Beautiful Mizrahi

Beautiful Mizrahi

20" x 16"

Acrylic on canvas

$650

Also available as prints and note cards.

As an artist, I am always fascinated by unusual uses of color and brilliant displays.  Sometimes I see runway models and print models with fabulous splashes of color and it inspires me to paint.  Although I could not use the vivid blues and turquoise of the make-up artist's work, which was what first attracted me, I turned a close-up image of her face and hands into a dancing angel with falcon wings and eyelashes.  I let her wings exhibit the fabulous colors.  And when I stood [transfixed, I admit it] before the finished painting, I was clueless as to what to name her.  Friends on the internet helped me with many lovely suggestions.  After reading about the Mizrahi dance, music and cultural/social movement, that had to be it! It fit perfectly; but even that name simply wasn't exuberant enough, so she became Beautiful Mizrahi.  I hope you will search online for Mizrahi music and listen.  It will bless you!

Zephaniah 3:17 (Amplified version)

The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a mighty One, a Savior - Who saves!  He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing.  ... and somewhere it says: and dance over you with joy!  I figure if our Lord dances over His people with joy, the angels will all join in!

Worship

Worship

24" x 20"

Oil and Gold Leaf foil on canvas

SOLD

Available in prints and as note cards

This piece began as an emotive piece for me to stretch a little between other more realistic ones.  It was a "feel good" exercise, and to my surprise it kept right on making me feel good all the way to the finish!  It was really enjoyable to do a more abstracted image for a change.  Last year, 2010, was the first time I ever knew how much abstracted pieces would capture my focus and heart.  I did 14 of them last year!

The angels here, unlike the ones I've been painting recently, have no faces or distinctions between them.  They are worshipping God en masse, in a concert of gently swaying movements, with the hems of their garments seemingly flowing out from one garment of praise.

As I was working on this painting with great joy, I felt that the Lord let me know it was going to sell.  I was slightly frustrated with that news, since I'm still in the wrong-headed process of measuring the worth of abstracted pieces versus more realistic ones....

The woman who bought this (before it had even dried, within hours of my adding my signature!) said to me that these are the exact colors in their master bedroom, even down to the more copper tone I used on the gallery wrap edges!  As she drew close enough to see individual color dots in the wings, she exclaimed that the darker blues are the same shade as her accent pillows!  So, I don't know if you will agree with me, but my sense is that this piece was done FOR her, for her home, for her enjoyment and blessing.  This certainly is not close to any of my frequently chosen palettes.  And it makes me happy to have created something beautiful for someone else, like a commission piece, but without knowing ahead of time that was what I was doing!

Because she is military, I've chosen the following song of worship for this painting:

Revelation 15:4  "Great and wonderful are the things You have done,

                                      Adonai, God of heaven's armies!

                                        Just and true are Your ways,

                                             King of the nations!

                             Adonai, Who will not fear and glorify Your Name?

                                        Because You alone are holy,

                              All nations will come and worhsip before You,

                               For Your righteous deeds have been revealed.

Awaiting Resurrection

Awaiting Resurrection

18" x 36"

Acrylic on canvas, ornate frame

$900

After I came through a time of exhausting spiritual warfare, I turned to some reference photos taken in a cemetery in Huntington, West Virginia.  Painting this lovely statue brought me such peace.  I've got the feeling she represents Mary, the Mother of Jesus.  I have asked others why she would be holding a wreath on her arm, and their answers seem to match mine.  We're not sure, but it looks as if perhaps this is the crown of the redeemed which this person, over whom she is standing, will receive in heaven...  Why it would be flowers, I don't know.  (Since then, I have found many cemetery statues of angels holding floral wreaths, as well.)  I love her pensive stance, and the sweet patience she exudes.  She helped me to breathe deeply and bring my soul to a more restful place.  I hope she metes out the same kind of peace and well-being to you.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will be with the Lord forever.

Angel of Deliverance

Angel of Deliverance

30" x 50"

Acrylic on gallery wrap canvas

SOLD

Also available as prints and note cards.

Seemingly from the very beginning of man's understanding of Almighty God, I Am that I Am, El Shaddai (and all of the other names by which He's made Himself known) we have also heard of His ministering spirits.  He sends His angels on missions of mercy and missions of destroying wrath.  They tenderly guard children on their way and they destroyed all of Egypt's firstborn in the days of Pharaoh.  They worship at the throne of God and obey His commands.  One of my favorite contemporary Christian songs is Amy Grant's "Angels Watchin' Over Me".

When I set my heart on the painting of a descending angel coming to the rescue, I asked a fellow artist and friend of mine to model for me.  We weren't able to do the photo session in time for me to finish what I had purposed to undertake in time for my One Person Show called "Heaven Among Us", May of 2011.  We'll get that done one day.  But instead of postponing my idea any longer, I let it flow from my imagination.  Here is a less realistiic, more cartoon version of the Angel of Deliverance, who is coming to lift the viewer out of crisis and carry him/her off to safety.

Psalm 34:7

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them.

Note:  If you were looking for posts here in May, I apologize.  I was preparing and displaying my first One Person Show called "Heaven Among Us", and now finally have time to breathe.  And post.  :-)

If you are enjoying my blog and images, I hope you will become a 'follower', and send me a note or comment.  Blessings!

A Gathering of Angels



Seraphic Convergence

A Gathering of Angels

18" x 24" each

$800/pair

For the past several years, we've worked at Olde Towne Art to have various showings in our front gallery that have expressed themes, intersperced with shows of new works.  The gallery changes out each month on First Friday, so the paintings are displayed for a whole month at a time.  One of the themes we did was based on all black and white pieces.  In 2010 we decided to do a Black and White Plus One show, meaning there could be a small amount of one added color besides the black, white and gray scale.

I decided to do a pair of paintings representing a set of angel wings, and went to work praying and painting with my palette knife, not sure exactly where God would lead me.  As the wings formed, it seemed to me that they also began to look like mountainous terrain with steppes and that there were some beings descending those steppes.  As a matter of fact, they seemed to be all over the place!

When I began to add a wash of transparent yellow to emphasize the robed figures I was seeing, the scenes felt more and more holy to me.  It seemed obvious that they represented angels, even though there was not one wing to be found aside from the background image... and I never heard of angels with hoods! ... but it wasn't at all creepy.  It actually felt sacred.

So, I kept on praying and painting and watching these surreal images form under my knife and brush.  There are many more that could have been 'highlighted' with the yellow, but for the composition of the pieces, the ones that are visible feel like enough.  If you take a close look, I'm sure you'll find more!  I've titled this pair of paintings Seraphic Convergence I and II, A Gathering of Angels.  I hope you enjoy them.

Heaven Among Us

On First Friday, May 6th, my One Person Show entitled "Heaven Among Us" will open at Olde Towne Art, 525 High Street, Portsmouth, Virginia.  The paintings shown will include my angel and cemetery monuments (more than seen here) as well as inspired art with spiritual symbolism and themes from my walk with Jesus Christ.  There will be paintings, prints and cards available with a wide range of prices, so there will be something for everybody! 

It's free and open to the public, no invitation required.  We will offer refreshments and delightful music.  There will be "special show pricing" of my original paintings for that one night only, and all of the artwork will remain on display throughout the month of May.

The Opening Reception will be Friday evening from 5-8 pm.  Our gallery hours are noon till 6 pm Tuesday through Saturday; 2-6 pm on Sunday, and we are closed on Monday.

I'm one of 25 very talented artists at Olde Towne Art, which was voted the Best Art Gallery in Portsmouth in 2010, as well as the Best of the Best Art Gallery in all of Hampton Roads in 2010.  There will be an announcement soon regarding a special award we've received for 2011, as well.

I hope to see you there, either at the Opening, or when you can drop by during the month of May.  Please feel free to invite your family and friends.

Come Away

Come Away

Original SOLD

Framed canvas giclees

20" x 28"

$300 each plus S&H

Smaller Prints are available

This graceful angel monument was originally painted in the blues you see here.  When she went to the printer I took the suggestion of an artist at the studio and had her done in other colors as well.  We looked through various shades in the complimentary range and came up with these scorching hot sepia tones, but he gets all the credit for the way the black and white turned out.  He chose to remove all the grays from the background and leave her standing starkly against pitch black, which turned out to be a pretty dramatic look. 

When they were first shown, all three were hung together, side by side, with the blue in the center.  The blue giclee has a black frame; the sepia has a mahogany frame; and the black and white has a white frame; and all are 1" contemporary frames.  The size of the frames is approximately the same as the gray border on the images here.  The giclees are available singly or as a set.

Heavenly Playmates

Heavenly Playmates - Daniela

6" x 6" acrylic on canvas

SOLD

Heavenly Playmates - Toby

6" x 6" acrylic on canvas

$75

Heavenly Playmates - Gideon

6" x 6" acrylic on canvas

SOLD

These small cherubs were all painted during our 10-10-10 Event in October of 2010.  I intended for them to be sold as a set, and they can still be purchased together as prints, but Toby is the only original left for sale.  The tones of his patina are so green that I call him my little Shrek baby.   :-)

When I find cherubs in cemeteries, I often wonder if the artist was commissioned to sculpt a likeness of the child who is buried there as an angel.  In my imagination I like to think that the Lord sends down a friendly spirit to bring a child who leaves this earth to be with Him in heaven, so cherubs like these have a special place in my heart.  But whether children are escorted by angels who look like other children or whether they are solid, reassuring grown ups or whether Jesus Himself appears and takes them in His loving arms, who knows?  For me, there's room enough in the mystery for any and all answers, as long as the 'end' is with God. 

Tender Consolation

Tender Consolation

24" x 36" acrylic on canvas, unframed

SOLD

There are so many angel cemetery monuments in Richmond, VA that it's hard to see them all.  A visit to the Hollywood cemetery there is quite a visual feast, but if you go, take your hiking shoes!  This lovely cemetery is located on very steep hills and the road winds among them.  So far, I have a couple hundred photos from there, of adult angels, cherubs, and human figures.  The kneeling angel depicted here was photographed mainly for the cascading flowers in her arms, that extend from her chest to the ground.  I guess they will have to be the focus of another painting, because as this one took shape, they became unnecessary to the composition.  The focus is on the color contrast and her gentle face.  Hope you enjoy her and the peace she exudes.

Himba Angel Boy

Himba Angel Boy

12" x 12" acrylic on canvas

SOLD

Available as prints.

I love the Himba people.  I saw this boy in a documentary and he reached out and grabbed my heart, which he will never know in his lifetime.  He was undergoing the childhood circumcision ceremony, so that just past toddlerhood he was being considered a man by his people.  He was coated in the red mud they use to protect and adorn their skin, and he had simple beads around his neck and a leather thong at his waist.  He was simply - angelic.

O little Child of God in a farflung place

You wear the dust of the earth and living water on your face.

Simple, simple are the steps you take

Bounded by ritual in the life journey you will make.

Simple is your trusting heart, and boundless in its security,

So open to the Universe that Forever has become your surety.

No mere clay beads, these strings of heavenly deeds ~ shimmer ~

As God-bequeathed metals adorning your neck, a coming King,

A Prince you've become, in Royal Regalia watching over your people

In a domain filled with cattle and no need of a steeple.

All hail the far-seeing vision of the dark-eyed boy

Whose Master brings contentment, Whose Spirit imparts joy.

Heavenly Hues (Female and Male)

In October of 2010 we had our first huge event at Olde Towne Art, called 10-10-10.  Ten of the local painters spent ten days in the gallery area at the front windows creating ten brand new paintings... each.  Day or night, there were artists there painting as people walked by on the sidewalk or stood and watched.  It was a monumental task but we all finished!  And along the way we had so many laughs and learned so much about each other; and some of us have admitted it changed our focus on our own gifts, styles, goals, etc. 

We each approached this event differently; some by sketching each proposed painting, others by using photographic references; some even timed themselves on preliminary works.  We were excited and nervous, both.

One of the ways that I prepared was to create the first painting shown on this blog, "All Better Now".  Intending to paint mostly angel pieces, and knowing that the ones I do are highly detailed, I wasn't sure I would have enough time to complete the ones I'd chosen to do and I had been getting really nervous.  Finishing All Better Now successfully and rather quickly, I was calmer facing what could have been a daunting and highly stressful event.   :-)

The other piece I did right before this event (10-10-10) was the first of the two pieces shown here.

Heavenly Hues, Female Angel Statue

24" x 30" acrylic on canvas, unframed

canvas edges painted golden yellow

$500, or $900 for the pair

I had a black and white photograph of this stunning Italian angel face, and I could have made her in shades of gray with some hints of color, as I've done in some of the other angel paintings... but she just cried out to me for color!  It was such a joy to work very vivid colors into the lights, shadows and shapes of this sculpture.  In the photo, the tear stain is actually a watermark from her being exposed to the elements of weather, and the black on the real statue is not very becoming.  But working the effect into the sadness expressed on her face intrigued me.

After the painting was finished, several people thought that "she" was a "he".  I know it's a very strong, classical face, but her jaw line is so soft that I was surprised that her femininity was not more obvious to others who saw her, as it seemed to me!  I decided right then and there to make a companion piece that was so obviously male that in comparison she would be seen for her intended gender.  The piece below came only from my imagination and with God's help, not from any photographic reference, and was one of the ones I did during 10-10-10.  I intentionally used the same components and colors with variations to bring him to life.  His gender markers are a total exaggeration, but that was on purpose....  I hope you enjoy them both, but almost everybody who's seen them has a favorite.  And that's ok, too!

Heavenly Hues, Male Angel Statue

24" x 30" acrylic on canvas, unframed

canvas edges painted golden yellow

$500, or $900 for the pair

If you like my blog

I'm such a newby!  I just found my dashboard and it helped me to understand a little about being a "follower" of a blog.  If you read one or more of my posts and like it (or them), please choose to become a follower of my postings.  The box on the right under the picture of my amazing granddaughter and me is where you click to begin to "follow" my blog, and the new postings will show up on your dashboard.  Pretty cool.  And I want to see what you're posting, too, so if you have a blog, let me know, ok?

I am thinking I can also post my new stuff to my Facebook page, but I'm getting ahead of myself....  We'll see if I can figure that one out, too!   :-)

A Local Angel

Arise

20" x 30" acrylic on canvas, framed

SOLD

Available as prints and note cards.

This majestic angel statue stands in a cemetery in Virginia Beach, VA.  Although the original is missing the finger which points skyward, and her white marble is untouched by the green patina which I added here, this is pretty much how she looks today.  I love the serenity which seems to have been sculpted by the old master artisans and is so rarely found in new cemetery monuments.  When I was in the process of painting her and thinking what to call her, only that one word, "Arise" seemed to fit what she would speak, if she could.

The original was sold to a dear friend and collector of my artwork.  High quality giclees on canvas or paper are available by order.  Please contact me if you are interested.

Bronze Angel

Bronze Angel

24" x 30" acrylic on canvas, unframed

$850 plus tax, S&H

Also available as prints and  note cards.

This gorgeous bronze angel monument is from a cemetery in Norfolk, VA.  I must have over 30 photographs of her and will probably do more paintings of her at a later date.  She is seated high up on a pedestal; her long Italian looking feet show beneath the hem of her robe.  In her lap is a scroll which unrolls all the way down to her feet.  

Perhaps you will know what I mean when I say she "has presence".  Everything about her is stately and strong, from her facial expression to her physical form.  I couldn't resist the challenge of bringing her to life in all her glorious color.  She seemed timeless when I was taking pictures of her.  Yet the metal is damaged by hard seasons of weather, pitted and eroded even.  The years have put more than a lovely patina on the surface of this angel.  Still, as a symbol of an eternal, created being, she speaks to me.  What she represents is outside of time, and yet engaged with those of us still held here inside of time.

I'm not posting the angel paintings that I've done in chronological order.  Hey, I'm an artist!  I hope the juxtapostion of sizes, colors and compositions will be more interesting than a simple order of their creation would be.   :-)

Feel free to let me know what you think.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Trying Again...

I'm just a newby at all this, and will figure it out along the way, I'm sure.  My first two postings had my painting images in the wrong place, so some of the information and one of the pictures got lost.  Ho hum.

This morning I am going to repost the images and their information and prices, and hope you will stay 'tuned' for my next efforts....  they can only improve, right?

Double the Sorrows

24"x36" acrylic on canvas with ornate frame

$1,500 plus tax, S&H

She was inspired by antique photos given to me by a friend, of an angel monument from the Bonaventure cemetery in Savannah, GA.  The aged patina and darkening stains intrigued me, as well as her deep and evident grief, as she stands over the graves of two small children.  Her face was almost totally  blackened, however, and I used artistic license to recreate her features.  There were other things I changed as well.  After she was completed, I found her online, and the statue has been cleaned since the picture referfences I have.  In those, she is as white as a bar of Ivory soap, and not nearly as interesting.

All Better Now

20"x16" acrylic on canvas, unframed

$300 plus tax, S&H

This little guy stands over a child's grave at the Hollywood cemetery in Richmond, VA.  He seems to be ready to escort the little one to heaven.