Final House Portrait - Kincaid Commission

“Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns. I am thankful that thorns have roses.”
– Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Final House Portrait – Kincaid Residence

I had so much fun doing this portrait of the Kincaid home.  Jackie and Carl were wonderful to work with, too.  My hubby and step-son slept in on Sunday, so I got to finish it.

I have moved on to something really different.  Remember the horse on her back?  Think color! 

About Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr

French author Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr is remembered primarily for his epigram “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” He is also known for his autobiographical romances, including the popular Genevieve. He was born in 1808 in Paris. As editor of Le Figaro and, later, Les Guepes, he became widely quoted for his sharp witticisms. An avid horticulturist, he named more than one new flower, and when he retired to Nice, he popularized the tradition of selling cut flowers. He died in 1890.

Pencil Sketch Completed

“A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work.”
– John Lubbock

Boy, I can attest to that, after worrying about tornadoes yesterday.  My two step-sons live in Moore, as well.  They are both okay and their homes were spared.  My heart goes out to all those folks in Moore and their families.

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Pencil Sketch Completed – KC Commission

I haven’t added the brick yet.  That will come after I get this stage inked.  I am enjoying this very much!

What a terrible couple days it has been for Oklahoma.  I heard a wonderful story on the news a moment ago.  There were some guys who are fixing people’s tires for free in Moore.  They also just said that the confirmed death toll is 24.  It was reported at 51 & 91 earlier.  24 is awful, but still better.

About John Lubbock

 

John Lubbock, the multifaceted British banker, statesman, and scientist, was responsible for the institution of England’s monthly Bank Holidays, sometimes referred to as St. Lubbock Days. He was born in 1834 in England. Growing up, he learned science from his father’s friend Charles Darwin. He coined the terms Paleolithic and Neolithic to denote the different Stone Ages, and he wrote the well-regarded books Prehistoric Times and Ants, Bees, and Wasps. He died in 1913.

Commission Pencil Sketch - A Sneak Peek

“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
– St. Francis of Assisi

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Progress Shot – Commission Pencil Sketch

This is a small portion of the commission I am working on now for Jackie & Carl, from the Kansas City show.  Their house is beautiful!  So much of it is hidden by trees and I’m diligently pruning the leaves on some of the trees, so that you can see the house.  Yesterday morning, I was working in their yard.  I was putting some of the plants back in the flowerbed that had died, and sprucing up some to give them blooms.  All with a pencil.  No dirt under my fingernails.  Oh, and I also rehung the chair swing that had broken.  It’s all fixed now.

At my house, I planted a cactus a friend gave us.  That’s about the only plant I don’t kill. 

About St. Francis of Assisi

 

St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology in Catholicism, was born Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone into a wealthy Italian merchant family in 1181. As a youth, he was known for carousing. After a series of illnesses, one of which occurred while a prisoner of war, he had a spiritual awakening. God came to him in a vision and told him to build up his crumbling church. Taking the dream literally, he began rebuilding a local chapel. He took a vow of poverty and began traveling, preaching, and working to help the sick and the poor. A group formed around him, becoming the Franciscan order. He died in 1226.

Ellen’s House in Ink - A Kansas City Commission

“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.”
– Harvey Fierstein

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Ellen’s House in Ink – 8″ x 10″

This is the first of four commissions I got from the show in Kansas City.  I went to Ellen’s to take the photos.  Her house is so beautiful and in a great neighborhood.  The neighbors were visiting and walking and pushing their kids in Ellen’s tire swing.  It was a real Mayberry feel.  This stage of the painting has been approved and I’m on to paint in the morning.  Yay! 

About Harvey Fierstein

 

Harvey Fierstein, the raspy-voiced American actor, playwright, and gay activist, is best known for his semiautobiographical play, Torch Song Trilogy, which garnered Tony Awards for writing and acting. He was born in Brooklyn in 1954. His onstage debut as a female impersonator at age 16 led to a role in a 1971 Andy Warhol play. He adapted the French show La Cage aux Folles into a Broadway musical and, later, the movie The Birdcage. He has appeared in such varied movies as Independence Day and Mrs. Doubtfire.

Show Bookmark

“We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.”
– Marian Wright Edelman

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Show Bookmark – Watercolor

This is a little bookmark I made to use as a demo piece at the show in Kansas City.  It was all inked, but only partially painted, so people could see how I do my paintings.  So many people asked on Friday, that I did this for Saturday.  It was an amazing show!!  I sold 5 paintings and got deposits on 4 commissions!!  Oh, I sold my zentangle bowl and some boxed postcards, too.  I’ll tell you more about it later.  Right now, I need to return a bunch of calls and emails. 

About Marian Wright Edelman

American activist Marian Wright Edelman, who founded the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) as a voice for poor, minority, and handicapped children, was the first African-American woman to practice law in Mississippi. She was born in 1939 in South Carolina. Her father, a Baptist preacher, died when she was 14; his last words to her were, “Don’t let anything get in the way of your education.” She graduated from Yale Law School in 1963. Her many awards include the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Some Fun Little Technicolor Cows – 5″ x 7″

“There is a sense of exhilaration that comes from facing head-on the hard truths and saying, ‘We will never give up. We will never capitulate. It might take a long time, but we will find a way to prevail.’”
– Jim Collins

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Technicolor Cows – 5″ x 7″ Watercolor and Black Ink

That was fun!  I’m going through building portrait withdrawal, I think.  My mind went a little crazy here, but I had a good time.  All of it is watercolor except the black.  Yeah, I have some tiny brushes and a great light.

Only 10 more days until I head to Kansas City.  All the sudden, I am realizing how much I have left to do.  I have all the paintings done and framed, but still have to wire all the frames.   Most of my postcard mailing has gone out and I have postcard prints boxed.   Hotel is booked and jeep is clean on the inside.  Hmmmm, I guess I’m further along than I thought. 

Now to whip the sign shop into shape.  I’ve been crazy busy and working 66 hours a week.  (not counting painting and framing)  I am very blessed to be so busy, but I’m actually looking forward to a few days off.

About Jim Collins

American business guru Jim Collins has written or cowritten four books, including the instant classic Built to Last, which spent more than six years on the Business Week best-seller list, and Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t, which became a New York Times best seller. He was raised in Boulder, Colorado. After seven years teaching at Stanford University’s business school, he founded a research laboratory to examine companies and why they succeed.

New York Life Building - Kansas City

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”  –Booker T. Washington

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

New York Life Building – Kansas City – 3″ x 4″ Watercolor

This is another itty bitty painting.  It’s a crop of just a wee corner of a really big building.  I had fun with all the detail on this one.  It is a very ornate building!  I think I am done painting Kansas City ….for now.  I think I have 30 paintings to take to the show.  I think that is plenty. 

Booker T. Washington, 1856-1915, Educator. Booker Taliaferro Washington was the foremost black educator of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He also had a major influence on southern race relations and was the dominant figure in black public affairs from 1895 until his death in 1915. Born a slave on a small farm in the Virginia backcountry, he moved with his family after emancipation to work in the salt furnaces and coal mines of West Virginia. After a secondary education at Hampton Institute, he taught an upgraded school and experimented briefly with the study of law and the ministry, but a teaching position at Hampton decided his future career. In 1881 he founded Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute on the Hampton model in the Black Belt of Alabama.  More…

Cross Roads Coffee Shop – Watercolor ATC

“It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.”
– Franklin D. Roosevelt

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Cross Roads Coffee Shop – 2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor ATC

This is a cute little coffee shop I found on Google Street View.  The part that is really weird about it is that there was a huge sign that said coffee on the side of the building.  I didn’t realize I forgot to add it until I was nearly done painting this….. and I am a sign lady!!  I have owned my sign shop for 21 years!!  I forgot the sign?   What’s up with that???? 

About Franklin D. Roosevelt

Four-term American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt, known as FDR, pulled America out of the Great Depression and led the country during World War II. He was born in New York in 1882. His political career halted when a bout of polio paralyzed him from the waist down, but after learning to walk with leg braces, he became governor of New York and then president. His New Deal initiatives included Social Security, jobs programs, and collective bargaining. He died in 1945.

Hammerpress – Little 2.5″ x 3.5″ ATC

“Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you.  Never excuse yourself.  Never pity yourself.  Be a hard master to yourself – and be lenient to everybody else.”

–Henry Ward Beecher

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Hammerpress – 2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor ATC

This business belongs to my friends Bryan & Janiece’s son, Brady.  He has grown a very successful business there in Kansas City.  The poster art he does is wonderful!!  I found his building using Google street view.   Go check out the Hammerpress website.  It’s real eye candy.

Henry Ward Beecher (June 24, 1813 – March 8, 1887) was a prominent Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, abolitionist, and speaker in the mid to late 19th century. An 1875 adultery trial in which he was accused of having an affair with a married woman was one of the most notorious American trials of the 19th century.  More…

Another KC House – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”
– Helen Keller

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Another KC House – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

This is my step-sister’s house.  She lives in the Kansas City metropolitan area, as does my step-mom.    I am really looking forward to seeing Joan (step-mom) when I am in KC.  I drove up to visit her a couple years ago and we had a nice time.

I woke up this morning in a panic.  I realized I only have 2 weeks until I have to submit my inventory list for the KC show.  I am going to set a doable goal of framing 3 paintings a day, minimum, so I can take a little of the pressure off.  April may see me going back to painting Eufaula again.  I already have one painting commissioned that I really need to get to.  All of this when the sign shop is the busiest ever!  I am woman… hear me roar!

About Helen Keller

American author and activist Helen Keller was born in Alabama on June 27, 1880; she became blind and deaf after a childhood fever. When she was 7, Ann Sullivan famously coaxed her out of her sullen, angry shell and taught her to communicate. From then on, Keller took on the world. She graduated from Radcliffe, traveled the world visiting sweatshops and speaking out for the powerless, helped found the ACLU, and wrote eleven books. She died on June 1, 1968.

Hi Hat Coffee Shop – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

“What the caterpillar calls the end of the world the master calls a butterfly.”
– Richard Bach

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Hi Hat Coffee Shop – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

Mandy, over at KCC suggested the Hi Hat Coffee Shop as a much loved Kansas City (actually Westwood Hills) building to paint.  Evidently, the owner of the shop watched that particular building forever, waiting for it to come up for sale or lease.  When it did, he snatched it up immediately!  I can see why.  What a fun little place.   I may go find them when I’m in KC

About Richard Bach

Richard Bach, the American pilot and author, became hugely successful with the publication of the slim novel Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a spiritual quest about a bird who loved to fly rather than seeing flight as a means to an end. He was born in Illinois on June 23, 1936, a descendant of composer Johann Sebastian Bach. He has been an Air Force Reserve pilot, a flight instructor, and a barnstormer; most of his books involve flight either directly or as a metaphor.

Character Neighborhood – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

“Hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.”

–Emily Dickinson

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Character Neighborhood – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

Yes…. That house really was pink.  It was even brighter, but I toned it down.  (HA! Me…. toning down?   It’s rare, but it happened.)

I really loved these houses.  When I was little, I remember my grandpa having a front yard like that.  It’s a neat memory.  I imagine, when they were built, they were quite fancy, but have been forgotten, in favor of those huge homes we see these days.  I found these cute houses with Google street view.  They are in Kansas City.

Emily Dickenson

In 1830, Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts. She attended Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in South Hadley, but severe homesickness led her to return home after one year. Throughout her life, she seldom left her house and visitors were scarce. The people with whom she did come in contact, however, had an enormous impact on her thoughts and poetry. She was particularly stirred by the Reverend Charles Wadsworth, whom she met on a trip to Philadelphia. He left for the West Coast shortly after a visit to her home in 1860, and some critics believe his departure gave rise to the heartsick flow of verse from Dickinson in the years that followed. While it is certain that he was an important figure in her life, it is not certain that this was in the capacity of romantic love—she called him “my closest earthly friend.” Other possibilities for the unrequited love in Dickinson’s poems include Otis P. Lord, a Massachusetts Supreme Court Judge, and Samuel Bowles, editor of the Springfield Republican.   More…

Character Neighborhood – 4″ x 6″ Line Drawing

“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.”

–Carl Bard

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Character Neighborhood – 4″ x 6″ Line Drawing

I just finished the ink on my newest painting.  I found this Kansas City neighborhood on Google street view and I fell in love with the character of the homes.  I imagine that they were quite fancy in their day.  I can’t wait to start painting this one!

Carl Bard (1907-1978) was a Scottish Theologian Religious Writer Broadcaster.   (I couldn’t find more on him than that.  There are too many Carl Bards, and I don’t want to get the wrong info.)

West 57th and State Line Home – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

“No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

West 57th and State Line Home – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

I found this wonderful, stately home on Google street view.  I was drawn to the landscaping.  It was so fun to paint the cute little round bushes and the cool rock wall. 

About Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr., the revered civil- rights activist renowned for his stirring “I Have a Dream” speech, was arrested more than 20 times for his part in civil-disobedience actions. He was born on January 15, 1929. He believed in the power of nonviolent protest, and organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott to protest Jim Crow segregation laws. The protest was successful, leading to a change in the law and cementing King’s leadership in the emerging movement. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

The Hey Hey Club – 5″ x 7″ Watercolor & Ink

“We each need to let our intuition guide us, and then be willing to follow that guidance directly and fearlessly.”
– Shakti Gawain

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

The Hey Hey Club – 5″ x 7″ Watercolor & Ink

Someone suggested the Jazz District of Kansas City for possible paintings, so I went to Google Maps and drug the little yellow man around until I found this building.  I just love it and I had fun doing this painting, hey hey! 

About Shakti Gawain

American New Age author Shakti Gawain was born on September 30, 1948. Raised by atheists who taught her to question everything, she went through an existential crisis after a romantic breakup, which led her on a pilgrimage to India. Her experiences inspired the book Creative Visualization, which became an international best seller. She has been featured in Time magazine and has appeared on such shows as Oprah, Good Morning Americav and The Larry King Show. She currently lives in California with her husband Jim Burns.

Downtown Weston, MO II – 5″ x 7″ Watercolor and Ink

“When you cannot make up your mind between two evenly balanced courses of action, choose the bolder.”
– William Joseph Slim

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Downtown Weston, MO  II – 5″ x 7″ Watercolor and Ink

I wish I had time to go see this cute little town when I am in Kansas City, but alas… no time.  I love doing these little paintings.  Of course, the street was full of cars in the photo so I made up all the store fronts at street level. 

About William Joseph Slim

The courageous British commander William Joseph Slim, who led forces during both world wars, led an impressive turnaround of the so-called Forgotten Army in Burma during World War II after he trained them how to fight in jungle conditions. He was born on August 6, 1891 in Bristol. He joined the army as a second lieutenant at the outbreak of World War I and was wounded in the battle of Gallipoli. He served as governor-general of Australia, a ceremonial role, from 1953 to 1960. He died on December 14, 1970.

KCC – Kansas City Christian School – 5″ x 7″ Watercolor & Ink

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on my life. Attitude to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think or say or do.
 It is more important than appearance, gift or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.

 We cannot change our past…

 The only thing we can do is play on the string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our attitudes.”
 
–Charles Swindoll

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

KCC – Kansas City Christian School – 5″ x 7″ Watercolor & Ink

This little painting is a painting of the front of the school where I will be showing my art in April.  The Art Event at KCC looks like it will be a wonderful show, where they treat their artists very well and the support from the community is incredible.  I’m really excited!

I have the added bonus of having family in Kansas City.  My step-mom, Joan, lives in Overland Park… right down the street!  I think some folks from Eufaula are even planning a road trip to come to the show.  That is so cool! 

Charles Rozell “Chuck” Swindoll (born October 18, 1934) is an evangelical Christian pastor, author, educator, and radio preacher. He founded Insight for Living, headquartered in Plano, Texas, which airs a radio program of the same name on more than 2,000 stations around the world in 15 languages. He is currently senior pastor at Stonebriar Community Church, in Frisco, Texas.  More here…

A Little Kansas City Skyline – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

“He who cannot change the very fabric of his thought will never be able to change reality.”
– Anwar al-Sadat

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

A Little Kansas City Skyline – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

This is a little 4″ x 6″ Painting.  Less time to paint, but oh my, those details are little!  At least I didn’t have to paint any bricks. 

About Anwar al-Sadat

Egyptian president Anwar al-Sadat won the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize in conjunction with Israeli prime minister Menachim Begin for the Camp David Accords. He was born in Egypt on December 25, 1918. He participated in the 1952 coup to oust the corrupt King Farouk and became president in 1970. He led Egypt into the Yom Kippur War to reclaim part of the Sinai Peninsula. When that failed, he took the risky diplomatic path, opening the door to détente. He was assassinated on October 6, 1981 by Muslim extremists.

Dancing Kansas City Cityscape – 8″ x 10″ Watercolor & Ink

“Morality, like art, means drawing a line someplace.”
– Oscar Wilde

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Dancing Kansas City Cityscape – 8″ x 10″ Watercolor & Ink

I am having so much fun doing these city paintings, since I do so many rural scenes.   I hope they go over well at KC show, because I am sure going to have a lot of them. 

About Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde, the clever, colorful Anglo-Irish writer, is best known for the play The Importance of Being Earnest and the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. He was born in Dublin in 1854 but left when his lady love became engaged to Bram Stoker. He was a leading member of the aesthetic movement and embraced its doctrine, “Art for art’s sake.” Though married with two children, Wilde was known to have affairs with younger men and was jailed in 1895 for “gross indecency.” He died in November 1900.

Kansas City Autumn Cityscape – 8″ x 10″ Watercolor & Ink

“Action is the antidote to despair.”
– Joan Baez

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Kansas City Autumn Cityscape – 8″ x 10″ Watercolor & Ink

Yes… it’s another Kansas City skyline.  I did two more over the weekend, as I stayed home with a sick hubby.  I even got a good start on a third.  I have a couple Salina, KS paintings coming.  They are more focused on a single building vs a cityscape.

What do you think of the sky in this one?  Trying something different. 

About Joan Baez

American singer Joan Baez, known for her clear soprano and her belief in music as a tool for change, is widely considered the godmother of modern folk-rock. She was born in New York in 1941. She is an ardent activist, working for civil rights, nonviolence, and worker’s rights. She received the ACLU’s Earl Warren Award for her commitment to international human rights and, at the 2007 Grammy’s, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Her music includes the chart-topping version of “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” and the album Diamonds and Rust. She has one son.