Bleak Midwinter

9x12

Oil on canvas board

Merry Christmas 2016!!

In the bleak midwinter

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, Whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, Whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

Malakoff

Oil on linen canvas

11x14

My mother-in-law grew up in this home in Malakoff, Texas.  It was built in the 1880's and added onto in 1920 when she was 2 years old by Uncle Ireanus.  I painted it as a commission for my husband's cousin who still lives there so he could give it to his daughter.   The pecan tree in the front still produces loads of tiny, sweet East Texas pecans.  

Lumberjack

30x40

oil on canvas

Lumberjack.  A big ole longhorn bull.  One of my few larger paintings - painted for my husband to hang over his desk.  Palette knife and brush.  

Coneflower

6x6

Encaustic Wax on Cradled Board

More fun at The Encaustic Center in Richardson.  I've always loved coneflowers, but never been very good at growing them!  

Nothing Hidden

oil on linen canvas

11x14

Reworked this painting and am much happier with it.  God paints the skies with such freedom and joy.  Putting them on canvas is more of a challenge!!

"The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

The skies display his craftsmanship.

Day after day they continue to speak;

night after night they make him known.

They speak without a sound or word;

their voice is never heard.

Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,

and their words to all the world

God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.

It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.

It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.

The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end.

Nothing can hide from its heat."

Psalms 19:1-6

Bursts Forth

oil on canvas panel

9x12

This bright scene was developed from one of the beautiful sunsets we saw in New England this past summer.   God at play - all day long - just because.

"The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

The skies display his craftsmanship.

Day after day they continue to speak;

night after night they make him known.

They speak without a sound or word;

their voice is never heard.

Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,

and their words to all the world

God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.

It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.

It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.

The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end.

Nothing can hide from its heat."

Silent Speech

Oil on linen canvas

9x12

This sky is a bit quieter than the others recently painted.   I wasn't happy with this painting earlier, so I worked on it some more.  Still a quiet, early morning painting, but I like it much more.  

"The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

The skies display his craftsmanship.

Day after day they continue to speak;

night after night they make him known.

They speak without a sound or word;

their voice is never heard.

Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,

and their words to all the world

God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.

It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.

It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.

The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end.

Nothing can hide from its heat."

Portrait in Bluebonnets

12x16

Oil on Canvas

Just finished this commissioned cutie for an anniversary gift.  

Tree on LBJ Ranch

Oil on canvas

18x24

This stately live oak is a commissioned portrait of a tree seen at the LBJ Ranch in Texas.  

Blue Winter

oil on canvas panel

9x12

I read an article about painting with analogous (next to each other on the color wheel) colors and remembering this picture I took in the Tetons I thought I would try it.  It requires even more attention to working with values and warm and cool colors within the same range.  Makes for a very chilly painting!