Iris time again!

Irises Out Front © 2008 Karen Mathison Schmidt
6 x 6 • acrylic on Gessobord
gloss varnish for protection and easy cleaning • sold unframed
sold • private collection, Carrollton, Texas

It’s that time of year again ... I just love how these beauties keep coming back again and again. These irises are growing in a front yard garden a few doors down from where we used to live in town. All the beautiful gardens along the sidewalk in our old neighborhood are among the things I’ve really missed since we’ve moved. If all goes according to my little plan, I’ll be planting some irises and day lilies in my own yard this fall!

Here are some details:

True Peace

Psalm 121:5-6

The LORD watches over you –
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

Irises – work in progress

I wanted to share my devotional today from Daily Strength for Daily Needs:

I rest beneath the Almighty’s shade,
My griefs expire, my troubles cease;
Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stayed,
Wilt keep me still in perfect peace.

– C. Wesley

One great sign of the practical recognition of the “divine moment,” and of our finding God’s habitation in it, is constant calmness and peace of mind. Events and things come with the moment; but God comes with them too. So that if He comes in the sunshine, we find rest and joy; and if He comes in the storm, we know He is King of the storms, and our hearts are not troubled. God Himself, though possessing a heart filled with the tenderest feelings, is, nevertheless, an everlasting tranquillity; and when we enter into His holy tabernacle, our souls necessarily enter into the tabernacle of rest.

–T. C. Upham (1799-1892)

The painting, she is finished.

And now for something completely different: a pet portrait in which the subject is actually awake!


Annie in the Afternoon © 2008 Karen Mathison Schmidt
6 x 6 • acrylic on Gessobord
gloss varnish for protection and easy cleaning • sold unframed
sold • private collection, Titusville, New Jersey

I came to the realization the other day that up until now I’ve painted pictures of all our pets except Annie, who is probably the oldest of our animal clan. I say probably because we can’t really be sure how old Henry is. Maybe 10 or 11. Or 12. Which is about how old Annie is.

Anyway, in real life Annie has only one eye, but I’m painting her with two. And hey, look – they’re open for a change! We always said that the reason she lost one eye is that Annie’s so beautiful that if she had two eyes she would just be so drop-dead gorgeous that nobody would even be able to look directly at her. We were joking of course, but she really is beautiful.

I have fewer pictures of Annie than all our other pets because she’s very shy, plus all the others are camera hogs. I caught a few nice shots of her a few days ago (using the telephoto lens of course) while she was basking in the late afternoon sun out on the back patio. I had fun painting her in these delicious, “fauve-a-listic” colors. I’m fascinated by the way the brain sees colors and shapes and puts all the info together to mean something to the viewer – in this case (hopefully!) “cat in light and shadows.”

Here are some close-ups:

Almost there ...

Annie work in progress

Here’s how the painting of Annie is coming along. Just a few details left to do (including her whiskers, I just noticed!) ... I’ll list the finished piece on eBay tomorrow.

No time to chat now – my husband, a mystery/thriller flick, and a slice of pizza with my name on it are waiting for me in the living room, so ciao for now!

Annie

Annie sketch, work in progress

Here’s the sketch for a painting I plan to finish tomorrow. This is the first painting I’ve done of our Annie.

Hasta mañana, amigos!

Just another day in paradise ...

Psalm 146:1-2 (The Message)

Hallelujah! O my soul, praise God!
All my life long I'll praise God,
singing songs to my God as long as I live.

In one of her comments on my blog not too long ago ...



Kelley MacDonald said ...


she thought I lived “in paradise.”





After a day like today ...



I must concur ...


with a hearty “Amen, Sister!”

Wouldn’t it be lovely?

Antique ©2008 Karen Mathison Schmidt
5x7 • acrylic on Gessobord
Sold • private collection, Poway, California

Here’s good ol’ Henry, our bluetick coonhound, engaged in his favorite activity, except for eating and playing.

Oh, and barking and chasing squirrels. And going through our neighbors’ garbage.

And oh yeah, rolling around in cow manure or anything else really stinky he can find out in the pasture. You can rest assured that he always has to have a bath after this last one, before he’s allowed to plop down in his favorite napping spot, above.

As far as the composition of this one is concerned, you may notice that I added a throw that wasn't in the original sketch, draped over the back of the sofa. After I started painting the picture, I realized it really needed something there to break up that big space, and to repeat the color of the rug in that opposite corner.

I think it’s pretty cool that as an artist I can create a blue throw out of thin air right where I need it in a painting. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could do that in real life?

”Hmmm ... I think I’d like a little antique blue finished table right here in this corner, with an old lace tablecloth and a pitcher of hydrangea blossoms and wisteria on it.” Et voila! There it would be, right where you wanted it. Or better yet, "I think I'd like a chocolate éclair on a little antique china plate with yellow roses right here on my desk, to go along with my afternoon coffee.” And there it would be, right there next to your keyboard.

Yep. That would be nice.

Anyway, here are some close-up details of the painting: