November | 2024 | my90acres

Monthly Archives: November 2024

Painting churches

Posted on November 24, 2024 | 2 comments

Painting churches. In this case, rather, it is sketching churches. Although I have painted quite a number of churches over the years.

Holy Family. This is a large but somewhat modern church. The most difficult part was deciding how much detail to include of the large stained glass window.

I’m not quite sure why I have had an attraction to churches. I think that it’s because they are often the most spectacular or impressive buildings in the area, whether it’s a big city, a small town, or even a rural area. I appreciate the workmanship and planning which goes into such buildings no matter their size or location.

Trinity UCC. The beautiful cupola has stained glass which really lights up the church inside.

Some fancy cathedrals have been around for centuries while others are newer and usually more sedate in architecture. I’ve captured them in paint, oil or acrylic or watercolor, and pen and ink drawings.

Precious Blood. Another church with some stained glass but I was more interested in the architecture of the building.

Redemption Christian Church. This is one of the newest churches in the area. It is very striking with its light, almost white colored stone.

When I’m doing a painting or drawing of a church, I often reflect upon the people who belong to or use the church. What is the congregation like? Are they kind? Do they do community work? Do they celebrate with music and singing? Or are they among those who sit in quiet contemplation?

I recently finished drawing a group of local churches which I haven’t done before. I’ve completed some others before but realized that I’ve left a lot out. (And there are still many more I might do in the future.)

Shiloh Church. This reminds me a little of some New England churches. Although the exterior is larger than I was able to capture in this one image, it has a very modest feeling.

I print the sketches on notecards and sell them locally. It seems everyone is proud of their religious homes. But, actually, I just enjoy drawing them.

What are the churches like in your area? Are they beautiful showpieces or places of quieter thoughts?

2 Comments

Posted in pen and ink, travel

Tagged art, churches, indiana, kit miracle, local scenes, sketching

Autumn roundup 2024

Posted on November 17, 2024 | 2 comments

Fall decorations. The impatiens are still hanging on.

The fall colors have been really spectacular this season. We had the right amount of rain early on but little rain from August until recently. I was afraid that the colors would be drab and the trees would just drop their leaves. I was wrong.

I read some survey that said Southern Indiana was rated as one of the best places to see fall color. As I always like to joke, it’s like New England but without the crowds. Gently rolling hills and wooded. The farmers were able to get a jump on the harvest and most every field is cleared by now. We have had a couple of rains in the past two weeks but they only keep the dust down. And we haven’t even had a frost yet in my area so I’m still harvesting the last scraggly tomatoes and peppers. That is about to change this coming week.

Watercolor/ pen and ink sketch of the Ferdinand State Forest

Meanwhile, I’ve been able to get outdoors, go for a drive or have a lunch in the park with my husband. I did a few small sketches and one middling painting, too. Just pleasant to be outside.

My flowers have held their blooms, including the geraniums. And my lilacs and rhododendrons have even bloomed this month!

In addition to the free kids’ Picasso art class that I taught last month, we just painted our self-portraits this week. How to draw cats is next month.

Unfortunately, not all is good news. My husband had a serious injury on his tractor (just getting on it) which sent us to the emergency room. This had me scrambling for first aid supplies and trying to remember my old classes in first aid. He’ll be laid up for awhile.

And…I had my first run-in with a deer on the way home from the grocery this week. In the middle of the day! I’m posting a photo of what that coated safety glass will do when a large animal hits it. I didn’t even see it as it bounced down an embankment. Fortunately I was poking along that day but the damage to the car is not pleasant. Calls to the insurance company and locating a repair shop added to the stress. Well, no injury, fortunately. My husband and sons have hit a total of eleven deer over the years. A very common accident in these parts.

Finally, the cardinal that I posted about earlier this year is back, fighting his reflection in the windows. Doesn’t he know mating season is over? He’s looking a bit bedraggled now but he’s still persistent.

I hope you all have been able to get outside and enjoy the season. Snow is coming soon for some of us. Time to hunker down for the winter.