Excited to share with you my latest painting, “Whispering Blooms.” This was created on an 11×14 inch canvas in captivating hues of blues, pinks, yellow and green. Delicately painted, it features splashes of color set against a textured background, evoking a sense of serene beauty and ethereal charm.
The original painting is available in my Etsy Shop if interested.
May this artwork breathe inspiration into your day, thanks for stopping by!!
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“I tried to draw my soul, but all I could think of was flowers.” ~Natalya Lobanova
Realism, emerged in the mid-19th century as a reaction against the idealized and romanticized depictions prevalent in art. Rooted in a desire to represent everyday life, realism sought to capture the world as it truly appeared, without embellishment. This artistic movement revolutionized the art world, paving the way for a new era of authenticity and truthfulness in artistic expression.
At the heart of Realism is a commitment depicting the world with vivid detail and uncompromising honesty. Artists of this movement sought inspiration from the lives of ordinary people, exploring themes such as social injustice, poverty, and the harsh realities of urban life. Through their works, they sought to shed light on the human condition and provoke thought and reflection among viewers.
One of the most influential Realist artists was Gustave Courbet, often hailed as the father of the movement. His bold and unflinching portrayals of rural life and labor, as seen in works like “The Stone Breakers” and “A Burial at Ornans,” (shown below) challenged traditional artistic conventions and sparked controversy within the art world.
The Stone Breakers by Gustave Courbet (1849)
A Burial at Ornans by Gustave Courbet (1849)
Another prominent figure in Realism was Jean-François Millet, whose poignant depictions of peasant life captured the dignity and resilience of the rural poor. His iconic painting “The Gleaners” (shown below) remains a powerful symbol of solidarity and perseverance in the face of adversity.
In addition to Courbet and Millet, other notable Realist artists include Honoré Daumier, Édouard Manet, and Winslow Homer. Each of these artists brought their own unique perspective and style to the movement, contributing to its rich and diverse legacy.
Despite its origins in the 19th century, the principles of Realism continue to resonate with artists and audiences today. In an age marked by rapid technological advancement and social change, the pursuit of truth and authenticity in art remains as relevant as ever. Through their commitment to depicting the world as it truly is, Realist artists have left a lasting mark on the history of art, inspiring generations to come.
Hope you found this history in art enlightening, thanks for stopping by!!
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The Gleaners by Francois Millet (1857)
Whistler’s Mother by James McNeill Whistler (1871)
Working on my camera shyness, I thought I’d make a short clip introducing my new painting, ‘A Walk in Monet’s Garden.’ This piece was created on an 18×24 inch canvas, where textured layers of acrylic paints in tranquil blues and lush greens bring the scene to life. I’m eager to hear your thoughts on both the painting and the video. Please make sure to leave a comment below😊
If interested, the original painting is available in my Etsy Shop.
Hope this inspires you today, thanks for stopping by!!
I’m thrilled to announce the completion of not just one, but two paintings this week! The weather here has been very rainy and I like to get photos using natural sunlight. So I haven’t had luck today but tomorrow we should be back to that beautiful Florida Sunshine which plays a huge part in my artistic inspiration. In the meantime, I thought I’d give you a couple of sneak peeks of these textured paintings I created with vibrant, happy colors!
Hope you’re having a lovely weekend, thanks for stopping by!!
While on vacation quite a few years ago, I came upon this delightful book by Cicely Mary Barker, “The Complete Book of the Flower Fairies.” I love rhyming poems and fell in love with her beautiful illustrations and magical words.
Cicely Mary Barker was born June 28, 1895 in West Croydon, Surrey England. Because she suffered from epilepsy Cicely was educated at home but she mostly taught herself to draw and paint. Her father was an accomplished artist and encouraged her artistic talent. He enrolled her at Croydon Art Society when she was only 13 years old.
At the age of 16, Cicely had her first work accepted for publication as a set of postcards. From there she devoted her time to painting. Pre-Raphaelites greatly influenced her and she believed in “truth in nature.” Cicely painted from life whenever possible and even enlisted the help of the staff at Kew Gardens to help identify plants. She carefully studied and painted their every detail with great accuracy. The fairies were also painted from life and modelled from the children at her sister’s nursery school. Once the paintings were complete, she then wrote a poem for the illustration.
“The Complete Book of the Flower Fairies,” was first published in 1923 and was well received by all, especially because of the fascination with fairies at the time and her vision of innocence.
Cicely passed away February 16, 1973 in a Worthing Hospital, England at the age of 77. One hundred years after the publication of her book, it continues to delight all.
I highly recommend you check out her site at FlowerFairies.com where you learn more about her and purchase giftware items showcasing her stunning paintings. Copies of this book are available on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble, however the dust jacket may be different.
Hope you enjoyed this post, thanks for stopping by!!
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Here’s a sample of Cicely’s writing from her book:
Claude Monet was a famous impressionist artist who was born in Paris, France November 14, 1840. As a young child he loved to draw and would make money creating drawings of people that were quite good. His mother supported his interests in becoming an artist but his father felt he would do better to stay in the family business as a grocer. Luckily for all of us, he chose to pursue his passion in art.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries (1867 – 1886), Impressionism art was born in France. It was a major movement of that time. Impressionism is a style of painting that attempts to portray visual reality with transient effects of color and light.
Claude Monet became known as one of the principal painters of this style. It is his work that inspired me to try impressionism painting which I love. It was much harder than I had anticipated and as a result gave me a greater respect for the amount of work that goes into creating one of these paintings.
Claude Monet, Frederic Bazille, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley along with other well known artists would work together and influence each other’s art especially during exhibits. But it was Edouard Manet, an established artist who greatly influenced Monet’s work in the 1860’s.
The painting above titled “Woman with a Parasol” was painted by Monet in 1875. It’s an oil painting on a 39.4 x 31.9 inch canvas (100 x 81 cm). This painting belongs to a series that Monet created during the summers of 1875 and 1876. His wife Camille and his son, Jean served as his models for this painting which were set in the gardens surrounding his 2nd home in Argenteuil, located in the suburbs of Paris.
At the age of 85, Claude Monet passed away on December 5, 1926 in Giverny, France. He left us a legacy of stunning art that is admired and inspires us today.
Hope you enjoyed this art history post, thanks for stopping by!!
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“Everyone discusses my art and pretends to understand, as if it were necessary to understand, when it is simply necessary to love.” ~Claude Monet
I thought I’d share with you this journal page I created a while ago in my Strathmore 9×12″ Mixed Media Visual Journal. I made this with lots of collaged layers, paint, gelatos and stencils.
The beautiful thing about journaling is it’s a great place to build your artistic confidence. If you don’t know what to create, just look out your window and create what you see. If you say I can’t draw, then start by using a stencil or stamped image. If you’re afraid to start, make random marks on your page and go from there.
There is no right and there is no wrong, only what makes you happy. No one has to see your creation if you don’t want them to. This is your place to be yourself, free from judgement and to create whatever your heart desires. So have some fun!
Hope this inspires you to create, thanks for stopping by!!!
It’s funny but you would think all the birds in our neighborhood have our address memorized. Whether they’re hungry, thirsty or need help, they know exactly where to go.
Last Saturday, hubby came home and saw something odd in the street in front of our house. When he took a closer, he saw it was a young bird, a fledgling. You could tell he wasn’t doing well because he was slumped over. It was getting dark so we put him in a box in the garage till morning because the rescue center had already closed for the day and mama bird was nowhere to be found.
We tried giving him some water but he refused so we just kept him safe for the night. First thing Sunday morning, we took him to the South Florida Wildlife Center where they rescue over 10,000 animals every year.
I couldn’t figure out what kind of bird he was. I’ve seen these birds a lot on my walks and the adults are gray with a bit of brown and a black patch on the head. They have pointy beaks and are everywhere here.
After searching the internet I finally found a bird that looked like him. It was a gray catbird.
Apparently these guys make a call that sounds like a cat’s meow and thus their name. They are masters at mimicking the calls of other birds and are known for singing beautiful songs. Sometimes they sing for as long as 10 minutes at a time. Very impressive!
I found this short video on Youtube that gives some pretty interesting facts about these birds.
I called the Wildlife Center to check up on the little guy and they confirmed he was indeed a gray catbird. They did everything they could but sadly weren’t able to save him 😥
I was really saddened by the news because I had high hopes. We gave it our best effort and sometimes that’s just how it goes. That’s life I guess. I will say that I keep my eye out for these catbirds on my walks and really appreciate their beautiful songs even more.
I hope that you get to enjoy these beautiful birds in your neighborhood too. Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!!
I was very blessed this spring to watch these beautiful birds make their nests high up in the oak trees that line our streets. A few years ago we started with only 1 nest and now we’re up to 5 nests in all. As I went on my daily walks, I was eagerly watching each nest as babies began showing their heads one by one. These new birds have now taken up residence in our neighborhood and I see them often by the lakes.
When they were very young we would come home at night to see them walking in the middle of the street. I guess they were still trying to figure it all out. They would even visit me in our backyard every now and then.
These herons forage for food at dusk and into the night. However, you may also see them foraging during the day. They tend to walk slowly on land or in shallow water and will sometimes stand completely still waiting for dinner to come to them.
Yellow Crested Night Herons are primarily found in the Southeastern parts of the United States. Adult herons will lay anywhere from 2-8 blue-green eggs in a nest. Both parents will incubate the eggs for 21-25 days. Once the eggs hatch it’s up to both parents to feed the babies. They haven’t been studied enough so there is no data as to when they take flight and leave the nest. Fully grown they measure 1 ft 10 in to 2 ft 4 in. They are simply beautiful and amazing to watch.
I hope your enjoyed this little snippet about the Yellow Crested Night Herons and are able to see some. These are some of the photos I was lucky to get on my walks.
Thanks for stopping by!!
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“Beyond even the darkest clouds the wide, open blue sky goes on forever. Trust, let go, and allow yourself to take flight. So fly! Only then can you soar.” ~Martta Karol
You never know what the universe has planned for you. It always amazes me how the timing has to be so perfect in order for things to happen. Yesterday morning I went on a walk with my hubby. On our walk I was busy looking up in the trees for our new herons. Thankfully, hubby was looking on the ground and saw this tiny little chick just sitting in the middle of the road.
We quickly scooped him up and got him out of danger but weren’t having any luck finding the nest or mama bird anywhere. He was too small to be on the ground and on his own, especially on a busy street. We ended up taking the little guy to the South Florida Wildlife Center where they will care for him and release him when he’s ready. This also gave us the opportunity to donate to the center for all the great work they do. I love their slogan: “Saving Wildlife in our Urban Jungle.”
Sadly I’ve seen quite a few birds that have died this summer. The National Audubon Society sent out an email blaming the extreme heat for killing lots of babies. Although there’s no one better than a mama bird caring for her young, the odds were stacked against this little guy and the staff at the wildlife center agreed we made the right choice to bring him in. It was a small deed but nevertheless a good one and it felt great saving this little life!
I was surprised that we still have little babies like this in the middle of summer. Always thought this was more of a spring time event. Do you have the same where you live?
Flowing Waters Art 
