Holly Box

Reflective Christmas balls and a gift box of holly print…casual elegance in the days of celebration. Not just the gift, but how it is presented is also of significance to the receiver.

Light in the Forest

He came amid the snows of winter…welcome, Holy Child,

and Merry Christmas to all of earth!

Poinsettia and White Berries

Sunday marked the third week of Advent for us, so Christmas is now very near. Our halls are nearly decked and many pathways lit with welcoming lights entwining evergreens. And though we sing “Rejoice!” our hearts are heavy for the massacre of the innocents of Connecticut. Red and green, the traditional colors of Christmas, also recall the mystery and paradox of martyrdom and new life. The Babe of Bethlehem knew the same.

Tapestry II: Roses (Final Stage)

Now highlights and detail have been added, but kept to a minimum for simplicity. (See previous two days.) The attempt to apply patches of color gives a tapestry-like look to the piece, and the warm red outlines and neutral background tones will unify the four tapestry paintings in the series, of which this is the second. Eventually all four will appear here in the daily blog and in the Etsy.com Shop: Paintgrace.

Tapestry II: Roses (Middle Stage)

Now the block-in stage is complete for this second in a series of four large paintings. Only after the canvas is covered do I start to paint seriously. The joy of oil paint is that is very forgiving of any changes, or corrections. It is creamy, malleable, and sets up slowly, giving one plenty of time to think. The light neutral background will hopefully set off the imagined roses.