Once You Learn...You Will Never Forget

Once you learn,you'll never forget...riding a bike that is they say.

My early years of bike riding for me began on a tricycle. I can see it. Not the shinny new version but the one that has miles on it. My knees knocking out f bars because I've out grown it. But still cool to ride a friend on the back, race around the porch taking bends on two wheels. So many joyful memories are associated with bike riding. Summer afternoons, family outings, being old enough to ride to a friends house. How cool we were. And now as I get older, cruising on the bike relishing the sights the sounds the company.
 

Calming colors of blue and cream. Fun circles that roll through the journey and number 5 (it represents balance. The dot in the middle being the center for the other halves to balance on)

Encouraging words for anyone's adventures past or present.

 

 Never Forget

10" x 10"

Purchase Information Here

 

I Finally DID IT after all these years!

Doing it right on the main highway in Portersville, PA! Yep,first time!  I have a studio and gallery/retail space outside of my home!!
After doing some deep thinking,making the decision to move out, I began my search. I had my eye on this place for a while but was out of reach. Looking at a couple of options ,I got an invite to this house. I find it confirming that I came full circle back to this. It's a 1830's farm house. Six rooms and a great little kitchen to boot.

 

This is going to be the classroom area. Yep,fireplace works.

One of  these rooms upstairs I believe will be my studio work space.

 

That blue wallpaper has GOT to come off, walls patched and painted,lighting fixtures....but not much heavy duty work.

I'm so EXCITED! I'll keep you updated as progress is made. :D

Artful Lent 2016 Week 2 -TRUSTING

TRUSTING, something so hard to do. Especially when you are to turn everything over in to Gods hands. Doing it is one thing for me but being comfortable in it so another.

I've been struggling and working at hearing Gods plan for me. Questioning what it is I am to be doing. So theJesus Calling "Experiencing God's Presence"  in Sarah Young study guides seemed a good place to start.  Several excesizes in Luke 5:1-11 is given to study.  It's a familar story. But this time I saw it from the shoreline. Watching, listening.Amazed at the trust the men, especially Simon, puts in Jesus. With what seems to be with no question.  Here it is:

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,^[a] the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. ² He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. ³ He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put outside into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
⁵ Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
⁶ When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. ⁷ So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
⁸ When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” ⁹ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, ¹⁰ and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” ¹¹ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Read  it againand imagining what Simon.was feeling, thinking when Jesus called him out.Wwhat kind of tone does Jesus use?   Why did Simom say " Go away from me Lord, I am a sinful man." ? Would you respond the way Jesus did?

Picturung what people thought of this sight, what happened before them, if you were ther how would it effect your trust  in the Lord? Are you able to do what Jesus asks whebn he calls you out? What would help you to have more TRUST in the Lord for what he has in store for your life?

 Hoping this inspires you. SUSAN

Stop back, I'll share where this verse takes me in my drawing.

 

Artful Lent Drawing: Ash Wednesday

Last couple Lenten seasons I have done Twisted Line drawings from journaling props from another artist, Tamara Peterson of Artful Story. This year, I'm going to attempt to find inspiration on my own. I'm excited to see where I am led. These little Zentangled inspired drawings are relaxing and I can reflect and think about the verse as I draw.

 

Not even sure where to begin, I though how about where lent begins, with Ash Wednesday. Questioning where this originates, where in Bible it might be referenced...so my research began. Courious why ashes on for head? What I found was it is not all that old of an observation and seems bases on one verse. 

In an article from Time magazine I found it said Ash Wendsday has been observed since about the 11th centry. In the 1970's , YES, 1970's when trends were going toward contecting the physical body with the spiritual body, as well as to open up conversations about faith.

In the article from Time,  Lauren F. Winner, a priest and assistant professor at Duke Divinity School. “You see that in the book Daniel in the nine chapter there’s a line about associating fasting with ashes, so ashes are associated with penance, which is the dominant theme of Lent.”

I often need a little back story to help me take in a verse. So my prompt starts with verse 2 of Danial 9 and goes to Danial 9:4

 

"In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments."  Daniel 9:2-4.NIV
 

Now on to the Drawing! I use simple materials to be able to do the prompt with in my lifestyle as a mom of four,wife,artist/self employed, bus driver etc. I recomend picking materials that you too can manage ans set yourself up for success. 

 

 

Again this year  I'm working on a 3.5" x 3.5" card weight paper. ( a smooth bristal works nicely), dollar store type machanical pencil, no sharpening needed, Sakura Prisma markers. Sizes .03,.01,.005. All in black. I LOVE these pens and have ok..many many. If your just getting started, the .01 will get the job done nicely. ( or any fine tip marker you have) Maybe toss in a litlle white eraser. Again can be found at dollar store.  I keep all of this and pre-cut paper in a 4"x6" plastic container.

 

I like a little boarder. It helps frame in the design. So I reflected and thought about the verses and tried to portray how it would be applied and interpreted for myself. I begin with a pencil sketch of some of the basic shapes and fill in as I go directly with ink/marker.

 

Looking into what a sakcloth is I learned it was from goats. Their coat is bulky and known to be VERY uncomfortable. My figue is kneeling head bowed in repentance. I feel like when lm brought to my knees, it is serious business.

As I added ashes, the challenge for me was to keep them light looking in weight, but grey/dirty looking as well as interesting. I included images of my sins. That of my tongue, clock: worried about time, not spending proper time with God/Bible/listening/ reflection  and my thoughts.

Image of Bible as  I should go to the Bible to draw closer to God, pray, confess and repent. Cross there for a number of reasons but a reminder that Jesus died for my sins.

 

I would love to have you join me each week and see where we go together. Even if you do not draw, take in the verse and share what you experience in the comments below.

 

blessings, Susan

Egg-stravagent Mid-Term Madness

Yes, Eggs and Mid-terms. BUT NOT what you think. My kids are preparing for mid-terms and I am preparing for the Easter season. I brought my 'studio desk' back up to the kitchen table. I do mixed media eggs for the Easter and they start with base coats of color...So I am painting and quizzing!

 Here are some of the first steps in creating my Art Eggs. Layers of color using acrylic paint, sealing and then more layers of color or words, verses and crosses so far. (sealing in between each to keep clear, bright colors).
  Ill use about anything to dry on. Top photos you a glass I was using I just turned upside down, egg cup in process, bottle caps work great (got to collect more of those!) At one point I had an egg drying on the water bottle itself! I just hate to get up and down. ;0/...OH of course and egg carton. Foam works best as less likely to have the wet egg stick to it. You just have to lay them with as little as possible touching on any of the surfaces.

 You may enjoy this previous post on my Art Eggs as well. Click HERE  to view

 

I use markers too for details.

Visit my website for more finished Art Eggs and listing of Classes if you would be interested in learning how to make your own.

www.susanwalkerart.com

30 Paintings in 30 Days Continue into the Sunrise

"Stand Tall and Proud
Sink your roots deeply into the Earth
Reflect the light of a greater source
Think long term
Go out on a limb
Remember your place among all living beings
Embrace with joy the changing seasons
For each yields its own abundance
The Energy and Birth of Spring
The Growth and Contentment of Summer
The Wisdom to let go of leaves in the Fall
The Rest and Quiet Renewal of Winter." 
-  LLan Shamir, Advice from a Tree 

 

 If you follow my Facebook or Instagram page, you know I am  well, obsessed, actually more mesmerized by the beauty of the colors with sunsets. I can see them from my front porch. They just call at me to go out and be dazzled by the colors. Now sunrises, I get to experience on my bus drive now that I am up while it is still dark ;0).... Like the other morning, I was so moved by the colors of the morning, the brush strokes. I just wanted to stop and take it all in. Gods color pallet is un-matchable to me. But I am trying to transfer the feeling from the colors across in the painting below. I can envision a tree ,the roots clinging and immersed in the land holding on, reach out. Branches stretched and challenged.

Look deep and see and feel the layers. Like us, grounded but by so many layers. then deeper the bumps, the dirt, the rocks of our path. But through all those rocks and debris some how the green grass, beautiful flowers and life emerges.

 

Hope you will stop back to see how this develops on. :0)
 

 

8"x8" Mixed Media in progress