Rooster and Quilt

“Every new day begins with possibilities.  It’s up to us to fill it with things that move us toward progress and peace.”

–Ronald Reagan

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

The Rooster and the Quilt

Here is another fine example of me getting a little carried away with detail.  My friend Shannon bought this painting to hang in her office.  That made me happy!!!

Ronald Reagan

Born in Tampico, Illinois, on February 6, 1911, Ronald Reagan initially chose a career in entertainment, appearing in more than 50 films. While in Hollywood, he served as president of the Screen Actor’s Guild and met his future wife, Nancy (Davis) Reagan. He served two terms as governor of California. Originally a liberal Democrat, Reagan ran for the U.S. presidency as a conservative Republican and won two terms, beginning in 1980.  More…

I know I saw that rooster...

“Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.”
– Muhammad Ali

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

I know I saw that rooster…

This is an older painting, but I always liked it.  The reference photo came from Sharrm at WetCanvas.  I am working on a commission, so no new paintings for a bit.

I have a 13 mile drive to work, on country roads.  This morning, a car passed me and about 10 other cars, some in a no passing zone through Longtown.  They were sure in a hurry!  I imagined all kinds of scenarios that required them taking so many foolish chances to get into Eufaula faster.  The part that made me laugh right out loud… they turned into the McDonalds drive thru line with about 15 cars ahead of them. 

Have a very nice day!

About Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali, the American boxing legend known for his saucy rhyming boasts as much as his quick fists, was a three-time heavyweight champion. He was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. in Louisville in 1942. His bike was stolen when he was 12, and a cop suggested he take up boxing. Though he became known as the greatest fighter of the twentieth century, with 56 wins and only five defeats, the sport took its toll in pugilism-induced Parkinson’s disease. Since retiring from boxing, Ali has dedicated himself to civic and humanitarian issues. He was called on to negotiate the release of hostages in Iraq in 1991, and in 2005 he was awarded with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

A Very Tall Birdthday Cake – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

“Let a joy keep you. Reach out your hands and take it when it runs by.”
– Carl Sandburg

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

A Very Tall Birdthday Cake  – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

Tall is the word this week at Illustration Friday.  Who wouldn’t love a very tall Birdthday cake with a rooster on top.  I painted this card for my friend Teresa.  The flowers and the rooster were from two different  reference photos by Lin at WetCanvas.  I had so much fun painting this for my very special friend.

About Carl Sandburg

American poet, songwriter, and journalist Carl Sandburg played an essential role in the Chicago renaissance of the early twentieth century. He won two Pulitzer Prizes, one for poetry and one as a historian. He was born in Illinois in 1878. When he was 19, he hopped a westbound train and lived as a hobo. His poetry is filled with slang and the language of ordinary Americans. His publications include Chicago Poems, Cornhuskers, and the children’s series, Rootabaga Stories. He died in 1967.

What Was I Thinking?

“How far you go in life depends on your being 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.”
– George Washington Carver



“What Was I Thinking?”
8″ x 10″ Acrylic on Yes! Gallery Wrapped Canvas

I know, I know….. Must be because I’m sick.  I spent more hours than I can count on this.  I spent 4 hours on the Banty, before I ever added the quilt.  Huh???



This second photo is a little truer to the color.  I added a half a dozen blue glazes to the quilt to try to knock it back.

I know…. “What was I thinking?” 


I fell off into a folk art mode.  I really must shake this cold.  It’s messing with my head.  hahaha 

George Washington Carver

• Born: c. 1860
• Birthplace: Diamond Grove, Missouri
• Died: 5 January 1943
• Best Known As: America’s great peanut innovator

George Washington Carver was a celebrated botanist and inventor at a time when it was still rare for African-Americans to reach those heights. The son of a Missouri slave, Carver grew up to attend Iowa State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1894 and a master’s in 1896. He then joined the faculty of Booker T. Washington‘s Tuskegee Institute. His attempts to find crop alternatives to cotton led him to the peanut; eventually he created more than 325 products from the humble legume, helping to create demand for the plant and establish it as a major American crop. Carver also worked with sweet potatoes, soybeans and pecans, among other plants, and is often credited with changing the face of agriculture in the American south.

Carver’s exact birthdate is unknown; a Missouri census record from 1870 lists George Carver as 10 years old; a photo of that record can be found here… He was an accomplished artist who displayed paintings at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair… Carver is often credited with inventing peanut butter, but it seems others had created that product before Carver began his work with peanuts… He is no relation to President George Washington. According to the Wikipedia, Carver began to use the name George Washington Carver at Iowa State “to avoid confusion with another George Carver in his classes”… Carver was posthumously awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by Iowa State in 1994… Another brilliant botanist of the same era was Luther Burbank.

Painted Chicken

“Forgiveness is a gentle refusal to defend ourselves against love any longer.  It is a willingness to perceive everyone, including ourselves, as either expressing love or feeling a need for love.”
– Gerald Jampolsky

 

Painted Chicken
8.5″ x 11″ Watercolor on Yes! 

While I was preparing for my newsletter, I went through my store of paintings to find things to upload to my website.  I saw some that made me cringe and some that made me giggle.  This one made me giggle.  There are many things wrong with it and there is not a shadow in sight, but I love it for all of it’s plain old simplicity.    There’s just something American Pie about it. 


I thought I’d update you on a painting I posted a while back, asking how I should finish it.  It has been sold!  I finished it the way the new owner requested and this is the result.



I painted a 1.5″ gallery wrapped canvas with acrylic, matching the watercolor on the background of the painting.  I then attached the painting to the canvas and coated with clear UV sealant.  Isn’t it fun when things work out that way? 

Gerald Jampolsky

Best selling author Gerald Jampolsky is a child and adult psychiatrist, graduate of Stanford Medical School and an internationally recognized authority in the fields of psychiatry, health, business and education. Dr. Jampolsky, founder of Center for Attitudinal Healing in Tiburon, California learned about love and forgiveness by helping thousands of adults, children and families over the past 30 years deal with the psychological, social and spiritual aspects of facing both chronic and life threatening illnesses. In his best selling books “Love is Letting Go of Fear”, “Forgiveness: The Greatest Healer of All” and in his latest book,”Shortcuts to God: Finding Peace Quickly Through Practical Spirituality” he reminds us that health comes from achieving inner peace and forgiveness is the medicine that helps get us there.

No Thanksgiving Dinner - November 25, 2009

"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

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No Thanksgiving Dinner
5" x 5" Golden Fluid Acrylic on Ampersand Panel

I'm pretty sure if he could talk, he'd tell you he's glad he's not a turkey today. I hope all of you U.S. people have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

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.