Personal Art Blog

Sharing the lessons I teach at the Artist Guild and the personal discoveries in my art.

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Pink Waterlilies


Pink Water Lilies
6"x8"oil on paper  Gifted

Artist Note
I have noticed that during 
unsettled periods of time
I turn to a group of favorite subjects.
It helps me to feel grounded.

These are strange times for all of us.

Before the C-Virus was even around
I began to realise that my husband 
would be needing me at home more
and started a plan to stop teaching. 

It was not an easy decision 
because I really enjoyed being with
a fabulous group of painters
who were invigorating 
and fun to be around.

Anyway my teaching career 
ended abruptly with no party,
no relaxed farewells...
just fast packing-up against a 
Governor's timeline
to get enough art stuff together
to create a studio at home.
Made it!

For those who have followed my blog
for a while, may remember 
that two years ago we moved
into  a retirement community

It has been a great move but our apartment is 
rather small. Fortunately my hubby was
willing to move our king bed 
into the small office
and now his desk and my easel are 
perfectly at ease next to each other
7 x 12 feet each.
But I get the window!

I have also discovered a way to stop people 
falling out of bed... only have a foot clearance.
You wedge before you hit the ground!!

I am not back into the painting flow yet.
I do have work up on the easel
and I go and piddle on it
but with no verve.
The waterlily painting had already
been started
and I finished it here at home
...so it is a start.
I do have a couple in the works though,
a clematis and an iris painting,
both started in the garden. 
Flowers - more comfort!

Times are strange - I have never been idle
in my life. 
I feel I should be helping somewhere,
 maybe at the hospital
but hubby has a severe health problem
and that is impossible to do.

There must be many people like me 
who all of a sudden are at home
and feeling really weird.

My heart goes out to all the families 
who have lost their loved ones,
and a very grateful "thank you" to
the many, many HEROES.

Their steadfast commitment to 
help others in need
no matter what danger to themselves.
Then there are the ones we don't 
readily think about.
Like the janitors who clean the hospitals,
the kitchen staff who produce 
and deliver the meals, etc. 
They are heros too.

I am grateful to live in a country
with so many wonderful people.
Blessings to you all.
Stay Safe... 










26 comments:

  1. God bless you and your hubby. Your painting is glorious. It is hard to focus enough to create these days. I'm praying for you. Take care.

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    1. Hello Debra - thank you for such a wonderful new post on your blog. I felt I had a trip out! A girft!
      Happy you like the painting. Thanks.

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  2. Julie it was such a joy to see your beautiful painting on my sidebar. Along with you I too say thank you for all those who have went to work to provide and keep all at home safe. We are truly blessed to live in this great land. Keep painting friend...it is certainly uplifting to see how you capture beauty with your brushes. Hugs :)!

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    1. Thank you for such a lovely uplifting comment, dearest Debbie.
      Just like you did with your new post. Love the azaleas!

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  3. It's always wonderful to see you on my sidebar, Julie!! And this painting is beautiful. It definitely is a difficult time of our lives...I know I've never lived through this. I have all the time in the world to paint and yet...I don't. Very hard to focus on something I love.
    My thoughts at this time is family and my mind is always on my daughter who is a Maternity Nurse dealing with so many Mom's who have the virus and praying she doesn't give the virus to the moms who don't have the virus. Thank God things "seem" to be getting better..we can only hope.
    Your paintings always make us feel good so I hope you start posting more paintings...new or old...I LOVE them all.
    Take care of yourself and your hubby.

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    1. thanks for sharing your thoughts, Hilda. g
      Good to know someone else is finding it difficult to paint. This period of time is not going to go away any time soon. My hubby and I will have to keep this social distancing up until a vaccine appears and then I am not sure I would take it until it has been well tested. Your daughter has angel wings and is greatly respected by us all.
      I do have a goal and that is to find the new normal for me and go at it with gusto. ha! I loved your beautiful painting of the cat in the window...you are so brilliant at what you do.
      You and your family stay safe and know I value the years we have shared our blogging stories and art. hugs.

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  4. Your waterlilies are glorious, Julie, and I know you'll continue to create more beautiful paintings in spite of all the obstacles you've recently, and so rapidly, encountered. As with you and your husband, my hubby and I must "lie low" due to my immunosuppression, so painting is a more welcome diversion than ever. The gallery that represents my work is closed, of course, so no immediate requirement for new work. I'm choosing to view that as positive. It means I am free to experiment -- and hopefully hone my technique.
    I'm glad you've found a place to paint, but laughed at your remedy against falling out of bed!! You're a corker, Julie! Hope hubby continues in his recovery, and that you both stay very safe and well.��‍♀️����

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    1. 'ello Luv! first let me congratulate hubby on his new book! Hope it brings fame and fortune. Two creatives under one roof is a wonderous thing.
      Next... my congrats on your new painting... which is not on your blog yet! I must have seen it on Instagram or FB. A beautiful floral.
      Oh dear..if you also have to be especially careful during these times then it is time to set the clock for planning a new lifestyle. SELF social distancing will be mandatory for a long time for you and I so I am starting to plan my new future lifestyle goals. Like you, I will feel a freedom to experiment in my art. I may enter the DPW Challenge...something I have never had time for before.
      But these friendships like ours, formed through our art on the internet are what will keep me connected to a pleasurable feeling of belonging.

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  5. Julie, it was so nice to see a post from you. Your waterlilies really made me smile and realize that with all that is going on there is still so much beauty in the world. It is amazing how in such a short time our lives can change so abruptly. I smiled at your line about how not to fall out of bed. I think we all need to have a sense of humor to get us through life right now. I hope that your husband is doing OK and that you will both enjoy sharing a workspace together.

    Like you, I am so thankful to all the people who are in any way working in the health care field. Having spent so many days at my husband's bedside I know how difficult those jobs are and often the workers are really under appreciated. I feel the same way about not doing something outside of my home to help somewhere, but I really don't want to compromise my health before Jerry comes home. Hopefully that will happen soon. Stay well and safe!!!

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    1. Thanks for this lovely sharing, Joan. You have been such an inspiration watching what you have gone through with your husband and yet still painting most days throughout it all. You answered a question I asked on your blog about when he would be returning home and am pleased to get a glimmer of hope it may be soon. That will be a whole new way of life too. You just keep adapting. Stay safe, my friend.

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  6. I adore your water lilies! I'm so happy that you are able to find a place to paint! Stay well!

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    1. Thanks, Kim. I wish the same for you too. Your amazing art is getting recognized and being nominated to be part of the prestigious Biennial Fabrinano 2020 show in Fabriano, Italy, is well deserved. I couldn't be happier for you. stay safe.

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  7. I love seeing your art. It is so inspiring. I think many are making changes in the home to accommodate how we live now. I hope you find your flow because your art is simply gorgeous.

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    1. Thank you for such a lovely comment. I think I see signs the flow is started but it is at the same time as feeling I am on vacation with not working. How are you managing to handle the social distancing?

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  8. Sending my best wishes to you & your hubby, Julie - it's so nice to see another post from you. Yes these are weird times indeed!!! But I'm loving seeing this wonderful painting, and knowing that when you're ready to paint again- these beautiful creations will come again. Stay well my friend!! xo, Roxanne

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    1. Hello Roxanne, thank you for the encouraging words. I enjoyed reading your post with 8 suggestions to help get through this time and how great to know you are teaching online. I wish you continued success. Stay safe!

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  9. im a hermit but not having the choice of going anywhere is annoying but i am not taking the risk, either to myself or others

    and yes, at least you got the window lol :)

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    1. Good you are not taking a risk. I think that is what it will all boil down too. The vulnerable hibernate and the others carry on.

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  10. Julie, what a delightful piece of prose from the heart. Life takes us all on new paths that are unexpected at times, and we adapt ourselves most of the time to the new normal. Your waterlily painting is peace to the heart. So happy you shared it! The one thing that I will remember from all of this will be the good I see happening all around. People see the kindnesses around them and they themselves often reciprocate a kindness to someone else. I'm not unaware of the flip side, but I prefer to focus on all the caring, the sacrifices and the assistance given to and for others.

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    1. Happy you like the painting. ..thank you. Yes, seeing all the kindness warms the heart. One thing I know for sure is, change in life is constant and usually we emerge stronger for it. It will be a year next month since you have posted anything. I hope your wonderful talent is still being used and hubby continues to take his fabulous photos.
      I treasure the Dove eye image. Stay safe. We both live where the cases are low. Hope your family members do too.

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  11. Julie, so sorry to hear your husband is ill and you had to stop painting for right now. I hope you will continue to find joy in your work during this scary time . I love to see your work and it always brightens my day! Stay well and encouraged that things will get brighter when this is over.

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    1. I had to stop teaching not painting, thank heavens. It is going to take a while to learn to paint in many little sections of time...but will still be painting. happy dance!
      Love the roses you painted but also the goats - wonderful colors in both paintings. Thanks for the lovely warm comment.

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  12. Hello Julie;
    I really like these themes, the water looks, the plants float, it has color, it has life, a very good drawing, a whole song to nature so longed for by all in these difficult times, let's hope that little by little we will enjoy everything again its splendor.
    Take good care of yourself.
    Regards.

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  13. Happy you like the painting. Thanks for a neat comment. I enjoyed seeing the mountain house you painted and the emotional reaction I had to your beautiful painting tribute "The Look." Stay safe.

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I love that you are taking the time to comment and thank you for it. I am sure other readers will enjoy them too. If you cannot comment through this format then email me at juliefordoliver@gmail.com
Cheers,
Julie