Fun With New Direction in my Creative Journey

  Good afternoon, this post seems a bit unorganized but as I begin anew my love of art after a long absents hidden in the world of scrapbooking I just seem overjoyed at all the possibilities and plans I want to put to paper. I also seem to be headed back in to the world of teaching but on a much smaller scale. 

Having some real fun on this creative journey, a journey I hope is completely direct by God. Since my retirement from driving a bus I have been drinking in the beauty of all the marvelous flowers in my yard.  Wow, such wonders and where to start in capturing these beauties is my real problem. Just a few short months ago the ground was barren and the only real sign of life was in the dead remains of last season’s growth. Death, is what I saw in early march, but now we have color bursting in every direction and values and hues that tickles ones soul. I have no problem believing in life after death when remember my beautiful flowers from last season and them watching there blooms drop and the leaves turn brown and bend over to the earth and let go of life but  just below the snow of winter God created a spark of the past life that would resurrects into beauty again. Well with my retirement my summer will not be cut short by two months to go back to work and drive my wonderful yellow block long tank. That means more time observing and trying to put on paper the wonder and emotion I feel as I study each flower.

There is also the thrill of  watching my bird feeders and the wonderful variety of birds. Watching the understanding of weather and seasons and for those who must leave knowing just the perfect timing. 

But of course one of my newest objects to paint is night skys and the milky way. This verse below explains I think my true wonder of enjoying a beautiful evening at star watching.
Romans 1:20

 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

Just one last thought, nature has a wonder way of magnifying many issues we incur in life. It’s a bit puzzling to understand how most humans are in awe of the abundance of variety in color and different plant species but yet see nothing interesting in the large variety in our fellow humans. This includes different skin color, different temperament, and different likes and dislikes in our fellow humans. Just saying!!!

I began a serious attempt at my new work schedule in my studio by adding to my “From My Bus Window collection”, then moving on to the wonder of a flower extremely hardy and long lasting, the Coneflower.  

I have again had fun with Pen and Ink and charcoal. I really did it as a value study to be used for a future painting but when several though it interesting I decided to frame it. Next was the fun of painting it using a few new technique’s. I was surprised in that my home students wanted to try the pin and ink. We all agreed that doing a detail pin and ink study helps give you a better feel for values and tiring to create a center of interest. When striped of the power of color and its color intensity one gets a better feel for just plane value of each area and what it takes to bring items forward and setting others back. It was lots of fun.  (just as a side note the choice of doing a pen and ink came first from a YouTube video. I trip up on it on my Pinterest account and realize I had some time ago bought a kit with all kinds of charcoal and pen and ink supplies. Yes a garage sale, and my husband at the time couldn’t understand why I wanted to buy the kit being as I hadn’t the slightest idea how to approach charcoal and pen and ink. My answer will make sense to some but made perfect sense to me, ITS ONLY A DOLLAR YOU KNOW. So here we are laying a path to new technique’s)  

Finally I went to my watercolors and painted my wonderful little cabin that I have watched daily on my bus route for the last few years. My season of choice for this work was winter. Not sure just why but this cabin sits in a deep valley and when snow is present it brings some unique challenges while driving my bus. 

Till Next time. Remember all of creation and its beauty lives to testify to Gods love, power and beauty. So spend precious time enjoying what was created by a loving God to be pleasing to his human creations eyes. 

PS I must say it is quit a thrill to be excited about going to work, for since I intend to go back to travel teaching this is how I plan to handing my time in my studio. By the way my studio as I am now calling my work area is just a closed off garage and I love it that way, nothing fancy just useful. Thank you so much Lord for a place to create.


Until next time
The Cloud Watcher