeal to young girls? And as you guessed it there is a genie in the story. Unfortunately he has lost his memory because he was asleep for so long....

For both I have used a variety of media, acrylics, gouache and coloured pencils, with a tiny bit of tweaking in Photoshop for the backgrounds.

I want to have a painting day tomorrow so will see you all Thursday.

Face 10

10 Faces wow! Another 19 to go. So far I haven't had a problem with ideas. But, I didn't really consider the amount of time involved. I will have to combine some of my other work with this challenge. So a couple of days a week, I will post some of the illustration work I am doing. Luckily for me they are of faces, children mostly with the odd grown-up thrown in.

Sometimes when at the end of a day's painting, especially in oils, if the palette is not too muddy I like to slosh the paint around and then do a monoprint. It helps to clean the palette and the paint is not wasted. This face is inspired by Matisse.

Do go and check out the other artists taking part in the September 29 Faces Challenge at Ayala's.  Click on the button in the sidebar.

Face 9

A real quickie today, but appropriate.  Woke up bleary eyed, did not want to get going hence...

White Flowers and Angels

29 Faces – Face 8

This last week has been about people , their faces, as I am taking part in the 29 faces in September Challenge at Ayala's. I have been painting with acrylics and gouache. Only one face on the computer! The face for today is a quick sketch in oil. She is Julie a very determined friend. I now know what I am/have! While posting my post at Paint Party Friday, I read an interesting interview about Martha the lady behind Ayala. She said that she had suffered from “Too many tools” syndrome. That's me! Click on the label 29faces below if you would like to see the other 7 faces. 

 White Flowers and Angels

For some reason over the last few days I have wanted to experiment with white. Thus these anemones above using the pastel tools in Corel Painter. The white magnolia, I drew with coloured pencils.(I think I got the centre slightly wrong, a bit off centre?)

I have been thinking about angels lately and am convinced that I have angels looking over me. When I found this scripture it was like a light going on! God will put his angels in charge of you to protect you wherever you go. Psa 91:11 GNB

This scripture inspired this work, it was done from a drawing and painted in Photoshop.

Have a great week creating lovely work.

Linked with Sunday Sketches

Up the Creek and 29 Faces

Face 7

First, I taking part in the 29 Faces in September Challenge At Ayala's. If you want to see the other 6, just click on the label 29faces below.

I brought some gouache yesterday and couldn't wait to try them. I am not sure whether she is startled or the look is “In your face, Mate!' At the moment I am just calling her Little Missy.

Up the Creek – a story of restoration

I have finally started on Up the Creek, it has has taken me 10 years to get going. At long last.... The triptych is the story of those 10 years. I have never painted autobiographical work before, so it is a bit scary.

It started with me being involved in a serious car crash in my final year at art school. Walking was a problem let alone painting. (I was awarded my diploma as I had a large body of work – pays to be a workaholic! And I could finish my thesis in hospital) While I was in rehab I did a drawing called “up the creek”(in NZ slang it means in a right old mess!) – me in a boat clinging on for dear life while the boat was being tossed and turned. I would show it here, but I gave it to the nurses and I think it is still on the wall in their office (well, it was on my last visit). I have been in and out of hospital ever since. On one of other visits I did this work in watercolour pencils. 

The idea has been mulling around in my head for ages. I have been unable to paint very well because of being unable to lift my arm much higher than mid chest. That is why I turned to pencils and computer because I could rest my arm on a desk. Well last year a miracle happened and my shoulder improved so that now I can lift my arm to shoulder height and sometimes higher. People have different theories about how it is healing. My belief is that God healed it. I became a Christian 2 ½ years ago and have been praying regularly for healing. There is a lot more to heal but I am on the path – one day I will walk without crutches!

Well, all this means is that I can paint again! I was slow getting started because I had got into the rut of believing I couldn't do it. But thanks to this blog and the wonderful comments people have made with my Proverbs series I feel that I have the confidence to do it.

 

So basically the triptych is about restoration – my path of recovery.

So here is the drawing for the first painting. This week I tinted the canvas with Prussian blue and it is large 1 metre by 1 metre! The canvas has been sitting and waiting for 10 years! I haven't posted it as a plain blue canvas is boring. At this stage I am not sure whether to make the boat fill the canvas or to make it smaller to signify how small we are. Next week I will draw the large boat with chalk on the dry background to see whether it is right if not I can wipe it out and do it smaller. I will post as I go on this on PPF days.

Have a happy PPF day everybody and thanks for visiting.

Scripture for the triptych

Painting one - Up the Creek

But why, why this chronic pain, this ever worsening wound and no healing in sight? You're nothing, GOD, but a mirage, a lovely oasis in the distance--and then nothing! Jer 15:18 Msg

Painting two - The Waterfall

As for you, I'll come with healing, curing the incurable, Because they all gave up on you and dismissed you as hopeless-- that good-for-nothing Zion.' Jer 30:17

Painting three – Restoration (Still waters)

"But the river itself, on both banks, will grow fruit trees of all kinds. Their leaves won't wither, the fruit won't fail. Every month they'll bear fresh fruit because the river from the Sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing." Eze 47:12

Linked to Paint Party Friday

and Spiritual Sunday

Face 6

This is the acrylic version of yesterday's face. She is much more softer and looks as if she is in a romantic mood. Think I will call her Celtic Princess. Getting better at detail in acrylic, maybe because I brought some smaller brushes. While I was in the art supplies shop, I er hum brought some gouache paints like I need more paints right! Cant wait to try them.

Face 5

You can not keep the computer away from this girl for long! Today I have been painting a large canvas and need a break from paint. One of the reasons I entered this challenge was to find a way to bring colour into my illustration. I have got myself into a niche of black and white work and really would like to present some colour work for my next tear sheet for the publishers. But first of all I have got to find a medium and style that I can produce with reasonable fast turn around. Hence the acrylic experiments.

 I decided to draw a face and today paint it on my computer using the air brush tool in photoshop. Tomorrow, I will paint it in acrylics and see what we get.

For the background I decided not to do the wings. but felt she might be in a magical snow storm. I originally did a flat background and it was too dull. I wanted magic. I think she looks Celtic, so I am going to call her Celtic Tempest.

Face 4

This was originally a sketch of my neighbour's granddaughter enjoying the sun last summer. Brenda insisted that she was to wear the gardening hat. She finally did after she had stripped the band of all the plastic flowers Brenda had attached over the years! They laid strewn around the deck chair, needless to say her granddaughter had to attach them again before she went home.

For the hat and hair I let the original pencil lines show through the thin wash as I have not the confidence to do such detail in acrylic. On reflection, I think the pencil lines adds a depth? Of course this has to be called The Hat! Think I will give this painting to Brenda as she has been and is a wonderful neighbour.

To see other participants in Ayala's September Challenge of 29 Faces click on the button in the side bar. There is some amazing work there.