Category: Portrait, oil painting

“THE EMPTY NESTER”

Posted on by Bohlender Art in empty nesting, family life, fine art, oil paiinting, oil portrait, Portrait, oil painting, suffering

Every year, during graduation times at the public schools, I hear or see parents who are supporting their child’s “new beginnings”, while beginning the realization of “they are leaving home.” No one would have it otherwise, I suppose.

I remember a woman telling me to be grateful that they had a reason to leave, as their son was 25 and still living at home – with no real desire to change his position in life.

Empty nesting for me was a time of tearing and huge adjustments. I missed them. And I had to redefine who I was, learn again who was this man that I had married years ago and forgot some in the busy-ness of giving those kids all I had to give, while he did the same in the work world.

It is a crisis time for some. But there is still that Rock, that Order of things. He graced me to stay and see that the best is yet to come, even if things never would be the same.

“The Empty Nester” – 24″ x 48″ – Oil ©Bohlender

This painting, “The Empty Nester” was painted during that time. It captured the empty arms, the empty time and purpose. That empty womb feeling (that would only be relieved when grandchildren came…) .

I had entered this painting in an art show at Tohono Chul in Tucson. It sold to someone who understood that feeling, I supposed. I did not get to meet the buyer.

I did get to talk to others during that show, and another woman asked if I really felt that way?! She said she was so relieved for hers to be out on their own. She laughed, and was purely delighted when hers left. So I supposed there are ranges of experience in what people have labeled “the empty nest syndrome.”

I pray for mamas. God gave us the most important of jobs, the highest position in all of the universe. We raise the future generations… and hopefully, through us the Lord imparts Himself and the knowledge of Him and His ways.

“The sufferings of this present time aren’t worthy to be compared to the glory…” The Lord is good.

Below, another painting I did in response to the agonies of the fact that many children are missing and abused, after learning about Our Underground Railroad and other rescuing missions. It was a prayer for the mothers in America to love her children. The children are given by God, not the “state”… not to be sold or … oh God, have mercy on the children.

A MOMENT OF PERTURBATION

Posted on by Bohlender Art in fine art, Grandchildren, oil paiinting, Oil painting, oil portrait, Portrait, oil painting, Uncategorized

I don’t have a title for this painting yet, but the headline might be a good one if there weren’t angels swirling about behind him.

Sometimes I am overzealous in my “capturing a moment”, and don’t even consider that one may not want their photo taken at that time.

However, in my zeal I couldn’t resist the dramatic lighting and a 5′ high painting making a background that had been set there days before ready to deliver elsewhere. I loved how the angels surrounded his face. It was cool.

He was using a toothpick after eating, and I liked that.

He was not as zealous as I was. In fact, I was unconsciously intruding. Hence, the “slightly” perturbed look… which made the painting wonderful.

He has a very serious expression facing forward, contrasted by the angels swirling about his head. It felt almost paradoxical if you didn’t consider the story of how it came to be.

“UNTITLED” – 14″x 18″ – Oil – ©2023

I was what he was facing, I must confess, I might occasionally be annoying. I do take a lot of photos, taking paintings from some of them.

The painting behind him was of 1 Thess. 4:16-17. The angels were swirling around Jesus as He was coming in the sky to receive His believers to Himself. A moment we hope for, a moment that is referred to as “the rapture”. That painting can be viewed when you select the “Christian Art” tab on the home page.

So there’s the story, and the painting. I like it a lot. I think he likes it, too. A good alternative title might be “Grandpa Needs a Nap”. Hehe.

Yet it is a more serious work, and I feel it could use a better title.

If you have an idea, let me know.

“EYES ON THE PIES”

Posted on by Bohlender Art in art, children, children, dogs, family life, fine art, Grandchildren, joy, oil paiinting, oil portrait, Portrait, oil painting

The joys in life pile up daily, yet some spark love like lightning bolts.

When we went to visit the grandboys, I was able to bring a couple jars of my homemade apple pie filling. It sure made it easier to make the pies, and faster. I had pre-ground my flours for the crust as well, so all I had to do was add butter and water, mix and roll. I love my pie crust. So do the boys. I love those boys.

They were very interested in how to make an apple pie, and after this moment of filling, were happy to help spoon the apples into the crusts. And they sure do focus and take it all in. I hope I give them a good example of things.

My daughter took some photos of this time, and I based my painting from her photos. She has loving eyes.

“EYES ON THE PIES” – 22″x 28″ – Oil – ©2023 Bohlender

We all had great fun EATING the pies.

It was fun, too, that during that moment, their dog Onyx walked by in the background. I had to include Onyx. He has been in the family a long time. He’s a good boy, but he didn’t get any pie.

My greatest challenge in this piece was identifying the camera distortions in the resource photo, thereby straightening entryways and one of the boy’s heads was stretched and his body leaning too far, like he fell off the edge or something. I simplified a lot of things, and maximized the duo light source. The canvas used to have a desert landscape painted on it, and I left some of the nubbies from the mesquite scrub for interesting effects.

There might be a thing or two that might spring out at me that I will make minor adjustments to, but for now, I like this one as it is.

I just ordered more oil paint from Dick Blick’s. I’ve been shopping there for many years. Getting new paint is almost as good as apple pie.

Praise the Lord Jesus for His grace and love of mankind.

A BRIGHT OUTLOOK

Posted on by Bohlender Art in art, fantasy portraits, fine art, oil paiinting, oil portrait, Portrait, oil painting, raven

Walking through a St. Charles neighborhood, there were few places where houses were not dense enough to block the view. However, we kept walking around, discovering a park that was nice, but the best view was a vacant lot on a hill, where one could see the city beneath, over the rooftops of communities. We loved the view from that spot, (although we did not go up to the hill because it was marked as privately owned). A space with a view. That background is suggested here …though not detailed, the feeling is there. Space. A clear space. I love the feeling of freedom in open spaces.

The raven, of course, is Jack. He has never been to St. Charles except in our hearts, and our son has only been here once, except in our hearts. He was standing in his kitchen when I took the photo, with his cell phone. A view of sorts. He also has a pleasant outlook in his life now, and I find he and Jack have a great degree of intelligence and basic joy in their lives.

And since our son and our Jack the raven are some of my favorites, I saw no problem bringing all those pleasant attributes together into one painting, titled “A Bright Outlook”.

“A Bright Outlook” – 24″x 30″ – Oil ©2023

The painting is on a canvas with 2 other paintings under it, so it has the added interest of varied textures. It seems most of my life I have painted with some sort of green underpainting before a portrait, but for this one, I began with warm colors and stayed warm to go with his red hair. I use several brands of paint, recently enjoying “blue black” from Rublev and a Mussini “juane brilliant” as well as others beautiful colors. It’s fun to try new paints. Sometimes in working these days, I might forget what I’m doing a little bit or things like that, but I don’t worry about it like I used to.

Also, I discovered I have a tendency to use brushes down to their nubs. I don’t think I want to do that any more. It’s fun to have a nice new brush or two. Live it up.

NOT GONE, JUST AWAY

Posted on by Bohlender Art in Cowboys, fine art, friendship, Oil painting, Portrait, oil painting, Uncategorized, watercolor painting, western art

Today I was remembering my friend Junior. Friends are rare, and good. Junior was a cowboy, I was empty nesting and mid-lifeing and everything that comes during that time. Junior and his wife blessed me so much then.

Everything I learned about cowboys, I learned from Junior. He took me out where the cowboys work, explaining what they do and how. He kept me from causing catastrophes while I was out there, and was responsible for allowing me the chance to paint the entire cowboy series from my experience there.

These are two images of paintings with Junior. He is wearing the black hat. The first one is entitled “Tellin’ A Windy”, and the second I can’t remember the title, but I consider it to be one of my apex pieces.

Some of what I learned about ranchers is that they are excellent stewards of both land and animals. And they love both.

Junior has been away now for 2 years. It seems awhile longer than that.

“Tellin’ A Windy” – 24″x20″ – Oil

And then,

Someone else who less personally had great influence in my life was Gene. Gene has recently gone “from breath to air”….

His books have contributed much to my life in the adventure of being in Jesus, of He in us, of His Presence and Livingness now. Church Life as being in Christ, experiencing Him, and sharing Him.

Church Life expressed practically through us, or “putting wheels on it”, Gene had much more to say about that than I could know. That, too, is arranged and fulfilled by Jesus’ Life in His people.

Some brothers must have enjoyed “Star Wars” along with Gene, as for a special event for his 60th birthday, one brother asked me to paint this for them. Captain and First Mate. So also I found it fun to place an altered version of the intro to the original Star Wars program, as Captain Gene may have told it:

Outside of time and space, the final Frontier
These are the voyages of the Ecclesia Enterprise
Her forever mission
To explore New Realms
To seek out His Life
And rest in His Love
To boldly go where Christ in you has gone before…

Well, maybe he would have said that a better way.

And below an image of some saints, sharing in the Love of our Jesus together, singing in a brotherly embrace… Gene was not a fan of pews.

Memories of people we love… remembering times with them. God is good. Whatever our lives are, it is given by God from His Love…

As far as new work goes, I am about half way through another episode of Grandpa and the Boys, this time, planting a baby grapevine together, in the dirt. Young boys and old boys love playing in dirt. If I don’t screw it up, it will be a good one. It is an oil, 28″x22″. And also, I am now working in chapter 20 of Acts. Lord give grace in all the work. Amen.