On the Fence – final
Well I felt good enough to pretty well finish this painting last night. I’m pretty happy on how it turned out, but i wished that I would have handled the weeds differently, not sure how different but different. We’re heading out this morning to check out colleges for my youngest so I don’t have time to write much, but wanted to at least post the painting. Thanks and everyone have a safe and fun weekend!
Please visit the gallery on top of page for other paintings or scroll down and go to older post.
Amber – Watercolor
Click on image to zoom in
Well, I had a little break in the action last night and even though I several commissioned paintings to start, I had very little time for a major project, so I found this photo of Amber that I had wanted to paint for awhile now and this is the end result. Amber does amazing photography and is creative in all that she does. A lot of her photos to me have this rich look to them and I didn’t capture exactly what I was hoping for, but I hope she approves. She has beautiful skin and the rich colors and at terns of the cloth draping her brings a wonderful contrast. Thank you Amber for allowing me to paint from a beautiful photo of yours!
This is all watercolor on Crescent hot pressed illustration board. The image is 5 1/2″ x 8″
Don’t Forget to visit the Gallery at the very top of blog and also visit my other blog artbyrhayes.com (updated soon… I promise) Thanks Everyone!
Spring Break – Watercolor
Click on image to zoom in for a larger view
Just got back from Spring Break, and a break was needed. Between health issues and the craziness of my work place, a little R&R was appreciated. We went with some wonderful friends, which we have been best of friends now for at least ten years. Their kids were in the same classes as ours, so that works out perfectly and their kids (now young adults) have wonderful values and ethics. They are one of only a few couples that I would even consider staying in the same place for that many days. Dr. Frank and myself have a lot in common. He loves to read… I don’t, He’s a doctor… I’m not, O.K. so we have some differences, but he loves the outdoors, hunting, fishing, hiking… and so do I. Our wives, well they have talking in common, and they do it well! LOL
This year was our youngest girls high school senior year, so we let them pick on where they wanted to go. A lot of their friends were going to Panama City Beach Florida, so that’s where we went. Being about a 11 hour drive from our house, it wasn’t to bad of a drive, I’m just not sure why Florida hasn’t figured out the direct route idea. We zoom down to Montegomery, Alabama, but then it’s back road and stop lights from there to Panama City. Hello! can anyone say direct interstate or major highway to Panama City! You have hundreds of thousands of northern white legs each year trying to get to Panama City to spend millions of dollars, and you can’t build a direct highway. Anyway, we had a great time and enjoyed every minute of a week of beautiful weather.
I didn’t have a lot of painting time but the watercolor above was one that I painted while laying on the white sands of Florida. I hope you enjoy and don’t forget to visit my Gallery at the top of the blog.
I could have DIED! funny friday
Click on image to zoom in, and don’t forget to visit other paintings in my gallery in listings above.
So many near death events in my life… you laugh, but it’s true! How does a kid make it through so many years of stupidity and bad judgement. The unfinished stream above looks fun, cool and wet, but one similar to this one almost killed me, and my grandfather. Well, I decided to list a few, and feel free to list some of yours in a comment.
Here we go!
1. It brings fear back into my mind just to relive this in words. It was a beautiful summer day at Spring Mill Park in Indiana. The heat was beaming down, the humidity was so bad, fish could live out of water, and of course I was barefoot and shirtless. My family was gathered around the stream picnicking, the streams temperature was so cold it would make your feet numb if you stayed in it to long. That’s when this shirtless, shoeless kid decides that the moss, slime covered rocks would be a blast to play on in the stream… Bad Idea! Being about 6 or 7 years old (I think) I started across this death stream with balance and agility, so I thought, with in seconds my feet were in the air above my shoulders, my butt following my feet, and my head and shoulders were where my feet had begun the journey. Bam! Whack! (a little batman lingo) I hit the rocks right between my shoulder blades! Air shot out of my body like a gun, both lungs collapsed, ribs cracking, and death was near! Actually the wind just got knocked out of me, and the embarrassment did more damage than the fall. BUT I COULD HAVE DIED! You ask how this nearly killed my granddad? His air left his body as fast as mine, although he wasn’t in the stream or hit any rocks… it was from laughing so hard! That’s right, my granddad nearly laughed himself to death that day and everyday after that when he often reminded me of that day.
2. Another time, was when I thought that I was Evil Kenevil and decided that it would be a good idea to make a home-made bike ramp… wrong! Back in my days (sounds like my dad) we didn’t have these fancy BMX bikes, we had sting rays, with crouch killing banana seats! And whose idea was it to make the boys bikes with the cross-bar… a woman! I think it was women that decided to pay back men by designing a bike with the man killing bar across the middle. But it wasn’t the bar that got me… at least not this time, it was the amazing, blistering speed that I reached while flying down what seem like a mountain, hit the ramp, and of course just when leaving the ramp, you pull up hard and spring your legs to get more altitude. Sounds cool! But if done just right, your bike leaves the ramp and continues on a circular motion. Now days the pros do this on purpose and continues into a flip… I WASN’T a pro and continue into a flip anyway, and proceeded to once again land on the back of my neck and head… I COULD HAVE DIED! But I didn’t, after my lungs decided to work again, and oxygen was once again reaching vital organs, I sprung up and looked around in fear of someone seeing just how stupid I was.
3. The mini bike, that’s right, a mini bike. These were small motorcycles with a pull string starter and a frame made for war. They weren’t like the pansy scooters now days, these were death traps waiting to happen… and I had one. The seat was a crappy piece of foam with about eight layers of tape wrapped around it for a custom upholstery look. Foolishly we decided to load this mean machine up and take it to my Uncles… bad decision once again. My uncle standing in his front yard, cranked the string and roared the engine and said Ryan jump on and take it for a ride. Now remember as I’m telling the story, that I had already rode it a few times before. I jumped on like the manly, 60 pound, Harley Dude that I was, cranked the accelerator and off I went. Oooooh @#$%! my mind panicked, my brain shut down, and everything that I knew to stop, went blank. Zoom around the house I went… to the side… to the back… to the side… and back to the front yard! My uncle laughing and standing in a defensive basketball stance, ready to grab me as I slowed down. The problem is… I didn’t slow down, I sped up! My eyes were as big as baseballs and my uncle’s got just as big once he realized that there was no stopping me. I flew towards him, he dives out-of-the-way like a stuntman in an action movie, and past him I zoomed. About half way through his corn field, my brain clicked in, and I released the throttle and pulled the brake… that’s all it took! BUT I COULD HAVE DIED! And then there was the Spark Plug from this machine of death zipping past my and my brothers forehead at terminal velocity… Nearly killing us… but that’s another story!
The watercolor and ink above isn’t finished yet but I wanted to post something today. I hope to finish it next monday. Have a great weekend!
Aspen Trees, Greening for Spring – watercolor
Click on image to zoom in
A little celebration of what’s hopefully coming soon… Spring! Southern Indiana has had a fairly calm winter but it’s time for it to get out and allow the spring time weather to roll in. This watercolor that I painted yesterday is a 5″ x 7″ on 140lb coldpress paper, 3 color watercolor palette and india inked tree. For some reason I decided to only use the pen and ink on the tree trunk and limbs, and watercolor the leaves… just something different I guess. By keeping the shading down to minimum, I think it gives a more graphic or illustrated look. Instead of shading I either kept a thin white line between items to separate them or just used the contrast in colors for depth. Anyway I have a canvas acrylic almost finished and another larger watercolor about half way finished that I hope to post next week (if time allows). Until then I hope you like this one and thanks for visiting.
Please visit my Gallery at the top of my header to see other paintings of mine.
Also, I apologize to all my good friends of the blog world for my absence visiting your sites, it has been a crazy year so far. I hope to visit more in the coming months, but just always know that I admire all of your talents and friendliness.
Sailboat – watercolor sketch
Click on picture to zoom in
Not sure why I’m into the nautical mood, but here is a 8″ x 6″ pen sketch with watercolor coloring. I don’t know a lot about sailing but I have a feeling that these guys aren’t in the best of positions. I’m hoping to have another acrylic finished either tonight or this weekend for posting Monday. Have a great weekend, and keep a brush in hand!
Sweet Jane – Watercolor
Set a float, with very little worries. Sun warming your skin, and a cooling mist of salty spray reaching over the bow.
The flash of emerald-green and blues from the heaven above mirroring off each ripple and wave.
Gentle motion of the rocking sea, holds and cradles you like a mother’s arms while putting a baby asleep.
The hypnotic rhythm of the sea crashing into the side of the boat and along the shore, as though an orchestra of wind and water plays as one instrument.
My heart slows, my mind calms, my body becomes one with the ocean, and all rhythms and sounds becomes my soul as my soul becomes one with the ocean.
I had mentioned my favorite artist in past post that I have always admired, but as I travel, I admire only one as the greatest artist of all… that would be God. Whether you believe in God or not, the Earth has such wonders, as small as the road map of life on an autumn leaf, or as large as the sculpted stone mountains and the deepest blue of oceans. I just find it hard to believe that just evolution would have had such an artistic touch in producing such life. To me, evolution would have produced a more duplicating canvas. At one point supposedly all creatures were the same, from the same region, if this is so, why would some grow limbs to leave the oceans to survive, wouldn’t they all? And those who merged from the oceans, why would some grow teeth, wings, claws, larger brains, some with hair, some without? IF they are still in the same region and climates, would they have all not gained the same evolutionary benefits? I may be a fool for believing in a higher creator of life, but my soul as a Christian and as an artist, tells me otherwise. Even if your beliefs aren’t with God, take time to stop and appreciate each of what has been given.
I painted the watercolor above last night while watching t.v. and thinking of Spring Break just around the corner. It is a 12″ x 16″ watercolor on 140lb coldpress paper. I hope you enjoy the painting and thanks for putting up with my thoughts!
Fair Warning – Acrylic Elephant Fnl
Click on Image to Zoom in
Here it is… finally got a few minutes this weekend to finish it up. I hope you like how it turned out! To purchase, please visit my other website artbyrhayes.com
Cardinals Win!
But this little guy doesn’t act that happy about it. Sure the other cardinals are making millions of dollars, living in huge HEATED homes, or better yet flying to some tropical island for the winter until spring training. While this little sits in a pine tree draped with heavy snow and as snow continues to fall on his little head. Life would be a lot better for him if they made Snuggies in his size!
Oh and congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals and their amazing year of baseball. I’m not a huge baseball fan, NFL football and College basketball are my favorites, but I’ll have to admit that the ending season and the World Series this year was pretty exciting.
I did this 7″ x 10″ watercolor last night while watching t.v., I haven’t had a lot of time to paint so I wanted to do something simple just to keep myself painting. Everyone have a safe and family filled Thanksgiving, and give thanks for what you have no matter how little it is.
Santa – Limited Edition Prints
Hot off the press, My first Limited Edition, numbered, signed, 4 color digital litho Prints of my “Santa’s Wink” watercolor. The print has an image size of 12″ x 16″, and printed on a Heavy Acid Free 80lb cover stock, that can be easily matted and framed in a standard 16″ x 20″ frame. I’m sure this would make a wonderful gift for that person who have everything, collects Santas or just to fill a spot with a holiday touch. I appreciate all of you, and I hope that you will help me out and do some marketing for me.
The specs:
Limited Edition (500, and only 500) Digital 4 color Litho Print
Signed and numbered by the artist
12 3/4″ x 17″ sheet size / 12″ x 16″ Image size
80lb Heavy Cover Stock Acid Free Paper
$35.00 + SH
Thank you again!
Frosted Holly Berries – Watercolor
I’m not sure if anyone that reads my blog has ever had a holly tree in their yard, but I have. My mom had a large one in the backyard, and although they are beautiful trees, these things are death waiting to happen. O.K. I went a little over board on the description, but for anyone that has gone barefoot anywhere near these things, you know what I mean. The green daggers of death are bad enough, but then they dry to be these brown daggers that will take an entire foot off at the ankles if hit just right. O.k., again I may have exaggerated a little, but those barefoot’n rednecks like myself, you know what I mean. I was barefoot so much of my life, that my feet were like toughened leather. Why I could run full speed down a gravel rocked road… didn’t hurt. I could walk in fields of briars, weeds, cross barbed wire fences… didn’t hurt. I once had to drive nails while building a barn with my feet… didn’t hurt (that’s a lie by the way). But when I stepped on one of these claws of the devil called holly leaves…. I screamed like a school girl on a roller coaster for the first time, yup, high-pitched, tearful and just throw something pink on me girl yell, because these things hurt! But it is almost Christmas, and I’m pretty sure instead of a crown of thorns when Jesus was crucified, they used these dried up Devil claws holly leaves wrapped as a crown. Beautiful! But painful!
This watercolor is a 12″ x 16″ on 140lb coldpress paper.
Also prints of the Santa Winking found on the pryer post is now available in a 500 Limited Edition, signed and numbered, on nice 80lb cover acid free stock. They are $35.00 plus shipping. Please, this is my first attempt at prints, so help me get the word out. They can contact me at ryanhayes.art@gmail.com
Thanks!
Why? God – watercolor
Questions, life is full of questions. I’m not talking about those questions that have definite answers, you know, the ones asked in school, although I didn’t have answers for very many for those either, But they did have answers. The questions that I’m talking about are those in our past that made us stop and either wonder why, or possibly cry, because we questioned. One of my most tearful questions for years, was my mom divorcing my dad. I was nine, and I can tell you that this tore major holes in my heart, so I questioned why. The loss of my grandparents that were the most religious and God-loving people, and yet taken by cancer, I questioned why. The meeting of my wife in high school, her being so good, and I was a waste, but she still found love with me, I questioned how I deserve this. The birth of my two brilliantly smart and absolutely beautiful both physically and within their hearts, I questioned how did I deserve them. There were times that I questioned my faith, and just wanted to scream to the Lord above, WHY! Why would you take such wonderful, God-loving people, that were some of the purist of Christian love so early in life. I didn’t just question, but I was angry. How could the Lord take a young child and allow cancer to eat their bodies away until death, and yet allow, what could be a healthy person, kill their bodies with drugs and alcohol. But I do know, after months, or years after I questioned why on these occasions, there always seemed to be an answer given. Unfortunately, so many people and especially young kids, question, but don’t allow enough time to go by to see the answer. My wife’s cousin, and a good high school friend of mine both questioned, but took their lives before they could receive and answer. The sad thing is, if they would have given it a day, or weeks, I’m sure that both would have been living a good life today with children and a wife, but sadly they’re gone.
What I wanted to show in this painting was pain being felt, but a prayer bringing a glimpse of hope into this young girls heart and eyes. Watching my girls grow, and go through high school, I have seen a lot of pain in their hearts, and I remember having that pain myself as a child and young adult, where you weren’t sure if your heart can take anymore pain, and whether it was all worth it. I can tell you, it is worth it, be strong, work hard at everything you do, and most importantly, have Faith, have Faith in yourself, friends, family and most importantly in God. Don’t hold things in, it’s not worth it, talk to your friends and family about things that bother you, but most importantly, close your eyes, open your heart, and pray. As you grow in faith, you will grow in confidence, friendships, and the love of life.
The painting is a 9″ x 9″ watercolor on 140lb cold press paper. I did this one, and another ATC last night while watching football. This is a first of this style for me as a portrait, and it’s a must for you to try.
Old Rusty Piece of…. Beauty!
With Fall approaching fast and the temperatures dropping, I find my self thinking of treasures, not the treasures of a pirate ship, although that would be great but other treasures. Call me a nerd but I love to explore, metal detect, yes I said metal detect, you would be absolutely amazed how many old coins, historical relics, old toys and so much more is still hidden by the earth. In almost every yard of a house that was built in the sixties and earlier, have I not found a silver coin. Unfortunately in Indiana the ground by the end of June or July is so freaking hard, not only can you not dig, but you would have to use a jack hammer to dig anything. Along with metal detecting, I also loved to explore the woods for hidden treasures such as this old car, and other pieces with a story. I look at these pieces of rust different from others, I always wonder about the story behind them, was the family poor, rich, did they have the vacation memories in this car, like I have in ours now. Like the Picker Sisters, I have decided to collect some of these pieces and create some art or furniture out of them, hopefully will post photos someday soon.
This original watercolor is 7 1/2″ x 7 1/2″ on 140 lb coldpress paper. The colors may vary due to the scan. $100.00
Dolphins – Acrylic
Finally… I know that’s what you’re thinking, but to be honest, it’s still not finished! The little guy has a little more detail and final layer to be put on it, but then it’s finished. I haven’t worked on this since the last post showing it’s progress, so I picked it up last night and attempted to finish it but had to get up at 5:00 this morning and going to bed at midnight, well let’s just say this old man can’t take it anymore. This is an acrylic on 24″ x 36″ stretched canvas. I have learned that the more detail with acrylics, the better I am with them, so this was a challenge since I haven’t used acrylics for sometime now. I’m still using the old school dry fast acrylics, but I’m thinking about switching to the new drying slower acrylics. If any one has an opinion on them let me know what you think.
This painting may be sold already, but if not I will be selling it for $250.00, but not until I know for sure next week-end.
Everyone have a wonderful, safe, labor day!
A House on Amelia Island – Final Watercolor
I finally got some time to finish this watercolor of a home in Amelia Island. It was a first for me on painting a palm tree like this. My scans are still crap, I can’t seem to get the colors and contrast to show true to the painting. This was a beautiful place to visit and I would recommend to any one for visiting, but especially artist, beautiful history, beach and homes. We were only there for a day, but I’ll be back hopefully soon for several days of plein airing.
Misty Morn’n
Walk with me this morning, the air has a crisp cool nip and the sun is arising lifting the morning mist. We’ll talk about family, beauty, and possibly art, but it will be calm and good for the heart. Well this sounds good and soon will be possible, but right now the Indiana morning have been 80 degrees and the humidity about 90%. People in the south say we don’t know heat like they have… until they come to Indiana in July and they soon want to return back to the cooler, ocean breeze of Florida. Don’t get me wrong, parts of Indiana is as pretty as it gets, especially in the fall, but the change in weather is extreme both directions, 100′s high humidity to 0 degree and ice and snow. So, join me in the misty morning painting, a sweater or hoody jacket on, mug of coffee, and a good conversation as we stroll down this wonderful lane heading to friendshipville.
This was my first attempt at fog or mist. I tried to keep it to just a few colors attempting to keep a calm look to it all. Not sure if I pulled it off, but it was fun trying. Thanks and everyone have a great weekend!
Tying one on
It’s been a long, long time since I had tied one on (a lure), but hopefully soon that will all change. I love to fish as most of you know, not just to get fish, but for all the reasons that come with it. I have so many memories of my dad and I going fishing when I was young. So along with my quick painting, I wrote a little diddy about those memories.
It was the night before the trip, and sleep was what I was needing. For you see before the sunrise, I was to be awaken and the words let’s go, would ring through the air. I would shut my eyes in hopes of falling fast asleep, but that didn’t work because the excitement of fishing was racing through my head in the hopes of out fishing my dad, or catching the biggest one. Finally after what seemed like forever, I would fall asleep. After, what seemed like 10 minutes of sleep, my dad would come into the room and try to stir me out of bed, before he could say let’s go, I was up, throwing clothes on and headed for the door. My Uncle that went with us a lot, had an old truck and the boat, so we would meet him at his house. We loaded up and headed out, but first was a stop at the local gas station to get in a glass bottle… yes kids that’s right, glass, ice-cold glass bottle of yahoo chocolate milk for me, and soda for them, along with a few sweet snacks… breakfast of champions! The old soda machine was the type that you opened a chest like top, put your money in, and then slid your bottle (ice-cold) along a maze like track till it reached the end and came out. We ere now on our way and by this time the sun has just begun to bring its brilliance to the horizon. We would finally reach the lake, but the lakes always seemed to be way out in the middle of a weedy pasture, so we would drive as far out as possible and then my dad and uncle would carry the boat the rest of the way. I would trail behind carrying rods, boxes and drinks, and wearing shorts (important later), very seldom did I wear shirt or shoes, and always shorts (important later). We then would reach the quick sand like mud at the edge of the lake, you know the type of knee-deep mud that sucks your feet down, and won’t let go of your shoes or boots. Finally we are in the boat ready to cast for bass, blue gill or anything else that might tug at our line. About noon we would get our sandwiches that my mom would make that had been floating in a bag back and forth in the water at the bottom of the boat, a little soggy, but good after fishing all morning. Once we got our stringer full or it was late we would head back to the truck. Of course on the way home I would fall asleep because of the all day sun and getting up before sunrise, and the only thing that would awaken me was the constant clank of the yahoo and soft drink bottles (Glass) rolling back and forth on the pickups floor. My dad and uncle would clean the fish, and then it was off to go back home, bath, and go to bed. With the memories of the one that got away, or the big one that was now in our freezer, or how great the yahoo tasted that morning, just a full day of great memories. Something I will take with me to my grave. Thank you dad for taking the time, and for scraping enough money together to buy those ice-cold (in the bottle) drinks, and also my uncle that had the boat, truck, and the time to go with us.
But for the (important later) inserts, I’ll do a math like description:
Shorts – shirt – bugs spray of any kind + waist-high weeds = CHIGGERS!
From the belt line down, and I’m including some very important parts here, nothing but chiggers bites! I have counted 40-50 just in the waist line area (including some very important parts), and even more down the legs. Now for you that don’t know what chiggers are, they are flea like pest that bite and embed themselves in your skin and create an unbelievable itch. I can hear some of you laughing… and shame on you, and you know who you are, but this was serious stuff for days and days afterwards! Three words for you that find this funny… Very Important Parts!
Let’s get Tubular
Once again my family and I are heading to the beach soon, and I just can’t wait. All my life I have had a love for tropical weather, sunshine and the salty ocean. This maybe one of the last vacations taken for a while with both of my girls, and we’re hoping to make a lot of memories. Disney, Seaworld, Deep Sea Fishing, and horse back riding on the beach, all rolled up into one week. My oldest daughter is a senior in college, and our youngest will be a senior in high school this year and leaving for college next year, so after this year who knows where they will be.
I found this picture on the net, and really like the framing of the land with the tubular shape of the wave. I had to scan it in two sections and try to piece it together, so there may be an erase line or distortion down the middle. It’s all watercolor on 140lb coldpress paper. So grab your surf board… or lounge chair and join me on the beach, for a bone rattling good time! SURF’S UP!
Old John Deere Tractor
Kenny Chesney one of my favorite country singers, released a song with the lyrics “she thinks my tractors sexy”, so I’m throwing this out there and who knows! I was without my girls and wife last night, so being the wild and crazy guy that I am… I painted! I know, I know, calm yourself down because you can’t even imagine being that wild, but, what can I say. This old John Deere is so rusty that the John Deere green is almost completely gone, leaving nothing but a hint of the yellow name. This was fun, and I enjoy painting old rusty things, but what I need help on is the foreground grass and bushes. I’m just not happy with the textures and hoping some of you experts can help me out. Do you use sponges, brushes, dry on wet, dry on dry, wet on wet? The look that I’m after has been mastered by David Tripp, actually everything in watercolors has been mastered by David Tripp, but if anyone knows of a video or book that might help, please let me know. Well, I hope that you think my tractor sexy, and you’ll return with comments and helpful hints. Thanks!
Kitten for Humane Society- Watercolor
Another painting for my daughters Humane Society fund raiser. The dog, this kitten and a custom painting or drawing, all will be in a silent auction for a Kentucky Humane Society Walk in the Park. Although I have a little more to do on the eyes and hair, I thought that I would go ahead and post it before taking it to the auction. It is a 7″x7″ all watercolor on 140lb cold press paper. Have a great weekend!
End of Spring Challenge
First of all I would like to apologize to Linda. She has a great challenge for ending spring themed “the leaping greenly spirits of trees”, and reminded us several time, but this old brain still forgot about it. But I had this idea in my head for the challenge, so I wanted to sketch it out quickly this morning and post it. It should have been a lot more detailed and much more time spent on it, but maybe you can get the idea anyways. There are so many great paintings posted this morning for the challenge and I’m ashamed of lowering the level of excellence with this fast sketch. Please visit all the others and leave comments on each one, they are amazing. Once again, sorry Linda, next time I hope to do better!
Look what washed up – watercolor
This was a photo emailed to me by Debby. She sent it to me Friday, so that I would have something to paint this weekend (Thank You Debbie). She had mentioned that she had a hard time painting a sand dollar and so I wanted to give it a try, since I had never painted one before. I was busy all weekend with my wife and house chores until last night, but I hope you like the results anyway. I decided to posted the original photo (above), so that you can see my style and mistakes.
Thank you for the other suggestions, and I believe my next painting will be a sci-fi scene next or maybe the Fenway park or maybe both. You’ll just have to wait and see!
Mermaid of the Sea – Watercolor
Lost among the never-ending swells of blue, waves pounding the sides of our ship, sending its dousing spray of foam and water over the decks edge. No stars above, no light below, nothing but the crashing waves separating the blackened deaths. Why did we begin this journey? Is the greed of man needing more money worth the chance of losing the only thing that money cannot buy, worth it. Oh God, I pray to you now, grip our ship in your hands and steady us, as we fight through this killing storm. My friends, getting swept away over the sides likes peas on a tilted plate, and yet there is nothing I can do to save them because it takes every ounce of my strength to hang on for my own life. Dear God! I have prayed, I have begged, why have you not saved us from horror!
CRACK! BAM! All went black, has God struck me down in death for striking unfaithful words at him, movement has left my body, my once strong arms, now lay limp. Oh God, I’m dead, and my soul left here for eternity, not to be lifted to the heavens above. But then in a distance, or is it close, a dim light begins to brighten, sounds of my men begin to come alive, my arms are starting to regain some strength. I’m not dead, I yelled! I’m alive! I have cheated the hands of the storm, and God! But my men haven’t been so lucky, I am the only survivor, yet upon wakening, I heard voices of my men speaking of the beauty. Where have they all gone, I know that I wasn’t dreaming, I heard my men speaking of the amazing beauty of the sea, and the sounds of heavenly voices in rejoice. But yet not a soul is aboard, but mine. That’s when I heard a sound… a wonderful, heavenly sound of angels coming from the sea, as though it was calling me to the ships edge. Almost in a trance like walk I couldn’t help but to seek out this heavenly sound. As I peered into the, now calm seas, dark as black, but yet still blue, images of angels begin to swim below. Are these dolphins, and my head hurting from the blow from the wooden mass striking my head have me seeing things? But that heavenly voice singing to me, as though I am being called to heaven. Where is it coming from? The graceful dancing figure appears closer to the waters top, it’s more beautiful than I can ever imagine, an angel, an angel from below comes to me in song. She appears above speaking only through song, her body of a perfect woman on top, yet her legs cannot be seen. She reaches as though to be pulled onto the ship. Is this a gift from God for me so I’m not alone? I don’t care where she came from, but I know that I only care I want to be with her for eternity. I reach down to grab her with my strong-arms to pull her aboard, reaching until our finger tips begin to caress, reaching further to take grasp of her warm, delicate hands. I can’t wait to pull her aboard! But wait! Her hands become cold, her song becomes evil, and her beauty, Oh, her beauty becomes demonic! I try to release her grip and break free from this evil, but I am powerless against her strength. She drags me over and into the sea, dragging me deeper and deeper into the black, bottoms of the sea. My want, my greed for lust and money, has once again put me in the arms of death, never to see life again. All of my men fall into the same fate, and now their leader, their captain, joins them once again, into the hell of the Sirens!
There you go, I tried to put a little story with my painting this morning. I hope you enjoy both, or at least one or the other! LOL The watercolor is 5″ x 7″ on 140lb coldpress paper, with acrylic pearls. I tried to make her beautiful and yet a little drop of possible evil. Thanks for visiting!
Two blooms – Watercolor
Sorry that it had taken a while to post the final painting that I had posted Friday, but this artist was in the woods trying to kill a wild turkey all weekend, in the rain, in the middle of ticksville, and only seeing hens and no gobblers. Sounds like ton of fun doesn’t it! Well I’m just crazy like that, but could you sit in your living room and have a really cool chipmunk playing just a few feet from you? Could you have seen a coyote crossing the fields in search of probably the same thing that I was looking for? Or a nice whitetail buck, getting up, walking from his bed area, and eating within 10 yards from you. Box turtle, finches, redheaded woodpeckers and so much more, all this in one weekend, in the woods. Of course your sitting perfectly still, not moving a muscle, so not to be seen by those laser like eyes of the wild turkey, but because your not moving, these other creatures, fly, walk or crawl right up to you, it’s amazing. Yes, it would have been better if I could have dropped a big gobbler with a 11 inch beard and 1 inch spurs, but just killing a bird and not experiencing the hunt… is just killing a bird, and not hunting. This is a 8″ x 10″ watercolor on 140 lb coldpress paper.
