Angels

Where have I been? ~~~~It feels as if all I have done this month is run up & down the highway, driving, not really running. There has been much sadness in our family, as my husbands oldest brother passed away and most diffidently is with our Heavenly Father. He was a most wonderful man. My heart just brakes. His life was beautiful. His wife & two sons and their wives and children, all the most beautiful , kind, Believing people you would ever want to know. As I watched them, as they all comforted the people around them, with hugs and love, I am reminded
how Blessed I have been to be a part of this family.

To comfort myself, I sat down & painted this little angel. I started making them way back when Gabriel was in preschool. I needed a Christmas gift for his teacher & I wanted it to be nice, having come from a long line of teachers, on my mothers side. So, since my husband is a cabinetmaker, lots of wood around, and my sons name is Gabriel, I came up with the ideal to make her an angel. That was the beginning. So, for the past 14 years we have made these angels at Christmas, for all four children's teachers. I also have given them as birthday, baby shower and Christmas gifts. I really have know ideal how many I have made. Nor, did I take pictures of them.
The process was always the same. Usually the night before I needed to paint an angel, for what ever gathering, I would say to my poor husband, "can you cut out an angel for me?" I really have the most wonderful husband. I would then draw out the angel & he would cut it out. Or, he would find me a nice piece of wood to paint one on.
So, on the morning of the gathering, I would wake up early ,still in my jammy's & paint my angel.

I get so much enjoyment from them. Setting there with all the wonderful colors in front of me. Just letting my imagination go and so relaxing in something I love doing.
So, while I was painting this little angel, I thought why not try selling my angels. I don't know how well they will do. But, I made up my mind that I will try.
As , I am growing my portrait business. I really do need extra income. These are the cold hard facts. As an artist, it can be so hard to look facts in the eye.

So, I have asked that my little angel painting business be Blessed.

I have opened my own ebay shop. Wish me luck. :)

Wow, this was a long post. As always " thank you for visiting". And, by all means go check out my
little angel on ebay.
Amy

Belong together

I thought I would post this portrait again, because, the Summer Portrait and this one were commissioned by the same wonderful person. So, now she has a portrait of both of her children.(shame that she does not have 7 children) : )
I don't think they will hang side by side. But I thought it would be fun to post them near each other. Enjoy your weekend ! I have alot of work to get done. And I am going to try & set up an ebay shop for myself. Wish me luck. Amy

Summer Portrait

I just finished this portrait. It was done with pastels and pencil. I like the way he is surrounded with the blue ocean. Very summery.Perfect time to do this painting.... I want to go to the beach.
Anyway, I wish I had gotten better pictures before I had to hand it over. The top photo, I used auto fix, in photo shop. The lower one is just straight up picture. I do not really know how to use photo shop, as you can see. But, the real painting is somewhere between the two in color.
We have alot going on in our family right now. This past week has past by so quickly.
Amy

Pencil

This little drawing was done with pencil & a bit of pastel. I didn't feel the need to add color.
I think the color of the pastel paper gives it an old fashion feeling. Just a nice little drawing, I think. :) ) This is Sophie & Virginia, Two Sweeties ......amy

Chock Full o' Love

The colors are much brighter in person!......This is a painting that was given to my husband by my brother-in-law, Greig Leach, for Christmas last year. Because, we have such a large family, we exchange names at Christmas. And, in the past, when anyone would get Philip's name, they would think "COFFEE", right away. Philip drinks coffee all day, even before bed. So, in the past he has recieved, fancy coffee mugs and fancy flavored coffee. Lovely gifts, but, for one thing. Philip only drinks Chock Full of Nuts and he only drinks out of one mug at home. He is a creature of habit. That one mug, is one I gave him on Valentines Day many years ago. I have to steal it from time to time to wash the flood lines, the dried coffee lines out. He uses the same cup, till it finally brakes. In our 18 years of marriage, he has had no more than 3 mugs. So, this year Philip was given the BESTEST gift he has ever gotten! This painting. Greig, titled it "Chock Full o' Love", isn't that just perfect? Clever titles are very important to his paintings. My sister & he will sit & look at his paintings and together think of the perfect name for it.
Greig is an amazing artist, his work is done with oilsticks on beautiful 100% rag paper . I don't know of any other artist who has become the master of oilsticks like Greig. He has been painting with them for more than 30 years now. He uses no other medium in his painting, from the 1st. sketch to the final piece, with its many rich layers, all oilstick. Beautiful !
My sister & Greig met at V.C.U. in the very early 80's. They were married with-in a year of meeting each other, they were young, but, they knew, they were soul mates.They have two sons, now grown.
From the very start, Greig has supported his family with his art. With the added income, by waiting tables or bar tending. But, selling his paintings has always been his main income. Not an easy task. He has never taken the attitude of, I will just have to wait to do my art. Greig is now and always has been an artist who paints everyday. Just Google his name, it will blow you away.Or, just take a look at his bio. That is alot of years of faith and not at all easy. As I have herd my sister say so many times, " We are Rich & Famous Today!". But, then there comes the days of being not so," rich & famous". The highs & lows of being a full time artist, has never squalshed the passion.
Bridget, my sister, has always been Greig's #1 supporter. Together they make an invincible team, of what to do next.
But, isn't it grand having an artist in the family? The BESTEST gifts ever! Amy

SUMMER

Tomorrow is the 4th of July ! Tomorrow is the 4th of July !!!! What ?...... So, I am going to be taking time away from this lovely computer that likes to suck me into it's world. I have so much wonderful work to do. And, I keep getting stuck here looking at everyone else's wonderful work.
So, away I go, like a little birdy. But, I leave you with a few pictures of the kinda art I will be doing.This is a lithograph print i did, called Family Portrait,it was drawn from family portrait of all 7 of us kids when we were young. The way the hands were knotted together was beautiful to me, but, I won't be doing lithos. I will however be using my etching press, yes, my etching press. It came from Jerry's Artaramma. It is the student press. It is so beautiful, well, to me anyway. I will be working on a few portraits. Yeah, my favorite thing to do.

This a pot that I made, I will be keeping it filled with flowers. I need to enjoy this summer, with little outings with my family. Make sure this summer does not fly away without enjoying it . Scrabble, walks, visits , little fun stuff. You know ! So, away like a birdy I go.
So, to the little summery things in life.
Amy