Meet "Meek"...

She can't believe they consider her to be meek.... Petals from collage paper of my zinnias outside..... I've been delaying my post because I had a fabulous teaching that I heard that I wanted to share and just can't seem to come up with the right words to portray the depth of meaning it had for me...so I will wait on it and may have some art to go with it at a later date.....BUT.....BUT....today I was encouraged to show Ms. Meek.....(meekness) and maybe I'll add Peacemaker to it. It was the result of just a fun class with Mystele and a response to an artist by the name of Jill Krasner with her wonderful collages. I just had a couple of small gessoed pieces to work quickly on and used only left over collage stuff on my table...and some bright colors as the base.....when I found or saw the faces I began and just added what was there to collage with on my table of scraps...they are the size of bookmarks....and they just make me smile or giggle. I hope you enjoy them..... I do love collage!! Blessings for a New Year! And sorry I have been sooo busy and not posting....but I did add the Valentine stuff in the shop photos to the left.....ENJOY!!

CEREAL BOX Christmas Card

Above Final...the Magi who followed the star to Bethlehem...to give the new born King GIFTS....Matthew 2 Below without any drawing added ....then, above drew what I began to see...click to enlarge for details....this is a fun way to paint! No plan, just play!!! A surprise Christmas card called "THE GIFT", developed from this "found" story in the randomly painted cereal box cut out section. I have several pieces of art now that are all on saved cardboard from cereal boxes ... why cereal boxes? They are free, very pliable when gessoed on the grey side and I am not intimidated when I paint on them like I am when I watercolor on my expensive Arches paper! I flatten the cereal box, cut them to size of the biggest flat part and gesso them. Then I have a stack of them waiting for my playtime in the studio where I drip or smear on acrylic paint and spread it around or layer it with a brush or knife until I am happy with it. This one ... I was "happy" with the results .... and especially happy that I stopped where I did and didn't "over finish" it ....(makes me think of how Christ is never finished with us ... we are a work in progress...) I printed it on 5x7 vellum, cut them to go on top of my card stock, off white was best, and to fit inside my 5x7 Dark Green envelopes I got on sale last year ... then printed the before and after on the back of the card with a Christmas story ....(you can read about the Magi, or three Wisemen in Matthew 2)... then my sweet husband writes and sends all the Christmas cards for me! ... anyway ... it is our Christmas card for 2010.... the kids were reading Luke chapter 1 and 2 last week and I wonder if what you read comes through onto your art .... if maybe it is on your heart? Enjoy!!

COMING SOON....

Welcome to the shop!...at GREENPECK'S....some of the new items coming this week! Where your garden can bloom and grow....can't wait to get this on one of my tables!!...with real flowers in the little tubes... OH!...I'll have geraniums ALL year!! Email me for prices...or just come see!! MY BIRDS WILL LOVE THIS....I think I ordered four of these!! Wouldn't these be cute on a little girls wall, or your porch!? Napkin rings....I think I will put a place setting with my antique dishes and these! SO TRUE!!....and you can't believe how pretty the wildflowers are right now...we have pink primroses and purple wild verbena all over the back field....come to the shop and walk to the garden with me!! We'll pick a bouquet!!...I have free jars and water! I love this cross....and my daisies by the shop will be blooming soon! IS this sweet or what!? And I ordered lots of tulips to sit in the windows of the shop...the shop will look different....and I'm ready for a different look to go along with the art from the "artists" in there....Patty, Adam,Tito, Pilar, Peyton and me (greenpeck)....and more! I'll be open Thursday thru Sat ...10 to 6...or just knock on the door and we'll mosey over to the shop if it is a Monday or Tuesday! We have been VERY busy planting our garden and taking advantage of our beautiful SPRING weather! Our backs are sore but our hearts are happy! And the birds are busy with their nests too!! There is just nothing I like more than having my hands in the dirt....except for maybe having them in paint or using my art supplies! Where we live is a "special place".....a special place that has had a "special connection for sooo many people!! Like Jeff and Debbie" ......where it all started with a (metal) heart....now called "The Round Top Collection". An inventory to tempt you every season with beautiful and colorful items to decorate your home. Dick and I are pleased to announce that we will carry "The Round Top Collection" here right in Round Top at our shop...GREENPECKS. We will add it to our WEBSITE soon....email me for anything you have a question about. We are getting the first tempting items this week that are for Spring and Summer ..... shown above. Then the BIG 4th of July will be right around the corner with all of those items coming in MAY. We are also going to enlarge the shop space and get a new sign or TWO! We are both excited about it and are having fun planning for new ART as well and maybe a few other little surprises! I have still been doing the GUT ART CLASSES, although barely getting any painting done for working in the garden.....but I LOVE Mystele's GUT ART classes....and am working on more art for the shop! I've made some art paper journals (with original art on the covers) for those who like to journal and paint a little. There will be some rearranging going on in the shop too!! THEN wait til you see what will be here for the 4th of July!!....a sort of duplicate of the Round Top Fire Truck to hang on your wall or office or boy's room!! ....the shop will be open on the 4th this year...with our old original "Round Top FIRE TRUCK" parked in front! Well, have a blessed week.....I just wanted to catch you up on the "goings on" at the place here on our three acres...it is wonderful to have the store on the same property with the B&B and the garden!!....that way the grandkids are with you and helping too!!....and I've planted all my zinnia seeds....get ready for lots of blooming around here!!...the roses are already in full bloom.....so beautiful!! BLESSINGS!! GOD IS GOOD!...always has been!

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

REST and PEACE.....

A friend said this looked like a broken bridge or boat with all this glorious life coming out....I loved what she saw....and I think it says there is Hope, even when broken! It is oil pastel, charcoal, scripture collage on dark grey pastel paper....a first for me. This doll piece was a "pulled" piece by mushing on paints and seeing what might be there....and this is what I saw.....again oil pastels on acrylic...with crumpled tissue paper for matted look border. Enough snow in Ohio for a snowman on the hood of our Texas car! thanks Scott! Our son and his daughter with cousins in Ohio enjoying the snow on Thanksgiving Day! Our daughter and son getting to visit....sorry I'm prejudice...my two children...wonderful kids to this day!! Thanks Dad. A "Congratulations" card from girl cousin to boy cousin who was a "party boy in the Nutcracker" ballet in Ohio....he played his part well! And flowers for our ballerina grand-daughter who had three parts in the Nutcracker Ballet in Ohio at the Midland Theatre!...It was a special night!! Bravo!!! She is beautiful with a beautiful heart like her Mom! Our grand-daughter's personal Christmas tree.....she is into decorating like her beautiful Mom! See the "Clara" Nutcracker ornament her cousins gave her? The Texas cousin enjoying the snow... Our baby girl of the family in Ohio....saying cheese! Opening my birthday presents from the kids and look at that awesome cake they decorated and made!! We all got to stick our finger in the yummy chocolate icing!....without Mom seeing! My awesome daughter in law made a video and photos she put on "Smile" as a special momento for me....thank you !! And do you see my precious grandson waiting to give me "his" present?....he built me this big Lego Sculpture!....just for Mimi! I loved it! A good throw by a great grandson with snowballs in Ohio.... Snow balls going everywhere that day.....on Thanksgiving in Ohio! See that pretty freshly painted Deck, that Daddy did? Thanks for a great time kids and parents!! And that carved and cooked turkey and all the goodies!! And below, a rare opportunity for us all to be together with all the grandbabies....what a blessing! Thanks to our Ohio Family for hosting Thanksgiving Day!....and now Merry Christmas!! Two words come to me today..... REST....and ....PEACE. I think they come to me because I am resting from the long and hard work of accomplishing six pieces of art work for the 2010 season of a Company I can mention at a later date .... a small job....but BIG for me. I hardly slept for weeks, working through the night and sleeping for five hours in the day! It was some of the most glorious days I've had in years of Art Making.....just pouring myself into it, not wanting to stop and having the "legitimate" excuse of it being a "real" paying job for someone with a deadline...... and my family understood that! Usually Art Making takes a back seat ... letting everything else....take precedence. I recently had a serious talk with the Lord about what He wanted me to do....mostly with my ART, since people don't come by the little gallery much anymore.... very slow business wise here.... anyway, it was CLEARLY felt in my heart as a result of prayer that I was to proceed...."Get MY (the Lord's) WORD UP AND OUT THERE".....that was the message I have felt so strongly since that conversation with Him in September-ish. Then in October the "JOB" came....and what did they want?....My art ...in "their style and product" with what?....GOD'S WORD ON IT....YES!....GOD'S WORD! After my conversation and prayer with the Lord and before this job came....I was thinking....well okay, I'll just paint as much art as I can with the "Word" on it and "cover" all the walls in the gallery.....thinking that was the biggest thing I could do.....and that the Lord would bring the people......how else COULD I do it? We are so limited in our minds and sometimes our faith too..... because what "HIT" me after the Company hired me to paint their pieces of art with God's Word on it.....that the Art would go all over the WORLD..!!! EVEN to China....!! His Word would be seen by workers in the process of reproducing what six pieces I did....having to paint it over and over.....those who would pack it would see His Words....those who shopped and did or didn't buy it would SEE HIS WORDS! WOW, when the Lord wants you to do something....His IDEAS surpass what we could even think or dream of!!! So I know I can REST in His love and care.... The next word that is in my head today is..... PEACE.....it is an incredible "peace" that I have inside my head and heart....that He truly is in control.....that He is truly ALIVE and WORKING in our lives....especially when we hand our life over to Him to occupy our hearts and trust Him with it.....so today I am RESTING in PEACE with my life in "His" hands....... and it feels so wonderful..... even though I'm tired and my bad feet still won't let me walk as much as I want.....yet! His works are wondrous and I marvel at Him! I can't share the work I did yet until it is out for the Company.....but I will share some recent fun pieces done in my Online Gut Art Class and photos of our trip to Ohio to see Kellie (our daughter) and Family with Scott (our son) and his Family going with us....a great drive and time with those I hold so very dear....my gifts from the Lord! I have to say, I missed my "precious church" and extended families and my sort of adopted children here too! BLESSINGS for a meaningful Christmas to you all.... sherry...and (dick)! Rest and Peace to You All.....

A FULL LIFE...

OK, I DID get this picture up, our mermaid Peyton! That's my girl! She loved her dress..... 16x20 in progress collage... like my house... unfinished! A woman on a mission!! That's how I feel .... but with the children in tow! That is a wicked little purse ... but it has some money in it .... YAY! My art studio mess .... I love the metal letters in the window ...A R T Mushed paint, rolled a pointed roller thing over it and wallah.... I saw a jar with a flower.....this was fun. Used oil pastels over acrylic ... new for me. Loving those colors from the pastels.... gotta have more! Finished page for the GUT ART JOURNAL.... An idea coming from one of the field trips .... these were old photos (copies) of us when young and more shapely!....or I guess I should say LESS shapely! My Mother sewed my "Vogue" pattern dress...my whole wedding with cake, reception and four bridesmaids cost $500.00! Yes, the dot is in the right place! Collaged tissue around him in his flight suit (1967).... this is NOT Michael Jackson, (with the great lips and black glove, chuckle) but it is my honey ....I want to pursue doing something with these..... it will come to me. A quick line drawing with color pencil wash from a woman on the TV.... quickly done. Good practice.... These two (of five) beautiful children (after church) are awaiting the finished home they will have .... little by little they work on it ....it was a condemned house that got to be saved and done for a family! All their saved money and efforts and prayer! Many of you know or remember Elizama, my sort of adopted child.... known her since she was nine (now 21) .... this is her precious baby girl, a happy child, and Mom and Dad are so proud of her! She laughs a lot! Here, she has on a dress that MY MOTHER made me from feed sacks in 1947!! I still have it.... my Mother embroidered little flowers on it. We had to try it out for a photo! These are some of Pilar's ART (age 6 to 7) she would do this all day long!! We need to loosen up like the kids do with their art! And YES, SHE is a WINNER! I tried to post a picture of my grand daughter in the Mermaid dress I made her and couldn't get it off the email...will try another way later.... she is my heart! Hello to all .... I know I have not posted in a while. Here are photos and art projects ( unfinished) of what is going on in my life at the moment. Just too much to write about. However the art of mine is from some of the reflections of field trips taken on the GUT ART CLASS.... I'm very behind ....but I have taken a ton of notes and have drawings that will go in my GUT ART JOURNAL......behind?..... well, because I was blessed with an opportunity to do nine pieces of work with a deadline of three weeks, which is ending tomorrow. I can't show them and will tell about it when it all comes together ..... since it is only my work for another group. So with that I have had my head swirling in the studio ....painting nights and sleeping days.... as there are no interruptions at night. And it is probably my body clock anyway! Sleeping from 7AM to 3PM, then doing regular life...and then painting from 7PM to 7AM in heaven ... I must say. This project came as a result of much prayer and soul searching and direction that the Lord wanted me to go in my life, plus a few other things. WELL, He is MAKING it happen .... WHY am I surprised!!? Also, you will see little precious children in my life, one of the Mom's lived with me for four months when she was fifteen (now 21).... the other children are from church and a favorite family.... and then Pilar's Art.... my little artist! I keep her in sketch pads and markers...and she will draw or paint all day long! We have four full note books (sketch pads ...9x12 thick from Wal-Mart) that she has filled. Some day when she is grown I will give them to her.... so they won't get thrown away. Any who..... as you can see, I am behind in my class, but live a FULL life! And thank goodness the Lord motivated my hubby to take care of me with food during all this!! ENJOY HIS BLESSINGS!!! I AM.....