My Last Post but not my last painting

This will be my last post on Blessings in Brushstrokes.
For you 8-10 dedicated weekly readers, I want to thank you for following a blog with a new post every four months or so!

I simply cannot write two blogs - I am barely writing one. My heart is in Coffee Tea and Thee and I plan to increase posts as well as broaden the scope. My painting news, when I have it, will appear there. Please take a look and read through some past posts and follow me there. The Coffee Tea and Thee address is on the sidebar.

And about my painting... I've taken at least a six month break due to Sarah's wedding. But, give me a little time on my hands and the creativity starts flowing. Today I dug in my old closet and pulled out paints, palette,a big box of ideas to paint, and blank canvasses. I'm back.

One more thing... August is the month for lists. Found this on an artist's site...

Gala!

Don't forget to run by the Museum and see all the Gala art on view until March 2! Even if you are not able to attend one of the three events during Gala week, the art is a must! And absentee bidding is easy...

Here are some of my favorites:
Lesley Lockhart
Leslee Bechtel
Kim Barrick
Jill Steenhuis
Rosalind Roy
William Thompson
Jean Chambers
Bradley Robertson

Oxford: Little Town Big Arts

I should have remembered when Ben and I sat down at Ajax's for lunch and were surrounded by folk art that Oxford is an artsy place.
I mean, William Faulkner surveys the scene on the Square for goodness sakes! Southside Gallery was showing Blair Hobbs, a mixed media collage artist...
and Oxford Floral had a new Mississippi potter, Erich Emmenegger.
The little town of Taylor nearby is practically an artist colony. I've been looking for something to inspire me to get out my easel and paints! Oxford did it!

A New Artist in Town

I love creativity at any age!

A week or so ago Ben and I attended the first art exhibition of a young new Huntsville artist. We were thrilled to be invited! Greeted at the door by the artist, we were ushered in and given a bio and a refreshing mocktail. His most recent works were on view as well as a few older works. He received accolades for his colorful palette and interesting subject matter. Mocktails were followed by munchies - the menu planned by the artist... mandarin oranges, apple slices, fresh fruit with cream cheese dip, Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets, pimento cheese with crackers and chocolatey nutty brownies.

Let me introduce to you my new favorite artist, John Randall Howard.

A showing of his current works...

Mocktails & munchies...

Father of the artist....

Grandmother and baby sister of the artist...

Blessings in brushstrokes!

Heaven on Earth

I thank my God every time I remember you.
Philippians 1: 3

I've mentioned Monteagle, Tennessee more than once. It has to be in my top ten favorite places on earth - right up there with the Splendido in Portofino, Italy. Why? Because it totally captures my sense of place. It is like stepping back in time. Nothing but good memories of easy fun-filled days!

Here's a recap of the art class I attended a few weeks back.

college roomies 38 years later - we both took up oil painting 5 years ago

where we call home while we're there, Edgeworth Inn in the Assembly...



Our fabulous teacher and portrait artist is Angela Kuprion from Kentucky - pictures of her demonstration...





Some shots of Nancy at work...

And a look at what I was working on... but nowhere near finished!

Painting Notes

I'm anxious to get to Monteagle next week and paint for two days! I'm meeting my college roommate there... we discovered a few years ago that we both had taken up oil painting as a favorite hobby. We had a wonderful time painting together last summer and we have been able to squeeze in a few days again. I will for sure take the camera - I want to show you around The Assembly, as well as picture Nancy's work.

Until then, enjoy summer!

Lambs and Bunnies

I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive

the kingdom of God

like a little child will never enter it.

Luke 18: 17

I've had so much fun working all spring on a series of bunnies and lambs for nurseries.

Finished up today. After they dry they are off to Judy's shop.

Here's a sampling....