Road to Carimona

Every year, a weekend in July is devoted to traveling to family reunions. It just happens that both of my parent’s families get together on the same weekend – one in Preston, Minnesota, and the other in Marshalltown, Iowa. On the designated Saturday, we gather in the city park in Preston, with my mom’s family – the descendants of the Pickett brothers – five brothers and their families who homesteaded in a beautiful valley in this region in the 1860’s and named the settlement, Carimona. Although the town no longer exists, we still carry the stories within us and take time to visit the family cemetery. On Sunday, we are in Iowa with my dad’s relatives and the Norman family reunion to celebrate the life of my Great Grandma Bertha Williams. It’s a lovely time of reconnecting with dear family and getting to meet new arrivals – spouses and babies!

This week’s painting reflects a familiar sight – Road to Carimona, 8” x 10” on 300 lb. Watercolor paper, captures the sense of traveling the country roads through the beautiful landscape of southern Minnesota.

To view the gallery, visit my website: www.wildriverarts.com

Practicing Gratitude

Our schedule has seemed incredibly busy lately and often because of personal and family commitments, we don’t make it to church on Sunday morning. So, we’ve been listening to Greg Boyd’s sermons online. Greg is the senior pastor at Woodland Hills Church – a growing church with a strong outreach ministry on the eastside of St. Paul, Minnesota. This week, his message focused on developing a daily habit of practicing gratitude. There are so many things that happen in our lives every day, and in the busyness of the moment, we may overlook opportunities to reflect and be grateful. Studies indicates that it takes about 8 weeks to effectively incorporate a new habit into our lives and integrating a practice of gratitude can have a dramatic impact on our lives – oftentimes it may lead us to nurture a sense of contentment as well as help ignite more energy and embrace a more optimistic attitude. By keeping a daily journal and taking time to jot down the positive moments, we create a tangible record of good things happening in our lives.

In the midst of the doldrums of February – even longtimers in this neck of the woods agree this has been a very long winter – this exercise has been extremely helpful for me. in just the past week, we’ve been "surprised by joy" by so many good things: good health of our family and the successful heart surgery and recovery of our dear brother-in-law; being able to get together and celebrate Valentine’s Day with lifelong friends; for my husband who continues to expand his talents (in his free time, he’s learning to frame!) and loves the challenges of his work; for a sturdy home that shelters us in the midst of winter snowstorms; and for the arrival of our newly adopted beautiful baby granddaughter from India. Magnolia (Mia) Carimona Suganna is God’s answer to two years of praying for a special child, and she joins her new mom and dad and three older brothers in her loving, forever family. Throughout the entire process, we have been in awe at the many ways God has gone ahead, opened doors, prepared hearts, and made straight the path. We are so thankful.

 

This week’s painting continues my theme of rural barns in winter. Weathered Grey, 8”x10” on 300 lb. Watercolor paper, captures the scene at the end of a quiet, snow-lined lane.

 

 

First Light

In spite of the cold and snowy weather, it’s been a productive January. I’ve really enjoyed this season of “hibernating” and having time in my studio to paint. Now as we cruise into February, my husband and I are already astonished at how fast the calendar hanging in our kitchen is filling up! Over the past few years, I’ve saved many of these calendars – I love to peruse through them for possible painting subjects, and they often act like a journal and sweet reminder of the major events that have happened during the course of each year.

And after months of planning and preparing, my first gallery show will begin tomorrow, February 1. For the month of February, I’m honored to be one of the guest artists at artZ Gallery in Amery, Wisconsin. I’m so looking forward to this new adventure and thankful to so many – overwhelming support from my dear family and friends as well as an incredible band of fellow artists who have helped to walk me through this whole creative process. It’s been a year since I started painting full-time, and I’m grateful to be part of such an energetic, encouraging community.

This week’s painting, Early Morn, 8” x 12” on 300 lb. Watercolor paper, captures the wonderful light of an early winter morning on the big lake. 

 

 

Painting people!

Painting people has always seemed like a huge barrier for me –  getting the proportions right and the light and shadows correct can be very difficult. However, when I took the watercolor painting class last spring with instructor Paul Oman, he talked about the joy of including people in our paintings and challenged us to paint quickly and without fear! At our family vacation last summer in Door County, WI, our daughter took this picture of their three boys standing on the shore of Lake Michigan watching a beautiful sunset.  She titled the photograph, “Brothers”and it has become such a special picture, especially for this Granna. I thought that was a perfect title for this painting as well.

This week’s painting, Brothers, is 7” x 8” on 300 lb. Watercolor paper.

 

 

 

Painting Snow!

I’m having a fun time experimenting with painting snow! That may sound strange, but the middle of January seems to be the perfect time to learn new techniques for adding color and depth to sky, surfaces and shadows in a winter landscape. And of course, the picture needs to include a picturesque barn, woods and big pine trees. 

This week’s painting, Close of Day, 7” x 10” on 300 lb. Watercolor paper, captures the wondrous light at the end of a wintery day.

 

Northwoods Series - #4

One of my favorite icons on the North Shore is the Split Rock Lighthouse. The public outcry for a lighthouse to be built in this rugged rock resulted from a November gale on Lake Superior that wrecked nearly 30 ships in 1905. Completed in 1910, today Split Rock is considered one of the most picturesque lighthouses in the United States. The story of its construction and its tremendous legacy of ships and lives saved is worth the price of admission to view the film onsite at the visitor center.

In seeking a view that would reflect the North Shore in winter, this one seemed to ignite my love of rocks and shadows. Split Rock has been painted and photographed so often, but this is my interpretation of this famous light. Winter Light, is 5”x7” on 300 lb. Watercolor paper.

 

 

 

 

Northwood Series #3

I’m continuing the study of the four seasons in the Northwoods and today’s focus was on autumn. It's one of my favorite seasons - the humidity drops and after a busy summer in our cabin community, the lake next to our home is wonderfully quiet. My third painting, Woodland Color, 5”x 7” Watercolor on 300 lb. paper, captures a clear, northern stream cascading through a birch and pine woodland filled with autumn color.