American Indian Portrait Completed

Hello again! I just had to share this!

I just completed a new pastel portrait painting of this stoic, American Indian.

This interesting portrait was painted from a historical, black and white photo, so I had to imagine all the colors here. His face seemed so interesting and conveyed a quiet strength, that I hoped to capture it, if I could, with my pastels.

I hope I did him justice and that you like what I have done here. Enjoy!

Until next time! Cheryl

“Sarah In The Flower Field” A New Painting Completed

Here is my newest addition to my soft pastel Amish Collection titled “Sarah in the Flower Field”.

In this painting, this young Amish girl is enjoying a peaceful moment gathering flowers while walking through a field of daisies.

After painting this piece, I had found that the daisy flower symbolizes innocence and purity, and also joy and cheerfulness. I believe this detail only adds to the beauty of the art itself. Also, Sarah’s serene look is captivating, and provides an overall sense of calm to the piece.

I believe this print would make a great gift for anyone that enjoys visiting Amish Country or for someone who collects amish themed items. Also, a great piece for someone that likes art that calms the soul. She is now on my Etsy site here : https://www.etsy.com/listing/1429005176/amish-print-of-pastel-painting-sarah

I hope you like her. Enjoy!

Amish Pastel Painting “Tiny Companion” Completed

Here is the completed pastel painting “Tiny Companion” that I had promised to share. This painting took me awhile, but it was so worth it.

I love the soft look of the colors and the Amish girl’s serene expression here. The small bird cuddling up to her neck was added as a way to portray love of nature and gentleness of the Amish girl. I hope I conveyed that here.

I hope you like how this painting turned out. I am almost finished with another one in the works and I will share shortly. Thank you for your interest in my work.

This painting is on my Etsy Shop here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1429611885/amish-print-of-pastel-painting-tiny?

Until next time!

“Mary’s Little Lamb” A New Amish Painting Completed

This is a new completed pastel painting titled, “Mary’s Little Lamb”. Mary has just finished her chores and is enjoying a peaceful moment with the new addition to the family, this little lamb. The serene look on Mary’s face says it all. Just a beautiful piece. Another lovely print to add to your Amish collection.

I am really happy the way this painting turned out. Mary looks quite content holding that cute,little lamb. As I look at this painting, I somehow feel like I am with her enjoying and sharing this quiet moment. I hope you feel like this too. It’s always a good feeling when I have completed a painting such as this one, and it makes me want to go straight back to my drawing board….so I will.

I am almost done with the little amish girl with the bird on her shoulder, so I will share that soon. Thank you and check back soon!

I am further along on this than what you see here now

Three Amish Paintings I am Working on Now

Hello! I am so excited to share these 3 paintings with you that I have started. I can’t wait to complete them!

The amish girl in the barn is almost completed as of now, and I will share in the next 2 days. The other 2 are an Amish girl with a bird on her shoulder, and the other one is walking through a flower field or something. I haven’t decided yet, and this is what makes this so much fun…and challenging too!

I have also started doing some watercolor animals, but one thing I do not like is how the painting with all the white background, has to always be lightened or removed in some way as it comes out muddy or dingy in photos when you try to reproduce. But, alas I will figure that out too!

But here they are and I will try to hurry and get the other two done in a decent amount of time. Thank you!

While I’m Waiting to Get Back to My Drawing Board

Hello and Merry Christmas..Happy Holidays…Happy New Year!!!

I had promised a post back that I would be working on my Mary and Laura Ingalls painting, when a creative block hit me along with “Christmas Overload” and I haven’t been at my desk for awhile. The painting is a little farther ahead than you see in the previous post, but it’s still sitting on my desk and I feel so bad it’s not finished. I will be back at it though in a day or so, as my Etsy Shop opens back up as well. Hopefully this means more fresh ideas and better paintings…it usually does! So…I’m hopeful.

Anyway, while I wait for that to happen, I will show you what I have worked on lately. I had taken a couple of my paintings and turned them into Christmas cards this year, and I did it all on Ribbet..which I love! It is a free online photo editing site which is simpler to use and learn than photoshop. I could never seem to find the time needed to learn all about photoshop, I just couldn’t get it down. Then I came across Ribbet and loved how easy it was to use and it had just enough editing techniques I would need for my work. I use the premium version now, which offers more, and I think its worth it for me.

Sooooo, while I was having my creative block, I figured I would just try playing around with paintings already created and change them up a bit with Ribbet and get back into creative mode while I was doing it…and it worked!

For example: I created this angel painting awhile back and wanted to add to this image to make it comforting to someone who lost someone dear to them. A special card they might be able to carry with them and feel better when they just read it or looked at it. Finding a nice, comforting text about angels, I personalized it by adding the loved one’s name and the date when they passed, then making the card small enough to keep it in a wallet or purse. A little prayer card of sorts. I had given a card like this to a friend who just recently lost someone close to her, and I believe it helped her. She messaged me and was very comforted by the image and the saying, so I was happy.

Then again, I also made a Christmas card out of the same Angel image, creating it for my religious friends and relatives, and this also worked out well.

There is a bird painting I have created which I also changed up by adding some extra snow effects to with text, which also became a Christmas card this year. Of course, it always helps adding a touch of glitter to the cards, too!

So, if you are an artist and are having a dry spell, just try playing around with images you have already created, change them up a bit and share to someone special. It gets the creative juices flowing again and makes people happy all at the same time. It’s a win win!

Hope you enjoyed this post and I will try and have that Laura and Mary Ingalls painting done soon! Stay Safe!

Laura and Mary Ingalls Painting To Be Completed Soon

Hello and welcome back! I wanted to share the painting in the works of Laura and Mary Ingalls (Melissa Gilbert and Melissa Sue Anderson) from the popular tv series “Little House On The Prairie”…one of my all time favorite shows! I never tire of watching these shows, especially when the girls were little. Melissa Gilbert was perfect with that impish face of hers and innocent, but sometimes naughty ways. Melissa Sue Anderson as Mary was perfect as well, as the obedient sister that always seemed to do the right thing. I loved that there was always a lesson to be learned in every show.

But anyway, I wanted to get the both of these characters in a painting with the little house in the background, almost like my other painting of Laura by herself. I feel it is coming out just the way I wanted it too. When I complete this I will share it here and also on my Etsy Shop. Please check back again, and I hope you like how it’s turning out. Thank you! Stay safe!

Another Amish Painting Completed

Again, I have completed yet another amish themed painting. In this painting, a young, Amish woman is taking in the beauty of the warm,sunset glow of the skies at the end of a long, summer’s day. One can almost hear the crickets chirping and cicadas still singing their songs before the sky turns dark here. The soft sounds and warm breeze just bring peace to the soul. This woman’s face reflects this.

I love the peaceful feeling I get when I am painting these scenes. I never tire of it. I hope you like this one too! Can’t wait to do another! :)))

I love the soft, orangey glow reflecting off her cap and dress

New Amish Painting “Little One” Completed

Just wanted to share my newest Amish themed pastel painting, “Little One”. In this newest art piece, this young, Amish girl just finished her chores and is enjoying a peaceful moment with the new addition to the family, a little guinea pig. The serene look on the Amish girl’s face, added with the late afternoon glow of the background, I believe brings this art piece together. Just a beautiful, serene piece of artwork.

This print would make a great gift for anyone that enjoys visiting Amish Country or for someone who collects amish themed items. Also, a great piece for someone that likes art that calms the soul. I am really happy with the way this turned out. I hope you like her!

For anyone that may be interested, I just added her to my Etsy shop. Thank you for enjoying my art! Be back with another piece soon!

Little One

Back From Vacation and Ready With More Amish Paintings

Hello! It’s been awhile but I’m back from vacation after a couple of weeks and have 3 new paintings to share (1 completed, 2 in the works) with you.

Again we visited Amish Country in Lancaster, Pa, and I couldn’t wait to get back home and try to finish all 3 of these paintings! I will soon!

I’ve finished a new Amish painting titled, “James, Amish Innocence” and I just loved the way this one came out. This one is already on my Etsy Shop!

“James” is an art piece which seems to be just a simple portrait of an Amish boy in his black hat and vest, but really, it is so much more than that. James innocence here shines through from his curious glance and quiet demeanor, to his long eyelashes and rosy cheeks. Such a simple but beautiful portrait. Great for anyone that loves to collect amish artworks or likes to visit Amish Country.

Then I have a little Amish girl holding a guinea pig, which I haven’t titled as of yet. I really like the glow from the sun around her. It was a challenge to try and pull that off as I have never done a painting with a “glow” effect before, but always wanted to. I also like the way she is looking down at the small animal here. I’m almost done with this one, when I am finished with the guinea pig the painting will be complete, then I will share this one as soon as I can.

The last painting is a nice one and I can’t wait to finish this one, also. This painting I actually took from a picture of my daughter sitting under a gazebo in the sunset in Pennsylvania, another “glow effect” painting. I just added a cap and amish dress and she looks like an amish girl taking a rest at the end of a hard working day. I need a title for this painting also. Well, it’s back to the drawing board for now! I will post these as soon as I can! Enjoy!

James

Amish Girl With Guinea Pig
Amish Girl Resting