Flowers and happy days

"Lighthouse and flowers at dusk" by Hilary J England
oil on canvas, 8" x 10" 2013

This painting is was done from studies of a little lighthouse during our travels.  My husband loves lighthouses, and thinking of one of our trips to the beach, I decided to go ahead and do some transfers into oil.  This is the first one.  I had the darndest time trying to photograph it!  I may try again later or tomorrow.

So, tomorrow we go to Philadelphia in hopes of hearing a new game plan for him.  We are hoping the pancreatic cancer specialist has some hopeful interventions, and we are looking forward to spending the day together in Philadelphia afterwards, and having a nice meal and enjoying the day.

That's it for today, my back is still giving me fits, but there's not a whole lot I can do about it, so I pray, and go about my day.  I know it's got to get better soon, it's just hard waiting through the misery.  I just focus on happy things and happy times, like tomorrow!

Gray

"Study of tide pools and flowers on a foggy day" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas panel, 8" x 10", 2013

Dreaming of the beach again!  Recalling the beauty of Cape Cod, and still missing it.  This painting was done in recollection of New England, based on watercolor sketches I had done there.  I had quite a few, and this particular one I really enjoyed, and thought the transfer to oil would be nice.  I might do a bigger in-studio landscape based on these, but I'm still considering yet, and am working on some commissions, so that idea will have to remain in the think-tank until I'm finished up in the next week or two.

Maddie went home yesterday, and I really feel quite lonely without her.  I didn't realize how sweet it is to have a little one around again, and how she is so adorable, working with me, soaking everything up like a little sponge, her innocent curiosity and joy.  It's such a wonderful gift, to have a child!  I can't wait until she comes back to stay with me again.

So, it's back to the usual for me.  I didn't realize how quiet things are until she went home, and now I decided to just get as much done as possible, to fill that void.  So, I have lots of plans for the next few weeks!

Until tomorrow, I hope you enjoy the little seascape!  :-)

Sweet days

"Path through the wildflowers" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas panel, 8" x 10", 2013

I've had Maddie with me this last week, and what a treat that's been, even if she does tucker me out with her six year old's energy.  She loves to come paint with me, walk the dog, go swimming, blow her bubbles, and the world is still a beautiful place, even in spite of anything sad or bad.  What a wonder children are.  I sometimes forget we all started like that.

So, I'll keep it brief, since she is waiting for me, with her bubbles, and her coloring books!

Daydreaming

"Rocks and roses" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 8" x 10" 

I was daydreaming back to the whales at Cape Cod, and the beaches of New England.  I long to be there, with every fiber of my being.  So, here is a little painting from then, and I can be a mental traveler until I get the opportunity to travel back to those shores.

I have been busy, trying to forget this pain.  It helps sometimes, but not at night.  Then, it becomes a battle to sleep, and I wake up cranky and exhausted.  I'm just glad school is done, so I don't feel that pressure as well. I look forward to this summer being a good one~

Summer days

"Precarious (cherries on a wing plate)" by Hilary J. England
8" x 10" oil on canvas panel

I've been very busy with Maddie, and that is very nice.  We've done all sorts of neat things, and I was even able to paint a little still life, as she painted her own, and ate up our all of our cherries/props.  Photographing it has been another story, since I did it in a rush, and I lost all of the midtones in the photo, but, I think you get the jist!!

So, now I'm off for another action packed adventure with Miss Maddie.  Enjoy!!

Clouds and silver linings

"Study of clouds and cherry blossoms" by Hilary J. England
Oil on canvas panel, 8" x 10" 2013

Well, tomorrow is graduation, I can't believe it!  I'm ready for it, and for this leg of my educational journey to be done.  Now, continue on....who knows?  Just not right now.  Maybe in a few months or so, after I catch my breath.

I have been very keen on the beautiful, vibrant colors of the foliage and flowers yesterday, particular clouds, their shadows, and their splendid range of infinite colors and shapes!  This little painting reflects that, and I very much enjoyed painting this one.  My neck and back are still not in very good condition, but I kept my head pretty level, and the clouds were just magnificent!

Enjoy!

Lemony

"Lemons on a wooden table" by Hilary J. England
8" x 10" oil on canvas panel, 2013

I guess I feel like life has thrown some lemons at me lately.  But, in the spirit of that, I decided to do a little lemon still life.  I won't get corny and say something about lemonade, LOL.  My modus operandi used to be throw some tequila back with those lemons, but not so anymore.  Now, I will just paint the lemons, and make them what I want them to be...beautiful even if they were painful, and mysterious, because God made them.

It's been a month since Isaac died.  It's hard to believe, it feels so long, and still not real.  More real than it did, but still not completely true.  How can it be?  Young men don't just die in mid-conversation...yet, that's what happened.

I know his first month in Heaven was wonderful, just not so for us here on Earth.  But, in love, we only hope for what's good for those we love, and that's how we feel for Isaac.  Only hoping for his pure and eternal happiness and peace.  We'll fumble along here and eventually find our footing, until we all meet again.

Endurance

"Flowers and shade" by HIlary J. England
oil on canvas, 8" x 10", 2013

I am looking forward to graduation this weekend, it was a long, hard road, but I finally finished what I had worked and worked for, and for that, I am very proud.

I am in the middle of some sort of "back attack" that began last week, and has not relented.  After my accident in 2004, I damaged my spine along with my leg and the rest of my body, and I would get these infrequent attacks of nerve pain that would sometimes last a month or more.  Usually it would be in my lower back, but this time, it started in my neck, and the pain is excruciating.  It is now also in my lower back, and is making life very difficult right now.

So, I must do paintings that do not require me to go climbing or any other acrobatics for the meantime.  This little painting was done right in my neighborhood, around the corner from my house, where there is a tract of woods right along the walking path that is along the river.  It is very beautiful, and very accessible~

Weepy weather

"Farm field at dusk" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 8" x 10" 2013  

I have been feeling wistful today--maybe it's the rain.  I sat outside on the porch, listening to Ravel and Chopin, and my mind just kept going to nostalgic places, when there was more of us, in every respect.  When we hadn't lost so many people.  I could only sit watching the rain softly fall, smile at the memories, and pray that we can continue to rally. God is still with us, even though these seem sad and sometimes aimless times.

I began to clean up my big palette.  I feel a sense of urgency to begin a new series, but I get so pent up, it's like getting prepared to get shot out of a cannon (not that I've ever been haha).  I am intensely anxious, but this is normal.  My mind is gearing up for a brainstorm, and then I will layout the vision of my new series.  It's just hard because my brain starts going in all different directions, and I get very agitated when this begins.  So, I am pacing and pacing today.

Here is a little farm field I did yesterday, inspired by the local farm country, and the visit out toward my Dad's.  I was out at Mark's mother's farm, and the corn is beginning to grow.  Twilight and everything looked quaint and timeless, so very timeless, and so, a quick little sketch. Enjoy!

Sunny

"Sunny field of wildflowers" by Hilary J England
8" x 10" oil on canvas

What an absolutely beautiful day!  The weather is about the finest weather a person can ask for, with beautiful bright sunshine, warm but not hot, and soft late Spring breezes gently caressing everything and charging the atmosphere with life and excitement.  I just could not resist such magnificent weather!

So, with that, I painted a little painted that reflected the day, with vivid color that engulfs every sense and brings joy to your heart--I can't help but feel happy on a day such as this!

Enjoy~

Heat and reprieve

"Purple wildflower field at dusk" by Hilary J England
8" x 11" x 1" oil on canvas 2013

So, the dog days jumped right on us, haha.  But, we are holed up, with air conditioning now to sustain us, even in my studio, thanks to two strapping young people, Candy and Anthony.  They were able to get my air conditioning unit mounted, even in the face of the Fire Department pounding our door down, due to an ADT monitor error triggered (according to the Fire Department) by the heat, and Mark giving them a wrong contact number.  Never a dull moment, smh.

Now we hide out from heat and pollen!  The entire house is sniffling and sneezing and crabbing, but this is usual for June.  Usually, just when we reach our wit's end by the end of June, the allergies just go away like magic.  Happens every year.  My finger is starting to heal nicely, although the entire tip is numb, but that's to be expected. I can feel the cut way deep down when I manipulate the area, and that feels like it is knitting together nicely as well. I think I can leave it unbandaged from this point forward.

Graduation is in 12 days.  I don't know how I feel about that, except slightly dreading it, because I know I'm supposed to be so hyped to participate, but it just means a day of irritation to me, with rushing around no matter how early we get up, traffic, seating snafus, bickering relatives making the day all about them, etc. I've been around long enough to know the entire drill dealing with this pack.  All ceremonies are aggravating, and this one will be no different.  I'm doing it mostly for my kids, so that they can see and know that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to doing, through any adversity, at any age.  I think it's very important for them to know that, so for that, I put aside my own apathy, and put on my game face as the leader of my little wolf pack ;-)  It's my duty, and I never shirk my duty.

I was able to find a nice little field to paint at dusk, while Chorkie went mad looking for things to chase and urinate on.  It was a fast little painting, and fast is the key word here, because I gave up after being attacked by a swarm of gnats that kept enshrouding my head, and landing on my sweaty face and scalp.  Eewww...

So, that's that for today.  'Til tomorrow, God willing, have a wonderful day!