Every Painting Has a Story
Posted: Tuesday, May 19, 2009
by Arlene Wright-Correll
http://www.learn-america.com
I have finally been able to find two reliable 18 and 20 year old helpers who know how to give a good day's work for a good day's pay and at age 74 my gardens are back to looking like they should!
It is rough getting old and cricketty, when the knees don't bend or the back gives out before one puts in 15 minutes of yard work, or one hesitates of climbing on a ladder to prune a climbing rose bush for fear of falling and breaking a hip or something.
So one resigns oneself to writing about gardening, supervising help, searching for reliable help, turning a blind eye to weeds when one cannot find help and occasionally painting about gardening.
So today, after a brief stint around the garden after the morning chill wore off and I discarded my gardening jacket on a post I glanced over and as an award winning American artist I discovered a painting waiting for me.
About 15 years ago I had started to make some quilt patches. Who knows why as I did not intend to make a quilt and I found 3 button up sweatshirts on sale in Wal-mart one day which I purchased and proceeded to put a quilt patch on the back of each and make pockets on the front of each side with smaller quilt patches. I eventually sold one in the campground store, gave one away as a gift and retained the black one for my own use.
It has served me well and I usually wear it whenever I do outside work and often in the art studio when there is a chill. It has gotten pretty ragged and has evidence of art work on it where paint has spattered or I have wiped my hands or even a paint brush now and then. Lately I have thrown it in the trash about 4 times. However, like a small child with it's security "woobie" I haul it out just before the trash is taken down the drive, wash it one more time and put it back on. When the day warms up as I work outside this old faded jacket comes off and is hung on the nearest post. Today I decided to paint a picture of it. I have omitted the landscape background because I felt it would take away from the jacket. Just about every thing an artist paints has a story and this is the story of this painting titled "Arlene's Gardening Jacket".
As I paint mostly for myself, I am fortunate when they are purchased because all my royalties, proceeds etc from my paintings, books and articles go to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital and if this little painting speaks to you then you can buy it or make an offer on it by clicking here.
"Tread the Earth Lightly" and in the meantime... may your day be filled with... Peace, Light and Love,
Arlene Wright-Correll
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Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)Great article. Well done.Thankfully I still can get out and do my bit in the garden.Wow, thanks for reading my little story.."Tread the Earth Lightly" and in the meantime.. may your day be filled with...Peace, Light and Love,Arlene Wright-Correll
Arlene,Splendid story! That sweatshirt looks like an 'old friend' (smile). I have a few myself ... and that was very creative what you did with the quilt patches; my granny quilts.Thanks for sharing such a heartwarming story with us.Thanks tons for reading my little story. That shirt is really an old friend. It is amazing how somethings put us in a comfy zone... Perhaps it is the tie that binds in a continuing changing world."Tread the Earth Lightly" and in the meantime.. may your day be filled with...Peace, Light and Love,Arlene Wright-CorrellPerfectly stated, Arlene.
So many talents!!The painting is lovely, and the article is very very good!Thanks fo sharing!You are so welcome and I really appreciate your comment, as well as all the others, whenever someone takes the time to read one of my articles."Tread the Earth Lightly" and in the meantime.. may your day be filled with...Peace, Light and Love,Arlene Wright-Correll
The thought behind an artwork is always a meaning. Thanks for sharing.All posts are a self-portrait of the being that did it! "Signature your exertion by means of brilliance"! (Dr. Clarence Rucker, Jr. PhD CCJP ICCS.)There is a story in every... This is what I call "Passive Power." Power that is transferred to another. Like an artist (yourself) drawing a picture and that picture will contain that power. Art is beautyThank you for taking the time to read my story and for you insightful comments."Tread the Earth Lightly" and in the meantime.. may your day be filled with...Peace, Light and Love,Arlene Wright-Correll
Isn't it amazing where inspiration comes from? I love writing poems, but really wish I could paint or draw. But the vision of what a blank canvass can look like with some paint on it escapes me. I love your painting.David,Thanks for reading my article. I tell you this. Everyone can paint. It is just like anything else. It takes practice, drill and rehearse! I have so many people say to me, "I can't draw a straight line" and my response is "who wants to draw a straight line?" Matter of fact I have a book published " How to Create Art Without Knowing How to Draw a Straight Line " You can buy the hardcopy $39.95 or download it really cheap for only $10.95. ISBN: 978-0-615-15184-7 and you can go to lulu's website and put in that number and check it out.I finally designed a 3 hour, "NO Talent needed" art workshop for only $25.00 in watercolors, acrylics, pastels, scratchart/claybord and even oils (though the artist goes home with a wet painting". None of the students ever did anything in art. Each one goes home with a fully executed and proud to hang on their wall, a 5" x 7" work of art. They are totally amazed. This workshop is so easy, so budget friendly in price as they do not need to buy anything, just follow instructions for 3 hours and they come away with many artist's trade secrets.It has been one of my most fun and creative ideas to date. I love it more than the student do because they are so smiley faced when they leave!“Tread the Earth Lightly” and in the meantime… May your day be filled with…
Peace, Light and Love, Arlene Wright-Correll
Dear Arlene,What a lovely article, and your jacket is beautiful. I commend you for supporting St. Jude's with your royalties. May you be blessed triple fold for giving so generously of yourself.GrammyThanks Grammy... it gives my art and efforts a purpose. I know what I went through as a cancer patient and survivor. I can not even imagine what a child must go through as a patient . I can identify with their parent's agony."Tread the Earth Lightly" and in the meantime...may your day be filled with...Peace, light and love,Arlene Wright-Correll
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