Tug Tales

Tug Tales is one of my new paintings for the 2016 season.  This painting features the smooth reflections of the clear green water that slides past the weathered boats and docks of the Carp River, in Leland's historical Fishtown. The bonus of painting here is the historical interest of one of the few remaining active commercial fisheries in the state of Michigan. There is so much going on in this tiny village, and it is always a fun challenge to paint.

Big News for Rocky Rapids!

 

I painted Rocky Rapids last year in the the mountains of Tennessee.  It is a view of the headwaters of the Citico River, high up in the Cherokee National Forest, which is a part of the Great Smokey Mountain Range.  I entered this and three other paintings in this series (Posted here in earlier posts) into the America's Parks through the Beauty of Art competition, curated by David J. Wagner.  This exhibit features the artwork inspired by America's Parks including those in Canada, Mexico, and the US.  I was thrilled to discover that my Rocky Rapids painting has been accepted as one of 55 pieces in the exhibit.  It will be travelling across America with the Exhibit through 2013, and might even be exhibited here at the Dennos Museum in Traverse City, if all goes well.

Windy Good Harbor

This last painting, Windy Good Harbor, was painted in September 2012 after James and I spent a lot of time photographing the area.  I have a great repertoire of photo references to last me through the Winter now, so I can hunker down and paint my way through the worst gales and home-bound storms this season has to throw at us. I just recently entered Windy Good Harbor into the Art of the Sleeping Bear art competition.  I will discover in February whether it gets accepted or not.  If so, it will be exhibited in the show at the Dennos Museum in Traverse City, and will also be published in a coffee-table book showcasing the collection of art from the show.  I really hope it gets in!

  James and I just celebrated our first wedding anniversary last week.  We also are finally in our new home on the south shore of Lake Leelanau, in Leelanau County.  And, while I am not yet settled, boxes are still everywhere, I am really enjoying my new environment.  I get to paint AND watch the families of ducks and loons paddling up the shore line from my studio/living room window.  It is the most beautiful view!  We are situated very close to the water, so I can easily see the lapping waves from my easle.  It is a nice vast view, around almost three sides of the house, and we are just across the lake from my mother's house.  I never thought I would be so blessed, but God is very good to me, and so is my wonderful husband James.  I have a commissioned painting deadline I am trying to meet, and so no time to unpack yet other than the essentials and my art stuff.  But, I can't wait to finish making this fabulous place into our home.  I'm itching to begin sewing curtains and bedspreads and making it cozy for us to settle into for the Winter.  Meanwhile, I know I am going to be highly inspired to paint in my new lakeside studio.

The Bridegroom Returns

While considering the theme of "Sacrifice" at an Art Barn meeting where we pursue the heart of the Father for the Arts, I had thought of all the usual images that come to mind, but was feeling no inspiration. I then asked the Lord, "After all was said and done in Your walk on Earth with us, what do You get out of all Your sacrifices?"

He answered me! He showed me this vision of "US" (His Church) dancing in His arms at last! He gets us when He returns for the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. We are His Beloved Bride! He gets Us! And He gives us a new name, saying: Hephzibah! ... My delight is in Her!

Liberty's Lament

The Lord gave me this vision of Liberty in travail over this baby a few years ago, but I did not have all the elements of it in my understanding until just recently. I believed the Lord was saying I needed to paint it now. As I began to do my preliminary sketches, some new understanding dropped into my spirit. I knew Liberty was supposed to be in a city with the skyline behind her, but for about a year I had assumed it was to be New York. As I was sketching on that first day, I was listening to Lou Engle on a CD explaining why he was bringing THE CALL to Detroit on 11/11/11. I listened to the horrifying statistics on the number of black babies who are killed by abortion each year, and suddenly I knew Detroit was supposed to be in the background! And I then understood that Liberty held a tiny Black baby in her arms! Liberty is in deep travail, crying out for our American children's freedom - their freedom to LIVE - beginning in Detroit!

As Lou spoke, he declared that God is raising up a new breed of Nazarite Men: Black men from Detroit and from Michigan who would be consecrated to the Lord. These men will contend in prayer for the pre-born children in our land. They will become the force that will turn the tide of Abortion in America.

This swiftly rising wave of targeted murder is cresting today. It is so much more sweeping the the tsunami in Japan. Our precious tiny Americans are being washed away in a silent genocide, ...and so few cry out.

With this painting, I'm crying out.

Have Mercy, Lord!

May we work together to end Abortion in America!

To purchase this print, click on this link: http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/jenniferoakley.html

Great Smokey Mountains in the Spring

In this painting, I worked a little smaller (a half sheet of 300 lb. paper) and yet, I still managed to spend almost as much time on it as on my full sheet paintings. The level of detail was the issue again, and I just finally decided to celebrate that in this painting. It is the thing that draws me to an image, and I love to develop the contrasting textures and colors as well as I can. For me, that just requires the descriptions be done in great detail. So I am coming to terms with my Style! These things I mention are the reason why I paint. So, I am determined now to put the pressure to speed up my process on notice.

Rocky Rapids

I finished the fourth in this series from my Fall photo shoot in the Cherokee National Forest. This one was gruelling! I kept getting lost in the rocks in the foreground and it was a stop and start production as I worked on a couple of portrait comissions in the process. It seemed to take forever.

Did you notice the rope swing hanging from the tree in the center of the painting? The kids have a great time here in the warm weather, launching into the deep pool from the rocky ledges to the right. On the left side you can see the grassy area, which is a camp site that many of my friends here in Tennessee have enjoyed for years. They call this place the "Submarine Bridge" at the head of the Citico Creek. I was standing on the bridge when I took this picture.