Garden of Eden: 30 x 40" Oil on Canvas

Stage 1

Pastel on Paper

Stage 2

Putting it on Canvas

Stage 3

Creating Depth 

Stage 4

Focus on Light

Stage 5

Complete

Me @ 27 weeks pregnant with triplets. :-D

Bitter Waters is now home.

I forgot how colorful this painting was since I haven't seen it in 5 weeks. 

This is painting #9 in the series, next weekend I begin Daniel and the Lion. 

Bitter Waters

30" x 40"

Oil on Canvas

Bitter Waters

Here are two stages of the painting. The idea sort of appeared in my mind in a flash as I was thinking about what I should paint. I was 2 minutes away from the studio in my car and I thought I'd like to do something colorful and different than other paintings. So, here we go.

Stage 1

Thought process: In this step my goal was to cover the canvas with bright colors and curved shapes. I wanted the tree/log to stick out and yes draw focus to the waters below and the connection to the heavens.

Stage 2

Thought process: I tried to blur the lines yet keep the idea that there are still lines or divisions. There wasn't enough time to complete stage 2, the left upper corner is still unfinished in this style. I want to keep the tree the same, and I'm unsure if I like the red on the rolling grass, that may change. And the sun may also change, I think there needs to be a few more strokes that define a semi curve to the colors not just blend.

Stage 3: Finish the upper left corner. Add more defining lines... clean up a couple of the odd colors that aren't working for me... perhaps start on the splatter and dripping portion of the painting.

כג  וַיָּבֹאוּ מָרָתָה--וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לִשְׁתֹּת מַיִם מִמָּרָה, כִּי מָרִים הֵם; עַל-כֵּן קָרָא-שְׁמָהּ, מָרָה.	23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.
כד  וַיִּלֹּנוּ הָעָם עַל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר, מַה-נִּשְׁתֶּה.	24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying: 'What shall we drink?'
כה  וַיִּצְעַק אֶל-יְהוָה, וַיּוֹרֵהוּ יְהוָה עֵץ, וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶל-הַמַּיִם, וַיִּמְתְּקוּ הַמָּיִם; שָׁם שָׂם לוֹ חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט, וְשָׁם נִסָּהוּ.	25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD showed him a tree, and he cast it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There He made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He proved them;

Crossing the Jordan

Crossing the Jordan

30" x 40"

Oil on Canvas

Deuteronomy 34:4-6

ד  וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֵלָיו, זֹאת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב לֵאמֹר, לְזַרְעֲךָ, אֶתְּנֶנָּה; הֶרְאִיתִיךָ בְעֵינֶיךָ, וְשָׁמָּה לֹא תַעֲבֹר.	4 And the LORD said unto him: 'This is the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying: I will give it unto thy seed; I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.'
ה  וַיָּמָת שָׁם מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד-יְהוָה, בְּאֶרֶץ מוֹאָב--עַל-פִּי יְהוָה.	5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
ו  וַיִּקְבֹּר אֹתוֹ בַגַּי בְּאֶרֶץ מוֹאָב, מוּל בֵּית פְּעוֹר; וְלֹא-יָדַע אִישׁ אֶת-קְבֻרָתוֹ, עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.	6 And he was buried in the valley in the land of Moab over against Beth-peor; and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.

Crossing the Jordan: Stage 1

This originally began as a last ditch effort to get an idea for my next painting. 

We sketched out a few pastel drawings shown in a post below, and I chose this one, one that no one else chose to do. Mainly because it's the only landscape.

In putting on this first layer, which happened about 10 days ago (since I'm taking a week off), we've been looking at this trying to decide what should happen to the next layer. 

1. The River (more flow)

2. The Land. (May stay the same)

3. The Clouds (more realistic)

This is an original sketch and idea not taken from a photograph.

After the Battle of Sisera.

Deborah: After the Battle of Sisera

30" x 40"

Oil on Canvas

The Buffalo

Stage 1

The Buffalo

20" x 22"

Oil on Canvas

Private Collection

South Carolina, U.S.A.

Devorah: Stage 2

Today I added color on the face and hands, altered the helmet, and sword.

Next week the fingers will be altered, additional layers of color, eyes, hair, helmet metal. 

Bathsheba

Bathsheba

30" x 40"

Oil on Canvas

2 Samuel Chapter 11

ב  וַיְהִי לְעֵת הָעֶרֶב, וַיָּקָם דָּוִד מֵעַל מִשְׁכָּבוֹ וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ עַל-גַּג בֵּית-הַמֶּלֶךְ, וַיַּרְא אִשָּׁה רֹחֶצֶת, מֵעַל הַגָּג; וְהָאִשָּׁה, טוֹבַת מַרְאֶה מְאֹד.

2 And it came to pass at eventide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house; and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

Bathsheba: Stage 4

30" x 40"

Oil on Canvas

Joseph's Coat of Many Colors: Completed

Joseph's Coat of Many Colors

30" x  40"

Oil on Canvas

Yes, I paint without shoes. I like to feel my surroundings. 

I'm a bit unconventional I suppose. 

There's no rhyme or reason to my color scheme. 

It's a bit messy. 

Color continues along the sides. 

Joseph and his Coat of Many Colors: Stage 6

95% finished....

Things to do: Hair, Sides of the canvas, hmmm.....

Joseph and the coat of many colors - Stage 5

Joseph: Stage 4: 12 hours in. Blocking done.

Alright. Layer one. Done.

Joseph's Coat: Stage 2

Hanukkah Tree

Guessing: 24" x 48"

I ended up using a canvas that I had sitting around for a couple years. 

This was done on a whim. 

Commissioned - Chicago, IL

Moses' Fury" Finished

Moses' Fury: "Destroying the Golden Calf"

30" x 40"

Oil on Canvas

(drying the top & bottom)

Moses' Fury: Stage 2 with Palette

1. Tablets surrounded by fire... as it destroys the golden calf.

2. People trying to run away from their sins. 

3. Moses' hands stationary.

Thoughts:

1. More definition on human forms.

2. Show greater depth somehow.

3. Hands.

4. Cliff edge.

Tool of the day: Palette knife. 

Moses' Fury: Stage 1

30" x 40"

Oil on Canvas

This idea originally came in the form of an ink drawing about 18 months ago, maybe longer.

It's been in my mind for a long time and needed to be realized.

Right now, the dilemma is:

1. How to show depth standing on the ledge of Sinai.

2. How to show the people scattering from the flames, maybe they should just fall off the canvas metaphorically into a pit, because they died anyway.

3. The fire. How should it look? It resembles the sky in Starry night a bit, and somewhat like a bouquet of roses. 

4. The hands should be realistic. 

5. His feet, I still think he'd see the tips of his toes standing on the edge. I don't think Moses was a hefty man with a belly so fat he couldn't see his feet.