"Addison's Walk"

My mother and step-dad just returned from a four week jaunt across the pond to some wonderful-sounding places: Bath, London, the Cotswolds, and finally Cambridge. They had time to really enjoy each place and to do some things that my mother had always dreamed of doing. They are in love with England, and I am trying not to be too jealous. It is somewhere I have always felt a fondness for even though I have never been there, and I still hold dear my dream of traveling there someday. I am looking forward to seeing their photographs and hearing their stories ...their adventures fresh and filled with delightful people and places.

Last year they were there for a shorter trip, and it was my mother's first time there. She came back thoroughly smitten with the places they went and people she met. She took some lovely pictures and has graciously allowed me to use some for reference in my artwork. One thing I am particularly drawn to (being the architecture lover that I am) is the beautiful golden tones of so many of the buildings in and around the Cotswolds. The photograph from which this painting was done was taken on their trip last year, and the house in it has that beautiful golden glow. It was a beautifully composed photograph, and I couldn't resist painting it.






"Addison's Walk"
16" x 20"
acrylic on canvas

For a view of the photograph from which the painting was doneClick Here.

Along the Garden Path...

Some images from the beautiful Cotswolds in England...










Images courtesy of Perry & Robyn Granberry

Doubly blessed

I received the Arte Y Pico Award a while back from Barb at The French Elements, and today I have received it again from Barbara at Ramblings from an English Garden. These two Barbaras are among my most favorite bloggers, so any award bestowed by them is very precious to me. This award has special significance to me also, because of the meaning of the award:

According to Arte Y Pico, the originator of the award, it is "dedicated to many who nourish and enrich the spirit and creativity. They see dedication, creativity, camaraderie, joy and above all, ART, much art. I wish that this prize is entertaining to all those bloggers and to bloggers who day by day share this space and enrich it a little more each day." What a terrific award...

Thank you to Barbara and if you haven't visited Barbara's world, then you must. She shares from her heart and shares some of the loveliest pictures of a real (her own) English garden and other very beautiful places she visits throughout the beautiful English countryside. It's like getting to go on vacation without leaving home.

Now to pass the award along:

In keeping with Barbara's precedent, since I have received the award once already I am going to bestow it on one blog friend, Cheryl at Cherdecor. Her blog is beautiful in so many ways, but most of all because of her generous caring and sharing spirit. She shares candidly from her life, she gives us glorious pictures of her gardens, she shares spiritual insights and prayers... and just generally is a blessing to the blogging community. All creativity... whether painting, writing, sewing, gardening, etc... is art. And Cheryl is a beautiful artist weaving words and pictures together with grace. Go visit her and tell her I sent you!

Fruitful Fridays...

Here is my latest picture... it is a historical rendering of King's College Chapel at Cambridge, England.

Sacred-destinations.com tells of its history:

"The Late Gothic King's College Chapel is one of the architectural highlights of Cambridge. Begun in 1446 and completed in stages over the following century, Wordsworth called it "an immense and glorious work of fine intelligence." King's College Chapel's many treasures include rare early 16th-century windows, exquisite fan vaulting, a Renaissance wooden screen, and a painting by Rubens.

Construction on King's College Chapel began in 1446 under King Henry VI's master mason Robert Ely, but ceased in 1461 when Henry was defeated and taken prisoner at the Battle of Towton. Some further progress was made under the king's Yorkist successors between 1476 and 1483. Building work began again in earnest in 1506, after King Henry VII visited Cambridge with his mother Lady Margaret Beaufort. Overseen by John Wastell, the chapel and its stonework were completed by 1515. King's College Chapel was finally completed with the addition of the woodwork and windows under King Henry VIII (d.1547)."

I found all this fascinating and the architecture quite a challenge to render faithfully. I loved this historical photo I found in the public domain.

Notice the horses and carriages in the front of the beautiful structure. It was a challenge, but quite unusual for me that the drawing has a historical effect.

(SIDE NOTE: Favorite Blogger Feature - the ability to schedule posts for future publication so that while I am away this weekend at the Deeper Still Conference in Atlanta, GA, my blog posts will still happen!)