Landscape 2: An Irish Cottage

An Irish Cottage
11x14" watercolor on paper

An Irish Cottage zoom

A white stone cottage set against dark rolling hills.  Sheep mowing down the lawn and resting in the tall slanted grass.  I think there might be rain in the forecast.  The family who lives here isn't too worried about rain, though.  In fact, they've come to really love storms.  The boy and the girl sit and watch the clouds roll over the dark hills through their bedroom windows until the shadow covers the little cottage.  The baby cries.  And the dad falls asleep in his chair by the fire.  Or so I imagine it to be.

Did you have a good weekend?  I hope so.  I spent most of mine dreaming, as usual.  This time of a new cottage on an Irish farm.  I live in a place very different from this scenic farm, in a little uneventful but quaint-in-its-own-way town.  There are sheep in barns right outside town who sometimes jump the old fences and stand on the other side to eat the grass.  Literally the grass is sometimes greener over there, I think.  I bet those sheep dream of places this wide open with so much grass they could never fill up!

Other dreams I had this weekend included one about catching baby birds and stuffing them in pillow cases.  I woke up wondering at the purpose but had a strange sense that the birds would be ok.  I don't dream often, but when I do they are always very peculiar.  And usually about birds.

In other news my blog got a facelift (again)!  In an effort to create a simpler way to navigate and a more cohesive brand I've stripped off the unnecessary and hand-lettered the banner.  Let's hope this look sticks. ;)

*This painting is part two of a new twelve part landscape series.  See part one here.

the last one

This weekend marks my final outdoor art event of the year: the Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival.  Lincoln, IL is where I was born and raised, which means this particular show will be more fun and comfortable for me in so many ways, not the least of which will be all the familiar faces.  I'll have quite a bit more work this time around than last including this painting of my dream home- a cabin in a pine forest.  Can you even imagine how amazing it would smell in your home all year round to, not only live among the aromatic pines, but to have a pine wood fire blazing inside?  I could also imagine some sheep and a few horses outside my window, grazing in the tall grass.  And maybe some chickens out back for fresh eggs every morning...

Come and see this painting- in its entirety- at the show if you can!  I'd love to see you.

Leap Day Giveaway!

Happy Leap Day to you!
I'm announcing a new giveaway to make your February 29 even more special.

9x12" watercolor on paper, mounted

{ Purchase the original painting here. }

You've been watching me paint this pretty little shepherdess and woolly ram for a while now...

(click each image to read the corresponding post)

I was so excited to have a bit of time between other projects this past weekend to finish it!

These Rough Fell Rams are so beautiful with their soft thick coats and dark, almost invisible eyes.  I knew when I first cracked the spine of this book and laid eyes on them that they'd make for a beautiful watercolor painting.  The Rough Fell are tough British sheep (with lovely accents, I'm sure) and are bred mainly for meat, but are also cross-bred due to their ability to endure harsh environments and terrain.  I like to think their shepherdess carries an equal measure of beauty and toughness.

Typically, her attachments to the sheep were kept strictly at bay.  After all, raising them for meat in the foothills of northern England was her family business.  But she could restrain her affection no longer for one sheep in particular who, even in his lamb-hood, insisted on being by her side every waking (and sometimes sleeping) hour.  Instead of lounging in the tall grass with the others of his kind, he'd follow her through the hills and lay by her side as she'd find a spot to read by the gentle sea.  She finally caved to his loyalty and, as a symbol of their friendship, tore a portion of her favorite red sash to tie around his neck in a bow (which pleased him very much).

{ story and painting inspired by the Biblical story of David, which you can read more about here or here. }

*   *   *

Have you noticed I haven't named the painting yet?

As a way to express my appreciation to you, my loyal readers, I'm wanting to give a 9x12" print of this painting away for free to one lucky winner.

Here's how to enter:

- in the comments section below, write as many titles for this painting as you can come up with
{ You can leave multiple titles at a time.  Each title will be counted! }

- one title will get you in the running

- the more titles you can think of, the better your chances are of winning

- include your name and email address

- and visit here again in ONE WEEK to see what title I've chosen
{ You can now enter on Facebook!  Click here! }

*   *   *

Here's how to leave a comment if you don't have a blogger account:
-Click the "comment" button below today's post
-Type your comment in the box.
-Include the title you've come up with, your name, and your email address
-click the "Anonymous" button below the box
-click "Publish Your Comment"

{ Winning title will be chosen by me, Michelle Schneider, and announced on March 8, 2012.

The giveaway will officially end March 7 at 12:00 am CST.

Any comments posted after that time will not be counted toward the prize. }

Good luck!

in the studio some more

How was your weekend, my friend?

Mine was so typically wonderful and filled with delicious food, wonderful company, and lots of steaming coffee.  My sister and I visited a bakery nearby and sat talking for hours with the intoxicating aroma of cinnamon rolls and coffee beans.  The sun came out and joined us as we made our way through a few antique stores packed with old (and new) paintings, vintage postcards and books, wonderful little floral tins, fur scarves, and lacey clothes.  It wasn't long ago when I really didn't have time to sit around and enjoy my family and friends like I can now.  My life has a much more comfortable pace now, and I'm enjoying every minute!

This Monday morning, like most mornings, I awoke with an overwhelming urge to paint.  My head has been spinning all weekend with ideas for new paintings, new possibilites, new colors, new patterns, new textures.  So many things to discover and paint!

It might not look like much, but this sheep painting I've been working on has been somewhat of a "break through" painting for me.  I've been trying a new technique that has, honestly, always intimidated me, and I finally feel like I'm getting the hang of it!  Plus, I am loving the purples and yellows and blue-ish greens that are blending so nicely in the background.  I think this young lady will find herself and her sheep in more paintings to come.  Can't you see her sitting with her ram on a hillside with a book in hand?  Or perhaps she leads them to the sea behind her for a nice cool drink...

We will see what new ideas a brewing today.

a girl and her sheep

When the cold basement feels a little too imposing, I bring my paints upstairs and watch as it dries while Seth and I talk or laugh at our favorite tv shows.

While I was sitting in my comfy chair, I couldn't help but think of my sheep painting.  Laying in the background is one of favorite parts of any painting and seeing that clean white background was much too tempting.  Painting backgrounds gives me a chance to use my bigger brushes and play with pools of water.  See how the two colors are bleeding together there in the middle?  That happens when the paper is fully saturated before the paint goes on.  Once it's evenly coated with water, I slowly drop and brush in color and watch as the paint moves the pigments together.

Whoever thought watching paint dry could be so fun?

See the bottom left corner?  That dark line, like the one under the girl's feet, are from an excess of water.  The water actually pushes the paint to the very edge of the pool as it dries.  That may be why I like to paint in the backgrounds first, come to think of it.  The pooling water creates outlines around all my figures and sharpens edges around objects (like the one along the right edge of the mountain).

And that "new wintery painting" I posted about ages ago?

Well, I'm hoping to finish it tomorrow (it's been causing me some angst).

David and his sheep

Do you know the story of David and Goliath?

I thought I did.  I've read it countless times and studied it in depth.  But for the past few weeks, God's been giving me new eyes and understanding as I pour over the story each morning. 

For example, did you know that David started out as a lowly shepherd?  Shepherds in David's day were the outcasts of society; smelly, dirty, homeless as they wandered in the wilderness to care for their sheep.  

But many years after the giant-slaying incident, God appointed David as King over all of Israel.  He became a conquerer of many nations, a strong leader, and a man after God's own heart.  

This morning I read 2 Samuel 7:9, which reads:

"Now I [God] will make your [David] name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on earth!"

God even promises David that his kingdom that will be forever established through the "Son of God."

It's an amazing story that has been filling my heart with so much joy!

And that's why I've begun this new piece- a shepherdess wandering through the English mountainside with her herd of beautiful sheep.  The particular breed of sheep I'll be painting are called "Rough Fell" rams with large curly horns and thick white wool.  Their faces and hooves are speckled black and white.  They are gorgeous, and I can't wait to share more!

Until then, stay warm in the snow and have a restful weekend!