Jessa

A 12x16, Oil. This is a portrait of our daughter-in-law, Jessa. A beautiful woman. Inside and out. I like the slight "mona lisa" smile she has in this composition. Had fun with her hair. Pushed the blonds and reds a bit! I found myself smiling as I painted this one as I do when I paint anyone I love! Thanks for looking.

Psalm 119:105
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."

Oak Tree, Spring. Re-worked

5x7. Oil. I decided to re-work this little one ...Using some blue-green to soften the edges. Muted the yellow a bit. Thanks for looking.

1 Peter 3:4
"Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."

Epic Beard

A 12x16. Oil. This is our son Charles Ramsdell with this year's epic beard before he shaved it all off! This was actually just one stage of the shaving process. He had that beard up the sides of his face too before he started whittling away at it. I have other photos with the facial hair at different stages with him posing differently. I may do another one or two. He was mugging for the camera and came off with a really old fashioned stern look! I liked it. Lots of shadows and angles to his face and of course his beautiful blue eyes. Thanks for looking.

Galatians 5:22-23
"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Abstract Kent - 2

12x16, Oil. Tried another abstract of Kent with a larger canvas. I found it easier to play with the color and proportions in the larger format. I love Kent's smile lines! The reflections in his sunglasses are cool. Fun to do. Thanks for looking.

John 15:4
"Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."

Oak Tree, Fall

5x7, Oil. The last of the Oak Tree Series. My favorite season of the year! Thank you for looking.

John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Oak Tree, Winter

5x7. Oil. The third Oak Tree I have done. This one in the winter. Wanted to achieve that cold crisp feeling in this one! Thanks for looking.

John 14:1
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."

Oak Tree in Summer Re-worked

5x7. Oil. Decided to re-work this little painting using Julie Ford Oliver's "Fracturing Technique". I felt that the original painting was too static. This gave it some motion and interest! The technique is all about using multiple layers of paint and "fracturing" with a palette knife allowing underlying color to show through. A more abstract look. Julie uses a little rubber tool that I have not been able to locate yet. Thank you for looking.

Psalm 37:3-4
"Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desire's."

Oklahoma Fall Day

An 11x14. Oil. This painting is based on a photo I took this past Fall out in the country south of Kingfisher. The color was fabulous this past year. It was a bright day and I was drawn to the dark gnarly trunks of these trees. And of course the bright slash of color of the leaves! Thanks for looking.

Psalm 32:8
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."

Kingfisher Grain Elevators

An 11x14. Oil. This is a springtime scene I have been wanting to paint for a long time. Based on a photo I took northwest of Kingfisher.  I added the strip of lavender color from an adjacent field. I love the angles in all the hardware of the grain elevators. Not sure what all that hardware is for! Just tried to paint what was there. The field in the foreground was a pretty green in the spring but I changed it to the golden wheat color of later in the summer. An artist prerogative! Thanks for looking.

Psalm 112:4-7
"Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man...He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord."

Selfie

An 8x10, Oil of ME! Yikes! I remember years ago my mother doing a self portrait. She did hers by positioning her easel in from of a large mirror and peaking out around her easel. Kind of like the famous Norman Rockwell painting. The easel was a part of her portrait. It is great! She did hers in charcoal. I still have it. I am learning that a painting seems to be more interesting with imperfections and irregularity. At least that is what I want to believe! Thanks for looking.

Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight."

Albert Einstein

An 8x10, Oil portrait of Albert Einstein. Yes...it's all about the hair! His hair is what motivated me to do this painting at first. Then I discovered how much character his face has. Those sleepy eyes, soft elderly skin and slight smile. Loved doing it. Thank you for looking.

2 Corinthians 10:5
"We demolish arguments and every pretensions that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

Favorites of 2013

These are some of my favorites I did in 2013. Fun year! Thanks for looking. God bless.

John 14:1-2
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."

Shark Waters

An 8x10, Oil. This is a painting that I did along with one of my students this week. He got to choose the subject! A really cool silhouette of a shark in the water from underneath the big guy. The sun shining in through the water and creating a wonderful effect. I used linseed oil to thin the oil paint to get the color variations on the water. I flashed back to our snorkeling days, remembering the bright colorful groups of fish seen in the big blue. Thankfully we never encountered a shark! Thanks for looking.

Psalm 118:24
"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Big Game Hunter

An 11x14, Oil. This is a painting based on an old black and white photo taken of my brother Scott, probably by our father after a day of hunting in Africa. We lived a couple of years in Africa when my father was assisting in setting up a school through Oklahoma State University. My brother was obviously mugging for my father, pretending he was on the hunt! This was fun to do. I always find myself smiling when I paint children! It was fun to go with the colors I felt like since the photo was a black and white. Tried to concentrate on values on this one. This will be a surprise gift for my brother and his wife. Hope they like it! Thanks for looking.

Psalms 23:3
"He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name."

Three Wise Men

A 5x7, Acrylic. Still wanting to do Christmas themed paintings for some reason! I love how the dramatic sky and sunset turned out. Camels are interesting looking animals aren't they!? I can just see the slow motion long steps of these animals. Graceful in silhouette. Thanks for looking.

Isaiah 46:4
"I will be your God throughout your lifetime - until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will carry you along and save you."

A Holy Night

An 8x10, Acrylic. I decided to do a Christmas scene this time. Still experimenting with acrylics. A peaceful depiction of Joseph and Mary with their newborn baby Jesus. Have a blessed and happy new year! Thank you for looking.

Isaiah 40:31
"But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."

6x6 Crown of Thorns, Acrylic # 7

6x6, Acrylic. This is the last one in this Crown of Thorns series. Did a total of 10 to give to family for Christmas. It was fun to paint the same composition with different color combinations. This project also pushed me to try acrylic for the first time due to dry time issues! I found that I like it. It's nice and quick, mixes differently than oil and there is less of a danger to muddy your colors. Thank you for looking!

1 John 5:3
"In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the son of God."

6x6 Crown of Thorns, Acrylic # 6

6x6, Acrylic. Got behind with posting with all the Christmas activities. This image of Jesus seems so at peace and happy. I like the red background on this one. Thanks for looking.

1 Peter 4:10-11
"Each of you has bean blessed with one of God's many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use that gift well. If you have the gift of speaking, preach God's message. If you have the gift of helping others, do it with the strength that God supplies. Everything should be done in a way that will bring honor to God because of Jesus Christ, who is glorious and powerful. Amen."

6x6 Crown of Thorns, Acrylic # 5

6x6, Acrylic. I decided to go with a bronze color for the hair this time. Then scattered the same color throughout the face and beard too. Can't quite tell from the photo but this bronze color has a little glitter to it. Fun to work with. Thanks for looking!

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11
"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

6x6 Crown of Thorns, Acrylic # 4

A 6x6, Acrylic. It's getting difficult to come up with different color combinations! One of my fellow artists that paints with me on Thursdays suggested the pink color hair. Decided to go with the compliment colors of green for the skin. Thanks for looking.

Mathew 10:32-33
"Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven."