New Amish Paintings “Anna Mary” and “Nature’s Grace”, Gilbert Blythe and more…

I just completed a new amish painting which I titled, “Anna Mary”. I believe that this painting is beautiful in it’s simplicity. I wanted the real focus to be on the little, amish girl’s face, and I think that’s what draws you in to this painting.

This painting came about from a memory we had on a past trip to Lancaster, Pa. My husband and I were driving down a back road in Amish country when this little, amish girl came running out to the road. Then peeking behind a pole, she waved to as we drove by. I just decided to paint her peeking from a barn door for more interest. I hope you like her.

The other Amish painting “Nature’s Grace” is of an amish girl resting on a rock on a creek, dipping her toes in the water enjoying the beauty of nature all around her. I just love the peaceful look on her face and the subtle glow from the subdued sunlight. I hope you like them.

Also, I completed “Gilbert Blythe/Jonathan Crombie” from Anne of Green Gables. I had already done a portrait of Anne, but people kept asking me if I would ever do Gilbert (if you are familiar with the movie, which is awesome). And so I painted Gilbert. Now Anne will never have to be alone!

Also… here is another old seaman portrait painting. I just love painting these rough, old faces with wrinkles and ruddy complexions, faces that tell a story of life on the sea. I love that!

And finally, a portrait profile of my daughter’s new dog. His name is Oliver and he is a German Shepard/Great Dane mix, which gave him this beautiful spotted coat of gray and white and hints of brown. He has a strange dark spot under his iris under one eye and so I painted that side. A beautiful dog indeed, and I painted him on velour, which gave a very soft effect.

Well that’s it for now…I have been busy…but back to the drawing board! Enjoy!

Anna Mary

“Nature’s Grace”

Gilbert Blythe/ Jonathan Crombie

Old Sailor

Oliver

Gunther and Fluff-A New ABC Series

Hello all!

Let me start off by saying that I know my artwork is usually realistic, portraits and more serious, inspirational quotes with pretty illustrations and I will  always continue to do those kinds of paintings. But every once in awhile, I just have to show my fun, quirky childlike side.

I love coming up with cute characters that do cute things.  I always have. Since my high school years, I had always thought I wanted to work for a greeting card company and just create new ideas and characters like Hollie Hobbie and others like that. Needless to say, it really never worked out.  But anyway….besides all that….

I just wanted to introduce these two little guys I am considering (working on) making into an ABC series for children’s decor. The characters in this series, so far, are a silly goose named Gunther, and his faithful dog companion, named Fluff.  Together, they will be illustrating each letter in the alphabet with their cute, little antics.

Gunther is like a child, getting into mischief and doing goofy things, and every once in awhile, he may be spotted with his teddybear, Oscar. While Fluff is the more cute, little guy that watches everything from the sidelines, and sometimes getting caught up in Gunther’s silly shenanigans. I feel it will be a different way for the kids to learn their ABC’s. If anything, they will remember the illustrations.

Anyway enough talk…here are two illustrations so far. One is finished and just needs the text, and the other is in the middle of being painted. When I have 4 done, I will start selling them on my Etsy store.Then I will just go through the whole alphabet!  So here goes…

Gunther and Fluff for the illustration for “C is for Car”

The unfinished painting for “R is for Rainbow”

 

The Innocent Gift

This is my favorite painting for the Christmas season. I like it because it’s really not cutesy/sweetsy, it just expresses what the Christmas season is all about, in just a simple drawing.Just the interaction between the characters in the painting expresses the spirit. I hope you enjoy this painting.

God Never Gives Us, A Picture From My Past

Hello, everyone! I am in the process of doing more pastel pictures,but in the meantime, I dug up this colored pencil picture I had done several years ago. It has a Fall look to it, and I just love the quote, so I thought I would just post it. If anything, the quote is much needed today with all the horrible news lately, don’t you think! Enjoy!

God Never Gives Us

The Innocent Gift Revised

I just wanted to improve a little on the design I call The Innocent Gift.  I posted the original in two posts previous to this one, and even though I liked the original, I felt it just needed a little more.  I needed more snow to make it look more cold and some kind of a Christmas border that made it seem more Christmas-like.  I am happy with this revision, I think.

  

The Innocent Gift

This is a picture I created as I was thinking of the homeless.  I had wanted to do a picture of charity around Christmastime, and this is what I came up with. I would also like to try a picture with a Salvation Army person and a child giving  or something along those lines.  I will keep thinking that over until it goes down on paper. But for now, enjoy “The Innocent Gift”.  The little girl is unaware how much her innocent gift really means. This is also available on Fine Art America.

Pastel picture of Dog on Velour

I did this as a surprise for one of my husband’s co workers.  She loves her dogs and so she sent a picture to him of her baby on his computer.  I needed practice, and so she will get this on her desk on Wednesday, not expecting anything.  I hope she likes it.  It’s so much fun watching the picture come to life before your eyes!

Ollie

Copland, A Pastel Picture

Here is my first attempt at trying pastels on velour paper.  This paper is a bit trickier than regular pastel paper as you can not erase on it.  It is not easy to blend as well and so you have to build up layers of color from darkest to lights.  But if it comes out right, the look is so soft and amazing.  I must say, I am not so afraid of it anymore, and I will attempt another picture of a dog for a friend.  I will let you know how it goes!  Hope you like this one.

Here is Copland

Colored Pencil Drawing for God Never Gives Us

Hello!  I figured as I am waiting to finish other drawings in the works..I will showcase an older one.

This is a colored pencil drawing with the quote that says it all.  I really believe this one is true.  I really love the way the picture came out.  As soon as I read the quote, I knew how I wanted to illustrate it.  So here it is… Enjoy.

 

God Never Gives Us More Than We Can Handle

Today Was A Tough One

Today, it was exactly a week ago that my pup, Maxi passed away.  I was home by myself , which is a rarity.  I had time to think and reminisce and…clean up.  To put away the little things, the last remembrances of him. It was not easy.

First,  I took his box of goodies from under the  counter (assorted half-chewed bones, balls, his leash and muzzle) and cleaned it out.  He used to paw at this box when he wanted to entertain himself or want a bone of some sort, even until about the last day, he  still wanted a bone from that box!  I threw out all the disgusting bones and kept the last things I remember him playing with.  The bone he had half hanging out of his mouth like a cigarette:)…always makes me smile. I kept that.  The brushes he loved the girls brushing him with when he had a skin condition that kept him scratching constantly-I kept those too.

Then there was his dog dish…that was tough.  I cleaned it out one last time and dusted it off, filled the bowl on one side with water to see it one last time (silly!), and since it was too big to put in his box, I figured I would  just bag it all together.  I cannot throw out the dish.

Then – the  side yard.  The fenced off section for him to “go” in.  I raked it all clean, and pulled out every weed and overgrown blade of grass and after that, I lay down grass seed…everywhere.  He had killed every living blade of grass in that area (except for the weeds, of course. they live through everything) Even though I felt like this was the last step, I had  thought how neat it would be to see green grass growing there again.

That was that.  It was all done.

I just have the crate in the basement that he loved and slept in every night.   When I opened it’s door every morning,  he would be quivering with excitement to just eat,  and I would hold the door and  say, “Ready, set,…go!”  He’d scamper so fast up those basement steps just to get his breakfast that was waiting for him.

Also, I had ordered a stone last night online with a pawprint, his name, and dates, and I will place it on the side yard where he frequented, only now in the Spring, instead of dead branches and brown blades, it will have flowers and be  “pea”  green!!!  And I will think of him.

I will put together a book about how he first came to us, a picture book with his photos, and I will have a photo on our table sitting among the kids portraits from school, and he will have his stone in the garden.

Then…I think maybe, then…I can start leaving this all behind me and just go on.  He was a big part of our lives and grew up with the kids, he was a big part of their childhood.  He will always be remembered.

❤

Maxi walking away with hawaiian flowers on his neck and chew toy

The gentleman

Max<3