If you are looking for THURS. DOORS, keep scrolling to the very bottom of the post (pass the comments) and click on Thurs. Doors!!! Oil, 24 x 24 inch, The Wine Press, © St Germain If you were a grape, would you want to go … Continue reading NOT EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT
Soft Pastel, 18 x 24 inch, Lets Celebrate, © St Germain
A dance with a quilt performed on one of the art evenings
in Laguna Niguel, California.
No walls here! It ranged from
a drum circle, to Tibetan music instruments, to poetry.
About 40 people with only one painter: moi.
It was more than fun – it was significant, memorable,
and more of those good things:)
This was painted after that evening, and took me a while
to choose the most memorable, which was not easy,
because I had taken many images that night. To me,
that is the purpose for a believer in Christ, to have enjoy
and celebrate life, instead of the view that
life is holding on to boring rules that limit us.
The joy of the Lord is your strength. It means
if you have no joy, it weakens you in life
It’s not just a wall, it is … hard to describe …
a piece of history … or even
a monument? Enfin, I was totally mesmerized.
One Word Sun., Makro Tex
We started a conversation with neighbors we passed by.
I could tell one was from the city. He immediately offered
a beer from his crate. Then I told the other one
that his tree with the white blooms
I just had captured was just gorgeous
On the country side you may talk then … about anything,
for half an hour or so before we decided to continue on our walk.
Garden Affair, FOTD. Floral Fri Foto
A nostalgic memory
For Mid Week Monochrome -92
Weekly Smile, Wordless Wednesday
To clarify: proud grandparents
she has been studying nursing since
Sorry, a little blurry, except for the reflection:)
Weekend Reflection
Am not sure if this is in the Netherlands or in the USA:)
Travel Tue, Sky Watch
SATURDAY – Garden Affair *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun: wall * Sun Best *
MONDAY – Weekly Smile* FOTD *
TUESDAY – Tue Pictorals* Makro-Tex * Travel Tue*
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wed.* MWM – 92 *
THURSDAY – Thankful Thurs.* Sky Watch* Floral Fri Foto*
FRIDAY – Fri Bliss* Weekend Reflection*
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Oil, 10 x 17 feet, The Wedding Feast, © St Germain
The Disciples (friends of Jesus), a part of my 10 x 17 inch painting. In a light brown, because that is how I separated a 115 people on this painting, as the ones coming from the past. Some were fishermen, a tax collector, etc. They turned the world upside down in their times
and caused incredible waves!
They were real people with some good and not so good
characteristics. For example: impatient Peter, sons of Zebedee. always fighting over girls,
pinching pennies Matthew,
treasonous Judas.
But Jesus called them his friends, and chose them
to be the ones who would spread
His Good News to the ends of the earth.
Am jealous of the faith and mercy he had for people.
Garden Affair, FOTD, Floral Fri Foto
What about them waves? Standing on the bridge and looking down on a runoff for the
water supply in Auburn, turning into a wild river.
One Word Sun – Wave
Wordless Wednesday
but I miss seeing cattle on the way to the grocery store:)
Some waves. Hubby fishing in Yosemite Nat. Park
Oh, and his blurry reflection in the foreground
Der Nature Donnerstag, Weekend Reflection
Sky Watch
SATURDAY – Garden Affair *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun* Sun Best *
MONDAY * FOTD * Weekly Smile *
TUESDAY – Tues. Pictorals * Makro-Tex* Travel Tue *
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wed.* Der Natur Donnerstag *
THURSDAY – Thankful Thurs. * Sky Watch* Floral Fri Foto*
FRIDAY – Fri Bliss* Weekend Reflection *
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Oil. 24 x 24 inch, Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge, © St Germain
The title does not apply to the painting, (smile).
Kind of a heavy title, but I have always been drawn
to these two trees in heaven/paradise that are named this way.
How easy is it for us here on earth to go after
the tree of knowledge, since It impresses people.
Let’s face it: head knowledge is limited to time and space
on the earth. God is much bigger than that, and he is infinite.
When we get on the wave length of God, we can see how
the tree of life contains the stuff that remains
and things that are eternal.
Can you guess which is the tree of knowledge?
It is the red one, for that catches the attention
of others, and reflects self. The tree of life is green,
unassuming and organic, and adjusts to the background.
There was an uplifting atmosphere while I painted this.
A late teen came to me in the middle of painting this,
saying the painting had inspired him to a poem,
and showed his journal to me.
Reactions like this one keep me painting.
I love it when people are inspired, and catch the message!
My last year’s Mothers day Bouquet from my oldest daughter
Garden affair, FOTD, Floral Fri Foto
Wordless Wednesday
I keep eating cake. Whatever some evil people have planned,
they will lose, resign or disappear from the earth.
I am celebrating that:)
Weekly Smile, Makro-Tex- June
Definition of a plain: a flat area with some trees on it.
shown again for One Word Sun
It looks like the upper half of the reflection is upside down?
Weekend Reflection
Maybe the weather alert influenced me about this sky today:
tornado, flooding. jikes. Hoping for the best!
But, there is a sky hole!
Sky Watch
MONDAY – Garden Affair* FOTD* Weekly Smile*
TUESDAY – Pictoral Tue * Makro-Tex: WHATW* Travel Tue*
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wed.*
THURSDAY – Thankful Thurs.* Sky Watch *
FRIDAY – Fri Bliss * Weekend Reflection*
SUNDAY – One Word Sun. – plain* Sun’s Best*
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Soft Pastel, 22 x 30 inch Soldier Coming Home, © St Germain
I will never forget this painting in pastel.
At that time, I lived in a street full of veterans, having been in
Desert Storm, Vietnam, etc., so this subject was pretty much
in line with where I lived. What is so unusual,
I was at this point, painting this
for the congregation of a church. I was almost finished,
but I never could finish it, because
covid broke out the next Sunday.
It was literally, a soldier coming home,
everyone came home,
and had no idea we would be home
for months of lockdown.
That you may come to your eternal home in the figurative
sense because the sacrifice he once made, so he could
take you to his home in heaven.
You might not know it, but pastel is as strong and
durable as the oil medium
(Judging from the sketches of well known painters
like Rembrandt, de Goya, etc.).
I don’t use it as much,
since I often paint for audiences, and most of them
have not enough light to see the subtle differences
in colors to see which I should use.
Also, it is more appropriate for smaller paintings.
This paper is from Arches -cold pressed. I like this rough
watercolor paper, easier to handle
since it gives an instant “structure” to what is
painted. With pastel it gives the effect
of little white spaces in between.
Wordless
Garden Affair, FOTD, Floral Fri Foto
Citty dwellers have points of reference that may not mean
anything to someone not living in the city. This is San Francisco.
Waiting at the open bridge …. I look at my watch ….
Palms always give such a punch at the grey road sides
Der Natur Donnerstag
When my kids were at home, one of the inexpensive outings
(since I did my graduate work at that time) with them
– when gas (for the car) was cheap –
was a day at the beach at the pier in Long Beach
we always went to, since this beach was the closest.
One Word Sun – pier
On our walk through the financial district in San Franciso.
Am not sure if the two guys are also part of the reflection!
Jo’s Walk, Weekend Reflection
You cant walk without eating cookies – have some!
We purchase this tin every December
Makro-Tex (Down View)
On the way home, we pass the Amador City sign 🙂
This city has one main street, haha
Sky Watch
MONDAY – Jo’s Walk * Garden Affair * Weekly Smile * FOTD *
TUESDAY – Tue Scribbles * Makro-Tex * Travel Tue *
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wed. * Der Natur Donnerstag *
THURSDAY – Sky Watch * Thankful Thurs. * floral Fri Foto*
FRIDAY – Fri Bliss * Weekly Reflections *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun. * Sun. Best *
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Oil, 24 x 30 inch, the Widow’s Coin, © St Germain
Give and it shall be given to you – a Biblical principle.
Worked a long time on this one to show
it in a more classical style. Explained to the audience
was that Jesus in the background is not judging,
he is waiting (because in the US culture, having one’s
arms across the chest means: closed off –
not so in other cultures.)
A hard thing to get over, if we have a hard time
making ends meet, that any little gift counts.
Jesus is in the background notices it,
and later he comes back to it, “She has given everything!”
So true, our gift depends on what we have.
Yesterday I saw of a video of a man with a big bag,
asking passers by, “Do you have a few (or two) dollars?”
Then, when the person opens their wallet, he opens his bag
and gives back a hundred times of what they gave.
Wow, wow, wow, but that exactly what God does.
FOTD, Garden Affair, Floral Fri Foto
An icon I never get enough of when walking along the waterside
in the harbor of Sacramento
Jo’s Walk
A tire reflection and birdie
Weekend Reflection, Sat. Critters
Wordless Wed. and One Word Sunday: Sea at Corona Beach
(notice the birds!)
Nothing better than a feathery sunset
Sky Watch
MONDAY – Garden Affair* FOTD * Weekly Smile* Jo’s Walk *
TUESDAY – Tue Scribbles * Makro-Tex: Flowers* Travel Tue.*
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wed. * Wed. Scrib *
THURSDAY – Thankful Thurs. * Sky Watch * Floral Fri Foto *
FRIDAY – Weekend Reflection * Fri Bliss *
SATURDAY – Sat. Critters *
SUNDAY – One Word Sunday: sea* Sundays Best*
CLICK HERE FOR – Thurs. Doors
Oil, 36 x 36 inch, Angels’ Staircase, © St Germain
Waited a while, first showing you plenty of other subjects,
earthly, current, political, seasonal, so you know my life is
not in a cathedral, but in a regular house in a suburb,
and my life is as such. Yet, angels are as real as
the things you can touch and feel, like a camera, a car, etc.
This was a dream Jacob had at night,
while sleeping in the outdoors. It was of such importance
that it literally changed his DNA!
He saw angels ascending and descending on a ladder.
Angels are NOT little cute cherubs. What I know from
angels, I have read in the Bible, and have seen a few.
Many are much taller than human beings.
They are definitely more beautiful than people on earth.
They have no gender. Some have no wings,
others have 2 or 6. They differ in rank and purpose,
and is seen in what they wear.
They carry out God’s commands.
They can be fierce and extremely strong.
Just one example in 2 Kings 19 : 35 -at night
the angel struck 185.000 of the Assyrians dead.
They help people out of many messes:)
(Disclaimer, the yellow in the painting is much stronger,
wile the lighter blue on top is not as dominant)
Diversity in Angels – One Word Sun.
Hubby has a good steady hand for these kinds of flower captures.
Wisteria in our previous back yard
Garden Affair, FOTD, Floral Fri Foto
A larger view, if you look closely you see the bird house
in between the bare branches on the right side
(the round hole opening and the pointy roof).
Der Natur Donnerstag
Wordless Wed.
Nature as good as it gets!
Makro-Tex: May, Weekend Reflection
Who says the country side is boring?
Always another view of the sky, the fields, streams,
flowers, weather conditions. All from my deck or across the path.
MONDAY – Garden Affair * FOTD* Weekly Smile*
TUESDAY – Pictoral Tue * Makro-Tex * Travel Tue *
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wednesday * Der Natur Donnerstag *
THURSDAY – Thankful Thurs.* Sky Watch* Floral Fri Foto*
FRIDAY – Fri Bliss * Weekend Reflection *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun * Sun’s Best *
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Acrylic, 24 x 30 inch Flames of Fire, ©St Germain
What is displayed here is the moment the fire of the Holy Spirit
came on the believers, while a cloud is unseen to the natural
eye is hovering over them (the latter is a sign
of God’s presence). The circles of light radiate, enveloping them.
This was fun, and almost like a new thing. Almost,
because I did one of major significance
at least 25 years ago. Went with harder
lines to make it easier on myself.
Photographically, I’m not at the place I can show
that the cloud is filled with pearl (silver) iridescent and gold.
This brings me to nature, which always has
the most balanced shapes –
not too sharp or invasive, infinite variety, and alive looking!
Weekend Reflection
Early crocus spring bloom
in my previous forest yard
Garden Affair, FOTD, Floral Fri Foto
Celebrate life – eat cake!
This slice makes me smile, because
it looks bright and messy.
It reminds me on some of my paintings:)
Weekly Smile
One Word Sun.: drink
An American, who was a chef married a French girl.
They became our friends, and when we
invited them to our house he showed us a crate
with wines, because he did not know what we liked:)
Since we ate fish that day, we chose this one.
A piece of text for Makro-Tex in a painting I am still
working on.
Am jazzed am in another state where sunsets
are very frequent and can be bright.
Sky Watch
MONDAY – Garden Affair * FOTD * Weekly Smile *
TUESDAY – Pictoral Tue * Makro-Tex * Travel Tue *
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wed. *
THURSDAY – Thankful Thurs.* Sky Watch* Floral Fri Foto*
FRIDAY – Fri Bliss * Weekend Reflection *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun * Sun Best *
THURS. DOORS
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Oil, 18 x 24 inch, The Story of the Finch, © St Germain
(the original is a bit darker)
You know by now, that there is no painting
for this painter without a purpose or a story.
Was writing an Easter story once
that led to this story of the finch, who
was asking if her neighbor had her eggs ready for Easter.
Then the bird in the next tree, mentioned it
would soon be the birthday from a 7-year-old boy,
who would love a computer for his birthday.
He for sure knew his parents could not afford this.
After many birds told this news from tree to tree,
it happened to reach his parents’ friends.
When the friends took out the family
for dinner, they had a little flat package for
the birthday boy.
One Word Sun. – Eggs
In the Netherlands Easter is in general for the Christians
(at least it used to be) a bigger deal than in the USA.
Like for Christmas, 2 work days off.
That’s probably why the windmill came to mind.
Weekend Reflection
Wordless Wed., Der Natur Donnerstag
Somehow this reminds me on the grave of Good Friday
except for that the big stone must have been man-height
In any case, it is a colorful and festive day, remembering
the resurrection of Jesus who paid with his life for you and I,
so he can take you to his eternal home in heaven.
Garden Affair, FOTD, Floral Fri Foto
Wordless Wednesday
ABOVE: with my 10- and 11 year old partners in crime:)
HERE -part of a painting that I am still working on –
but it does have text:) Turning out to be very timely,
because this year many more eagles have been spotted.
Makro Tex:
Even though this old farm was falling apart,
every time we drove by, I remembered
what a great looking farm this was in its glory days.
Sky Watch.
MONDAY – Garden Affair * FOTD * Weekly Smile*
TUESDAY – Pictoral Tues. * Makro-Tex* Travel Tue. *
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wed. * Der Natur Donnerstag *
THURSDAY –Thankful Thurs.* Sky Watch * Floral Fri Foto*
FRIDAY – Fri Bliss * Weekend Reflection *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun.* Sun Best*
Might have posted this painting before, but when Makro-Tex
asked for “something blue”” I immediately thought
of this painting. I used the palette knife for this, and not a brush.
This painting was inspired by the song of Simon and Garfunkel
“Like a Bridge over Troubled Water.”
Makro Tex
Bulbs from your forest yard in California, were
the only flowers the deer wouldn’t eat:)
Garden Affair, FOTD, Floral Fri Foto
Among the ones of us who like to just wander around
when they shop, don’t you love it when you FOUND
something you were not looking for?
One Word Sunday
These punches of blue awnings and the parasols
add so much charm to this otherwise
stark lines of this restaurant in old Sacramento
Weekly Smile, Weekend Reflection
Don’t these look like bird legs and feet?
Sky Watch
MONDAY – Garden Affair * FOTD * Weekly Smile *
TUESDAY – Tue. Scribbles * Makro-Tex * Travel Tue *
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wed.*
THURSDAY – Thankful Thurs. * Sky Watch * Floral Fri Foto *
FRIDAY – Fri Bliss * Weekend Reflection *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun. * Sun’s Best *
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living between two realms 