praying – BOHLENDER ART

FRESH GARLIC

Posted on July 10, 2022 by Bohlender Art in art, fine art, garlic, oil paiinting, Oil painting, Uncategorized, vegetable art

I love garlic, but this is the first time I’ve painted it. It seems still life is my newest favorite. I love food. My husband brought this in fresh after cleaning it. I had to paint it. It makes sense to paint what we know well, and love heartily.

A favorite way to eat garlic is to line a pan with bacon and put your meatloaf into it. Surround the meatloaf with peeled (or unpeeled) garlic cloves, baking til the meatloaf is done. I also use raw garlic in ear oils or for fighting colds. Medicinal herb books are fun to read.

And garlic is also very beautiful as a plant, especially when the scapes curl and make ready to seed. This garlic is beautiful the way my husband brought it for us,

This was pretty easily sketched in and begun. I had a little trouble in the middle, but most paintings do. Here are a few stages. I forgot to do more until finished.

Beginning a painting is always fun.

I have been working on a study of Acts. Acts is one of the larger books in the Bible, with longer chapters. It takes a long time to “do my version”, illustrate it and handwrite the whole thing. It is time I love to spend.

Also, the 4th Mr. Floppysocks book is underway. You never know for sure where a story will take you, but this one is not for little children. They might like the pictures and be held on your lap and you can read it to them, but mostly what they’d like is being close to their moms and dads. The Floppysocks books are difficult (for me) to describe or to designate an age group.

Mostly, I’m grateful to think about things other than world events, when I paint. Other times I have to pray to remember that our God has things well in His hands, no matter what it looks like out there. My husband reminds me to “give thanks in all things” because all is given by our Lord Jesus.

Sometimes I get excited to see what He is working out through all of this, when I have an extra dose of Faith…

“One Nation Under God”

Posted on December 18, 2020December 18, 2020 by Bohlender Art in art, Cowboys, Oil painting, One Nation Under God, prayer, Prayer for America, western art

I love painting over old canvases when they’re not too lumpy.

After sketching in the forms and blocking in the painting, the painting seemed to sail. They don’t always “paint themselves”. A lot of my work takes months to do.

Sketching over an old canvas and blocking in the positions of the people.

The owner of a gallery I used to show in asked me to not be so specific in my work. I didn’t know then what that meant, but here it shows all the people and not one is recognizable. The idea, not necessarily the detail, is stronger.

This painting is a special part of the prayer in my heart for our America… the people’s heart, the people’s country, the people’s recognition of our reliance upon God for any good thing.

Almost done, then finishing. I might have left some of the definition alone, but I just had to go in there and define some of the figures more. A very good adjustment was eliminating the repetition of parallel forms by adding sleeves to one man, and muting the light on the arm of the man in the doorway, thus setting him further back.

The color varies at times of day and lighting, so I went out to the northside just before full sunrise and took this photo for northlight color:

A Very Present Help

Posted on December 9, 2020 by Bohlender Art in art, Christian art, oil paiinting, prayer

While praying for our country in this time of turmoil and darkness, I was feeling tired, a little frightened by what is happening in this present world and in this present darkness that is in the world…. until He comes, our King of kings.

While praying, I began to see the “Wind of prayer”, the effects of prayer according to His Spirit in accord with His will and purpose. This “Wind” that pushes back darkness, this “Wind” that comes from the One Who is the Warrior through us… in us… Oh Lord.

His Life in us and to us as we are in this world, and the aid of His ever-present messengers (angels)… we are never alone. Praying, this connection to God, in Him, listening, reacting, doing, according to His Spirit… You help us, O God… an ever present Help in the time of trouble.

I began this painting not knowing where it would go, just the “physical” motion of Wind pushing back the darkness, trapping it in the air, not on the earth or in the heaven. The last part of the painting to come was the figure praying and “getting help” through one of the messengers, some of whom are in the battle… a transfer of Divine Strength and Power and Life… like Jesus had in the wilderness and in the garden, He was strengthened.