A long hike on the Appalachian Trail through the Smoky Mountains.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
The Opposite of False
Jesus said to the people who believed in him,
“You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.
And you will know the truth,
and
the truth will set you free.”
(John 8:31, 32)
Jesus himself is the truth that sets us free.
He is the source of truth,
the perfect standard of what is right.
He frees us from the consequences of sin,
from self-deception,
and from deception by Satan.
He shows us clearly the way to eternal life with God.
Thus Jesus does not give us freedom to do what we want,
but freedom to follow God.
As we seek to serve God, Jesus' perfect truth frees us to be all that God meant us to be.
“You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.
And you will know the truth,
and
the truth will set you free.”
(John 8:31, 32)
Jesus himself is the truth that sets us free.
He is the source of truth,
the perfect standard of what is right.
He frees us from the consequences of sin,
from self-deception,
and from deception by Satan.
He shows us clearly the way to eternal life with God.
Thus Jesus does not give us freedom to do what we want,
but freedom to follow God.
As we seek to serve God, Jesus' perfect truth frees us to be all that God meant us to be.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Sunday, February 24, 2013
My Weed Garden
Originally created for 'Sea of Despair / Showers of Grace' video, I reworked in 2013 to display on it's own. I'm not sure what variety of weed these are but they grow to a good six feet in height and are quite impressive!
Friday, February 22, 2013
Grotto Falls: 38 Years AGO
I was fresh our of high school and had a little art school behind me when I did a series of Smoky Mountains B&W ink sketches which I sold as limited edition prints (this is a hand colored version I kept for myself). One was of Grotto Falls, which is one of my favorite spots since it is so easy to dangerously climb all over the place, something which appealed to me back then... not anymore. I recently did a much larger full-blown version which can be seen elsewhere online. Compare the two and see what's changed and what's remained the same, but keep in mind they are from two entirely differing viewpoints.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Watching the Wheat Grow
Wheat. You just can't find a better grain. Along with rice, wheat is a staple food and helps feed the world.
Patterns of Nature
Quite often the repetitious patterns found in nature provide something interesting to the eye.
Home Grown Tomatoes
Home Grown Tomatoes
It sure seems like almost everybody I knew grew tomatoes that year.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Magnolia Blossoms in Bloom
At least I think this painted ink wash was from a white magnolia. You know, there's well over 200 varieties of magnolia and their blossoms vary quite a bit. My memory's not all that great and if I don't keep good notes, I don't remember all details.
The Little Fishing Boat
While walking the long dock to get back to our cruise ship, it was not the many majestic luxury liners which stood out, but the little fishing boat that had earlier returned from a lackluster fishing trip and was preparing for another attempt later that day.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Having a Drink by the Trail
Many of the hikers who take this Smoky Mountain trail will never see this rushing water creek. That is because it appears when there has been heavy rainfall and practically disappears when weather conditions are dry. Quite a few of us have explored this area when there was little risk of getting our shoes wet. But, unlike the wildlife, I have never stopped to take a needed drink.
Monday, February 18, 2013
What Else is in my Art Trunk
My favorite pieces are usually the ones not hanging on a wall but are the ones hidden away in trunks, drawers and closets. This is a 'fall festival' pencil rendering dated 1981 which I found when going through the closets. I have had several pencil techniques over the years (dependent on the need), this one being a smoothed, finished application with few lines showing.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
The Canary Island Date Palm
Also known as the "Pineapple Palm" because of the unique pineapple shape it forms after it is trimmed. Shown are it's vibrant clusters of one-inch-diameter, orange-yellow, date-like, ornamental fruits which ripen in early summer.
Looking Up at the Lilies
(2011 painting Reworked in 2013) Red lilies are both elegant and exotic flowers. They inspire feelings of passionate affection and desire. Their trumpet-shaped blooms are intriguingly beautiful and filled with mystery.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Learning from a Master Artist
Learning from a Master Artist
(2011 painted reworked in 2013) When living in Australia, my wife got some excellent training under the tutoring of a second generation tonal realist artist. This movement, which has a large following in Australia, places utmost importance on tone (light to dark and in-betweens) to bring out the correct punch a painting needs in order to look correct. If you don't have your tones under control, a painting will never look quite right. One key to tonal realism is the closer you get the more abstract things become, but the farther away you are the more realistic the picture is. Example: look at this picture up close (or large) and then view it small. See the difference?
Friday, February 15, 2013
Looking Down from the Chimney Tops
To get to the summit of the Chimney Tops a hiker has to ascend more than 900 feet over the course of the last mile! Many casual hikers don't even reach the peak, though it's only a two mile trail. Once there, the view is worth it! It's a perfect opportunity to use your camera, or to sketch or paint... providing you came prepared.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Japanese Magnolia
(2010 painting Reworked in 2013) Often mistaken for Tulips, the Japanese Magnolia are well-adapted to growing a fragrant and gigantic flower which can appear from December through August. These very large fragrant blooms appear before the leaves, usually blooming before anything else in the Spring.
Oliver and the Snow Troll
Looking through my ancient files I found a bunch of pencil sketches I did back when the kids were little. Sometimes I feel like pencil is the best art medium of all. I love the strokes! (Goes back to when I was sketching in class instead of listening to the teacher.)
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Fulfilling Gardening Chores
(2010 painting reworked in 2013) The young woman was busy pulling weeds out of the garden. Her clothes were full and designed to fully protect the skin from the sun's mid-day rays... in contrast to the way we normally dress in the present era. The dirty chores also insured that clothes had to be hand washed almost daily. Her life would have been hard. Her day was spent working from sun-up to sun-down in the dust and the dirt.
Wake Up! Rise With the Sun
(2010 painted reworked in 2013) Very few of us have the same schedule as the rooster, (though for thousands of years the rooster's schedule was that of the average person). But, if you've forgotten your alarm clock, and you need to get somewhere on time, be sure the rooster is close by… he will guarantee that at the very least you will be awake. The rest is up to you.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Air Mail Squirrel
(2010 painting Reworked in 2013) This frisky little squirrel with hyperactive movements (combined with dashing speed) made a quick visit to the top of a neighbor's mail box... and left no footprints in the snow to get there! How? He avoided the snow drifts by racing along the top board of the wooden fence, using it as a runway; leaped onto the mail box; literally flew through the air; and was gone just as suddenly as he had arrived.
Red Foxes Under the Maple
The Smoky Mountains host an abundance of wildlife, though most critters hide so well we often don't realize they are even there. In Autumn the Red Fox has an easier time blending in with fall leaves than in the Spring and Summer when there is so much vibrant green in their surroundings.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Plants in the Gloomy Darkness
At first nothing is there when you peer into the dark hidden spot that probably shouldn't even be there in the first place, but when your eyes adjust you notice that someone has placed a shelf with weird potted plants in there. It was so dark that even my camera's flash couldn't light it enough to take a picture, but the extra light allowed my eyes to sort-of figure out what was going on there. It was odd and ugly but I had to sketch it out anyway.
Resting from the Festivities
(Reworked in 2013) An outdoor festival was happening at Kangaroo Ground and though still going strong, this woman had to take a rest, find a chair, and relax for the remainder of the afternoon. I was not totally happy with the watercolor sketch from 2011, so I re-did in a simple acrylic glazed technique to bring out the details in this nice Aussie lady's friendly face.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
On the Road to Luxor
We traveled by rail from Cairo to Luxor and Karnak, but once there, a knowledgable guide drove us to the historic sights which the Valley of the Kings is known for. A common sight are the women balancing a heavy load upon their head as they walk for miles to their destination... in the heat! I'm not sure what was in her bucket but it was overflowing above the top.
Nungalinya College Professor
When we videotaped at Nungalinya College in Darwin, we had the privilege of being up close and personal to the staff and students at this impressive Aboriginal institution.
The college not only trains men and women with solid biblical principles for leadership roles in their communities, but also trains family members to participate holistically in community life while celebrating and strengthening Indigenous identity.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
The Old Banjo Player
Wasn't sure if he was playing for tips; for the entertainment of others; or simply because he enjoyed it so much. His repertoire consisted of songs crossing generations mixed with numbers that only someone of his era might possibly know.
Ballarat Actor
(Reworked in 2013) Ballarat is notable for the open-air museum known as Sovereign Hill, a recreated 1850s gold mining settlement. Sovereign Hill consistently rates among the best outdoor museums in the world. This Sovereign Hill actor played his comical part quite well and consistently stayed in character.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Aunt Dorothy Crocheting
Aunt Dorothy was an interesting old character. She made a point of letting you know she was no prim-and-proper little old lady. The stories she told were seldom about sweet little grand-kids or memories normally cherished by your typical grandma. Aunt Dorothy loved to shock! She could quickly tell an off-color joke with the best of them. She took special delight in opening her dining room drawer and show-off her collection of 'naughty' gags and toys in the same way that most people display family heirlooms and valued treasures. She wanted you to know she was a "tough old broad".
Oh yeah, did I mention she could crochet
Selling Terracotta in Cairo
I believe it was my first trip to Egypt when I saw this Terracotta jar salesman make a sale on a busy pedestrian street in Cairo. In many parts of the world 'Cairo Terracotta Jars' is the correct terminology for products not even made in Egypt. It was a pleasure to see jars produced just down the road from where they were being sold. These jars of clay were the real thing!
Stretched canvas limited edition prints for sale.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Off the Beaten Path
It's not encouraged to get off the trail. The safest practice is to stay on the well traveled and maintained official paths through the dense forests and mountains. If you must leave the trail, always know exactly where you are, and keep an eye on your established way back to where you need to be.
Flying South for the Winter
Happens every year. Always has, always will. But oh, isn't it always so great to see!
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Greenbrier Schoolhouse & Cemetery
Nestled back in the thick Smoky Mountain forest is the odd combination of schoolhouse and cemetery. The school building has some of the largest logs you will ever see in an old building and is a testimony to the fine craftsmanship that went into it. The cemetery has a hodgepodge of scattered graves, most of which are impossible to read anymore. To get to this peculiar combination of life and death all wrapped up into one, a nice wooded walk is pleasant and well worth the effort. (Note: the foreshortened perspective in the image makes everything appear closer together than what they actually are.)
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
The Dandenongs
The Dandenongs are a set of low mountain ranges, rising to 633 metres at Mount Dandenong, approximately 35 km east of Melbourne, Australia. The ranges consist mostly of rolling hills and valleys covered in thick temperate rainforests (Mountain Ash, Ferns, and Eucalyptus forests), with dense ferny undergrowth. A series of flowing streams cut throughout the forests.
We once lived several miles from Australia's Dandenongs, now we live several miles from the Smoky Mountains. The similarities between the Dandenongs and the Smokies are quite striking in many ways. This painting is of the Dandenongs but is very similar to several paintings I've produced of the Smokies. Occasionally I'll view a painting I did of the Dandenongs and ask myself, "Where in the Smokies is that at?"
The Potter
Some things are almost universal, they practically transcend every time and place. They are not dependent upon the current fad, fashion or marketing pitch. Such is the potter. The tools of his trade are basically the same today as they have been for millenniums. The potter sits down with the dust of the earth and forms and fashions it into a vessel which has function and practicality, yet possesses rustic beauty. We enjoy watching as they take a clay lump and skillfully transform it.
The prophet Isaiah wrote, "O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand." His simple words help us understand our world; our place and position in the world; and our relationship to the One who placed us here.
Next time you watch the potter at work, contemplate what you are viewing... and let your understanding of this world expand with the clay.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Snow on Bush
Snow on Bush
I am blessed to reside in a location that permeates with natural beauty no matter what the season or weather conditions. When we finally received this winter snow, all it took was a glimpse out the living-room window to appreciate the ground bushes painted with winter's handiwork. This had to be preserved with a painting.
Fall Leaves #28
I just can't resist painting yet another fall leaves scene. Always vibrant, breathtaking, and unbelievable!
Third Time this Year
Just because it's the only book they own is not the only reason she's read it so many times. And to her credit, she's memorized quite a bit as well!
Twin Trees by the Lake
Another experimentation. It's always fun to combine different mediums together. Inks, paint, pigment wash, and finalized by brushing the digitized image! Litho-pixelgraph process.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
The Way it Was
Though romanticized by some, there was hard work for everyone, not to mention the many obstacles in the way... rocks, gullies, less than ideal weather, and even a tree which had to be disked around (shown).
Opposites
Think about how many times you've had a 'total opposite' moment.
This is how it goes: You have just eaten something and you think to your self, "This has to be the worst _______ I have ever eaten." You don't say anything, you keep it to your self. Pretty soon somebody else comes along and try's the same item, only they get so excited they burst out loud, "Wow, this is good! This is the way _______ are supposed to taste!" It's at that moment you realize that similar situations have taken place before with the same person. You conclude that in matters of food, you and this person are on quite different tracks!
Though the example focused on food, this same scenario also happens with entertainment, cars, product branding, and practically anything else we have a personal bias for or against. We can have a total opposite moment at anytime and about anything!
The other side of this coin is when you have a cherished "You like _____ too! I do as well!" moment. Honestly, this is not about something which most people like, but about that rare like of yours that most people don't share in common. We'll talk about that some other time.
This is how it goes: You have just eaten something and you think to your self, "This has to be the worst _______ I have ever eaten." You don't say anything, you keep it to your self. Pretty soon somebody else comes along and try's the same item, only they get so excited they burst out loud, "Wow, this is good! This is the way _______ are supposed to taste!" It's at that moment you realize that similar situations have taken place before with the same person. You conclude that in matters of food, you and this person are on quite different tracks!
Though the example focused on food, this same scenario also happens with entertainment, cars, product branding, and practically anything else we have a personal bias for or against. We can have a total opposite moment at anytime and about anything!
The other side of this coin is when you have a cherished "You like _____ too! I do as well!" moment. Honestly, this is not about something which most people like, but about that rare like of yours that most people don't share in common. We'll talk about that some other time.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Greenbrier River
As you enter the National Park at Greenbrier, the rapids of the river stand-out with flowing force and energy and set the tone for the sights and trails which lie ahead.
Hiking Through the Meadow
Hiking Through the Meadow
A great view of the Smokies accompanies the hiker and reminds of where tomorrow's trails will transcend.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Melbourne Sunset
(A rework of an earlier study) This major city in Victoria has an impressive skyline which takes on a life of it's own as the sun sets. When first married, we lived a couple of years in the Melbourne area... and loved it!
A Miner's Supplies
(A rework of an earlier study) Because of the recent find near Ballarat, Australia of an incredibly rare 5.5kg gold nugget worth over $300,000, I decided to rework this study of a gold prospector's supplies which I had seen at Ballarat's history museum. A local mining expert stated of the find, "It’s extremely significant as a mineral specimen. We are 162 years into a gold rush and Ballarat is still producing nuggets - it’s unheard of."
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