About Me

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Exlploring New Creative Worlds

I've been exploring a different area of my creativity lately. I recently took up the pursuit of oil painting after an absence of over forty years. The last time I picked up a brush was previous to the birth of my second son who is now forty-eight. My, how time flies!


Above is a painting completed when I attended a painting party sponsored by a local community action group, LoveBig Sandy. It was a fun time and very helpful in building my confidence.

Earlier that day, I stopped at a shop called Art World www.artworldLongview.com and spent a half-hour asking questions and getting technique tips. Susan was really gracious and helpful. They also offer what they call an 'open class' where anyone is welcome to come spend a couple hours painting under a teacher's supervision and assistance. I'm considering attending a time or two if my schedule allows.

In the meantime, I've been dabbling on my own. My little cabin has had to 'stretch' a bit to accommodate this new pursuit. I'm also realizing the need to re-learn everything I ever knew about painting with oils.

And how is my writing doing, I hear you ask? The latest novel, Not Bound By Blood, is presently in the editor's hands and I'm anticipating a contract from my publisher with the goal of a spring 2016 publication. The second in my series of fictionalized biographies for Young Readers, temporarily titled Harriet Tubman, is still in critiquing mode. However, now distracted by this new venture, I have yet to begin writing the third in the series based on the life of Belle Boyd, Confederate Spy.

The energy and enthusiasm for my newest stress-reliever has fueled a new project - I've begun the task of doing the illustrations for a proposed children's book; a story about this ramshackle old man who lives in a ramshakle house and his adventures with uninvited guests. 

In the meantime, here are a couple oil paintings I've indulged myself with the past few weeks.
                           

 This last is still a work in progress.



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