Barn For My Dad

Last summer, while visiting my Dad in Minnesota,  we drove around back country roads looking for barns to photograph.  We got list a few times and found ourselves at this goat farm.  The owners gave us permission to walk around and take our photos.  Dad chatted with the family while I snapped away.  The barns were huge and old and beautiful.  It was like traveling back in time.  In the quiet, I stood to gaze at them in wonder.  How many generations of people lived,and worked here? The barn knew and kept it's secret.

Evolution of a Landscape; Oil and palate knife

This is just a quick video I put together showing the progression of the painting below.  I LOVED doing this one.  My next painting at the studio will be a sea scape and even a bit more challenging.  Stay tuned for more progress!

Landscape with Poppies Study
Oil on Canvas with Palate Knife
by Cheryl Harris White
24" x 20"
UNAVAILABLE
completed at A Touch Of Paris Studio

June Forest Progression DAY FIVE

More warmth...I wanted it to feel like the sun is shining...

This was my color palate for today's work
deep yellow, raw sienna, blue violet, and white

I used small brushes and gave the tree edges some shadow, lines and texture. You have to look close to see the changes I made today, but they do make a difference. Almost done.

June Forest Progression Day 5

Six Birch Trees

Birch Trees

by Cheryl Harris White
Acrylic on Canvas

18" x 18"

This is a different painting from yesterday, same style. The smaller picture above  is phase one.  I put the leaves where I thought trees might look good basically. You can kind of see where the leaves of the foremost tree were going on the left side there. ...Then on the large photo, you see the finished painting.  I used a palate knife loaded with thick white paint to add the trees.  I let some color show on the white bark of the birch trees just for fun. I also liked grounding the trees this time, showing where they sprout from the ground.  I loved the result. I'm definitely going to do more like this!

Round Lake Woods in Progress

    

Phase 1 of Round Lake Woods

Round Lake, Minnesota is a place I've been visiting all my life.  My mother camped there as a child, and took us back often when we were growing up.  When my mom's cancer became terminal, that is where she wanted to spend the rest of her days, and that is exactly what my parents did.   My folks bought property on the lake and we went there often as adults to visit and I started bringing my own kids there.  My mom is now buried at the Round Lake Cemetery and the home they had there has been sold, but Round Lake is still there.

Round Lake Woods
by Cheryl Harris White
Acrylic on canvas
18" x 16"

The lake is spring fed and almost perfectly round and has a sandy bottom.  The water is so cold and pure and all around the lake are small cottages and lake houses surrounded by tall pines and birch trees.   I'm going to be posting some art this week celebrating  the memories I have of that place.

This is really one painting.  I did phase one first and just painted the leaves and sky above and woodsy floor below.  The 2nd photo is  the finished painting and it shows the trees I added with a palate knife.  This is my first attempt so I've hung this one in my guest bathroom to be revisited later.  More to come.

Christmas Painting #2

Oh Holy Night
by Cheryl Harris White
Acrylic on Canvas
24" x 48"

Oh Holy Night is my second favorite Christmas painting done that year.   This entire painting was done with layers of acrylic paint and a palate knife.  The star over the manger shining light on the birth of Jesus pierces the sky with bursts of color radiating outward.  And in the center,  even the hay  joins in the celebration, splashing outwards from the manger as if it could not contain the miracle of Christ's birth.


If you look close, I splattered bits of red paint on the manger and hay...I really just felt like doing that when I was painting it, but after I stepped back and looked, I liked it.  It made me think about Christ's sacrifice when he shed is blood to cover our sins.   

Going, Going...Gone

I found this last painting when I  re organized my art studio. Trying to clean up a bit.  I found another pretty one, I'll show tomorrow as well.   This is another  tall water to wine piece I had done several years ago.  It isn't hanging in the guest bathroom, but I do have it very close to my easel and it's fate is very uncertain.  I thought it at least deserved to be seen before I paint over it.

Cana Bride And Groom
by Cheryl Harris White
Acrylic on Canvas
24" x48"

Mary Did You Know III

2006
Mary Did You Know
by Cheryl Harris White
Posted Feb. 11, 2011

To the left, I posted some of the older paintings I did with this theme in progression from the oldest on the left and newest on the right ending with today's post, Mary Did You Know III.  By looking at these paintings side by side, I can see a progression in style and it really encourages me.  Growth and change is a process and it happens gradually.  It is illustrated here with my art, but also true about us spiritually, physically or in anything really.  The last one (below) is similar to yesterday's post  but taller.  It's my most recent and my favorite so far, but you never know, I may do another

2008
Two Sisters
by Cheryl Harris White
Posted March 2, 20

2009
Mary Did You Know II
by Cheryl Harris White
Posted March 5, 2011

Mary Did You Know III
by Cheryl Harris White
Acrylic on Canvas
24" x 48"