PATIENTLY WAITING ON THE EASEL....a painting I'll show later...

This is from three different photos and some borders I made....combined all together. Our Elena...baby in Nest....three different photos, Elena, nest and zinnia. This is a rose photo, a bird on fence photo from DJ PETTITT, a house photo and border and grunge made with other photos.... The horse photo is a Texas sky photo last week, a neighbors horse, big trees in front from a photo while in Ohio, the word Texas taken from an old brick with the word "Texas".....then grunge edge. The "heavenly grapes" is a photo of grapes and a photo of my caladiums, a sky photo and hearts and twigs from a piece of art I did. ....and a border from a few years ago. Another of Elena....with a linen layer and other layers...then below with a bas-relief filter.... I have a painting...something different I was trying...patiently waiting in the studio on the easel.....while I am learning and playing with photos in the DJ PETTITT online class. Here are a few more of the excersizes in the photo shop manipulation class that I attempted with my own photos from around here....plus one of my grand baby in a bird's nest that was in my crepe myrtle tree. Yes, I've had fun, fun, fun! I'm not sure how I will use it with my art and paintings yet....but that will come with time.....and some prayer.....Yes, Lord....I know You are there.....and that I've neglected You during this class....but thanks for all the creativity You have created for us to enjoy and the AWESOME people you meet along the way.....You are always at work!! That I can relax in....I love Your faithfulness....Blessings to you all who have looked and hopefully enjoyed! Any questions are welcomed....

BACK TO SCHOOL...all of these were done on the computer thru Photoshop!!!

Done from a collage background page and a school photo of Peyton...two images merged on photoshop and manipulated so she came thru the background. A lesson on masking with photos provided by DJ Pettitt, copyrighted,....the sky was my photo. This whole thing has eight layers. This was my wedding dress photo with a photo of an old blue door on my porch, watering cans (representing the "watering" of my soul by the Words in the Bible I hold in my hand) and an old iron wheel and the house trim above with grunge edge and some brush lines.....It is called "Door to My Soul"...done on photoshop. From DJ's class, her butterfly, postcard, edging and floral photos for our class lesson we used, copyrighted and not for use. These were separate photos...five in all combined for this result done on photoshop. An interesting accident with a red filter....on the wedding dress, my photos, copyrighted....these are not collages, but done on the computer in photoshop. A butterfly from my photo on a previous blog post and a sky picture and the tree line from the back porch....then a brush made from my writing....six layers on photoshop. A paperdoll drawing, my hand writing and the background was made from a painting I recently did called the "Brite One".....five layers on photoshop. Round Top's Haw Creek Church and the back photo (manipulated) was taken on the evening recently of the blue moon at 6:30PM in Giddings, Tx....four layers on photoshop. Another try at brushes written and around the tree photo provided by DJ Pettitt for her class, copyrighted. Manipulated photo of Bird provided by DJ Pettitt, copyright, for class project. It is definitely a feeling of "Back to School"......I mean real studying, taking notes and practice until it's perfect!!! I'm talking about the "AWESOME", "FANTABULOUS" online class given by "the" none other than...DJ PETTITT. You should really check out her online classes found on her website. My son has told me for the eight years that I've used Photoshop fairly extensively with my art work ...that I NEEDED to learn "Layers". I know some of you are saying...."SHE HAS HAD PHOTOSHOP FOR EIGHT YEARS AND NEVER USED LAYERS!?!" Well, it's true and I love photo shop with or without layers......but it's like when you can live without chocolate because you've never had it.....but when you get a good taste of it...there's no turning back!!!! That is "LAYERS" for me! Tastes great!! So I will share here a few of my learning experiments....maybe not much...but wait til I get more time on my hands!!! The message on the "butterfly-zinnia" says it all for me! Blessings to you and Enjoy!!

WORKING AT PLAY....

Almost finished....but was a joy in the process so far....loved the looseness....for me a switch....a story below of this painting..... This is what I found to be like Chuck, Grandpa, running ...... Catching butterflies, running and happy..... New and never used colors for me....and whimsy....even the trees praise His name.... Finding little people in the shadows...and developing what was seen...I like this stage of it with the gray people....below. Beginning of a new technique from a video on the Gut Art Group classes..... Something tried....a little bright...maybe wishing for spring or summer... Happy New Year Peyton.... A big paper doll for Peyton....an experiment with old dress patterns...collage.... It has been quiet this week and cold out..... so I've been working inside, cleaning away Christmas and working at playing with new ideas of fun with my painting. It is also a sad week for us with the loss of two dear people we loved.... a long time friend Jim Record and Chuck Rollen our son in law's father. Jim stood up in our wedding in 1966 and Dick kept in close contact with him over the years....men who go to war together have an incredible bond and devotion to one another. Chuck was a wonderful, fun, jovial, big smile, laid back, an "in love with his bride of many years" man and an awesome father to two boys. I admired him also because he put his bride before everything, even his boys....... My daughter is married to one of them and I'm proud to say they have treated and loved Kellie as if she was the daughter they never had. He was tremendously loved and cherished by his Grand Children who called him Grandpa. He loved the Lord and so went "Home" on Saturday to live forever in the presence of the Most High! I did a painting today that was totally unplanned except wanted to try a scene of sorts.....and after applying the paint and forming small figures from the shadows in the grey parts that seemed to appear there.....and seeing all the little windows in the houses....I was reminded of John 14:2 that says..."In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you." And as I kept shadowing in the little shapes that were there into figures there was one in particular coming (running!) from behind the house that made me think of Chuck! And I thought.... He is almost there, as soon as he rounds the corner from the house he will be in the presence of others who dwell in the place of the Most High! A place Jesus promised and went to prepare for us...FOREVER! I continued to work it out and added the little stream for some blue to contrast with the orange. Then later I found another scripture from Psalm 46:4 that says..."There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High." When I finally stopped to assess the painting....I just stared at it and then broke down and cried..... realizing how much the Lord cares for us! I will never forget the experience and amazement of that painting today..... it is not finished but it ministered to me and I had a special joy for Chuck as he and his family have decided to celebrate his life today at his memorial in Florida and to celebrate his "COMING HOME!" We are promised no less through God's Son Jesus! ..... the very demonstration of God's love for us .... Chuck's love for Jesus was an inheritance given to his grandchildren while he lived here with us..... what more can we leave our children and grandchildren or any children than the love of Christ demonstrated for their Eternity! Heartfelt Blessings to you for 2010..... sherry