FAMILY

Time with family is so important to me during the holidays. Our four grandkids have been with us since Christmas night, and on Tuesday, I'll see both of my brothers and their families.

This painting of my brother and sister-in-law's dogs was done many years ago. I remember being amazed that when I painted the values darker in that grayish fur on little Sarah, that she actually looked real. This may have been one of the first dog portraits I ever painted, and I learned a lot about paying attention to edges.

We'll be painting this next week, and I'll get to meet my youngest niece, too. There's a package for her in my suitcase - new paints and brushes. Can't wait to enjoy watching her explore the glorious experiences art brings.

"DOOGIE AND SARAH" Transparent Watercolor on 140#CP Arches 24 x 18" COLLECTED

YUPO - THE GIFT

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

The true Gift of Christmas brings peace, love, and life to everyone who is willing to receive it.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." from John, Chapter One

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"CHRISTMAS" Transparent Watercolor on YUPO 9 x 9"

FULL MOON

It's simply incredible that it was FORTY YEARS ago that a space craft from Earth made the first orbit around the moon on Christmas Eve. Are you old enough to remember? While orbiting the moon, the crew read verses from Genesis, which were broadcast live. At that point, it was the MOST watched show ever on TV.

This painting isn't forty years old, but it is from the archives. Wonder what will be happening forty years from today on Earth. I wonder.

December 24, 1968 - William Anders:
"For all the people on Earth the crew of Apollo 8 has a message we would like to send you".

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness."

Jim Lovell:
"And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day."

Frank Borman:
"And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good."

Borman then added, "And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you - all of you on the good Earth."

"FULL MOON TONIGHT" Transparent Watercolor on 140#CP Arches 21 x 14"

ARTSY ORNAMENTS

Decorating a Christmas tree always brings back a lot of memories. This year we bought a 'new' tree, the first artificial tree my husband has actually ever purchased. (For years, he grew and sold real live Christmas trees.) My husband read this a while ago and asked that I mention that we also always buy a live tree for the deck outside our living room window. The birds find shelter there, and we enjoy the birds and the tree until early spring. He wants all to know that he hasn't abandoned his past.

Our tree is decorated with lots of artsy ornaments as well as bird related ornaments. Many are gifts from friends and student artists. Hope you enjoy seeing them.

TWENTY YEARS

Time REALLY does fly... and very fast. Twenty years ago when this was painted, our two sons were in high school, and we still lived in our hometown. We'd probably completed a couple of months of watercolor classes when I painted this holly twig during our Wednesday night class.

Suzanne Mayes Wentzell was my first watercolor teacher, but I think Shirley Quakenbush was the teacher during this class when she taught us how to glaze using flowers as an example.

Hope your holidays are full of love and joy.

"SPRIG" Transparent Watercolor on CP Crescent Watercolor Board 12 x 12" COLLECTED