I hope your spring has been a good one. We who live in Texas have had an unusually mild and cool spring, accompanied by much rain. The rain has caused the Texas wildflowers to flourish, adding stunning beauty to the landscape. I recently read Psalm 96, verses 11 and 12:
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Psalm 96:11-12
Jubilant is one of those words that is not used much in our current culture. Jubilant means “feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph.” The Hebrew word that is translated “jubilant” in the above version means “to celebrate, to rejoice, to exult, to be jubilant.”
“Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!…” NLT
“Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein…” KJV
“Let the fields and everything in them celebrate!…” NET
12 x 9 Plein Air oil on panel called Grand View – limited palette, painted during the Annual Waxahachie Plein Air event. This work is available.
In a world that seems to be on the “brink” most every day, it’s good to remember that God gives us simple things for us to find joy in; things we often take for granted.
God is indeed an awesome Creator-God of beauty.
Every spring I try to participate in the Annual Plein Air competition sponsored by the Ellis County Art Association. The Plein Air work shown above was one of 5 pieces (other 4 works shown below) I created during the event and entered in the competition. The rules for this competition requires all work to be painted on the spot, or en plein air in Ellis County during a few weeks in April and May. I was blessed to receive a Second Place Award in the competition for “Hiding Place”, a 12 x 9 oil on panel.
Hiding Place • 12 x 9 plein air oil on panel • This work is available
Mustard & Thistle • 12 x 9 plein air oil on panel• This work is availableTruncated Trunk • 8 x 10 plein air oil on panel• This work is available
Back Alley • 12 x 9 plein air oil on panel• This work is available
Have you ever been to a place that seemed to be enchanted, or spellbinding in its effect on you? I believe I was around 12 years old the first time I saw the misty hills and summits of the Great Smoky Mountains of far east Tennessee. It was early morning and the mysterious hills rose out of the mist, the road vanishing in the mix of mountain, valley, and vapor. It seemed like we were moving into a spellbinding mysterious world.
I was reminded of that first trip to those beloved mountains this January, when Donna and I had to make a “funeral trip” back to the Georgia-North Carolina-Tennessee area; a trip we have made many times.
A few days after the celebration of a life well lived, Donna and I took a couple of days and visited some of the old places of our youth in the tri-state area of Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina. Although most of the 3 days were shrouded by clouds and rain, the mountains remained. Even with all the madness of the current world, little had changed in the blue mountains of past days.
As we drove an old familiar highway leaving North Georgia and crossing over into North Carolina in route to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, we remembered the foolish days when we were not yet twenty, driving this same road to get the cheap North Carolina cigarettes, which I believe were $3 per carton. (wisdom and age have long since informed us that is was a good thing to lay that burning tobacco down 😊)
Appalachian Red, 12 x 9 oil on panel
The old red barn above was on that first leg of our journey, and I remain intrigued and fascinated by the many stories the old place could tell if it could speak for a little bit. I enjoyed working though this little piece from one of the photos we shot and will probably re-visit this subject in the future. This work is called Appalachian Red, and as I mentioned it is somewhere on the Georgia/North Carolina boarder.
We rode through Bryson City and Cherokee North Carolina, then crossed the mountains into Tennessee, finally stopping at Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The next day two we drove in and around the mountains, shooting photos for many future paintings, hopefully. The last day before preparing for the dreaded trip back across the Mississippi, the clouds moved in bringing rain and mist, which seemed rather at home in the silent, enduring land of Appalachia. With a chill in the air, rain constantly reinforcing the water on the roads and everything else, as well as the ever-present drops on the camera lens, Donna and I shot some interesting photos of the “other-worldliness” I alluded to at the beginning of this blog.
Smoky Mountain Rain, 12 x 9 oil on panel – Limited Palette of Cad. Red, Cad. Yellow, Prussian Blue
Smoky Mountain Rain was created from some of those reference shots. Several other works from this photo series are in the que as well.
Finally, the last day before heading back to Dallas, I was able to set up my small easel and paint a couple hours behind the house Donna was raised in. For years I have heard Donna talk about the creek behind the house she used to play in, catching crawdads and snakes; the creek that also was home to leeches that found new, temporary source of protein as they latched onto the little white legs of her and her siblings.
Since the temperature was dropping due to the sun falling low in the winter sky, I chose a simple little scene on the banks of the creek.
When traveling I carry a limited selection of color. For this painting I squeezed out Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson and Cadmium Yellow Light, some white and a bit of Chromatic Black. This is one of the strongest limited palette assortments of color, and great for travel.
I loved the lighting on this particular evening, as the sun lit up the fields with golden light, casting shadows across the banks of the creek. As the sun dropped what seemed faster and faster, the evening could not be held back. The temperature kept dropping and the sun finally began to drop behind a nearby ridge in this beautiful Tennessee landscape. I gave up after a couple of hours, having roughly captured a section of “The Creek”, as it rested quietly in the fading light.
The Creek, 12 x 9 oil on panel – Limited palette of Ultramarine Blue, Cad. Yellow Light and Alizarin Crimson
The funeral I mentioned above was the home-going of Donna’s beloved Aunt, Clara Lee. After more than 40 days in the hospital, battling the devasting effects of COVID, Clara Lee left this present darkness and traveled into the presence of her savior and redeemer, Jesus Christ. She was a beloved aunt, wife, mother, and friend to many. Indeed, a life well lived, one that finished strong. As we stood on the side of a cold, windy hill in Blue Ridge, Georgia, something in the universe seemed broken, bent and twisted. There was a void in the hearts and lives of those close to her, and it even seemed the Blue Ridge air was not as inviting as it once was. Even as we stared at a casket which held the shell of the body that once housed her person, her spirit, Clara Lee was gone.
Cemeteries are always an excellent reality check. On a headstone, there is a dash between the date of our birth and the date of our death. We are living that dash right now. Cemeteries also point us to our need for a savior, a redeemer; Someone to rescue us from the law of sin and death.
I am reminded of an awesome conversation between Jesus and Martha, the sister of Lazarus who had died of a sickness. Jesus went to the grave side, the cemetery if you will, and in her time of pain over the death of her brother, she told Jesus that if He had been present, her brother Lazarus would not have died. Jesus told her this in verse 23 of chapter 11-
“Your brother will rise again”
John 11:23
Verses 24 thru 26 continue:
“Martha *said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
That is the question a visit to the cemetery forces us to think about: “Do you believe this?”
Forget all the cold, sterile religion and remember what Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies…”
Clara Lee had long ago put her trust in Christ. It is not my words, but the words of Jesus that remind us that even when her body died, she will yet live again.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is indeed “good news” to all who put their trust in His death and resurrection. Trust Him.
“But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
I Corinthians 15:54 thru58
.
Until next time, hope you have a great spring, another reminder of new life to come.
Twenty-Twenty was a crazy year indeed. Right after the calendar flipped over to November, my wife Donna, came down with COVID. She wound up in the hospital for 4 days. After many prayers, our heavenly Father begin to heal her, and she started a slow road to recovery.
We thought part of that recovery should be getting out of the city and the madness of the crowds and drive to where the people are few and the deer and wildlife are abundant. A place “where the buffalo roam”, literally. So, the day after Christmas, we loaded up cameras and paint gear and headed up to the Texas Panhandle to do some painting and photography. If you have ever been in the panhandle, you know that the further you drive northwest, the population thins with every passing mile… we like that. (smile)
Photo: Donna Miller
Ever since my artist friend, Pete Quaid introduced us to the panhandle, the Quitaque/Caprock Canyon area in particular, we have loved those wide-open spaces. (Caprock Canyon has the official Texas Bison herd.) The beautiful landscape is where the canyons meet the high plains. The wildlife up there is abundant, and you never know when or where you will see one of God’s wild creatures. We saw many, many deer, coyotes, road runners and wild turkey. Donna got some awesome photos, especially of the deer, which were mostly mule deer. The rut seemed to be a little late this year, so the bucks were less skittish and hung around the does, who did not seem to mind the little electronic sound of the camera’s shutter clicking away.
I believe Donna’s favorite shots were of some majestic 10-point bucks we came across. (see image above) It always amazes us how these animals can “float” over fences as if gravity did not exist.
“The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.”
Habakkuk 3:19A
Photo: Donna Miller
Perhaps the most memorable series she shot was of a buck we came across in a field. He seemed to have it in his head to cross the road in front of us and head off across the field on the other side. But, as he sped up to get enough clearance to cross the road in front us, I gave our old vehicle more fuel and kept up with him, blocking his way. I guess it looked a bit like a race between creature and machine. He ran at full speed, parallel to the dirt road, as our car stayed beside him, “neck in neck”. Strange thing is this went on for one solid mile. He was stretched out in full stride as Donna what I think are some unusual and unique photos. A couple of the photos the deer seems to “fly” in mid-air. Then his feet would strike the ground and he would be airborne again, leaving a cloud of dust, which reminded me of an old cartoon we used to see on Saturday morning.
Sandwiched in between our backroad wildlife excursions, I was to be able to set up my easel and paint in Caprock Canyon for a few hours. I have painted at this canyon several times, and it has beat me down every time. For some reason, the red rock landscape of the panhandle has been difficult for me. It seems to be nemesis as I work out a painting “en plein air”. The colors, light, and shadows, always shifting over the couple of hours I was set up painting.
Palette colors, plus white and Chromatic Black
To continue the on-going learning experience, I set out on several years ago, this painting was created using another limited palette. The colors I put out on my palette were Cadmium Yellow Light, Mars Red and Ultramarine Blue, along with white and Gamblin’s Chromatic Black. The Mars Red was almost exactly the same color as the red rocks of Caprock Canyon, and when mixed with a bit of Ultramarine Blue, turned out to be a beautiful greyed color that worked well for the shadow sides of the rocks.
Since the sun does not rest in its “circuit”, after a couple of hours the light and shadow sides of the rocks and hills has shifted quite a bit, and I had to pack it up and call it quits.
“In whose hand are the depths of the earth, The peaks of the mountains are His also.” Psalm 95:4 – Oil on panel
But, regardless of how the painting turned out, my wife and I always enjoy the quietness of God’s incredible and beautiful creation. And to think that the Creator of this canyon, in all its red and green beauty, cares about us, loves us and redeemed all who put their trust in Christ. To quote a line from one of my favorite movies- ”Inconceivable!”
“Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.”
A couple of years ago my wife and I were blessed to be able to go to a friend’s wedding in Ouray, Colorado. It was one of the most beautiful places we have seen. Ouray is nestled in the Rockies, actually surrounded by the mountains. Beautiful and quiet.
Although I didn’t have time to set up and paint in Ouray, we did take a lot of photos to work from later. I still have many of these images on the back burner hoping for a time to create some artwork incorporating them as reference.
Charcoal on Yupo synthetic paper with gesso coating
One of the photos was of a raven we came across while hiking on some of the trails around Ouray. Always finding ravens very interesting, I kept the image in mind until I could finally use in a piece of art. Recently, I began experimenting with charcoal. I decided to render the raven in charcoal on a newly discovered synthetic paper called Yupo. Yupo, made for a wide variety of inks, paint etc., is not good for charcoal. But if you give it a coat of gesso, everything changes. Rather than being worthless for charcoal, it becomes one of my favorite supports for charcoal and I love the way it handles the charcoal.
He Feeds the Ravens, 16 x 20 charcoal on gessoed Yupo
Using three General Charcoal pencils that vary in hardness, from hard to medium to soft; the harder the compressed charcoal the lighter the shade. The softer, the darker the apparence. The difference is subtle, but does make a difference in the over all value range of the final drawing. Powdered charcoal was also used, as well as erasers and cotton pads. The final work is 16” x 20” and called “He Feeds the Ravens”.
He Feeds the Ravens…
At the time of this writing, we are in the MADDNESS of the COVID-19 virus, society in a panic, businesses forced to shut down; basically, as you know, the God who created the universe was showing us that we are not in control of anything. In fact, control is an illusion.
During the COVID-19 “lockdown”, God continues to provide for us. In fact, I think I have gained a few pounds, so food was obviously not an issue. My wife and I were amazed and blessed by God’s provision.
I remember the words of Jesus when He was talking about “consider the lilies…”
“Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!”
Luke 12:27-28
Also, in a verse that lets us know God is in total control of everything, Jesus talk about the sparrows:
“What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.”
Matthew 10:29
But, as I was working on this charcoal piece of a raven, I noticed a verse I had never really noticed before. This verse actually tells us to look at ravens and gain a lesson about the heart of God.
“Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to Him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?”
Luke 12:24-26
In other words He is saying “Chill out. Stop worring about what you can’t change and trust Me.” This is one of the solid themes through all the scriptures. God is calling us to Trust Him! Trust Him with our heart, our soul our life!
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8
“When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.”
Psalm 56:3
“On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah.”
The past two springs here in Texas (2019 and 2020), several artists have been blessed by the generosity of our friend Jim who has allowed us to set up our plein air easels and paint one of the most inspiring spring landscapes in this part of Texas.
Up Hill From Here, plein air, 4″ x 8″ oil on panel
A little south of the DFW Metroplex, the rolling hills of the property fade into the distance with the color of Indian Paint Brushes and Bluebonnets looking as if they were plugged into an electric light source. Not really one who paints flowers, I was blown away by the beauty of this landscape.
I painted four works during the two days that were spaced about a week apart. Since I work mostly with a limited palette these days, I chose a Quadradic Square palette, using as the mixing primaries Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow Light and Ultramarine Blue. From these I mixed the palette colors of Yellow-Orange, Green, Blue-Violet and Alizarin Crimson was straight from the tube as the red.
Wild View #2, plein air, 8″ x 10″, oil on panel
One of the struggles I have with any painting is the value structure – the way color fades into the distance. The interesting thing about wildflower on a bright sun-lit day is that they seem to be shinning out color. Limiting the palette adds another level of problems to work through, but that is why I go out and paint. I believe no matter what we are involved in we should always be open to learning.
I believe I am more pleased with one of the last works I did during this time, but I know all could be improved. I probably will not paint anything similar in nature until next spring.
Wild Colors of Spring, Plein Air, 12″ x 9: Oil on panel
Consider the Lilies, How they Grow…
When I am in a remarkably beautiful landscape as the one described above, I am in awe of the Creator who made it all. Is it true that the God who creates such beauty must Himself be beautiful in all His glory? I believe so.
The scriptures are quite remarkable. Some have described them as a love letter given to us by God. A God who says and demonstrates that He loves us.
This loving God created the universe with all its majesty. Animals, plants, oceans, mountains…the list is endless of what He has created. And one thing I find very intriguing is how this loving God instructs us to look at what He has created in order to communicate His truth to us.
Wild View, Plein Air, 8″ x 10″, Oil on panel
He told Job when Job was questioning God’s wisdom in the terrible events of his life, God ask Job some questions that required Job to observe God’s creation, as well as know something about the physical creation. One question was this:
“Do you give the horse its strength or clothe its neck with a flowing mane? Do you make it leap like a locust, striking terror with its proud snorting?”
Job 39:19-20
Another question a few verses down:
“Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars, Stretching his wings toward the south?
Job 39:26
God the father uses His created world to teach us about Himself, and I believe God is pleased when we investigate and enjoy His creation.
Early in the book of Job we see these instructions:
“But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; And let the fish of the sea declare to you. Who among all these does not know That the hand of the LORD has done this, In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?”
Job 12:7-10
It’s clear that we can learn from creation, and in Psalm 19 it says “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Psalm 19:1
Jesus, who the Bible says was involved in the creation (Colossians 1:16; John 1:3), says this:
“Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!”
Luke 12:27-28
Jesus is pointing us to the real, created, beautiful creation and using it as an object lesson to get us to see that God is in control and that He loves us and that we should have Faith in Him.
I find that remarkable! God the Father is in many ways reaching out to us. Both believers and unbeliever. To the believer He is encouraging us to trust Him in every aspect of life. To the unbeliever He is calling…
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”
A couple of months I decided to make an excursion into the black and white world of charcoal. I had used vine charcoal in the past to rough out a drawing before I began painting, but had never done a serious drawing. In order to gather some information on the medium, my first stop on this excursion was Google. Gotta love Google. I discovered there were three basic forms of charcoal.
Vine charcoal that I mentioned above which rubs off very easily and it great for rough sketches.
Compressed charcoal, which is powdered charcoal compressed and held together with clay or gum; sticks and charcoal pencils are the final form of compressed charcoal.
Powdered charcoal – applied dry with brush or mixed with thinner for washes.
From left to right: eraser pen, electric eraser, Webril Handi-Pads (for smearing charcoal), eraser, paper stump, very soft charcoal pencil, charcoal pencil, charcoal pencil, charcoal stick
I also “Googled” surfaces that work well for charcoal… this is where the plot thickens. I found a wide variety of “charcoal paper”, watercolor paper, Bristol illustration board and many other papers. But I could find none I really liked. Many had textures and patterns I was not fond of. I ended up buying several papers, Bristol Illustration board and paint panels to experiment with using the various forms of charcoal.
I started with charcoal sticks, charcoal pencils, and some powdered charcoal. After several weeks, I leaned towards the charcoal pencils as my go-to form of charcoal. But before using the pencils, I used charcoal powder in thinner washes for backgrounds, then built the drawing with the charcoal pencils, smearing, rubbing, etc. as I added layers of charcoal to build a final drawing. I sharpened the pencils with razor knife and a homemade sanding box that uses a drywall sanding screen that is used for sanding drywall. The dust falls into the box below the screen.
“Sanding box” for sharpening charcoal pencils
The first drawings I did were on Bristol Illustration board ( hot press, 4 ply). Not a bad support for charcoal, but it had a troublesome weakness. When erasing unwanted charcoal in areas such as lines used to rough in the drawing, it removed a coating that is apparently on the illustration board. This causes unwanted and misplaced dark spots in the drawing when smearing and blending the charcoal dust in those areas. This is especially noticeable in areas with soft, lightly blended tones, such as faces in portraits. In the first drawing it took much extra work to salvage the drawing in an attempt to hide the blemishes.
Next I tried working on paint panels. These were common paint panels made by Ampersand or Jack Richeson to create oil paintings. They have a gesso-like surface that has an orange peel texture. This surface allows for the removal of charcoal very nicely, getting back down to the original white surface where highlights are needed. The “orange-peel” provides some interesting texture in otherwise smooth areas as well. However, the downside is that the surface will not accept the soft, darker charcoal very well. The darker, softest charcoals simply will not apply to this surface as they should.
I created the drawing called “Ice” on this material, but still wanted a better support. Back to the art store.
“Ice”, charcoal on pre-made paint panel, 20 x 16
After looking and reading about the qualities of many additional papers available, I noticed a very, very smooth “paper” which turned out to not actually be paper at all. It is called Yupo. Here is what the Yupo web site says about it:
“Yupo is the recyclable, waterproof, tree-free Synthetic Paper with attributes and prop0erties that make it the perfect solution for a variety of marketing, design, packaging and labeling needs.”
Another blurb said Yupo was great with a variety of mediums, so I bought a large piece for around $9. I think the size of this large was about 32” x 40”, give or take.
When I got it back in the studio I grabbed some charcoal pencils and proceeded to do a little drawing/shading test… turned out to be the worse surface ever for charcoal. Since Yupo is 100 percent Polypropylene, it’s like trying to draw on plastic. Yupo was a “no-go”. To salvage the $9 sheet of “paper”, I thought I would brush a coat of Gesso on the Yupo, cut it into smaller sheets and use it for color studies in oil.
After being coated with one coat of Gesso, I thought in order to cover all the bases, I would try one more time with the charcoal on this new surface. What a difference one coat of Gesso made. In my opinion, Yupo synthetic paper with a coat of Gesso is ONE OF THE BEST surfaces for charcoal ever. The gesso gives it just the right amount of tooth to grab the charcoal, and it will erase back to the pure white gesso surface (especially when using an electric eraser). Another benefit I like is the Gesso leaves brush marks which help provide some interesting texture in the final charcoal drawing. I believe all future charcoal I work on with be on Yupo, with a coat of Gesso.
Detail showing brush strokes in Gesso showing through drawing.
Light and Dark
One of the strengths of charcoal that I like is that is yields itself to high contrast between light and dark. Extreme light where there is no charcoal at all, and extreme dark where the softest, darkest charcoal is used. Extremes. Very much like the world we are presently living in. We have, on the one hand, beauty and pleasure and good things in this life; and on the other hand, we have cancer, pain and death. Extremes. I guess this is one reason I like the medium of charcoal. The extremes of light and dark can be very dramatic. This reminds me of our situation in this world and the life to come.
The older I get, the more I watch friends and loved ones pass from this life. We all have an appointment with death.
“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment”
Hebrews 9:27
This is why the Gospel is truly “good news”. The good news is that Christ came into a dark world to rescue us from the judgement to come.
“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
John 1:4, 5
And then a few verses down it says “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12)
A simple story of Light and dark. Freedom and bondage. Sin and righteousness. Death and life. Extremes.
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 says this: “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Light of Christ comes into the darkness of this world and if you believe and turn away from sin and self to Him, the Bible says that He saves us. Redeems us. He buys us back from the bondage of sin, of eternal death. He places us in His kingdom. The kingdom of “Light”.
Hope you have a very blessed day!
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
I have always had this “bent” towards the visual…using
pictures and illustrations to tell a story. In the past I have worked
illustrating curriculum and stories for publications and companies. Jesus used
word pictures to illustrate stories and ideas. One of my favorite illustrative
stories Jesus told is in Luke 15, and starts in verse 11 with these words, “A
man had two sons….”. It proceeds to give us a glimpse of our corrupt heart, and
of Gods grace.
One week ago I was standing before a landscape with my easel set up to paint, and the image before me seems to illustrate the difficult times that we are in the middle of. My artist friend Pete Quaid and I went out in the dreary, cold morning to paint. We started in Dallas, but could find nothing of interest so we headed up 75 towards McKenney, Texas. The redbuds are in bloom along the highway and when up against the dark cedars, they can be very dramatic. We found an interesting spot just off the road with these two elements… cedars and redbuds and stopped and set up our easels in the cold, misty morning.
Cedars in the Mist, plein air oil on panel, 12 x 9 – Yes, I left out the redbuds.
As I looked at the scene that stared at me waiting for the
brush to meet the canvas (panel), I thought of how we were in a time as a
nation and individually that we can not see very far ahead… the “road” of our
lives seemed to be heading into the unknown, the uncertain; like a car heading
down the highway into the mist. The dreary weather revealing nothing of what
was to come.
Detail of “Cedars in the Mist
It is easy to forget, in our “warm and fuzzy”, Disneyland culture that God is in control, even in the tough things. His mercy sometimes comes in the form of a wake up call, jarring us out of meaningless slumber and pointing us back to the simple truth that He is God and we are not. As a father wants his children to trust him, God wants us to trust in Him. “ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” I Peter 5:6-7
God is all powerful, all knowing and he loves us with a
crazy love. Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrates
His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
And God is the only one who can take evil, or sickness or
any other broken, twisted thing is this
world and turn it for good. The current threat of the COVID 19 virus is
definitely something He will use to point us back to His love and mercy. Because
God is good, He will use everything for our good. Even a virus. We have to
trust the one who holds tomorrow as well as today.
If you are a believer, if you know Christ as Savior and
Redeemer, trust Him during these uncertain times.
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
If you don’t know the God who created you, you can know Him
through Christ. You will find in Jesus forgiveness and peace in this life, and
unimaginable things to come in the life to come.
“ But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”–that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”
Romans 10:8-10
Another Day is Coming
“It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.”
— C. S. Lewis
It is a loving God who calls us to Himself. It’s a loving
God who reminds us that earth is not the “end game”, but that another world is
coming. It is a loving God who brings us to the reality of our need for Him.
Trust Him.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6,7
For additional resources, check out Eternal Perspective
Ministries here:
This painting, Cedars in the Mist, was created using a limited palette. Pretty much everything I paint these days is done with a limited palette. I change up the colors, trying different combinations of primaries and palette options. I am convinced that this is an excellent way to approach oil painting, especially plein air work.
This painting was done starting with a Quadratic Square
palette, starting with Cadmium Yellow
Light, Alizarin Crimson and Ultramarine Blue as the three primaries.
Fig. 1 – Quadratic Square palette selecting Yellow-Orange, Green, Red and Blue-Violet as palette colors.
A Quadratic Square palette is simply picking four colors on the color wheel, skipping two colors in between (using a 12 color wheel) See Fig. 1 above. The four colors I choose to be the only colors on my palette, or “limited” to my palette, were Yellow-Orange (mixed from Cad. Yellow Light and Alizarin Crimson), Alizarin Crimson (straight from tube – the only tube color) Green (Mixed from Cad. Yellow Light and Ultramarine Blue) and Blue-Violet (mixed from Alizarin Crimson and Ultramarine Blue).
The secondary and tertiary colors plus the one tube color of Alizarin Crimson as the red, end up being the only colors on my palette, hence the “Limited Palette”. I add to these colors White and a Portland Grey Light and Portland Grey Deep. These greys, made by Gamblin are fairly netural and save time from mixing greys with the palette colors, which I do if I have the time. See Fig. 2 below.
Figure 2: Limited palette. 4 colors, plus white and two greys.
One of the major benefits of working with a limited palette is color harmony. The painting is forced to have harmony without the presence of discordant color. Another benefit, especially when working in plein air it the simplicity of the palette. Painting outside in changing lighting and conditions, a limited palette can speed up the process.
Show hanging at Uptown Theater, Grand Prairie, Texas thru end of April, 2020
The March 20 Reception scheduled for this show has been cancelled.
My wife, Donna, and I have original Art and Photography for sale at excellent prices. The work consist of Donna’s beautiful Photography and my original oils, pastels and giclee prints. All works are ready to hang and can be purchased at deep savings.
The subject matter of this beautiful exhibit varies from wildlife, to rural scenes, to urban environments.
I also have a selection of larger, Signed & Numbered Limited Edition Prints on Canvas, also framed and ready to hang. These giclees are of the highest quality and represent the original work with excellent color accuracy.
The show is currently hanging and will hang until end of April.
One last encouraging word….
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
I hate to admit it, but its true. Sometimes I whine about
things. And usually, they are insignificant things that don’t really matter all
that much in the “big picture”. I am reminded of this from time to time when I
see someone living out a life I can only imagine. I have met beautiful people
who take care of handicapped or special needs children day in and day out, showing
the rest of us what love from a Heavenly Father really looks like. These folks
are a gift from God and a reminder that all of life is sacred, from conception
to the grave.
One such person is a friend of my wife and I. Her name is
Beverly. We met Beverly at a prison ministry event, and we instantly related to
her because she was from Tennessee, where my wife and I grew up and met.
“Alec” – Charcoal on gessoed panel
A few years back we visited Beverly and met her son, Alec. Alec
was born with hydrocephalus and the doctors said that he would not live beyond
4 months. That was 41 years ago and Beverly has been taking care of her special
needs child most all of these 4 decades. I can’t imagine the true labor of love
and exhaustion Beverly endured these past years. The night we visited, I shot
some photos of Alec as he sat strapped to his wheel chair. I had planned on doing
some kind of artwork from the photo reference, but I had some camera/lighting
issues and the photos laid dormant for a few years.
We recently found out that Alec had passed away. The beautiful
gift from God who was not expected to live more than 4 months had lived 41
years. Donna and I went to the memorial service which was a blessing to witness.
We saw many photographs that displayed a precious life from the hand of God.
A day or two later I revisited the photos I had shot several years earlier and decided to try a charcoal drawing of Alec. I worked on gessoed panel. The image above is the result – a charcoal drawing I presented to Beverly a few days ago.
Thank you Beverly, and many others, who show us what true
love looks like.
For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.
I believe one of the many things that bring glory to God is beauty. Of course beauty is from His hand; it is His idea. It is part of who He is. Beauty surrounds us… from the very small design of a snow flake to the awesome and vast landscapes and the wildlife that inhabit those landscapes, to the billions of spiral galaxies and the incomprehensible expanse of the universe. God is a God of beauty.
Therefore, I view painting as an attempt to point to the
beauty God has created. Art that brings Him glory can be viewed as a simple reminder
of His glory.
The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Psalm 19:1
This brings me to the subject of this post… a limited palette. I started out thinking I needed 20 tube colors to do the task at hand. The more the merrier was my motto for several years. But, I have stepped off that thought process and cut those colors down to three various combinations of primary colors. (usually).
Limiting the palette does not limit the results that are
possible. When I started experimenting with a limited palette several years
ago, I originally thought the results would
be as it’s name implies, very limited. However, the opposite seems to be true. Limiting
the palette actually solves some of the problems inherent to painting. Right out of the shoot, a limited palette brings
color harmony to a painting. It also fine tunes the color mixing process. Not
to mention it simplifies the whole painting process.
After experimenting with several limited palettes the past few years, I recently I tried a limited palette of Cobalt Blue, Cadmium Yellow Light (which I have used in other limited palette combinations) and Grumbacher Red. If you wonder why Grumbacher Red, let me tell you I choose this particular red because of a deep philosophical journey…. It was all I had at the time and was too broke to buy any other 😊 The tube I found is very old, and I believe Grumbacher Red is no longer made. Other reds come close.
This is a limited palette of primaries, and of coarse it
alters all colors mixed from it. Cobalt blue is not a strong, deep blue like
Ultramarine Blue, so to strengthen the dark values I also added Gamblin’s
Chromatic Black. When I try a new limited palette, I try to paint several
paintings from the palette to make sure I have my feet good and wet in the
colors. Below are examples of three paintings from this limited palette.
Down Time, 12 x 24 Oil on canvas
This first work is called “Down Time”, and is a 12 x 24 oil on canvas. The reference photo was one I shot while traveling across the Southeast corner of Colorado. I loved the late evening setting of this forgotten place. It was laying quietly beside a small two lane road, as if it was pondering the many years that had passed since the earth beneath it and it’s individual members had seen the activity of the living.
And let’s face it, there is just something intriguing about
old trucks. Maybe this is just a guy thing, I don’t know. But trucks are cool,
and old trucks have earned the right to be heard, or seen, whatever the case
may be.
Another truck….
This truck was sitting under the shade trees of a back street of Breckenridge, Texas. I found the subject very interesting and full of mystery. The stories this truck could tell. This work in on canvas as well, using Cobalt Blue, Grumbacher Red and Cadmium Yellow Light.
GMC – 10 x 20 Oil on canvas
This final example of this particular limited palette also
features a truck, as well as a couple old cars and a horse. All resting at the
end of a day up in Jack county, Texas.
Day’s End, 16 x 20 Oil on panel
The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22
The older I get the more I am amazed at the true meaning of the Christmas celebration. As we are soon to be launched into the inconceivable year of 2020 (sounds like the title of a Sci-Fi movie), the Christmas season our culture celebrates seems to be adrift in a vast ocean of meaninglessness. Christmas has lost its bearings; Also lost is the Story of Christmas. That Story is truly the greatest story ever told. It’s the story of light shinning into darkness.
C.S. Lewis had a God-given talent that allowed him to describe an old, familiar “thing” in a new and intriguing way. Like an artist with a brush, Lewis painted with well crafted words and revealed many truths that some had overlooked. In his classic book, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, we find these words spoken by Mr. Tumnus, one of Lewis’s characters in the story, as he was describing the land of Narnia as it lay under the spell of the White Witch:
“It is winter in Narnia,” said Mr. Tumnus, “and has been for ever so long…. always winter, but never Christmas.”
Still image from the 2005 movie The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Mr. Tumnus talks to Lucy about Narnia.
Those few words actually describe the world in which we find ourselves…a fallen world where it is “Always winter, but never Christmas”. Just watch the news for five minutes. Fighting, murder, lawsuits, on and on it goes. “Always winter but never Christmas”.
In “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, Aslan the Lion comes back to the world of Narnia after a long absence and the winter begins to fades away and Christmas returns; Captives are set free from the bondage of the White Witch. Lewis’ lion, Aslan, was a picture of Christ and the freedom Aslan brought to Narnia mirrors that freedom that Christ brought 2000 years ago. This is the story of Christmas.
We caught a glimpse of this “Christmas Story” in action this past October in Dallas, Texas. When Amber Guyger was convicted of murder for killing Botham Jean, Botham’s younger brother, Brandt, ask Judge Tammy Kemp if he could hug Amber Guyger. The Judge agreed and as Brandt was hugging Amber, he told her he forgave her. He said he was able to do this because of Christ. The Judge then stepped down from the bench, the place of power and authority, and told her God would forgive her and she then gave Amber her personal Bible. This is Christmas. This is what God did for us. He stepped into this universe, took off His robes of royalty and became flesh to redeem us.
right: Brandt Juan hugs Amber Guyger • middle: Judge Tammy Kemp assures Amber Guyger that God will forgive and tells her to read from John 3:16.
One of my many favorite Christmas songs is “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”. This song was written 500 years ago and English has shifted a bit since then. The title, which is repeated many times in the verses of the song, actually means “God keep you mighty, Gentlemen”. But my point here is the lyrics of one of the verses:
Remember, Christ, our Savior Was born on Christmas day To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray….
Years ago I did some freelance illustration work for several publications. One publication wanted an illustration of Jesus in a manger (which was most likely a trough hewn in stone) with a lantern casting a shadow of the Cross over the infant’s face. Not your usual “warm and fuzzy” Christmas image, but the illustration did illustrate the truth of Christmas.
Watercolor (Luma Dyes) on illustration board by Steve Miller
The reality is that Christ came as a baby for one purpose: To go to the cross, to save mankind from sin. Matthew 1:23 says:
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
Think about that…”God with us”. God actually stepped into the time-space universe to be with us. Check out what John 1:1-2 says:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”
And then on down in verse 14 it says:
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
The Word came to Bethlehem 2000 years ago. But that was only the beginning of this Salvation that has been offered to us. It was completed on the cross. Christ came, lived, and died on the cross, and then was raised from the grave to set us free from our bondage to sin. The result of this Christmas story is that we are made “right” in God’s eyes, and then we begin to live out this life in a different way. Free from judgement, free from being controlled by our sin nature.
That is the Christmas Story. That is Christmas. Moving from darkness to light, from bondage to freedom. The last verse of that old Christmas song goes like this:
Now to the Lord sing praises, All you within this place, And with true love and brotherhood – Each other now embrace; This holy tide of Christmas – All other doth deface. O tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Once we embrace Christ, once we believe the gospel, we are righteous in God’s eyes and His spirit empowers us to truly love those around us. That is what you saw in that Texas courtroom.
I hope you have a great Christmas Season and remember the awesome Christmas story that begin in a manger, in a little Judean town one dark night.
I understand that the 4th of July is all about hamburgers, hot dogs and fireworks. And ice cream. Ice cream is one of the most awesome foods ever created. But let me get back to the task at hand.
It is always good to remember the good, solid things in life and history. I want to remember some of those things and a few of the artist who were there at the founding of the country. The very thing we celebrate on the 4th of July.
John Trumbull was an artist who was a soldier in the American Revolution. He sketches provided a visual record of the war. He painted this large work which is presently hanging in the Capitol Rotunda called “Declaration of Independence” in 1817. The vast majority of the men portrayed in this painting governed their lives around the scriptures.
It seems that with a simple reading of the words that came out of the founders mouths about their view of the world and the birth of this nation, you come away with the truth that most of these wise men who risk all had a deep belief in the Bible and the God of these Holy Scriptures.
Below are JUST A FEW quotes from a few of those brilliant men.
Thomas Jefferson – Signer of the Declaration of Independence; Diplomat; Governor of Virginia; Secretary of State; Third President of the United States
“I am a real Christian – that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus Christ. “
“I am a Christian in the only sense in which He wished anyone to be: sincerely attached to His doctrines in preference to all others. “
John Quincy Adams – Sixth President of the United States; Diplomat; Secretary of State; U.S. Senator; U.S. Representative
In the chain of human events, the birthday of
the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior. The
Declaration of Independence laid the cornerstone of human government upon the
first precepts of Christianity.
John Adams – Signer of the Declaration of Independence; Judge; Diplomat; One of Two signers of the Bill of Rights; Second President of the United States
The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.
Suppose a nation in some distant region should
take the Bible for their only law book and every member should regulate his
conduct by the precepts there exhibited. . . . What a Eutopia – what a Paradise
would this region be!
George Washington – Judge; Member of the Continental Congress; Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army; President of the Constitutional Convention; First President of the United States; “Father of His Country”
You do well to wish to learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are.
I now make it my earnest prayer that God would… most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of the mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion.
Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze, 1851
Jonathan Trumbull – Judge; Legislator; Governor of Connecticut; Confidant of George Wachington and called “Brother Jonathan” by him
The examples of holy men teach us that we should seek Him with fasting and prayer, with penitent confession of our sins, and hope in His mercy through Jesus Christ the Great Redeemer.
Principally and first of all, I bequeath my soul to God the Creator and giver thereof, and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent Christian burial, in firm belief that I shall receive the same again at the general resurrection through the power of Almighty God, and hope of eternal life and happiness through the merits of my dear Redeemer Jesus Christ
Alexander Hamilton (guy on the $10 bill)- Revolutionary General; Signer of the Constitution; Author of the Federalist Papers; Secretary of the Treasury
During the 24 hours he lived after his duel with Aaron Burr in which Alexander Hamilton was mortally wounded, the Rev. J.M. Mason recalled this:
Portrait of Alexander Hamilton by John Trumbull
[General Hamilton said] “I went to the field determined not to take his life.” He repeated his disavowal of all intention to hurt Mr. Burr; the anguish of his mind in recollecting what had passed; and his humble hope of forgiveness from his God. I recurred to the topic of the Divine compassion; the freedom of pardon in the Redeemer Jesus to perishing sinners. “That grace, my dear General, which brings salvation, is rich, rich” – “Yes,” interrupted he, “it is rich grace.” “And on that grace,” continued I, “a sinner has the highest encouragement to repose his confidence, because it is tendered to him upon the surest foundation; the Scripture testifying that we have redemption through the blood of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins according to the richness of His grace.” Here the General, letting go my hand, which he had held from the moment I sat down at his bed side, clasped his hands together, and, looking up towards Heaven, said, with emphasis, “I have a tender reliance on the mercy of the Almighty, through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Samuel Adams – Signer of the Declaration of Independence; “Father of the American Revolution” Ratifier of the U.S. Constitution; Governor of Massachesetts
The name of the Lord (says the Scripture) is a strong tower; thither the righteous flee and are safe [Proverbs 18:10]. Let us secure His favor and He will lead us through the journey of this life and at length receive us to a better.
I . . . [rely] upon the merits of Jesus Christ for a pardon of all my sins.
Samuel Adams called on the
State of Massachusetts to pray that…
the peaceful and glorious reign of our Divine Redeemer may be known and enjoyed throughout the whole family of mankind.
we may with one heart and voice humbly implore His gracious and free pardon through Jesus Christ, supplicating His Divine aid . . . [and] above all to cause the religion of Jesus Christ, in its true spirit, to spread far and wide till the whole earth shall be filled with His glory.
with true contrition of heart to confess their sins to God and implore forgiveness through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior.
American Impressionist painter, Frederick Childe Hassam, painted “Fourth of July, 1916”
Daniel Webster – U.S. Senator; Secretary of State; “Defender of the Constitution”
The Christian religion – its general principles – must ever be regarded among us as the foundation of civil society.
The Bible is a book… which teaches man his own individual responsibility, his own dignity, and his equality with his fellow man.
Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens.
John Witherspoon – Signer of the Declaration of Independence; Ratifier of the U.S. Constitution; President of Princeton
I shall now conclude my discourse by preaching this Savior to all who hear me, and entreating you in the most earnest manner to believe in Jesus Christ; for “there is no salvation in any other” [Acts 4:12].
The evidence that many of the founders had and lived out a biblical world view is overwhelming. It should call us back to the solid foundation of our country. I hope you have a great and awesome 4th of July.
