God has a Plan

I have always believed God has a purpose for my life and if my paintings bring someone joy, that is all I can ask for.  I spent many years doing engineering drawings as a Landscape Architect and never felt 'natural' to me.  I always felt I was really out of my element, only coming alive whenever I was called on to render a plan artistically.  Loving plants, it is much more satisfying for me to paint them naturally than to place them in the landscape.  The few art classes I took, the professors questioned why I was in my major and not art.  If given the opportunity, I would love to go back to school and get my masters in art.  Maybe one day soon!

All of this to say to you, if you are fighting what you thought was your calling and hating every day you do it, stop fighting it.  Don't just do what society says is valuable.  My mother said attain the highest degree (that meant be a doctor, lawyer, etc.).  Well, I wanted to make her proud, so I chose the most prestigious degree I thought I may have an interest in.  I wish I had become an artist back then, but God had me on another journey and I value the path He had me on and I can't change it, so I embrace to lessons I've learned.  So maybe part of my calling is to tell young and old, do what you love and you will be passionate and will become who God created you to be!

An example is my son.  His whole life we put him in every sport and outdoor activity from camping to hunting.  He struggled in math in his high school engineering program, but we were trying to find something he would excel in.  My husband finally forced him to take guitar lessons when he was 11.  Well, it stuck.  He wrote song after song and became passionate about his music.  We then told him he had to pick a real career and to look at music as a hobby.  But God had a different plan, because all of a sudden he is being recognized for the some 50 songs he has written and a music licensing company just sent him a contract.  God had a plan for him all along.  It was not a conventional one, but if it's His will, it will be right!

Artists That Have Inspired Me

Part of my journey as an artist has been to open myself up to learning from others.  Having painted only two years, I am nearly an open canvas to change.  The painting above resulted from a copy of Jackie Schindehette's original painting (I take no credit for this painting and it is, of course, not for sale!).  I took lessons from her and this was the result of several months of work.  Not having painted much in oils, it added a high amount of difficulty.  It was excruciatingly hard to paint and frustrating, but I am happy with the end result.  I will always treasure this painting.

I am a big fan of Jackie's and she is a patient, wonderful teacher.  She is quite famous and has even painted ornaments for the White House!  I learned the most about skies and clouds and depth and how to achieve it.
 

I painted this after a clouds workshop at Linda Blondeim's studio.  Her daughter provided snacks and we painted, laughed and ate.  All my favorite things!

Linda Blondeim is another favorite of mine.  I have taken some group workshops and I find her fun and easy-going.  Her students love her.  I also think she is a genius at marketing her art.  Her greatest talent, in my opinion is capturing the light and feeling of nature.  I love the fact that she can take a simple natural setting and make me want to go there and experience it!


And, of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention my good friend, Donna Leeward.  She is the teacher that got me going on painting and she and I still go on adventures and paint together.  I treasure her friendship and love our lalapaloosa days riding bikes, finding bbq and looking for the perfect painting spots.

Donna grew up exploring the backwoods and byways of Florida.  Her father taught her to paint and was a real Florida cowboy.  He is an incredible artist in his own right.  Some of Donna's greatest gifts are simplifying the scene and using brilliant color in her paintings.  She loves Florida history and seeks to educate about Florida history with her paintings.

She tried to teach me to paint for a year.  I was so frustrated as I had always sketched and felt very comfortable with that.  Somehow I could never 'get' painting.  Then one day, we went out together and she very patiently helped me through my first successful plein aire painting.  Something clicked, and I have been painting ever since!  Thank you friend, because of you, I have now spent countless days loving painting!

This was that painting.  It sold and was one of the first I sold at an art show.  Very exciting for me!

Ode to Mom

Ode to Mom

As I started this blog I realized that the greatest gift my mom gave me beside my faith is the love of nature and the out-of -doors.

Peggy Hawkinson , Peggy MacQueen when I was growing up.  She was a twin.  Her sister was the complete opposite from her.  She was short and brunette, unassuming, quiet, yet determined.  Her sister, Betty was tall and blond, a real 'looker'. 

 I never saw my mom "toot" her own horn or be overly-anything.  She was given a full scholarship to Cornell University and obtained her bachelors.  As her four children were growing up, I remember her bent over a typewriter, working on her masters degree and then her doctorate.  All done through the mail, long distance at night after a full day of working as a professor at the local community college.

She also had a degree in ornithology.  Her great love was birds.  Every Christmas she led a bird census in the area.  Our freezer was full of birds about to be stuffed.  People would bring dead and dieing birds to her weekly.  She would screech to a halt in the car and say "look, there is a double-crested so and so!".  She was president of the local Audubon society and a prominent member of Sierra Club.  While other kids went shopping, we went to nearby state parks for camping, hiking, swimming and exploring.  My greatest memories were at the springs swimming for days, pretending I was a mermaid.  Many times she would have to force me out of them as my fingers were blue from the cold water.  I spent every day in the woods and never wanted to leave them.

After we left for college, she reconnected with her sweetheart from when she was young.  They married and she lived out her dreams of touring the world bird watching.  He would paint birds and she would write books about them.  Together they were finally so happy doing what they loved.  She passed away many years ago, but she is with me every time I see a bird or enjoy a hike outside.

Thanks Mom!

One of my latest paintings from the west coast marshlands.  It is an oil and was very difficult.  I learned a lot from this one and it is hanging in my husband's office.

Marshes are very important in our ecosystem as they are a filter for part of Florida's aquifer.  Many plants and animals thrive in these areas such as fish, alligators, birds, sea animals and many grasses, palms and water plants.  They are ever changing with the tides and seasons.  Part of the great Florida birding trail goes through and around these marshes.  There are so many unseen and uninhabited nature preserves in this wonderful state.  We boast more plant species and planting zones than any other state, from the tropical to the temperate.

If you are bored with "city life", may I suggest you explore all of Florida's rich outdoors.  There is no greater gift you can give your children than to take them outside!