DENNY my BROTHER

"Dennis" in pastels

Dennis always a child, loved little kids, until they maybe teased him too much; including us-his siblings. After Dad died, there was 10 of us kids, 3 of which were in the Navy; regardless, Mom had her hands full. Dennis, we were told, was mentally retarded resulting from brain damage from a high fever in infancy. 

Looking through Mom's magazines, he would find a photo of a child and smile and happily stroke the face for hours, so much, the paper would begin to fray.  

Many people could not always understand his stammering jabbering, but we of his family knew what he was saying. One of his favorite sayings was: "I'm w-working t-too hard! I'm t-too-too busy all the time!"

It amazed me when he learned to print his name and that he always knew what day it was.   And when I held up a crucifix asking who was on it, he simply answered, "God". No question about the deity of Christ here. 

Denny had an awkward gate, quite often walking on his toes.  Outside he was compulsed to pick up or kick away any stones, twigs, trash in his path. 

Every Saturday was clean the house-time. Denny would sweep out his bedroom, leaving the dirt in the hallway next to the wastebasket.  

Once I happen to go in there looking for something; when I looked under the bed I was astonished.  Way back beneath the bed against the wall was maybe ten or so round boxes from oatmeal & such filled with various things. Each one had a different variety of objects he scavenged from the street edge or the waterfront (we lived on Lake St Clair; debris occasionally washed up onshore).  It was his private collection of stuff he had saved & neatly sorted according to shape, material & size, etc.  I discovered my brother had a sense of order, neatness & cleanness.

When Mom died, Dennis went to live in a small group home in Genoa OH.  After a number of years he died from complications due to congestive heart failure. 

SURPRISE from the PAST

Last month an old friend came across some of my artwork that I had mailed to her some 25 yrs ago.  Once they were scanned & emailed to me, I was amazed; since I do not remember sending or even painting them!

 No doubt I was probably inspired by the publication Arizona Highways, usually had a copy nearby in my studio.  I recognize the medium used as tempura, on opaque type of water based paint. They are small, done on paper.
These 3 of the 8 sent go well together; also inspire me to continue further with similar content of the Southwest.
Still surprised & amazed!  Thanks, Carolyn

SKULLEY'S NECKLACE

Every so often I have to paint/draw my skull.


 cowskull, that is!  Acrylic ~ on gessoed


board.  11 x 14 

Skull is thinly applied washes over pencil 


drawing. "Turquoise" is thick epoxy blobbed

over painted gem detail of necklace. 


Background looser manner with mottled look


 of minerals.

HOW-TO: PAINT a DRAGON

 In this case, 3D dragons.. these happen to be cast of pewter.  1.  My initial step was to basecoat with a flat grey primer spray; 2 or 3 light coats.  3.  Nextly, using tube acrylics, mix up whichever dragon color you have chosen, be it green, blue or red, proceed to paint entirely.  4.  Drybrush underbody with a much lighter shade of chosen color. Allow undercolor to appear in crevices. (if red = a soft yellow sets it off)  5.  Paint top areas in a black or darkest shade of desired color, blending at edges. Inside mouth and on tongue a bright red. The eyes originally were rhinestones which I painted over for more realism, any crystals or jewels hold off until entirely done with painting and all final spray coats of gloss or satin lacquer.  The tongue and eyes get their shine from 5minute epoxy deftly applied after final spray.   

PAINTING from a PHOTOGRAPH

Tropical World - Oil by Karen Roncari

painted edge box canvas,  Tropical World

ARTistically speaking, whether you paint from a live model, a still life setup or on site (plein-air); these methods seem to be aesthetically superior to working from photographs.  However, there happens that certain photo of a subject or composition that inspires us that we simply must use as our "model".  There are numerous painters who have files of various reference materials, I for one.

magazine photo

A good point to keep in mind is to not slavishly copy it.  Determine what feature attracted you to the image, enhancing it to Your pictorial advantage. You can brighten the colors, as I did here, tone them down or even change them.  I took liberty with the background, made birdie more upright & showed more tail feather.   Everyone who draws or paints has the ability to render in their own style, media, colors, size, the list is endless, besides: being Creative makes Art more FUN!!

STEP by STEP in ACRYLICS

I had a sketchy idea 

    of the composition, so quickly blocked it in using a bit of  negative painting.  Although totally enamored with the lillies, the 2 canvases had to be tied together with something less dramatic, while giving the bottom weight and enhancing their delicate beauty.    Patterned cloth, with contrasting colors of those in background and flowers provided the necessary anchor.

When painting wraparound canvas, one must keep the painting going over the edges; so as details progressed, they happened on the sides as well.  

 

LILLYSCAPE

  This particular project has given me unparalleled satisfaction and I had Fun every minute of it.                     

IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE

 I have been working on this post over a month...(just not good with words) 

I just did this pastel of a dream I had 37 years ago.  Not many details except that people wearing white are floating upwards to Heaven.  The startling thing about this dream was the realization that I was merely watching the people and 

NOT among  them!!

At that time during my unregenerated life I was presented with the message of the Gospel and simple plan of Salvation. I also learned of how Jesus Christ alone can save us; not merely through good works or because of any particular religion. 

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us"..Titus3:5 

And finally..."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." 1Thess 4:17

PHANTOM WIZARD turns SHEPHERD

I SPOTTED HIM IN A SPLIT MOMENT, my model, entering a neighboring booth at the MI Renaissance Festival.  Our booth was then the highly popular Lizardz, Wizardz & Ringz.
Of course, the "wizard" had no idea he was to be my model.  This old gent was in costume, but one could tell the hair & the beard was genuine. He was just one in a crowd of festival goers who like to dress up like in medieval times while browsing the booths and sideshows of the Faire in Holly, MI.
I grabbed my digital camera, snap, snap; then he was gone, lost from view.  A few months later I used his image to compose the shepherd scene that became my Christmas Card for that year. 
The laptop and camera are also gone now along with the image. (everything on it crashed)
But the 24 x 30 Oil Painting remains in my inventory, and sometimes..
...I wonder as I wander, how that old guy is "fairing".

He Saw a Great Light

BYGONE LANDMARK

 Year 1968:  That day I was told they were all set to take down the old church to make way for the new one.   St. Gertrude, founded 1826,   on Jefferson Ave in St. Clair Shores, MI.  You might say I had a front row seat since I lived right across the street from the parish church, rectory, convent and parochial school (all 12 yrs of which I attended).  The bulldozer readied to begin its destructive work.

I had a cheap box camera attained through redemption of Gold Bell Gift Stamps. This I grabbed from my house and ran out to record the scene from my neighbor's  front yard.  Not seeing any others around with cameras, I am sure this is the only photo documentary on the subject. 

The old St. Gert's used to be a handsome church with unique scalloped wood siding in front.   The new A-Frame structure that replaced the original one never did appeal to me;  I watched it's contemporary steel beams gradually rise in place of the old white steeples with fine details.  

FROM 'THAT' TO "THIS"

Speaking for myself mostly, I believe all artists from time to time do a painting that is totally disagreeable with how we intended it to end up.   Now, even though I enjoyed the composing of this floral, it kept transforming, changing. The next thing ya know--I 90% hate it.  
One day out on the deck the oil paint rearranged itself into a landscape.
Pictured is halfway point, keeping a few of the magenta flowers.
Final solution: I am satisfied with it now; ready for framing [as soon as today's paint is dry]      Title: Light Unto My Path