LORIC'S CALLING

Today's painting is called "Loric's Calling". Loric is a character from another one of paintings, "Winterstock". He is a caring gnome who spends his days storing up food for the little forest folk that pass by his tree. He is also know to give them shelter on some of the very cold days of Winter. Where there is a need, Loric is there to offer his help. Having compassion for others is a beautiful thing and well....Loric is a great example of this.

This original measures 6x6 inches and is available here . It was painted using watercolors.

I had another wonderful day in the studio today. I am so inspired. That's all for now.

~ James

TINY TASHA

Hello again everyone!

I had a most wonderful day painting again in the studio. I can't express enough how nice it is to be back and painting daily. I tried something a little different today. I decided to create a painting using a very limited palette. I used graphite, gesso and indigo blue watercolor. It was so much fun and I am certainly going to try this again. Todays painting is titled, "Tiny Tasha", and she is a brave little soul, I must say. I hope you like it. The original is 5x6 inches and is available here if anyone is interested.

It's funny, I've been getting up at 5am the last three mornings to do a painting a day and Little Daisy Dukes, our new bassett pup, is so confused where she is supposed to go after eating her breakfast so early, either lie in bed with her mommy for one more hour or go to the studio with her daddy....and well, she seems to be rooting me on in the studio. She is such cutie pie. Below is a picture of her.

Well, that is all for today. Have a wonderful day folks! James

NEW LIFE

I have been longing for Spring for the past few weeks. It is always such a time of renewal. I love when the birds sing their song and the buds start to sprout. The colors slowly spring up everywhere and new life is all around to be seen. Breathe it all in....it is not too far off.

Nadine and I have been working on our house for the last 4 months. We have a beautiful new kitchen and there are three other rooms that we done in the near future. I have enjoyed getting back into my studio the past couple of days and I am so excited about painting.

Here is today's painting. It is called "New Life". The original is available if anyone is interested
here .

Okay, that is all for now. God Bless, James

Back to "A Painting a Day"

Well, it's been a while since I last posted a painting and I thought I would start up again by starting a new daily habit and that is to do a painting a day. I've been away from my work for nearly three months now due to being busy with huge construction going on in our home and well, just a little break. This was certainly the longest that I have ever gone without creating something but hey, I've gotten real good with carpentry, building, tearing walls down, house painting, tiling, and the list goes on.

I woke up this morning at 5am and started on my new "painting a day" journey. This is the first of many (I hope) and I hope you like it. It is titled "Union Shepherd" and it measures 5 1/2 x 6 inches and was painted using watercolors.

These "A Painting a Day" paintings will be available on my website.

That's all for now. I will be posting more....

James

LADY DARBY ~ 1996-2008

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to share with you someone who was and is still so dear to our hearts. She was a wonderful companion of 12 years.....

she loved to cuddle,
she loved her treats,
she loved going on walks,
she loved to sleep,
she loved to watch her daddy paint,
she loved mommy when she returned home from work,
she loved us in a special way.
I can't help but feel God's love for us when I think of her.

We had to put our beautiful Lady Darby to sleep. We miss her so much. I spent all my days with her. But the Lord is so good. He brought us to the mountain top for five days and He gave us so much Grace. We are so thankful that we had 12 wonderful years with Darby and she was in no pain. I was dreading the day that she would have to go but my Lord gave me a revelation that brought me even closer to Himself, Darby was a means of His Grace and He will never forsake His children. He made her specially for us and He made her to extend His Love for us. We also know that Lady Darby is running around with her sister in the King's garden. Oh....there is Joy in suffering. Jesus is bigger in my heart.

May God shine His lovely face upon you all.

James and Nadine

The Bells Will Sound

This is a wonderful story written by my mother. It touched me in such a way that I had to create a painting of it. The original was created using gesso and sepia ink and measures 5x7. God Bless you and MERRY CHRISTMAS! James

THE BELLS WILL SOUND

Ilys was sure she was the last of her kind. As she gazed longingly back over the hills of Gogalea her heart sank knowing she would never come back. The others left some time ago in little groups or two at a time for safety, always with that same look on their faces. Ilys had stayed in her beloved Gogalea for as long as she could always hoping things would change.

Rising from her little perch on the tallest of the old firs she spread her wings, gave a last look and flew north.

After what seemed forever, she looked for a place to rest. There was a clearing below, however, not having ever ventured this far from Gogalea she was afraid to be in the open so she searched further and soon found a grove of cranberry trees – a perfect sanctuary and sure to be a source of nourishment for her journey. Hungry, tired and feeling very much alone Ilys went from branch to branch among the cranberry trees looking for just the right berry ripe enough to eat. Frost covered cranberries are the tastiest and being very good at berry picking she soon found the best one then flew to a nearby moss covered rock to enjoy her breakfast. She thought filling her stomach would take away the deep sadness she felt, however, it only made her feel worse.

Presently she was rested enough to investigate this new land. When she had first arrived she hadn’t noticed its’ beauty, but now it was clear to see she was in the center of a most lovely park or garden. At least at one time it was beautiful. Ilys, being a very curious fey, soon found herself wandering farther than she intended. As she was about to turn to go back to the cranberry trees she heard a sound she was all too familiar with. It was crying, but not like any crying she had ever heard. It was actually more like a weeping. Being sad and lonely as she was, she did not want to be near any weeping, however, she was drawn to the sound and as she approached her little heart went out to the distraught creature, whatever it was.

There behind a large oak sitting on a huge boulder, Ilys saw the largest and most wondrous fairy she had ever encountered. Never in all her life had she seen anything like it. Its’ wings were not at all fairylike, but more like those of a great falcon. Indeed they would need to be quite large as this fairy was as tall as a human. Ilys’ own wings were the size of a butterfly and iridescent like a dragonfly.

Ilys heart skipped a beat as she approached. She did not want to disturb the weeping fairy.

Suddenly there was a rustling of the huge wings as the creature was aware of an intruder and turned to look. Of course the intruder was Ilys and she stood frozen in her little yellow slippers as the wings reached full length in front of her. She couldn’t move! She wouldn’t move even if she dared. And indeed, this was a creature as no fairy ever had a more noble or fierce face and all at the same time.

As frightened as Ilys was at this moment her overwhelming sadness and loneliness caused her to speak out but in the most respectful way. “Who are you and why are you weeping?” cried Ilys in her tiny voice. The creature knew instantly that Ilys was fearful and tried to calm her by slowly lowering its magnificent wings. “Do not be afraid little one – I was unaware you were here in the garden and I had been feeling very badly. What brings you to this place?”

Ilys lost all of her fear at that very moment and began to pour out her heart to the beautiful creature.

“I am Ilys and I have left my beloved kingdom because there is no one left of my kind. It was difficult to stay being the only fairy in the land. The others had left over a long period of time since the humans in the land did not have imagination any more. They gave up all thinking about those things one cannot always see. At first just a few people didn’t believe in fairies or elves. As time went on and as more and more folks made things for themselves they started to believe in the things they made. These things became very important to them and soon the whole kingdom was impressed with themselves and the things they made instead of things that were already in the land. Time went by and all of the fairies gave up even trying to get folks to believe in anything but themselves. Fairies do not do very well where there is no imagination to tickle. So eventually all fairies left the land and I am the last. I am not sure where or when I shall see my kin again, or when I will be able to tickle someone’s imagination. I left Gogalea this morning after daybreak and just now I was resting and then I heard you weeping. Oh, I am so sorry to be talking about myself. You were weeping - and your wings! I have never seen a fairy such as you.”

Actually Ilys was very amazed that the creature seemed so interested in all she had said. After shifting its wings a bit the creature explained:

“Greetings Ilys and welcome to the garden. I am not a fairy at all, although some get me confused with the world of imagination. I am so sorry you had to leave your homeland and I understand your sadness because in my world much the same thing has happened. Unlike you, I am unable to leave this land because I am responsible to guard the gates of the garden. What I have seen from the gate is the cause of my weeping. The king of this land gave the people the whole garden to enjoy if they would just work to take care of it. At first they enjoyed the garden and the work and all its wonderful bounty but before long weeds started growing and the people argued who would weed the garden. Folks were too busy saying how the garden should look all the while not noticing more and more weeds were chocking even the great white oaks that grow around the garden edge. In the center of the garden stands a bell tower that would chime the most beautiful sounds each day, morning, noon and evening. As the day would progress the chimes would be an encouragement to the people in their work. But the people began to complain louder and louder trying to be heard over the sweet music of the bells, until someone finally put a stop to the music altogether by cutting the cords that rang the bells. The bells were also there to be a welcome call to those outside the gates. Without the bells no new folks came to be welcomed and soon after folks died off and now there are only a few weak people left who are not tending the garden very well as you can see. Even the fruit trees blossom early and produce no edible fruit. I weep because my king is sad. I weep because all that could be good is going to waste and I am the guarding angel and there is no joy in my work.”

Ilys was spellbound as she sat listening to the angel and finally inquired, “what if there was a way to get the bells repaired? If they could ring again throughout the land perhaps your job at the gates would make you glad once more. New people would come to the sound of the music of the bells and they would want to stay and grow the garden once again. Do you remember the tunes the bells played? Perhaps between us we could find a way to get the bells working. All it takes is hard work and a little imagination.”

The noble and fierce face of the guarding angel suddenly changed to a silly grin and he decided at that moment to put forth his best effort to fix the bells. Although it was winter there would surely be folks who would hear and answer the call of the bells. The weak people already living in the garden could become strong again with all the work that needed to be done to get ready for new workers. The king would be delighted, the garden would grow and the work would be good work for all.

Ilys and the angel set about weaving a strong rope from the vines that grew up chocking the trunks of the great white oaks, leaving them to grow in strength. The ropes would be attached to the bells in the tower and the guarding angel who knew the music by heart, would ring them one cold winter night very soon just in time for the King’s birthday.

Ilys never flew any further north.

Copyright 2007, SUSAN BROWNE

BABY BROWNIES

I am having so much fun creating these little guys. Each one of these little paintings is an original created with sepia ink and gesso on mat board. Just how little are these little Baby Brownies, aka BBs, they are 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches and they sell for $25 each. I've turned into quite a baker with these brownies and there are more in the oven. I will try to keep you posted as much as I can. Here are a few samples of some.

Here is a link to the gallery were I post these daily, BABY BROWNIES . Well, that's all for now. God Bless you all. James