A Little Piece O' Pine

Neon Green Lichen

This is a study of a piece of the neon green lichen that drops from the pine trees in local forests. It's rendered on Stonehenge.

Birdhouse Wreath

Just a fun little grapevine wreath with patched plaid hearts and patriotic birdhouses.

Out the Back Window

No, this is not what I've ever seen out my back window. BUT...it's what I'd LIKE to see out my back window. Clear down to clothes flapping in the breeze on the clothesline out in the field.

Wyoming Valley Forget-Me-Nots

No...the forget-me-nots are not in proportion. BUT...the quilt pattern is called Wyoming Valley. And Wyoming Valley, PA is where I was raised. The Ball canning jar represents the countless jars of fruit and vegetables my gramma canned and put into our cellar each summer.

Commission Piece Angel 2

Second in the 2 angel commission pieces.

Commission Piece Angel 1

These are two angels that were commission work.

"B" in the Illuminated Alphabet Series

"A" First in the Series of an Illuminated Alphabet

This is the first letter in an Illuminated Alphabet I'm working on. And will probably never finish.

I Love Gardening!

Yes, yes...things aren't in proportion in this picture. I don't do proportion very well. Focus on the...uh...violets.

Gramma's Sewing Jar

Another image created for a specific application.

Dancing Angel

Typical of my favorite technique. This didn't start out as a dancing angel. After the design took shape, it just resembled an angel. I am not particularly happy with the purple part of the ribbonwork, so maybe I'll do the whole design up again without it. Someday.

Celtic Cross

This is the very first intricate image I did after learning knotwork. Correct knotwork ALWAYS has no beginning and no end. There are errors in this, but they don't show too much unless you look close. Whatever posessed me to try such a complicated thing, I'll never know. It did teach me a thing or two about knotwork, though!

Country Watering Can

This piece was created at our campgrounds in King's Canyon. It was an experiment in just how busy I could get a potting shed!

Manzanita

In my eyes, southern California has few redeeming qualities. One of the few it does have is Manzanita. It's a bush that covers the mountains and valleys. The colors of it's bark run from a creamy white to a deep russet brown, and it's smooth as silk. The leaves are defined, and the wood is very hard and brittle, even when dead and on the ground.

Manzanita is protected here, as the beautiful wood is just as awesome inside as out, and can be used for a multitude of artistic applications.

This piece was created while camped in Idyllwild.

The Heart of Christ

The Heart of Christ

Streams wind

join

never end.

Holy River...

A source with no end.

Water of life, flows to the soul's roots...

Nourishes...

brings forth new life

In His Name.

This piece was created in an effort to combine Celtic knotwork with my image of the eternalness and attributes of Christ. The blue ribbonwork represents a never ending stream...the Living Water. From the stream is born new life as we are born anew in Jesus, represented in the leaves. The brown ribbonwork represents the fact that if we are in the Living Waters, we have our roots in Christ. And within everything is the gold Heart of Christ.

Periwinkles

Some of the images I create are for specific applications. This one, of a little bunch of periwinkles, was created for just that. I made it to use in paper tole, which is a form of artwork wherein several copies of an image are made. Then specific parts of the design are cut apart and layered with a "raising agent" such as foam tape, clear silicone, etc. The end result is 3-dimensional.

Peace

Not sure where this one came from. But...once it was done, I decided to do a series of "words." So I'm working on "joy," "love" and others. This one is red, white and blue stripes with rusty stars and holds the words to the pledge of allegiance.

Blue Lupine

Another early image done at the time of the Alpine Shooting Star. Blue Lupine...one of my favorite flowers.

Charms of Spring II

The second in the Charms of Spring series. Created in the same campground---one year later. Again, spring.

Charms of Spring I

This, and Charms of Spring II is a series of 2 images I did while camping near Yosemite, at Sunnydale. It was my intention to merge tender spring leaves with knotwork, and then add the "magic" of jewels and jems hidden among the new growth.

This is not TRUE knotwork...more like a form of ribbonwork, but it works...and that's the whole idea.

Alpine Shooting Stars

This is one of the earliest things I've done. It's another image of the Alpine Shooting Star. This seems to be an immature flower as the rocket shaped center is light in color, rather than dark.

Bits and Pieces in Pencil

Another pencil on watercolor that I did while camping. A pine cone on a branch and blue asters.

Forest Floor in Grayscale

This was created with an ordinary pencil on watercolor. The composition consists of bits and pieces of treasures I found on the forest floor while camping in Canada.

Thanksgiving Still Life

Need I say more?

Early Fall Pumpkins

After creating these beauties, I realized a few things. When a pumpkin reaches full maturity and it's ready to be harvested, it's leaves are FAR from green. And the second thing I realized is that you never see this kind of perfection in pumpkin leaves...unless it's when the pumpkins are still flowers.

Still, they make for a nice image.

Blue Eye Grass

The exact name of this little flower escapes me, but I think I have it almost right. It's a grass flower, so bend to find it. If you do, you will be delighted, I promise! Here, it rescues an oak leaf from the fate of damp dirt.

Wild Columbine

You have to look closely for this little gem. Again, you will find this in Yosemite, but it's also found anywhere there's deep woods and wandering streams. Look into the shaded pockets where the sun just dapples in from time to time....near the water. The spindly stems rise a foot or so high and if you're fortunate, you may find 5 or six of these bright, scarlet jewels dangling in the breeze. Yes. Use the macro.

Grand Camas

Sixth in the ACEO series. This is called Grand Camas. It's a flower that's more like a lily. It's flower culminates at the end of a tall stem, and consists of a sort of "ball" of individual flowers, 3 of which are depicted here.

Rugosa Rose

Fifth in the ACEO series. This is called a Rugosa Rose. The background is watercolor.

Bird Foot Trefoil

Fourth in the ACEO series. This is a low growing vine called Bird Foot Trefoil.

Baby Blue Eyes

This is the third in the ACEO series. It's a flower called Baby Blue Eyes. This was an experiment. I did the background card and the flower separate, then carefully cut out the flower and mounted it 3D on the card.

Alpine Shooting Star

Second in the ACEO series. This is an Alpine Shooting Star. After the snows melt off in Yosemite, Alpine Shooting Stars spread a pink blanket over bogs. It's one of the best places to see this flower in all it's glory. It truly is an unusual, regal flower.

And while you're there, stay the night. Camp without a tent and keep your ears open. Deer will walk by...you'll hear the twigs snap under their dainty hooves. Soon you'll hear the peep frogs. They'll fill the night air with joyous, riotous song. The stars will dance above, so thick it will look like clouds floating across the heavens. And the moon will fill the horizon. Focus, and you'll hear birds settling in the treetops and a coyote scouting through the underbrush for a night meal. Listen close. You'll be suprised at all you hear. And feel.

And you'll realize...God made all this just for you.

Woodland Orchid

This was part of a series of 6 floral ACEOs (Art Cards Editions and Originals). Beside the Alpine Shooting Star, this one is my favorite. I have never seen this flower in real life, but I hope to someday.

It was fun to work on such a small canvas, but I soon gave up. For one thing, it is MUCH easier to create a larger piece and then reduce it in size. All the exquisite details you want to convey on such a small scale (3" x 5") is very difficult. Additionally, I determined early on that, at a time when I was more interested in marketing my work, I should not be spending so much time working on things that brought me little more than self gratification. Retirement years would be a better time for such things.

Dragonfly Wreath

This image was created while Daniel and I were camped in Idyllwild, California. It's Celtic knotwork. The dragonfly is colored pencil, but I broke away from the pencils and used watercolor to do the shaded knotwork and the orange areas.

I say broke away because I can't seem to get the hang of watercolor. Pencils give me lots of control, but I wish I was more proficient with watercolors because I love the "blooms" and the translucence of watercolors.

Matt's Tatt

This image was a request from my son Matthew for an image to be used as a tatoo. He wanted a treble clef immersed in Celtic knotwork and this is the result. When he finally has it done, I will be honored that he will carry a part of me with him for the rest of his life. No matter where life takes him, I hope the knotwork will forever remind him of the never ending, eternal love that God has for him, and the love I will carry for him in my heart forever.

Art...a Peek at the Soul

I've always been told that the eyes are the window to the soul, but I believe art is as well. Viewing a person's creative efforts is like peering into their soul. I feel it's not so much that people create art that reflects who they are, although that may be true in some cases. My theory is that studying a person's art is more like seeing who/what that person IS.

Because a person enjoys drawing and painting sunflowers does not necessarily mean they have a joyous personality. Because they enjoy sketching tombstones and graveyards does not indicate they are depressed or morbid. What a person creates simply demonstates what their mind wants to express in a physical way. When we see something funny, we have cause to laugh. When we experience something sad, we feel the need to cry. When we see something that moves us, we desire to recreate it with our own hands. And sometimes the objects of our inspiration reside in our own minds and hearts. What we create---what we paint, draw and sculpt---is what we are.

The artwork in this blog is who I am. Enjoy.