40 Days: Day 23: Beacons of Resilience

8"x10"
Oil on Panel

Plein air with Palette Knife

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Painting from life is a great way to meditate on the world around you. To notice the colors and the structures in our beautiful world is such a blessing. This final painting from Saint Joseph, Michigan was painted plein air on the beach with freezing temperatures and gusty winds. It was enough to make the effort nothing less than pure adventure. The lighthouse in this painting was the location from where the two previous paintings were made. By this time, the winds had picked up greatly and huge swells crashed against the pier.  I could not help but be impressed by the strength of those structures to withstand such harsh conditions. 

Special thanks to my brother-in-law, my host and invaluable assistant, for blocking the winds from knocking my easel over.  I hope to visit this beautiful place again... preferably in the warmer months.

40 Days: Day 20: Michigan Coast

8"x10"
Oil on Panel

Plein air with Palette Knife

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Switching gears for a bit in my 40 paintings. I took some time while on "Spring Break" in Saint Joseph Michigan to do some plein air painting. It was chilly and windy on the north pier, but it was a beautiful day to paint. 

Gulf Glow

6"x6" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

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30 Paintings in 30 Days: January, 2015—Day 26

For all of you beach fans out there.

It Is Well with My Soul 24x36

24"x36" Professional Acrylic with Palette Knife
on Deep Edged Canvas

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On display now thru September 30 at the Connections Gallery at 
Belle Meade United Methodist Church.

It Is Well with My Soul

Horatio G. Spafford

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Changing Tides

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

Seven Days on 30-A: Day 5

I am always amazed at how different each day is on the beach. Today the waves were stronger. The higher tides carved interesting shapes on the shore. This painting is of the newly carved beach with a mother carefully watching her children as they play in the stronger currents.

Evening Haze

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

Seven Days on 30-A: Day 1

Hello Beach! We arrived at the beach house in the mid afternoon. Our luggage still in the car, we took off our shoes and walked on the soft, white sands of Florida’s Gulf Coast. We smelled the sea air, felt the warm breeze on our faces and gazed at the beauty of the ocean. The afternoon light was beginning to turn the sea into a dazzling display of light. After a hurried unloading and quick-change, we came back out to play. For me, playing meant painting the changing colors of the hazy afternoon light. It was as refreshing to my soul as splashing in the ocean waves—which I also did with my family.

Evening Tide

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

Fresh Catch Series #2

Today's painting is of the evening tide in the Gulf of Mexico. There is very little surf in the gulf. Sometimes, it is so calm that it seems as if someone simply turned off the "surf machine." By evening, the sea does manage to muster up some waves. Watch for a future painting of the morning tide to compliment this piece.

It Is Well with My Soul

9"x12" Oil on Canvas

with Palette Knife

SOLD

Here is another installment of my abstract series based on Christian hymns. This song has a very moving story behind it. You can read about it by clicking here.

It Is Well with My Soul

Horatio G. Spafford

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

1. 
   

Grace

Most every summer we go to the beach. It’s a wonderful time for family fun and relaxation. Our favorite patch of sand is on Seagrove Beach, just off of 30-A in Florida. I have always wanted to paint on the beach. This year, we had the room in our van for my french easel and I seized the moment. Painting the ocean tides was harder than I thought. For one, I chose to paint at dusk, when things are the most colorful. But I discovered that the sun sets rather quickly, and the colors change a bit too fast for my speed. I also realized how hard it was to capture the constant motion of the waves. I think what turned out was more impression than fact. That’s just fine with me because what I was really after was an impression. An impression of God’s Grace. I am amazed how the sea is so varied from day to day, and yet remains so constant. Today’s tide could be calm and gentle. Tomorrow’s tide could be strong enough to change the shape of the shore. Yet, you can always trust that there will be waves. One after another. Endless. Never stopping like a beating heart. God’s Grace is very much like that. Sometimes gentle and peaceful. Other times strong and formative. But no matter what, God’s gift of love comes to us every minute of every hour of every day. It never stops coming to our shores. Like a constant breath, God loves us, forgives us, reforms us and sustains us with every crashing wave. It may too complicated to capture in paint, but the impression it leaves for me is simply beautiful.