Whistle in the Wind

Whistle in the Wind

For some time now, I have been fascinated by glass.  I have dabbled some in stained glass, and fused glass.  I simply like it.  I especially love the concept of bottle trees.  They just seem poetic to me.  Whenever I see one on a movie, or along side the road on our way to Mississippi, or Cold Water Tennessee, I just start to daydream.  Did they drink all of the contents of those bottles?  Do they love to sit outside and watch the light dance off of the bottles?  What about the sound?  Do the bottles play beautiful clinkity clankity sounds?  Do they whistle in the wind?  Bottle trees just seem peaceful to me.  Sort of like sitting on the back patio on a fall night with a glass of wine listening to the leaves blowing in the wind. Total, absolute peace.  It is said that years and years ago people used to think that the bottles captured evil spirits.  Mainly because of the sound that the bottle would make when the wind blew over the mouth of the bottle. That is why people started hanging bottles on their trees, in order to capture the evil spirits, and keep them away from their homes.  The concept of bottles capturing evil spirits goes even further back to the times when people believed in genies and magic lanterns!  

Fragrant Dreams

Fragrant Dreams

I have always dreamed of having a little girl.  Those who know me well, know that it has been a long and painful road for me.  My husband and I Adopted our daughter in October of 2006.  She was not born from my body, but from my heart. I have no doubt what-so-ever that this was the daughter that God intended for us.  I have know doubts or regrets for any of the stepping stones that led us to our girl.  Only joy for the present, and sweet dreams for a happy and prosporous future for our child.

I Came to Make You Smile

I Came to Make You Smile

One of my besties came to paint with me this week.  When she was younger, she used to collect clowns. So in anticipation of her visit, I decided that I must paint a clown!  Knowing that everyone has those moments that they just don't feel like participating in the daily grind, I decided to make my clown a part of my angel series.  Whenever we feel down and out, we need to call on our inner clown to make ourselves smile, even if we don't feel like it.

Grace Grows Gratitude

Grace Grows Gratitude

This painting will more than likely be donated to The Vine Counseling Center for their Silent Art Auction.  That is unless I decide that I can not part with it, and decide to donate something else.  I knew that I wanted to paint turquoise and red, so I started with the red background, and as I was painting, I could see the shape of this angel appearing in the brush strokes.  I quickly stopped painting the background, grabbed the blow dryer, and then proceeded to trace the brush strokes.  Grace Grows Gratitude is one of those paintings that I have been thinking about for a long time.  However, I was thinking of a little girl watching a flower grow.  As this Angel literally appeared, she looked so sweet and delicate and graceful, that I knew she had to be my Gratitude Angel. 

Gratitude isn't always as easy as we think.  In todays fast paced world, we seem to expect and to demand more and more.  It isn't very often that we sit back and just be thankful for what we have.  We work and work and work, and often times feel as if we go unappreciated.  Yet, a lot of times we ourselves overlook all that God has done for us.  If we practice Grace, we will receive Gratitude, even if we are only grateful for ourselves.

Playing in the Poppies

Playing in the Poppies

This painting was done for a girl at church that I have often admired for her grace and for her faith, but especially for her strength.  At a very young age, she has gone through what no one ever dreams of going through.  She lost her two baby boys only a few days after they were born.  I remember reading updates on the boys, and praying for them not being able to phantom how anyone can go through this.  Yet they do.  I have often admired this girl from a distance. To me she portrayed a perfect example of God's grace.  When a lot of people would have questioned their faith and turned their backs on God, she and her family seemed only to draw closer.  It was an honor and a blessing to paint these sweet angels.

In this painting, the Red Poppies represent that the boys passing was not an end to their spirit, but an ascent to a higher place.  The white doves represent peace, a presence of the Holy Spirit with the boys, and a message of love from the boys to their family that remains on this earth.

I Will Make Your Burdens Light

I will Make Your Burdens Light

Angels are described in the bible as 18 foot tall creatures with 6 wings and two heads, or as wingless men. Supposedly an angel is neither male or female, and they usually present themselves to us in a form that is comforting and non threatening.   My Angels come to me in the form of paintings.  Sometimes they are a painting that resides in my mind for several days, and sometimes they just present themselves to me as I am painting.  This angel came to me today as I was painting at my mother's house, and she came to help make our burdens light.  This is a painting of an African Angel, and as you can see, she is carrying a pot on her head.  This pot is supposed to be holding our burdens.  She is covering her mouth to show us that as she is carrying our load, she will not disclose our burdens to others.  She was created to bring comfort to those of us who are troubled, whether it be over something big or small.  Whatever it is that is troubling us, she will carry it away with her in her little pot, so that we can let it go, and set ourselves free.

A Little Bluebird Told Me You Were My Soul Mate

For starters, this was not the painting that I intended to paint today, but none the less, it is what I created.  I sat down with the intent to paint "Going to Hell in a Hand Basket,"  which will come at a later date.  That painting still resides in my head, however, it will have to materialize at a later date.   To be honest, this is not my favorite, but I like the idea behind it, and I LOVE the colors.  This painting is supposed to represent "true love" or "soul mates," and how imperfect true love really is.  The blue birds in the picture are a reminder to us that we are born into happiness and fulfillment, but we sometimes get so lost and wrapped up in the everyday events of our lives that our happiness and fulfillment seem rare.  The bluebird reminds us to take time and enjoy ourselves, or in this case each other.  If you get a chance, read a little about the symbolism of the blue bird here.

A Bluebird Told Me You Were My Soul Mate