Layers of Life

Every Painting Tells a Story

Layers of Life

Every person has a life story. They make us who we are - unique - special – impassioned - different from every other human that has ever lived. I like to envision a life story as individual paintings layered together to make that person into a masterpiece. As I think about my own paintings, there are some I would love to share with the world, some are painted for a specific person, some unfortunately I have shared with the world, later to wonder what on earth I was thinking and some end in the trash, just too embarrassing to share with anyone. The layers of our life are like that, some to be shared, some to be trashed, but all make us who we are.

My SMAHC grant project, ‘Every Painting Tells a Story,’ now has a sub-title, ‘Layers of Life.’ It is a self-portrait project. Although I will tell my story in the paintings and on my blog, I do not intend on revealing too much of my own story so that you may be able to personally relate to each of the paintings and reflect on your own life story.

I need to add a final note. Much of my own life story has been a search for GOD and who He is. In my search I have researched and tried different religions. I even considered myself an atheist at one point. This is a government grant and I am not able to promote a religion and it is not my intention to do so, but because this search is so much a part of who I am, I feel I need to include some aspects of that search in my series. I have no intention of offending anyone or their religious beliefs in doing so.

 

My family and friends are a large part of my story. This first 'Layers of Life' painting is about just that. One day my son Anthony and his friend, Ben found some treasures - frogs! I have so many memories of 'found treasures' with my family and friends. This first painting (still in the process of being painted) represents family, friends, time spent together and the found treasures we discovered along the way.

Found Treasures
18"x24"
Watercolor/Mixed Media

(check back later for the completed painting)

 

 

Every Painting Tells a Story - Beginning - SMAHC Grant

The Beginning

I have found over and over again that when someone asks me about one of my paintings there is a story behind why I have painted it. People have many times bought a piece of my work because of its story. For my SMAHC grant project, ‘Every Painting Has a Story,’ I will write about, photograph and create a 15-piece series. I will incorporate words, phrases, symbols, gold and silver leaf, rice paper, handmade papers and found objects to loosen up my work and help tell the stories of my paintings.

 

I will be documenting this process on my blog. I invite you to join me on this journey. Please follow along by clicking the 'follow' button or entering you email address in the box on the left side. Thanks.



Our First Egg!!!!!

I'm not positive Esther laid it, but she sure did look proud yesterday!!!

 

 

And, it sure did taste good this morning!!!

 

 

Over-easy on toast.

 

 

Looks like Hemmingway wants some.

 

 

Since David has put so much time and work into helping me with the chickens,

he gets the first egg!

 

 

 

 

 

He let me share!

 

 

 

The End

 

 

One side note. It's a good thing the chicken coop is almost complete. They will have nesting boxes soon to lay all those eggs. Anyone want fresh free-range chicken eggs?

 

 

Chicken Coop

David and Paul working on the chicken (and one duck) coop this week.

We're naming the coop 'Paul's Place.'

After a hard day's work!

The Chickens

Esther

 

Sunshine the duck and Bobbie

Flossy

Jeanette

Indigo and Jeanette