Lambkin and Mum

"Lambkin and Mum"
12X16
Oil on Linen Panel
Available

Contact to Purchase

I could have called this "Wool Gathering." As I paint, I am also thinking....about what I am painting and what it means to me.
Socialist government policies have been in the business of ruining family farming in America for years. It is a precious thing to capture one small scene of this dying industry and I am praying for a reversal of the mindset of our government which takes from people and produces nothing. Greenways do not, in any way, help the production of food or goods for our country. The Land Conservancy Group, and its friends, are in the business of taking privately owned land and giving it over to the government using your tax dollars to do it. Shame on you if you are participating in this unconstitutional travesty.

I know you will recognize the lamb from a previous post a week or so ago. I did the lamb as a 8X8 study before I began painting this one. I now think that was helpful...as it made me think through the composition and the contrast between the two subjects.

This piece is designated for "A Natural View," our show at the Schiele Museum of Natural History...unless it is purchased prior to that. I am picturing it above the mantel on a stone fireplace in a family room or on the wall in someone's guest room or bedroom. It has a rustic feel about it and reminds me of the houses in Blowing Rock, NC or in Cashiers, NC, those lovely places in the mountains we go for peace away from the cities. A country pastoral scene. That was the intent...I hope I got there.

(the colors in the painting are more true in the picture without the frame)

'Munchies before sleep'

"Ram"
10X8
Oil on Panel
NFS

This one is a painting for a friend of mine. The story is this: Some years ago my friend and I were shopping, cruising around some antique shops to be more specific. As we looked around in one particularly nice shop, she spotted an antique painting of a ram and she fell in love with it. It had that presence about it...strength, patina, that air of confidence, a celebration of being. It was expensive. Really expensive for those of us raising our school age children at the time and not something she could justify buying. But years have passed and that painting sticks in her mind. She never got over it. A short time after we saw it she dragged her father over to that store to show it to him. I think she was secretly hoping he would buy it for her, but that didn't happen. She still talks about that painting. So here we are, all this time later and it suddenly dawned on me that, while I couldn't possibly replicate that exact painting, I could at least paint a ram for her for Christmas this year. She is in the redecorating mode for her bedroom and I was thinking this might be just the thing to gaze at while going to sleep....counting sheep? Only one, but what the heck! (if you happen to know who I am speaking of, don't tell her! It would spoil the surprise! So....shhhhh!)

Off to the next thing...
Thanks for visiting my blog!!

'Wool in the Rough'

"Sheep #1"
5X7
Oil on Panel
Available


ADDED NOTE:
I am adding to this post on Labor Day Monday.....just to let anyone reading know that some events have occurred since last week to keep me from my paints. Besides the circumstance described below with my daughter's little cocker spaniel, my (ancient) Dad fell last Wednesday. This fall resulted in the skin scraped completely off of the back of his left hand. Seriously. All day in the ER on Wednesday. We were fortunate enough to have a spectacularly talented Doctor who spent hours stitching what skin was left back together, like a patchwork quilt or a jigsaw puzzle. There is still a place with no skin, so we are now going to the plastic surgeon tomorrow to see about a skin graft. Taking care of him and also nursing Lucy has kept me and my husband very busy these past days. Lucy has now gone back to my daughter's house for the rest of this week, but I am having to jump in and do more for my Dad, plus arranging for some in-home health care for him for the coming weeks. I am hoping to get some time to paint in between all of this...so I will post whatever I can come up with as I find the time. Thanks for staying tuned!
_____________________________________________________________
About the painting above:
Where knitting begins....with this little beauty! I look at that coat and find myself amazed of the gift of all of that wool. Maybe some of you don't know that I like to knit. My mother taught me how when I was very young and I have loved making sweaters for myself and my family all of my life. Now that I live in the South, wool sweaters are saved for only the coldest weather. There are other types of yarn to use for other seasons such as cotton, acrylic and blends thereof. But I do love wool yarns and a great love of the sheep who bring us such a wonderful textile with which to work.

Update on Lucy, (see below) she will be coming home from the hospital tomorrow and, from the look of things, she is in for a lengthy recovery. She cannot yet use her back legs and that is going to take time and therapy. She is as sweet as ever and we are looking forward to getting her well. Thanks to all her sent me concern and hope for her. It is much appreciated!