Clouds Got In My Way

"Clouds Got In My Way" 10x8" oil on museum quality Gessobord

"Forests, lakes, and rivers, clouds and winds, stars and flowers, stupendous glaciers and crystal snowflakes - every form of animate or inanimate existence, leaves its impress upon the soul of man."  — Orison Swett Marden

As I was painting this from a photo snapped by my friend Angela, it occurred to me these dense cumulus cloud formations are a perfect metaphor for life. 

Here we are all jolly-olly orange traveling on down the clear cut path, everything is going smoothly; we are surrounded by a brilliant blue dome and warm radiant light. Then suddenly, out of nowhere,  these immense dark threatening clouds appear, extending as far as we can see in an unending caravan of troubles and doubts. Sometimes stacking up in multiple tiers of shadows so gloomy and thick we forget that above it all, we are still surrounded by a veil of azure. Then, just as abruptly, there is a little break and the sun bursts through once more as we continue on down the yellow brick road like nothing ever happened. 

Lord Byron sums it up so well, "Be thou the rainbow in the storms of life, the evening beam that smiles the clouds away, and tints tomorrow with prophetic ray."

BTW: If you're in the Lake Conroe area, please visit my booth at the Bentwater Fine Arts Festival on Sunday, Sept. 28th from 10 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Yacht Club. I have a wide assortment of my oil paintings available for sale. Mention this post and receive 15% discount off any of my paintings. To gain entry to this free show call, 936-597-6219.

Thank you for rolling across my page today. 
nancy

To see more of my art or to contact me: Online Gallery  • E-mail  •  Website  •  Graphic Design Studio •  Saatchi Gallery •  Fine Art America

SOLD -Rock'n Baby Robin

"Rock'n Baby Robin" 4x4" Oil on black primed canvas board

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 "I hope you love birds too. It is economical. It saves going to heaven."
— Emily Dickinson

As you have probably figured out by now... I love birds! They are a huge source of enjoyment for me. Whether I'm filling bird feeders, adding native plants with berries to my yard that birds love, or cleaning bird baths, they are never far from my heart. 

However, in the cold of winter, I feel so sorry for them stuck outside sitting on telephone wires in the cold and rain, or sleet and snow. In fact, it upsets me so much, I actually had to abandon watching the Dakorah, Iowa eaglets on live cam last year. Those babies looked so miserable huddling for warmth under parent's wings covered with snow... and then, the mom and dad always seemed to ignore one of the babies at feeding time. This nearly drove me crazy.

Perhaps the reason I love to paint birds in the winter, like today's content little robin, is that painting them works like psychotherapy. With just a little paint, I can simply teleport these feathered friends to a nice warm cozy setting with a clear blue spring sky. 

Right now here in Texas, we are being hit with a wet and cold wintery blast. Needless to say, I've been on a bird frenzy the past few days, throwing paint around like those bird's lives depended on me. I'll be introducing more of my miniature rescues over the next couple of days.

Thanks for dropping by my virtual bird rehab center...cheep, cheep!
nancy 

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To see more of my art or to contact me: Online Gallery  • E-mail  •  Website  •  Graphic Design Studio 

Windswept

"Windswept" 9x12" oil on canvas panel

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“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”

 — Rabindranath Tagore

I snapped this photo at the Edward Sargent Wildlife Area lookout point in Chama, NM. The reserve is located at the base of the San Juan Mountains and covers 20,000 acres of wild high country extending to the Colorado border. 

A short hike up a rocky mountain path lined with wildflowers leads to this viewing spot...the best place to watch elk graze. The herds follow the river into this area yearly during the summer migration. I was told if you get here right as the sun is setting, you can sometimes can hear the male elk bugling his mating call. It wasn't quite sunset while I was there, so I never saw or heard the elk, but loved the view. My spirit was filled with awe and wonder at the billowy mounds of fluffy white clouds picnicking across that enormous cobalt blue blanket of a sky. It was a visual feast.

Hope you enjoyed the scenery. Thanks for viewing my painting. 

nancy
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