I am so inspired!!!

There is so much joy inside me right now. I've recently started creating little "one of a kind" paintings using sepia and gesso (my two secret ingredients for all my work....shhhh, don't tell anyone). I have to share them with you because I am having an absolute blast! There is one below that I just did this morning, also, there is a link where you can see the others, and there will certainly be more. They all have to do with friendship, what would we do without loving friends. God has a special way to make a heart smile....He certainly has made my heart smile. God Bless, James

Some others can be seen and purchased here... http://www.jamesbrowne.net/catalog.php?category=26

We've been blessed.

A night of dreams and wonder makes hearts, the unseen things ponder.

Ethereal voices to open hearts speak, young souls listen as they seek.

Into one such night let us take a peek.

Twas a midsummer night as a brown-haired lad and a lass with golden tresses, walked the woods near each of their homes. The air was clear, charged with magic, and the sky was full of heavenly lights. It was hard to tell where the earth stopped and the heavens started. But for the trees, which rooted the imagination to the ground, all would be blended into a mass of shadows and twinkling lights. A night of mystery, tinted with premonition.

His home on one side of the sea, hers the other. Each one walking beneath their country sky. Two places, one sky. Two hearts, one wonder to behold eight short hours apart.

Slowly all the lights grew dim as the sky above the lass filled with the brilliance of a rising full Moon. As the glowing orb rose above the earth, a face within the light appeared. A pair of charcoal eyes opened with a blink and a cheery voice said, "hello".

Leaning on a sturdy branch, up in her favorite tree, the young girl warily looked up into a smiling face and replied with a hesitant, "hi".

And then the Man in the Moon began to speak. " O lassie young and fair, to you I have a message to share. Someday to a far off land you'll go. Young children are to be placed into your care, but that's not all that will happen while you are there. In this land you will meet a young man whose life you will share. On one distant night your hearts will become one as into his eyes you stare." With that the eyes did close and with a knowing smile the Man in the Moon did set. But the message she heard she would never forget.

Slowly all the lights grew dim as the sky above the lad filled with the brilliance of a rising full Moon. As the glowing orb rose above the earth, a face within the light appeared. A pair of charcoal eyes opened with a blink and a cheery voice said, "hello".

Sitting on a sturdy branch, part way up his favorite tree, the young boy curiously looked up into a smiling face and shot back a rather shaky, "hi".

And then the Man in the Moon began to speak. "My young friend, to you I have a message to share. Some day a young lass will travel to this land. Her love and yours will be bound with a marriage band. She will light up your life as the sun does me and that glow will illumine the hearts of others as from you both it does flow.

With that the eyes did close and with a knowing smile the Man in the Moon did set. But the message he heard he would never forget.

A night of dreams and wonder makes hearts, the unseen things ponder.

Ethereal voices to open hearts speak, young souls listen as they seek.

Into another such night let us take a peek.

On the horizon the Moon started to rise as a young man with brown hair and a young woman with golden tresses, went for a walk. The air was clear, charged with magic, and the sky was full of heavenly lights. It was hard to tell where the earth stopped and the heavens started. A night of mystery, tinted with recognition. As each approached, they paid each other no heed, two strangers in a stranger place. Not far apart, each turned, side by side, to face the rising Moon. Each was lost in thoughts and dreams of days gone by. Slowly all the other lights grew dim as the sky filled with the brilliance of a full Moon. As the glowing orb rose above the earth, a face within the light appeared. A pair of charcoal eyes opened with a blink and a cheery, familiar voice said, "hello".

With resting arms on a fieldstone wall, two sets of eyes, remembering a similar night, looked up and a simultaneous reply was heard, "hi". Startled at the sound of the other's voice, two pairs of eyes turned and met and locked.

And then the Man in the Moon began to speak. "You both remember the night you talked with the Man in the Moon, this night as you look into each other's eyes, your memories and lives are becoming one".

With that the eyes did close and with a knowing smile the Man in the Moon did set. But a journey together just began for two not so unfamiliar strangers, who just met.

This wonderful story was written by a dear friend of ours, Don Hartle, and truly captures the love that Nadine and I share. It is a union made in heaven and we thank God most of all for the love that we share. Our love for one another continues grow as we grow old together.

God Bless, James

HIGH TEA

Hello Everyone,

I hope that you are all doing well. It's been some time since I last wrote to you but I have been my enjoying time in the studio. I've been working on a book for some time now and some various commissions and every once in a while I've been able to squeeze out a painting or two. What a blessing it is to paint and what a pleasure it is to share these paintings with all of you. I have to thank God for this wonderful blessing. I only hope to continue to use the gift that He gave me and to use it for His purpose. I truly feel joy inside when these little images come to life and I hope that they bring a smile to your heart when you look upon them. God Bless, James

An afternoon stroll upon his towering walls,
this sophisticated chap well known for his falls,
will do nothing of the sort on this special day,
for it's High Tea with a his friend before he flies away.....

Well, I'm back to my Painting A Day paintings or at least I'll keep trying. This painting was created using watercolors on Arches hot press paper. It measures 5x7.

Song of Everland

Hello Everyone,

Well, it's been a while since I last wrote and it is nice to be back. I've been on the road doing shows these last few weeks and we just returned from our annual trip to Nadine's homeland, Germany. We had a wonderful time and as always my brush was flowing with the songs that are in my heart. Below is one of the paintings that I created while in Germany. I ,also, have to mention that I am deep in the magical book, "Phantastes", by George MacDonald and it has truly made my imagination soar. A must read!

"It was the song that I awoke to first when I discovered Everland. Everland is a place where dreams come true and where the imagination becomes real. It's where the child inside speaks. Everland, for me, is inspired by the heart and it is in my mind where it becomes so real....so real that I see it. I thank God most of all for giving me the gift to paint what I see and most of all for His inspiration which is in my heart." ~JB

This original was painting using watercolor on Arches 140lb hot press paper. The original measures 6 1/2 x 9 3/4.

RIDING RUBY and a wonderful weekend.

Today, I returned back to my studio after spending a wonderful weekend with our dear friend, Don. He is like a brother to me and he has really been helping me grow in the Lord. The Christian walk is truly a pilgrimage and I am forever greatful that I have a brother who has helped me when I've stumbled. Don is also the creater of the "Tales Now Told" stories, which can be found here

On another note, I have another painting to share with you and I really enjoyed painting this one. It is called, "Riding Ruby". Enjoy and God Bless! James

Hinkle was a wee little lad, who was so small it took him days to cross the flowered meadow. One day, while resting upon a leaf, a beautiful hummingbird hovered nearby. Little Hinkle noticed something very strange about this hummingbird. Around its neck was a golden collar with two bells hanging from it. Hinkle yelled out, "What is your name beautiful one with the bells?" When the hummingbird heard this, it drew nearer to him and said, "My name is Ruby and my bells make noise so the other creatures can hear me. I am so fast and so small, that no one ever notices me". Hinkle replied, "Well, I noticed you and you are the prettiest creature that I have ever seen." Ruby suddenly became still in mid-air and said, "May I help you get across this meadow today, my kind friend? I've noticed that it takes you quite some time to make this trek and I have been given a gift of speedy flight. You are a kind heart and your gift is seeing the beauty from within." Hinkle climbed onto to little Ruby's back and together they soared through the meadow. As they were flying over a glorious patch of pink flowers, Hinkle noticed a glowing light that was traveling beside them. He suddenly realized that all true gifts are from above and that the Giver is the most precious gift of ALL.

This original was created using watercolor on Arches hot press paper. It measures 5x7 and is a
vailable here

TRIFFLES FOR TRUFFLES

Once there was a little troll named Truffles. He lived on the side of a rocky mountain, a land where not many would roam. It was a peaceful place, especially by the crystal clear waterfall. Truffles would often find rest in this place, for he needed rest from his long days of netting his most beloved meal....the blue dragonfly. "They are delicious and they are a plenty!" , he would often say, but little did he know that because of his "eating a plenty", there were only three blue dragonflies remaining on this mountain side, merely a triffle.

This original was created using watercolor on Arches hot press paper. It measures 5x7 and is available here

DIGGER'S SPECIAL DAY

It was a special day for Digger, it was his birthday. Although, he was a sweet little mole with a great heart and an even greater giggle, there was no one to spend time with him on his special day. The problem was that he lived underground and not one of his friends liked it in the tunnels that he dug. He was sad and just before he shed a tear a little light filled his heart with joy. This special light was was truly a gift for the little mole and starred and starred into it for the rest of the day.

This original was created using watercolor on Arches hot press paper. It measures 5x7 and is available here

I missed a couple of days of a "Painting a Day", I was busy with my other work, but I hope you like this little guy. I'll have more tomorrow...God Bless, James