Almond Blossoms

  This is an oil pastel of almond blossoms on an almond tree, which is an interpretation of a painting by Vincent Van Gogh. I've always loved almond blossoms and been interested in the symbolism behind them in scripture. In the book of Exodus in the Old Testament there is a very detailed description of the tabernacle in the wilderness. The artist was a man named Bezalel and he was given vision and abilities in all kinds of artistic mediums to create the interior of the tabernacle. One of the most significant parts of the building was a large lampstand, resembling what we would now call a menorah. The only difference between the two is that the lampstand had seven candles and a menorah has eight. The instructions were "And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold." -Exodus 25:34-36. I'm not entirely sure why but I was curious about this when I read it. In scripture there are countless examples of God using symbols and objects to represent different things. Why almond blossoms? And on the single most important part of the tabernacle, which was the physical meeting place of God Himself, the lampstand was the representation of the light of God. Its importance cannot be overstated. So, I did a little looking into it and found that almond trees are the very first tree to blossom in the spring. Its flowers bud and bloom quite a bit before any others, regardless of the climate or region. They are also the very last to bare fruit. In the scriptures, God refers to Himself as "the Alpha Omega," meaning "the beginning and the end of all things." The almond blossoms are the living picture of Himself, and in even the smallest details of His instruction to Bezalel, He was revealing Himself. He is always revealing Himself, if we are willing to see Him.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things... Part 1

  Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen... something. Well those may not be my most favorite things, but I was thinking earlier today about what they would be if I made a list. Very quickly I realized that it was next to impossible to limit the numbers of beautiful and wonderful things in my world to one simple list. I remember being at a book store several years ago and coming across a book that was basically just a list of a thousand wonderful things in life. Simple everyday things along the lines of those raindrops and whiskers. It's all too easy to get through our day and completely have missed experiencing any part of it. "Getting through" just shouldn't be the goal. We need to live in our days and make them count, especially in simplicity and everyday activities. It's easy to celebrate vacations, but when we stop and look around, there is so much to celebrate all around us. Take 60 seconds and think through the things you have today to be thankful for, that are worth noticing. I immediately think of my family, the love we share, health, freedom in a country I love, and being blessed with a creative spirit. After the major things, I like to just look around me and see the simple things that bring so much joy to my day. Like the white ceramic cupfuls of beautiful Prismacolor pencils on my work table, a stack of antique french books that I treasure, a very welcome cool breeze at the end of another hot Southern summer day, a new-to-me green purse with the cutest little clovers on it that my sweet cousin passed my way, my fuzzy slippers, and the list goes on literally infinitely. Are they life-changing items that will go down in history in their importance? No. They're just part of the simple, everyday treasures that make me smile when I notice them, and they are so worth the attention. One of the most beautiful things about blogging is the heightened attention we tend to pay to our days when we think about sharing it with others. I've noticed this already in my own life, and I've read so many other bloggers who have experienced the same thing. So, I intend to start giving them the attention they're due. Today, I say I am thankful for joy in simplicity and I see how very blessed I am.

  


   My first installment to my new list is: my cowboy boots. I'm from the south, and cowboy boots are fairly common place here. But these are special. They're so perfectly broken in and through the years they have molded themselves to my feet in the way that only great leather does. I love the detailed stitching on them, and the pride that went into making them is obvious. I love the way they affect my posture when I wear them, and I love the sound they make when I walk across a wooden floor. They're both sexy and tough at the same time, and they make me what to jump on a horse and lasso something. Mostly I love the memories I have in them, and how they remind me of my family and my culture. I think I'm gonna go grab them and take a stroll right now actually. And maybe go lasso something.

Jenni - Oil Pastel & Pencil Portraits

  As is probably evident for those reading this little blog, I love drawing and painting people's portraits. I've been fascinated with them since I was a little girl, and I've only become more so since then. I love the tiny intricate differences between any two people. When I am drawing a portrait, I'm fascinated by how the most minute difference in scale and size of a nose or an eye can make someone nearly unrecognizable. Almost indiscernable differences in line and shadow will bring a portrait from being just a face to actually capturing the essence of that person. Portrait painting and drawing goes far beyond line and shadow though. To really delve into capturing someone on canvas or paper, intense attention must be paid to the "invisible" traits of that person. What I mean is, those parts of someone's expression and demeanor that are difficult to define. When someone thinks and feels something, usually it inevitably comes across on their face, if we pay attention. What is it that makes a portrait come alive, to the point that the viewer sees it and exclaims, "Yes, that's soooo him. You've captured Him!" It's not the colors chosen or the skill with which we draw a line. While those elements are incredibly important, the magic "x" factor is in the minute details. A thin line strategically placed will change someone's expression entirely. A slightly darkend shadow on the lips can show slight tension, and turn a "camera" smile into a nervous smile, thus illustrating the subject more accurately and allowing the portrait to come alive. I've found it's not the big elements, but the tiniest that make the difference. I've spent years pursuing this, and expect to spend many many more developing and refining the skills I have. I encourage anyone who takes on the task of illustrating another person to go for it with everything you've got. Too often the fear of failure keeps us from doing something new or different or trying a new technique. Please try, do, experiment, fail, succeed. It doesn't matter. It's all a part of the process. Experiment with those tiny differences. Intentially draw someone's eyes just a little too big. Round off their chin a little more than it actually is. See the differences. Learn how to interpret what you see, and correct the mistakes you make. But by all means, just put pencil to paper and do it. Paper is cheap and time is never wasted when we're learning. It's win, win no matter what you do, as long as you do it.

  These two portraits are of my sweet cousin Jenni, taken from a photo shoot I did of her when she got married. I chose the two shots because of the simplicity and lack of distracting elements. The first was drawn with just regular artist pencils and the second is drawn with student quality oil pastels. Both were done as exercises in trusting my instincts. I determined I wasn't going to second guess myself, or take a long time to dwell on it. So I worked quickly and finished both in one sitting. Are they perfect? Clearly, not. Neither is intensely detailed and the oil pastel especially is a bit crude in both color and blending. But, did I learn from them? Absolutely! I moved quickly and didn't do my typical second guessing and internal criticism from the "peanut gallery" in my brain. No matter how long any of us pursue our creative fields there will always be boxes and molds for us to break out of, usually self-impossed. Bust those boxes open and challenge yourself to pursue what it is you really want. As long as we keep doing what we're doing, we're just going to keep getting what we've already got.