Tag Archives: art

You Want Me To Do What?

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It has been a while since I wrote on here. I started this new painting journey and it took me away for a bit. I am back and I am still painting. That has been both fun and scary.

I try to relax when I create, otherwise, it becomes drudgery instead of joy. I want joy. So, recently I took on a project that was foreign to me. A young man commissioned me to paint him some paintings for his apartment based on what I saw already on his walls as his theme. He gave me the freedom to paint as many as I thought I should. I appreciated that because it meant less pressure on me. Artists like freedom.

I like and I want to view my life as not wasted. I want to soak up everything I can from whatever journey I am on at the time. Horses. The guy like horses. The last time I painted/drew an animal, a mountain lion/cougar, it looked like it had down syndrome. No offence toward anyone, please. It was bad. But I decided to learn to draw horses and create two paintings for him. What was I thinking? Why do I always go in deep? Good grief.

Well, It took me a while and I struggled with my lack of ability and nearly quit several times. But I hate to quit! By golly, this old gal will break the horse and he will come out looking good!

What happened was, a lightbulb came on one day and I saw that these paintings were for him. A weight lifted off of me when I realized this. It was then that I was able to draw the horses and finish the commissioned work and saw his smile when he received them.

For me, I found that the extra pressure of creating what someone else wants is my choice. However, doing this one took me into another level of confidence in my creativity. Will I do horses again? Right now I say no. But maybe might be more truthful.

Here is a sneak peek at what is hanging on someone’s wall…

Enjoy Life

Cate B

 

 

A New Thing

As a child I was encouraged to be creative……sort of encouraged. My mom was a creative person, but her way of encouraging me was to have me watch John Gnagy, our version of Bob Ross. She bought pads and pencils and I was left to figure out if I was able to draw or not. That didn’t last long. I learned to sew and knit very basic. I learned to bake and cook and listen to music while singing my heart out in my room. No verbal encouragement came so I gave up very easily.

But you cannot throw away the creative juices that lie within you. They may lay dormant but they are always there waiting to spring forth when given just a hint of watering and sunlight.

So I have blossomed into a rather good crocheter and baker. But I get antsy. I recently couldn’t ignore the voice that kept gently bidding me to jump in deeper to the creativity. Then, through people I highly respect, I answered with a big YES.

Being a person who just loves my friendship with Father God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, I felt a strong tug to paint. But not paint precise images (thank God) but to paint colours.  I just love colours. I am drawn to colourful things and they speak to me and actually bring out feelings and senses that otherwise just stay hidden.

So now begins a new journey. I started painting in a freeform-type of artistry. Whatever happens with this journey will definitely be a learning experience. At first I absolutely hated what I produced. But I kept them and am moving forward. I figure I will be the first one to get anything out my art simply because I need to see it in a new perspective – as God sees it. I think He likes what I produce, therefore, I need to like it too.

I even show my pieces to people. That is a new thing for me. I often ask why I couldn’t just crochet and give it away (I still crochet and bake – try and stop me!) But I know that this is the medium I am to do now. So here ya go, Dear Readers, a glimpse of my new thing…….

 

Enjoy!

Cate B

One of My Favorite Pastimes

I just love drives to places I’ve never been. And I love drives to places I have been. Scenic routes, I like to call them. Country roads. I just get fulfilled physically with rest and spiritually with awe and wonderment and therefore, emotionally full.

Creation is so artistic. Colors and shadows and wildlife. Man’s church needs to recognize the artistic more. God created all this beauty yet we tend to recognize the logic more than the art. It all comes from Him. Let’s stop packing Him into those boxes we made and stop cutting Him in half. There is so much of the wholeness of God that we are missing when we pack Him up into our self-made boxes because we don’t understand.

I want to understand. I want to open the boxes I’ve stashed away and let Him loose and learn as much as humanly possible.

So, on that note, one of my most favorite pastimes is exploring new areas and being with family. One son and his lovely bride live in KU country. Rock Chalk town in Kansas. We had a great lunch together and a FANTASTIC latte and then a drive to a local lake. Also to mention, Lawrence, Kansas is an amazing town. Full of mid-west charm and shops galore and students everywhere. A small-town atmosphere with city influence and Kansas City charm. Great food to eat and coffee to drink. Love it.

Here are a few pics of our day.

YUMMY!
fire escape and great brick/rock work on the top right of building
brick sidewalks
brick work on some sidewalks
Osprey over the lake
great colors and clouds

Back to Reality

A new adventure coming up in two weeks.  Stay tuned.

In the meantime…….a snippet of a great vacation……….. and now back to reality.

…………
washed up jellyfish
where SpongeBob gets the jelly for the Crabby Patties
card making during a hurricane
remember……
tada!
seriously
boys will be boys
Celebrate USA!
sunset on the Delaware Bay
I missed this…….

Enjoy!

cate b

To Tattoo or Not To Tattoo

To tattoo or not to tattoo…….  Too late!  No question there for me.  I now have two tattoos and think often of my third and what it should be.  Fortunately, I haven’t decided yet and am very glad I didn’t go with every thought I had – I would be covered.

In 2005 we lost our daughter – you can read about that in my Loss/Grief Section on the menu bar.  While our son was traveling home from China to attend his sister’s funeral he designed a couple of tattoos in remembrance of her.  I overheard him talking to his brothers about them and I wanted in on it.  So did my husband.  So about eight of us made appointments at Rebel Image Tattoo – http://www.rebelimagetattoo.com/ – in our home county and here is the one most of the girls got:

tattoo1

vanessachestcopy (2)

Our daughter’s name, Vanessa, means butterfly.  I have this one on my left forearm so I can always see it.  If you look closely and artistically, you can see her initials – V J B in the wings and the body.  I’m so proud of our son for designing this.  Most of the guys got a Celtic butterfly with a heart in the middle sorry, I don’t have access to the pic of that one.

After getting to know Mike, who owns the tattoo parlor, I was totally taken with the whole business.  http://www.rebelimagetattoo.com/person/mike-siderio/#tabs-2Such artistic talent goes into tattoos.  And when you get one specially made for you that has a deep, heart-felt meaning, it just increases my love for them.  You hear me young people?  I just love your tattoos!  Well, most of them.

I have one on my left leg – it represents me (the butterfly in the middle) and my three sons and my daughter (the blue one).  I had a dream and that is where this one came from, also designed by my son after I told him the dream.

tattoo2

I love the whole art thing with tattoos.  Yes, they are pretty much permanent, so I recommend that it is something you really want and has a close meaning to you.  Some of the ones I’ve seen are incredible.  Entire arms, etc. totally tattooed in such detailed work.  It is an amazing aspect of the art world.

So, yes, this grandma loves tattoos.

Enjoy!

cate b