BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER

Some design problems need to be worked out. 

So I made some sketches.

- direction of the light coming from the eye:

influences the direction of the bridge

- bridge: straight, or going in a bend?
- with both sketches, the viewer's eye goes 
away from the focus  (not good!)

- with this direction of light,
the pillar on the bridge pulls the eye, 
the bridge and the water together

© Bridge over Troubled Water, 24 x 30, Oil, St.Germain

- choppy water, something new to paint !

-a fiery, yet stormy sky

-still to do: painting the supports of the pillar 
to the bridge

- will do when I get the painting back home!

PAINTING SOMEONE'S DESTINY

On first impression this little painting seems an innocuous goodbye gift. But it is more.
This gift was given to a woman who dared to venture out of the security of being a stay home mom with kids, and becoming a business woman in big Los Angeles. Ont only does one need guts for that, but also smarts. 

She started out very small. She operated out of her family van. Two of her daughters helped her when she would cater coffee at a big conference, wedding, or other event. That is how she still operated when she moved to a Northern state.
In the little painting I put her name on the coffee shop, which was not a symbolic gesture. 
I could see her in my imagination owning a coffee shop, and starting a chain of coffee shops.

©  Oil, St.Germain

 I believe art is not only a "different" way of seeing reality. I think with art we can "foresee" with our imagination what potential lies in the future. After all, creating means: making something out of nothing, after the Master Creator who created the earth and the universe. It is no wonder that Vincent van Gogh said, "God is the greatest artist of all."

I believe this principle is not the monopoly of artists.  The greatest gift one can give to someone else, is to relate to them the potential you see in them! 
With that, I have seen timid students during my teaching time who barely could make a C (passing grade), bloom into confident A (highest grade) students.

BRINGING GIFTS FINISHED

© Bringing Gifts, 9 x 12. Oil, St.Gemain


The wise men....

they seem to stand out this year. 

Was it their knowledge about the stars? 

Was it their passion? 

Was it their sacrifice to travel so far?

Or was it their gifts?

It seemed so foolish to give the most 

exquisite gifts to a baby in a barn. 

Which brings me to conclude that 

sometimes wisdom appears foolish

And it's foolish not to learn from that.

Notes

- focus on worshipful attitude of wiseman

-the wonder of Mary

- the star that brought the wisemen 

to visit the stable

- display of their knowledge about the universe

- purple robe...color of kings

BRINGING GOLD, INCENSE AND MYRRH

© Gifts of the Wise Men, 9 x 6, Oil., St.Germain 

- Still unfinished, what I started on Dec. 26

- since January 6 is it is the celebration of the Wise Men

 hope to finish it by then with notes 

on my meanderings of 

this little 9 x 6 inch oil painting

FADING INTO THE NEW YEAR

© Oil, 24 x 30, Tsunami. St.Germain

Overwhelming overpowering waves
wiping villages away from the map
water 
- force of life
- force of death

my cousin was supposed to be there
on her honeymoon,
last minute decided to go to Egypt
that week I painted this, 
being a Sunday painter*

*Referring to my blog post Sunday painter on my main blog.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

© 9 x 12 , Oil, St Germain

Strange that it were shepherds,

the ones who were looked down upon 

by the religious  and the ones with status

 attended a free concert of a heavenly choir

the first ones to hear about "the long awaited one"

Strange that the King of Kings was born 

in a barn where the animals were

The only clue for normal folk were Magi 

visiting from a land afar and bringing exquisite gifts 

Every Christmas I paint on a little 9 x 12 canvas a scene 

from the Christmas story, to remind myself 

where my gift comes from

adding the package to the ones the Magi brought

PASTEL PAINTING OF AFRICAN ELEPHANT

Notes

-  recap, this is Jose Hernandez photo 

on his blog Jose E Hernandez World
of an African elephant

- Colorfix pastel paper

- most of the important features

- no sketch beforehand,

because form depends on value of color

- solution for other ear

- expand sky

-numerous trips to garbage 
 container to get pastel dust off 
- rounding off body
- change shadow left front leg
- blur edge of trunk right side

- forehead wider 
- more work on shadows

- adjust background

© African Elephant, 16 1/2 x 13 1/4, Pastel, St.Germain

- for a lead into the scene
- don't forget to sign