A Little Piece of Bethville

“I hope you will discover and enjoy the benefits that aging can bring; wisdom, depth of character, the smoothing out of what is rough and harsh, the evaporation of what is inconsequential, and the concentration of true worth.”
– Andrew Weil, M.D.

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2011

A Little Piece of Bethville I – Watercolor

Here’s another glimpse of one of my Bethville paintings. 
As 2011 draws to a close, I would like to thank those of you who read this little blog and take the time to “like” or comment.   I really enjoy sharing my little artistic endeavors.  Here’s wishing you a very safe New Year’s Eve and A Wonderful 2012!!    See you on the other side! 

Andrew Thomas Weil (born June 8, 1942) is an American author and physician, who established the field of integrative medicine which attempts to integrate alternative and conventional medicine. Weil is the author of several best-selling books and operates a website and monthly newsletter promoting general health and healthy aging. He is the founder and program director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine (formerly the Program in Integrative Medicine), which he started in 1994 at the University of Arizona.   He is frequently criticized for his promotion of alternative medicine,  drug use and the potential conflicts of interest this raises in relation to his business dealings.  More at Wikipedia

Small Peek at Bethville

“The courage to be is the courage to accept oneself, in spite of being unacceptable.”
– Paul Tillich

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2011

Small Peek at Bethville – Watercolor

Here is another small peek at one of the proofs for my new Bethville Series.  With the holidays and all the activity, I have not been able to work on the larger acrylic paintings.  I am looking forward to some quieter time to work on them.   The holidays are wearing me out.   I’m sure it’s just the stress I put on myself.   One more party and they are officially over.   Yay!  

About Paul Tillich

Paul Tillich, the German-American theologian and existential philosopher, was best known for his books The Courage to Be and Dynamics of Faith. He was born in 1886 in the German town of Starzeddel, now part of Poland. An ordained Lutheran minister, he taught theology for two decades until he was fired for his opposition to the Nazis. He immigrated to the US, where he taught at various universities. He sought to reconcile the human condition and faith, reason and belief. He died in 1965.

Thank You Notes

“Whether you’re up or you’re down, whether you’re confident or unsure, listen to your heart.  For your heart knows why you’re here.”
–Ralph Marston

 
Thank You Notes

I am a big fan of thank you notes.  They let the person who gave you a gift know how much their thoughtfulness meant to you.  I hope this is one tradition that never dies.

I decided to make some homemade thank you notes again this year.  I started without a plan.  I had a sheet of watercolor paper, some watercolor paint and some sharpies.  It was really fun to just doodle away.  Here’s a sampling of my fun.

Thank YOU for reading my blog and commenting when you have time.  It means a lot! 

Ralph Marston is author and publisher of The Daily Motivator, one of the web’s most popular and enduring destinations for original positive motivation and inspiration. Since 1996, Ralph has published a new, original, positive message every Monday through Saturday without missing a single publication day (the archive of more than 5,000 messages is available on The Daily Motivator website).

In the fall of 2001 Ralph first created the beloved “Right Now” video presentation which has given a sense of peace and hope to millions with its simple, profound message. Since then, he has created several more similar presentations, all available for free from The Daily Motivator website.

Ralph is the author of three books, and his words of wisdom have been quoted countless times on thousands of websites, in books, magazines, newspapers and other publications.

Afternoon at the Park

“To a happy person, the formula for happiness is quite simple:  Regardless of what happened early this morning, last week, or last year – or what may happen later this evening, tomorrow, or three years from now – now is where happiness lies.”
–Richard Carlson

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2011

Afternoon at the Park – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor

I know her legs are missing.   he he  This was a quick little watercolor postcard and try as I might, I could not figure out how to do her feet.  So… let’s just say she is sitting cross-legged, with her feet up on the bench. 

The reference photo was by mbeckett at WetCanvas.

Richard Carlson Ph.D. (May 16, 1961 – December 13, 2006) was an American author, psychotherapist, and motivational speaker, who rose to fame with the success of his book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and it’s all Small Stuff (1997), which became one of the fastest-selling books of all time and made publishing history as USA Todays bestselling book for two consecutive years.  It also spent over 101 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list, and was published in 135 countries, and translated into Latvian, Polish, Icelandic, Serbian and 26 other languages;  thereafter Carlson went on to write 20 books.
^{Source:  Wikipedia}

Negative Painting or A Bird in a Tree

“Take some time today to smile at the person you see in the mirror.
If you see lines or wrinkles…
Just smile.
If you see a few gray hairs or all gray hair or no hair at all…
Just smile.
If you see a face with worry or pain…
Just smile.
If you see some of your mother’s or father’s face…
Just smile.
Let your heart soften.
Send love and compassion to the you in the mirror
And
say
I love you!”

– Ruth Fishel from her new book, Wrinkles Don’t Hurt

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2011

Bird on Masa – 5″ x 7.5″ Watercolor

I did this bird by doing negative painting with Daniel Smith metallic watercolors on a sheet of masa I had prepared months ago.  Here are some of the stages…

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2011

I enjoyed this a lot.  With all the craziness surrounding the holidays, it was wonderful to just concentrate on a little painting for 3 hours.

 I hope you’re having wonderful times and you are staying safe. 


Click on the images to enlarge them.

Ruth Fishel, MEd, is a prolific author, national retreat and workshop leader and meditation teacher. Her inspirational and spiritual books have sold over 800,000 copies.
 

I love Ruth’s books and quote from them often.  Go see more about her at http://www.ruthfishel.com/

Victor Emporium

“Walking meditation is meditation while walking…  When we practice this way, we feel deeply at ease, and our steps are those of the most secure person on earth.  All our sorrows and anxieties drop away, and peace and joy fill our hearts.  Anyone can do it.  It takes only a little time, a little mindfulness, and the wish to be happy.”
– Thich Nhat Hahn

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2011

Victor Emporium – 5″ x 7″ Watercolor

I read about Victor on the Internet before I went to Idaho.  I just had to stop there on my way from Driggs, ID to Jackson Hole, WY for my flight back home.  It was a beautiful day and I sat at that table and ate my huckleberry ice cream cone.   It was the perfect end to a great vacation.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday, no matter how you choose to celebrate it! 

Thích Nhất Hạnh :  born October 11, 1926) is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist who now lives in France. Born Nguyễn Xuân Bảo, Thích Nhất Hạnh joined a Zen (Vietnamese: Thiền) monastery at the age of 16, and studied Buddhism as a novitiate. Upon his ordination as a monk in 1949, he assumed the Dharma name Thích Nhất Hạnh. Thích is an honorary family name used by all Vietnamese monks and nuns, meaning that they are part of the Shakya (Shakyamuni Buddha) clan.  He is often considered the most influential living figure in the lineage of Lâm Tế (Vietnamese Rinzai) Thiền, and perhaps also in Zen Buddhism as a whole.  Source:  Wikipedia

Have You Seen The Yellow Bears at Yellowstone?

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. Beautiful people do not just happen.”
– Elisabeth Kuber-Ross

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2011

Yellow Bears – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Sharpie

I painted this from a photo I took in August, when I went to Yellowstone Bear World near Rexburg, Idaho.  I had a great time there.  I took this when I was in the drive thru park.  I also spent time in the petting zoo and I fed the baby bears.  It was a great adventure that I found was NOT just for kids. 

I just realized that I painted the Yellowstone bears yellow.  It is pure coincidence, not cleverness on my part.  he he

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D. (July 8, 1926 – August 24, 2004) was a Swiss American psychiatrist, a pioneer in Near-death studies and the author of the groundbreaking book On Death and Dying (1969), where she first discussed what is now known as the Kübler-Ross model.
She is a 2007 inductee into the American National Women’s Hall of Fame.   She was the recipient of twenty honorary degrees and by July 1982 had taught, in her estimation, 125,000 students in death and dying courses in colleges, seminaries, medical schools, hospitals, and social-work institutions.  In 1970, she delivered the The Ingersoll Lectures on Human Immortality at Harvard University, on the theme, On Death and Dying.
See the foundation here.

Ducklings on Masa

“No man can think clearly when his fists are clenched.”
– George Jean Nathan

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2011

Ducklings on Masa – 5″ x 7″ Watercolor

No… these ducklings are not high on tamales.  (In case you were wondering from the title)    They were painted on some masa paper I prepared a few months ago.  I was working on different papers from my stash over the weekend.  I had a great time playing with my paints.

In this stress filled time of year, I can find complete calm within the walls of my studio.  Nothing bad can penetrate that space.  It just can’t get in.  I hope you have a place where you can go to escape from the stress, if even for just a moment, during the hectic holidays.

This was painted from my own photo of a brand new family of ducklings at the marina at Jellystone, here in Eufaula.  They were so sweet!

About George Jean Nathan

George Jean Nathan, the acerbic American drama critic, was renowned for what he called destructive theater criticism, which helped shape a more serious theatrical community and paved the way for modern critics. He was born in 1882 in Indiana. He and H.L. Mencken coedited the magazines Smart Set and The American Mercury. Although he found little to like in the theater, he became a fierce champion of the playwrights he did appreciate, including Eugene O’Neill and Sean O’Casey. He died in 1958.

Idaho to Washington for Two

“May everyone have the food they need, the happiness they seek, and may they attain relief from the suffering of a dissatisfied mind.”
–Sasha T. Loring

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2011

 

Idaho to Washington for Two – 6″ x 7.5″ Watercolor & Sharpie

 

This is my little sister and her husband, packed up and ready to leave Blackfoot, Idaho, where we had gathered to spend time with my mom and brother in August.   They rode their Harley trike from Oak Harbor, WA to Idaho and back.  They love spending time on their Harley and it’s keeping them young.  My brother-in-law is covered in tattoos, but I didn’t know how to paint the those. 

 

Sasha Loring, M.Ed., LCSW has taught meditation for over 30 years, and has created mindfulness programs for Duke Integrative Medicine including co-creating the Mindfulness Training for Professionals Program and the Changing from Within mindful eating program.  She created the Wisdom Path for Changing Your Relationship with Food, and is co-author of The Mindfulness Manual for Bariatric Surgery (a program that has been taught through eMindful internet education).  She has also developed programs for and taught at Duke Diet and Fitness Center.  She has been interviewed for the Wall Street Journal, Body and Soul Magazine, and for the eMindful internet education website.

 
Sasha Loring has led many mindfulness retreats and workshops on topics such as Mindful Eating, The Healing Power of Mindfulness, Mindfulness and Compassion, and Mindfulness and Stress Reduction.  Use the contact page of this website if you are interested in discussing a workshop presentation for your organization.

Stack of Cups

“Attempt easy tasks as if they were difficult, and difficult as if they were easy; in the one case that confidence may not fall asleep, in the other that it may not be dismayed.”
– Baltasar Gracián y Morales

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2011

Stack of Cups – 6″ x 9″ Gouache on Art Spectrum Colourfix

I hosted the WDE at WetCanvas last weekend.  It was so much fun!  The two weekends per year that I host, the hubby leaves me alone to do all the art I want.  That is pure joy for me.  This is a stack of my office coffee cups.  I had a great time with this one.  There is still time to play.  Just go to:  All Media Art Events forum.

About Baltasar Gracián y Morales

Baltasar Gracián y Morales, the Jesuit scholar and moralist author, was the leading Spanish proponent of conceptism (conceptismo), a method of expressing ideas through puns, epigrams, and other verbal devices. He was born in 1601 in Aragon. The Jesuit leadership frowned on his oratorical style, which included reading a letter from Hell to his congregation. His best known books include The Art of Worldly Wisdom and The Hero, which repudiated Machiavelli. He died in 1658.

1950 Chevy Truck in Red

“When you bring your attention to the things you are grateful for in your life, your brain actually works better.”
–Daniel Amen

Copyright Beth Parker Art

1950 Chevy Truck in Red – 3″ x 4″ Watercolor

Here is my second attempt to practice painting a truck.  It was kinda fun, even though I overdid the sharpie a bit.    This weekend, I am hosting the WDE in the All Media Art Events forum at WetCanvas.    It’s fun!   Go check it out and play with us.   Artists from all over the world will be doing art based on the photos I put up for references.  

About Dr. Amen

Daniel G. Amen, MD is a physician, child and adult psychiatrist, brain imaging specialist, bestselling author, Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and the CEO and medical director of Amen Clinics, Inc. (ACI) in Newport Beach and the San Francisco area, California, Bellevue, Washington and Reston, Virginia .

ACI is the world leader in applying brain imaging science to clinical practice. ACI has the world’s largest database of functional brain scans related to psychiatric medicine, now totaling more than 70,000 scans, and the clinics have seen patients from 90 countries.

Dr. Amen is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, where he teaches medical students and psychiatric residents about using brain imaging in clinical practice.  Source:  AmenClinics.com.

1950 Chevrolet Pickup

“We have a lamp inside of us, the lamp of mindfulness, which we can light anytime. The oil of that lamp is our breathing, our steps, and our peaceful smile. We have to light up that lamp of mindfulness so that light will shine out and the darkness will dissipate and cease. Our practice is to light up the lamp.”
–Thich Nhat Hanh

This quote is from my newest little book called Wrinkles Don’t Hurt – Daily meditations on the joy of aging mindfully. I am loving this book by Ruth Fishel, who also wrote another great one called A Time For Joy.

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2011

1950 Chevrolet Pickup – 3″ x 4″ Watercolor

I am doing all these paintings with buildings in them and the streets are suspiciously empty.  I decided to practice painting vehicles, which I am terrible at.  I wouldn’t mind them so much if they didn’t have tires.  The perspective, shadows, placement, etc, of tires are just bewildering to me, as you can see in this little painting.  The front passenger side tire is in the wrong place somehow.  I like the rest of the truck, I think. 

Thích Nhất Hạnh ( born October 11, 1926) is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist who now lives in France.  Born Nguyễn Xuân Bảo, Thích Nhất Hạnh joined a Zen (Vietnamese: Thiền) monastery at the age of 16, and studied Buddhism as a novitiate.  Upon his ordination as a monk in 1949, he assumed the Dharma name Thích Nhất Hạnh. Thích is an honorary family name used by all Vietnamese monks and nuns, meaning that they are part of the Shakya (Shakyamuni Buddha) clan.  He is often considered the most influential living figure in the lineage of Lâm Tế (Vietnamese Rinzai) Thiền, and perhaps also in Zen Buddhism as a whole.  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Funky Street Lamp

“Hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence.”
– Lin Yutang

Funky Street Lamp – 3″ x 5.5″ Watercolor

I had a lot of fun painting this.  The funny part is that when I finished it and showed it to the hubby, he said… “That would have made a better Christmas card.”  This was a mere 18 hours after I dropped 45 Christmas cards in the mail… with a magpie sitting on the head of an elk in the snow.  You know… snow… Christmas…     Gotta love him! 

This was cropped from a large night  city photo from Phlugel at WetCanvas.

About Lin Yutang

Chinese author Lin Yutang wrote more than 35 books in English and Chinese, including My Country and My People and The Importance of Living, which brought him international fame. He was born in 1895 in the Fujian province in China. He created a Chinese-American dictionary, an indexing system for Chinese letters, and translated many classic Chinese texts. Written in a humorous, accessible style, his books bridged European and Chinese cultures. He died in 1976.

House of Bones or Maybe a Fairy Princess Castle

“A child’s world is fresh, innocent, new, full of wonder and excitement. It is unfortunate that for many of us that vision for what is awe inspiring is dimmed as we grow older. If I had influence over the good fairy who blesses all children, I would ask her gift to each child in the world be this: a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last through all the years of their life.”
– Rachel Carson

 

House of Bones – 5.5″ x 8.5″ Watercolor

Phulgel from WetCanvas posted this photo and she said… “This is called Casa Batllo and is called the house of bones. It is a Gaudi house and represents a dragon being slayed by sir George.   The piece like a chimney is the hilt of his sword. The roof is made of the bumps of his spine and the tiles are his scales. The balconies are the skulls of his victims and the bottom row of windows is supposed to be his mouth. The entire house is covered in mosaic stones.”

I had a great time painting this and to me, it looks like a fairy princess could live inside.  No dragons, swords or bones.  Just fairy a princess and maybe a handsome prince. 

Rachel Louise Carson – May 27, 1907  -  April 14, 1964

Rachel Carson, writer, scientist, and ecologist, grew up simply in the rural river town of Springdale, Pennsylvania. Her mother bequeathed to her a life-long love of nature and the living world that Rachel expressed first as a writer and later as a student of marine biology. Carson graduated from Pennsylvania College for Women (now Chatham College) in 1929, studied at the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, and received her MA in zoology from Johns Hopkins University in 1932.
She was hired by the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries to write radio scripts during the Depression and supplemented her income writing feature articles on natural history for the Baltimore Sun. She began a fifteen-year career in the federal service as a scientist and editor in 1936 and rose to become Editor-in-Chief of all publications for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
More:  http://www.rachelcarson.org/

Cats Interrupted

“Attitudes are nothing more than habits of thoughts; and habits can be acquired. An action repeated becomes an attitude realized.”
– Paul Myer


Cats Interrupted – 5.5″ x 8.5″ Watercolor

This is my own version of some cats in a photo by Phlugel at WetCanvas.  I added the colors and the mouse, of course.   The look on the cat with the purple tail reminds me of a cat who was intently minding their own business, when they were suddenly interrupted by the photographer.  This was fun.

Paul Myer -1928 – 2009
Born in San Mateo, California in 1928 to a German immigrant father and a mother of Scottish descent, Paul J. Meyer possessed an unyielding urge to learn, to excel, and to be innovative in all his endeavors.

Always considered a person with an idea ahead of its time, Meyer became interested in the principles of personal growth, development, and success at an early age. He was particularly interested in the process of goal setting, as this process was in tune with his keen desire for personal achievement. By using goal-setting principles in his chosen career of professional sales, Meyer became a millionaire by the age of 27.

More importantly, however, Meyer held the firm belief that all people, regardless of their gender, personality, social standing, or level of education, could develop the necessary characteristics to achieve and live a lifetime of success. To this end, Meyer founded Success Motivation® Institute, Inc. in 1960, a company dedicated to motivating people to their full potential.® This company brought into reality Meyer’s long-standing dream of providing practical, effective materials to help people achieve their goals and enjoy greater success.  Source:  pauljmyer.com

Early Bird & Liebster Blog Award

“Our greatest danger in life is permitting the urgent things to crowd out the important.”
– Charles E. Hummel



Early Bird – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor

I had the most wonderful surprise this morning.  I received the Liebster Blog Award from Trisha over at  creatingreciprocity.    I really enjoy Trisha’s blog.    She shares ways that she finds that can help us live together as one.  She says it really well here.   Go see Trisha’s Liebster Blog post.



Trisha writes… Go raibh míle maith agat is Irish for Many Thanks. In fact it literally means “may you have a thousand good (things)”.   The Liebster Award appears to be somewhat mysterious, but it also appears to exist as a means of encouragement.

It’s intention seems to be to create more and more and more connections between people – which is a wonderful – and wondrous – thing.   Trisha received this award from Amy and the spirit of the award must be working, because I have already subscribed to Amy’s blog, Radical Amazement.

Acceptance of the award requires that the recipient pass it on to five other bloggers, with less than 200 followers.  This is the hard part.   I follow some amazing art blogs, but I thought I would recognize some blogs outside my regular little group, so that they (my blog buddies) may enjoy getting out of our comfy little neighborhood, too.

Kana’s Chronicles -  Kana writes wonderful posts revolving around real life.  Her writing is heartwarming and genuine.   Kana says it best… “I am… a writer, an explorer, a coffee-drinker, a recovering addict, a barefoot linguist, a book-dragon (“bookworm” doesn’t cover it), a raconteur, a minister, a sailboat skipper, a research diver, a tattooed scholar, a pirate, a poet, a spiritual adventurer, a photographer, a cartographer, a joyful wife, a mom (and Granny), an island-girl at heart… A list-maker! ”   She hasn’t been blogging very long and she is drawing quite a crowd.

friendtoyourself- Sana Johnson-Quijada MD  found me, I think.  She commented on one of my posts and when I read some of her posts, I was hooked.  Here is what Sana tells us about her blog… “  I am a psychiatrist, writing on being a Friend to Yourself.  My passion is partnering with others to bring worthwhile tools on self-care into practice. I started this blog as a way to create a community of people interested, likewise, in becoming their own friend. I write about a wide variety of topics of interest, and I consider the reader comments even more important than my own posts!”   I love getting Sana’s posts and she really gets some great dialog going with her followers.

Asmalltowndad’s Weblog – Okay, okay… Ryan is in my little blogger group and he is an amazing artist, but he is included here for his wonderful love of family and the importance of the things that really matter.  Ryan can be a bit of a kook, and it’s part of the fun.  He can also bring tears to your eyes with his observations.

L. Gruger Art and Travels – Lindy has a wonderful blog.  She posts her beautiful art along with poems, musings, and photos of her adventures.  Lindy has a very positive spirit and her blog always brightens my day.

Little Dabs -  A blogger friend, Leslie White, told me about Little Dabs.  Wilhelmina writes amazing poetry and stories.  She and her husband fill the pages with art, too.  If you’re too tired to read her poetry, she includes a link where  you can just listen to her recite it.  I enjoy these posts very much!

I have not asked any of these wonderful bloggers if they will accept this award, but it is my genuine hope that they do.  (Side note – some of these people may have more than 200 followers, but I can’t tell.)  ((hugs))

Have a terrific Friday and a wonderful weekend! 

Horse Quilt

“Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak… because in your life you will have been all of these.”
– Mac Anderson

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2011

Horse Quilt – 5″ x 7″ Watercolor & Sharpie

It’s been a while since  I have sewn any critters.  I enjoyed doing this horse, who’s photo was  provided by Lisilk at WetCanvas.

The tree is up in the sign shop lobby, the ornaments are finished for my handmade ornament exchange and the packages going to people far away are wrapped, packed in boxes and ready to go.   I just need to fill out the insides of my Christmas cards and get them in the mail,  since the envelopes are already addressed.   I wonder what it is that husbands do during the holidays.  Hmmmm… he’s not baking… no, not wrapping… nope, not putting up any trees or hanging any lights…. shopping?… definitely not…  Oh, I forgot…. he went to the liquor store.  That’s it!  Now if I only drank liquor.   No matter what, my hubby is my hero, my calming influence and my best friend, so he does do a lot.  Can you imagine being my calming influence?  That’s a pretty big job.  

MAC ANDERSON is the founder of Simple Truths and Successories, Inc., the leader in designing and marketing products for motivation and recognition. These companies, however, are not the first success stories for Mac. He was also the founder and CEO of McCord Travel, the largest travel company in the Midwest, and part owner/VP of sales and marketing for Orval Kent Food Company, the country’s largest manufacturer of prepared salads.

His accomplishments in these unrelated industries provide some insight into his passion and leadership skills. He also brings the same passion to his speaking where he speaks to many corporate audiences on a variety of topics, including leadership, motivation and team building.

Mac has authored or co-authored twelve books, which have sold more than 3 million copies published by

Simple Truths. They include:
212°…The Extra Degree
Charging the Human Battery
Customer Love
The Nature of Success
Change is Good…You Go First
The Power of Attitude
What’s the Big Idea?
The Essence of Leadership
You Can’t Send a Duck to Eagle School
The Best of Success
Learning to Dance in the Rain
Motivational Quotes

For more information about Simple Truths, visit www.simpletruths.com.
I own about 20 Simple Truths books.  Many of the quotes I share with you each day come from those wonderful books!
– Beth 

Chaos

“A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.”
–George Moore

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2011

Reign of Chaos – 4″ x 4″ Watercolor & Sharpie

This is another pet of Jean’s (Just Chaos) from WetCanvas.  This is an older photo of Chaos as a puppy.

Well, I guess I have resisted long enough.  It’s time to put the Christmas tree up in my sign shop lobby.  I have been so busy that I have been putting it off.  It’s a cute little tree and it will probably put me into the spirit of the holidays. 

George Augustus Moore (24 February 1852 – 21 January 1933) was an Irish novelist, short-story writer, poet, art critic, memoirist and dramatist. Moore came from a Roman Catholic landed family who lived at Moore Hall in Carra, County Mayo.   He originally wanted to be a painter, and studied art in Paris during the 1870s. There, he befriended many of the leading French artists and writers of the day.
Source:  Wikipedia

Annie the Dog

“Before you agree to do anything that might add even the smallest amount of stress to your life, ask yourself: What is my truest intention? Give yourself rime to let a ‘yes’ resound within you. When it’s right, I guarantee your entire body will feel it.”
– Oprah Winfrey

 Copyright Beth Parker Art 2011

Annie – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Sharpie

Another photo reference by Just Chaos at WetCanvas.  Jean has the greatest animals.  This is her dog Annie.  She has a hairless cat, a  bull terrier, a greyhound, a mule and many more that I can’t remember.   She finds beauty in all the animals the world might be missing out on.  It’s so fun when she hosts the WDE (weekend drawing event). 

I love today’s quote, especially this time of year.  We are all out bustling around, trying to do a million things at once.  I started my shopping in October and just need to wrap and make the trek to the post office.  Christmas card envelopes are addressed, but that’s as far as I have gotten on that project.  I am trying not to stress myself out this year, as I have in previous years.  So far, so good. 

Oprah Winfrey

Through the power of media, Oprah Winfrey has created an unparalleled connection with people around the world. As supervising producer and host of the top-rated, award-winning The Oprah Winfrey Show, she has entertained, enlightened and uplifted millions of viewers for the past two decades. Her accomplishments as a global media leader and philanthropist have established her as one of the most respected and admired public figures today.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/pressroom/Oprah-Winfreys-Official-Biography#ixzz1flUzujpa

Funky Old Truck – 4.5″ x 7.5″ Watercolor

“Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.”
– e. e. cummings

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2011

Funky Old Truck – 4.5″ x 7.5″ Watercolor

I painted this little truck from a photo by Just Chaos at WetCanvas.  It was hard not to use my sharpie on it, but decided it was cute enough without it.

Last week was a tough week.  I tried to paint in the motel room, but the sadness surrounding my mother-in-law’s funeral was just too overwhelming.  When we returned home, we were exhausted.  Sunday, we decided to just rest and try to get our strength back.  Jean’s photos were the perfect diversion, so I painted 5 little paintings.   It was nice to just be quiet with my thoughts and my paints.  I am so lucky to have my art. 

About e. e. cummings

The writer who became known as e. e. cummings was an experimental poet whose idiosyncratic typography complements the music of his poetry; he published more than 900 poems, two novels, and four plays. He was also an accomplished painter. He was born in Massachusetts in 1894 and entered the ambulance corps in World War I but ended up in a detention camp after expressing his pacifist views. He died in 1962. “In Just-” was his most famous poem.

Bethville I – A Little Peek

“Women are having to do way too much. They are multi-tasking, working long hours, and they are still responsible for most of what happens with the family; they are caregivers, best friends, listeners; they are amazing, amazing people.”
–Dawn Tarnofsky

Dedicated to my amazing mother-in-law, Ruby Parker, who quietly passed away on Monday, November 28th, at the age of 86.  Rest in peace, Miss Ruby.

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2011

Bethville I – A little Peek of the Painting
I am working on a new series of large paintings.  I am calling them the Bethville series.  Many friends often referred to my painting style as “Bethville”, and comment that it would be a fun place to live.  This is a little peek into one of the watercolors I did as proofs for the larger acrylic paintings.    I am going to really enjoy doing these.

Dawn Tarnofsky-Ostroff was the former President of Entertainment of The CW Television Network. She was in charge of all creative efforts of the network and oversees such areas as current programming, series development, scheduling, research, marketing and publicity.
Ostroff began her career in news as a reporter for WINZ, a CBS affiliate in Miami. She also worked in local news at WPLG and WTVJ in Miami.
Ostroff joined Lifetime Television in October 1996 as Senior Vice President, Programming and Production. She was Executive Vice President of Lifetime starting in 1999.
Ostroff served as President of UPN Entertainment from February 11, 2002 until 2006, when she joined The CW.
Now in its 5th season, The CW is America’s youngest skewing broadcast network,[2] and Dawn Ostroff was in charge of the network’s primetime slate,[3] which during the 2010-2011 season featured series including The Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl, Life Unexpected, One Tree Hill, America’s Next Top Model, 90210, Supernatural and Smallville, as well as new series Nikita, starring Maggie Q, and Hellcats, starring Aly Michalka and Ashley Tisdale.
She recently announced that she would be leaving the network in 2011.
Source:  Wikipedia

Dishes Galore – 6″ x 6″ Watercolor & Sharpie

“Don’t underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.”
– Winnie The Pooh



Dishes Galore – 6″ x 6″ Watercolor & Sharpie

Lisilk posted a challenge for last weekend’s WDE at WetCanvas.  It was to do a painting in 30 minutes and post it.  This is my 30 minute challenge.  All the dishes in the photo were hand blown (clear) glass.  Of course, I had to add my own little take on it… especially if it was to be done in 30 minutes. 

History of Winnie The Pooh

During the first World War, troops from Winnipeg (Manitoba, Canada) were being transported to eastern Canada, on their way to Europe, where they were to join the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade. When the train stopped at White River, Ontario, a lieutenant called Harry Colebourn bought a small female black bear cub for $20 from a hunter who had killed its mother. He named her ‘Winnipeg’, after his hometown of Winnipeg, or ‘Winnie’ for short.

Winnie became the mascot of the Brigade and went to Britain with the unit. When the Brigade was posted to the battlefields of France, Colebourn, now a Captain, took Winnie to the London Zoo for a long loan. He formally presented the London Zoo with Winnie in December 1919 where he became a popular attraction and lived until 1934.  More info here on http://www.just-pooh.com/history.html

On Just-Pooh, you can find fun information about Winnie the Pooh and his friends, read about the history of the Winnie the Pooh stories, find the latest Winnie the Pooh bear news, play games, and so much more! Use the links on the left to get started. We hope you enjoy Just-Pooh and the magical world of Winnie the Pooh.

Fruit Stand – 4″ x 8″ Watercolor & Sharpie

“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.”
– Vincent van Gogh



Fruit Stand – 4″ x 8″ Watercolor & Sharpie

I did this little painting for the WDE over at WetCanvas.  Lisilk provided the photos to paint from last weekend.  I was able to squeeze this one in before we went to Oklahoma City to spend some time with my mother-in-law.  It was a lot of fun!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  For the last seven years, we’ve been having dinner with our friends, Jerry & Teresa.  There is usually 30-40 people there and they serve dinner off the truck rack in Jerry’s shop.  Little bit of hillbilly heaven!  I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

About Vincent van Gogh

The Dutch post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh worked as an artist for only ten years, but he had a profound and lasting effect on the art world. He was born in 1853 in Zundert. He briefly became a minister but was dismissed for caring too much about his impoverished parishioners. His brother, Theo, was a close friend and supporter. He only sold one painting during his lifetime. He is known for his heavy brushstrokes and strong colors. He died in 1890 of suicide.

Cream in Your Coffee

“In every person who comes near you look for what is good and strong; honor that; try to imitate it, and your faults will drop off like dead leaves when their time comes.”
– John Ruskin



Cream in Your Coffee
5″ x 7″ Acrylic on Black Card Stock

I always drink my coffee black.  I drink my coffee all day long, right up to bedtime.  LOVE the stuff!  I was working on my BIG painting when I painted this, so I used the acrylic paint that was already out.  It was fun.  The photo is by oldrockchick from WetCanvas.  Everything was wood or white, but that didn’t deter me from dipping into the color! 

I have had a very good year and I am so very thankfull for all my blessings this Thanksgiving.  I hope you are enjoying the holiday with family and friends and you come back safe and sound to our little blogworld.  ((hugs))

About John Ruskin

John Ruskin was an English art critic who influenced the attitude of a whole generation toward art and architecture. He was born in 1819 in London. His career began with an essay defending his friend, artist J.M.W. Turner, from critics. His book Modern Painters made Turner popular and gave stature to the Pre-Raphaelite movement. He founded the Cambridge Scool of Art in 1858, now known as the Anglia Ruskin University. Leo Tolstoy called him one of those rare men who think with their heart. When Ruskin inherited wealth, he gave most of the money away. He died in 1900.