exists to create art which reflects the beauty and the glory of God, to use art to comfort and encourage people, and to inspire others to pursue the arts.
A little while back, I got a book at the local library used book sale. It is a book of quotes and there were some from Wernher Von Braun. He is a very large part of the NASA program, here in Huntsville. Then, when we went to the Space and Rocket Center, I saw quite a bit about him there. So, I decided to make his portrait with the moon and Saturn, which is what some of his rockets were named after.
This is pastels on watercolor paper. I painted the paper with burnt sienna to give it a tone. Then I drew the initial sketch with graphite and white charcoal. I sprayed a workable fixative over that and then used pastels to color it. It is 11×12.
For my confirmation, I didn’t get a watch and my first pair of long pants, like most Lutheran boys. I got a telescope. My mother thought it would make the best gift. — Wernher Von Braun
Greetings! Today was all about exploring Alum Hollow on Green Mountain right here in our beloved Huntsville, Alabama. Although the waterfall eluded us, this day, we enjoyed wandering through the cool woods, soaking up the tranquility. I couldn’t resist capturing the mesmerizing beauty of the many mushrooms that we saw as we meandered. We also bumped into a couple of other hikers, one of which was a photographer who was also enamored with the mushrooms. We had an enjoyable chat and swapped cards. Maybe one of these days I will make a painting of some of these mushrooms.
Trail pics:
Shrooms! Glorious Shrooms! And now for the mushroom glamour shots.
Below is my favorite of all the mushroom shots. I didn’t even notice the poison ivy, today, until I was uploading the photos to the computer. LOL! Oh, well. I didn’t touch any that I know of. I will find out soon, if I did…
The sudden appearance of mushrooms after a summer rain is one of the more impressive spectacles of the plant world. — John Tyler Bonner
This past Monday, which was dreary and rainy, my mom and a friend and I went to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center here in Huntsville, Alabama. It had been a long time since I had been and it has grown quite a bit. It was a hike, but it was so interesting that it was worth it. I took a lot of photos and here are a few. For more info, you can click here.
I will go into space only if I can wear my earrings. LOL!
I don’t remember what this is, but I think it is a model of a space taxi-type of thing.
This is the Saturn V rocket, I think. It was massive and kind of scary to walk under it. But very nifty, too.
This is a mosaic made with tiles from a mosaic which is on a church here in Huntsville (First Baptist Church Huntsville). The original tiles started falling off the church. They were totally removed and replaced and the old tiles were used for various other artworks, including this one. It is beautiful in person. My photo does not do it justice.
Lego art!
If you can, and you are interested in space stuff, you ought to go. Miss Baker, one of the little monkeys who went into space, is buried right by the entrance. There are various rides, like the takeoff simulator, flight simulators, g-force thingy’s, etc. I think anyone would enjoy it. And, of course, as I was walking through it, I was thinking of all the art I would love to make…
I have learned to use the word ‘impossible’ with the greatest caution. — Wernher Von Braun
Well, I saw someone doing this nifty thing and thought I would give it a try. It is mixed media (pen and colored pencils) on 100% cotton 300 pound watercolor paper. It was a lot of fun and very relaxing to do. I actually did the sketch and the pen work on my drawing table in the studio and then did the coloring while watching a movie in the living room.
Can you see where I put my signature?
Every man’s work, whether it be literature, or music or pictures or architecture or anything else, is always a portrait of himself. — Samuel Butler
The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, is one of my family’s favorite movies of all time. Ron and I watched it the other night and I just had to do a portrait of the lovely Mary Kate. In this scene, she is watching Sean Thornton as he is sitting his horse, pausing during one of his hot-blooded rides through the countryside to try to assuage his frustration over not being able to marry Mary Kate.
Can anyone quote what Father Lonergan, as the narrator, said during this scene?
This is charcoal on 12×16 toned pastel paper.
This is Ireland, Sean, not America. Without her brother’s consent, she couldn’t and wouldn’t. I’m sorry for the both of ya. — Michaeleen Og Flynn
This painting was from a photo that I had taken a few years ago. I think I used a zoom lens from my front yard. I love that barn! LOL! I have so many photos of that barn. I have several paintings, also. But, this picture was more about the light and shadows.
This is oils on a 9×12 piece of loose canvas. Below I have shared the reference photo that I took. I rarely like to show the reference, because it is so easy to pick the painting apart. But, in this case, I like that it doesn’t look too much like the reference. I like my interpretation. I like the looseness and the intensity of the colors. I may do it again, someday, but I am enjoying this one now.
What is the good of your stars and trees, your sunrise and the wind, if they do not enter into our daily lives? — E. M. Forster
Today was a funny day. Last night, I made a duck and a wreath out of polymer clay. Today, I wanted to bake it, so I reached into the cupboard to get a pan and I pulled out a 9×13 glass pan and it shattered on the tile floor of the kitchen. What a noise! And what a cleanup! So, I got that taken care of, put some tin foil on a metal pan, and put the sculptures into the oven. I set the timer and sat in my chair in the living room to read while waiting for it. I started to smell something strange. I looked up and the house was filling with smoke! I had set the oven too high! LOL! What was I thinking? I ran in and opened the oven. Bad idea. Lots more smoke. I shut the oven, turned it off, and ran around opening the windows. It took a little while, but the smoke cleared out. Well, they are not supposed to be brown, but I think they will work. I just have to paint them and no-one will ever know. (Except you guys…)
So, after that fiasco, I decided to get into my studio and paint. I’m so glad I did. I copied a painting by Edgar Payne called Kearsage Peaks, High Sierras. I enjoyed painting it and love how it turned out.
This is oils on a 16×20 piece of loose canvas.
If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. — Vincent Van Gogh
Train tracks in the early morning in Florida. The reference photo for this painting belongs to Chris Fornataro and I followed along with his video. I like how it turned out.
This is oils on a 9×12 loose piece of canvas.
When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer. — Corrie Ten Boom
We have a couple of very large and beautiful multi-trunked dogwood trees at our new house. So, I wanted to paint a dogwood tree. I wanted to take a photo of my own trees with the sun shining on them, even if they are not blooming right now, but it has been overcast and rainy. So I found a lovely bunch of photos online and here is what happened:
Soft pastels on an 8×10 homemade black sanded board. I was definitely in my happy place, playing with the colors, and making a mess. What fun!
Life is a great big canvas, throw all the paint you can on it. — Danny Kaye
I am shocked that it has been almost three months since my last post! Well, a lot has happened. We now live in Huntsville, Alabama, and I have my new studio almost ready to go. I NEED to get to working on some art! We have been in this house since May 11 and I am going to start a portrait tomorrow. I hope… We have our boxes unpacked and the empty boxes were hauled off. My books are comfortably surrounding me and our car has an Alabama plate and Alabama drivers. I think I can say we are fairly well settled. It is so nice to be near my parents. We get to see them a few times a week, sometimes here and sometimes there.
So, here are some photos of my new studio. My next post should have some art to go with it.
We are tired and taking naps whenever we want. Well, Ron has to work, but he can nap when he is not working. His employer has been so good to us, letting him have time off for the closing and then the move even though he has no vacation built up, yet. His job is a definite blessing from the Lord, which the house is, too. It was difficult finding a good house for what we wanted to pay. But, my parents worked tirelessly for us. We would look online and find a house or several and they would drive by and vet that list. If one or two made it through that test, they would look at it with the realtor. Rarely did a house make it through the showing, but a couple did. We even made offers on two houses, but they fell through. Then, suddenly, this wonderful house showed up in a wonderful neighborhood and we got it. Providential, to say the least. Thank the Lord! Dad and Mom did a lot more work for us before we closed. Then, after the closing we went back down to Florida to prepare to move in a couple of weeks. While we were preparing for the movers to come and get us, Dad and Mom were supervising work being done in our new house. It was grueling and we so appreciate it. The movers picked up our household goods on Tuesday, May 9th and delivered them to us in Huntsville on May 11th. We spent our first night in the house that night. Whew! We had very little damage or loss. Nothing to worry about. It was a miracle, let me tell you!
This move was an adventure and I’m sure the adventure is not over, but we are here and we are both hoping it is our last move.
I hope all is well with all of you and that you are enjoying art wherever you are.
You can never have too many books or too many art supplies. — Ginny McCoy
Virginia C. McCoy Fine Art 
You must be logged in to post a comment.