Innocence

Today was such a wonderful day. I got to spend some time this afternoon visiting the Springville Art Museum with a great friend. I was in awe at the talent of the artists in the Spring Salon. There were about 200 accepted out of over 1000. Mine wasn't one of them. I couldn't believe downstairs in the room with all the rejected art was a giant landscape that was one of the most beautiful landscapes I've ever seen. I felt so bad that everyone wasn't going to get the chance to see it. A woman working down there said there were so many incredible pieces and phenomenal talent and she felt that way about all of them. I would really love to volunteer there each spring so I could get a chance to see them all.

I entered the show like a kid in a candy shop. I was so excited to see all the beautiful artwork. We were shocked that a very uninspiring (ugly really) painting was chosen while that beautiful landscape sat downstairs unappreciated. But it was evident why the rest of them were chosen.

My favorite painting was titled "The Summer Cottage" A figurative/landscape oil painting by Trent Austin Gudmunsen that I fell in love with and had to revisit several times. It was a painting of a woman walking out in a field with her little boy on her hip. It was so beautiful it made me want to cry - or it made me want to cry because I wish I could paint like that.

Well, this week I made a decision to stop trying to finish one painting a week. I will continue to paint and write a post of what I've done every week, but I will finish a painting when I like it and feel it's done. The purpose of my goal to begin with was to get me painting and I am. It was to help me overcome my fear of painting and it has, but now, I want to do better and feel better about what I'm doing. The unfinished picture of Christ keeps staring at me, as it sits above my fireplace, and I want to work on it some more.

One night as I was going to bed after painting and feeling good about it I checked in on my son who was sleeping and I thought to myself, "Sure your painting looks good, but what did you do to help him prepare for his future today?" I felt determined to change that. Now I will do what I can and let you know how it's going.

Next Friday I won't be able to post anything because I'll be in the hospital with my son. He has his skull surgery. I am so dreading it, but so ready for it to be done.

This weeks painting is of my daughters friend. She has the most gorgeous big black eyes you've ever seen. I had to paint her.

Reproduction of James Taylor Harwood

Here is my reproduction of Men in a Field by James Taylor Harwood as shown on my last post. It is a birthday present for my sister who is also a country girl at heart. She is such an awesome sister. I'm so thankful to have her as my sister.

James Taylor Harwood

I've been trying to reproduce a painting by James Taylor Harwood. I love the light in this painting. It's amazing!

Spring Break

We had such a great time this week on our trip to Zion. We stayed three nights and four days and had a wonderful time hiking and swimming. We laughed a bunch and created some wonderful memories. I love my family so much. Life is wonderful because of them. I'll always remember the warm, sunny, funfilled days we spent together.

I did a little sketching and a little watercolor, but I didn't finish anything. But I did do quite a bit of reading this week about the early artist of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. One artist whose painting is on a wall at our church I learned was from Lehi - where I am now living. I think he must be so pleased to know his painting hangs on a wall in the town he grew up in. But he must be dissappointed that the people who attend that church don't know anything about him. I learned in a book I'm reading called "Harvesting the Light" that James Taylor Harwood was one of a few early church members that were called as art missionaries. The church helped fund art training in Paris for two years and after they came back prepared to paint the walls of the Salt Lake Temple. I would love to have been able to study as an art missionary. The greatest honor I could imagine is to have a painting in a Temple.

This week I entered a painting in the Springville Art Museum's Spring Salon. They only accept a small percentage of the paintings. My sweet 10 year old son said, "Don't let it break your heart if they don't accept it. It's really good Mom". I was so proud of his sweet protective love. It's so great to see your kids start to mature and become very thoughtful and caring. I will know on the 20th of this month if it was accepted.

Jesus

My Lord My God

This week since it was Easter I wanted to paint Christ. I knew the time spent painting Him would give me time to think of all He did for me. I hoped He wouldn't mind my lack of experience in painting - but I realized He loves us and accepts us with all our weaknesses. If anything I could feel Him helping me.

I'm rethinking this goal for the year. This painting is still unfinished. I'm going to try to finish it tonight, but I'm not feeling well. I think I may post each week what I have done in the last week. I think I will enjoy painting more and not feel so stressed about finishing one. Some paintings take more time and some weeks are more crazy than others. The whole purpose of my goal was to get me actively painting, to overcome my fear of trying to paint perfectly and to gain experience and learn - I am doing that! I just read a quote that said something like, it's more important to paint well than to paint fast. I want to paint well.
If there are any objections I'd like to hear your argument.

So here's my unfinished painting of Christ. I love Him and I'm so thankful that He died for me and gave me a chance to repent and become clean in this life. He brings me hope and joy in life. Now my little buddy, that I'm so thankful Heavenly Father sent me, needs me. And he's more important than painting,