The Letter - Military Spouse Series

The Letter

36 x 36

Oil on Canvas

$3000

My last post showed a portion of this painting...here is the entire piece.  Her name is Maria...here is a bit of her story:

In 1992, Maria married her college sweetheart LT Greg Bowie.  However, it was more than 10 years later before they resided in one place –together and permanently. During early marriage, LT Bowie was assigned to the USS Nimitz and in 1994-5 the ship served as the test platform for a “new thing” called e-mail.  Writing brief messages, just a couple lines long, families and friends were able to communicate for the first time with a surface ship at sea in a matter of hours, instead of days, weeks or months. Despite the huge leap in technology and convenience, they continue today to add to their families’ history of handwritten letters and cards, like the generation before. They live with their son, Gunnar, in Arlington, Virginia where black ink and crisp stationery are in good supply. 

When Maria first told me she was able to email her husband...among the first to do so...I just assumed that she wrote a newsy, lengthy note telling him of her daily happenings.  I didn't realize that it would be just a couple of lines.  It makes me feel so fortunate to be able to communicate at length whenever I want.  

I still like handwritten notes and do write especially thank you notes.  I don't write as often as I would like...but whenever I get a personal note I feel special and make a new resolve to write more often.  

Boots on the Ground

Boots on the Ground

8 x 8

Oil on Raymar Panel

James Gurney is sponsoring a challenge.  The challenge is to write a story using only 6 words and then illustrate the story with a painting.  The most famous 6 word story was written by Ernest Hemingway.  "For sale: baby shoes.  Never worn."  Hemingway's story is poignant.  Baby shoes...never worn.  Such a sad tale.  

When deciding on a 6 word tale I started thinking about what would also be poignant.  I often turn to my life and what affected me.  As a child, a military brat, my siblings and I would count down days.  Days to the next duty station, days to the next holiday, days to any significant event.  Then I thought about who else would also count down...I can only imagine how many military members have counted down the days till they get to go home and see their loved ones.  It came to me.  Boots on the ground...counting days.  The days until the deployment is over and they can return home.  That was it...that was the story I would tell.  

I began by distressing the panel I was using.  I used some burnt umber and wiped it to look used.  Then I put lines...4 down and one diagonally across. A traditional counting tool I have seen used.  I used these lines to cover the background.  A visual depiction of counting days.  Painted the boots in the middle of the panel and put the lettering down on one side...down to the ground.  Counting days goes across the bottom and leads your eye off the panel.  

National Military Spouse Network Art Show - Seeing Daddy Off...

Seeing Daddy Off...

16 x 20

Oil on Canvas

$600.00

In October I am curating an exhibition for the National Military Spouses' Network.  The artwork featured will be by military spouses, veterans spouses and, retired military spouses.  I am very excited to be a part of this wonderful group.  Click HERE for the prospectus to enter paintings or photography into the show.  The theme of the show is "Together we serve".

As one of the curators I have the opportunity to contribute to the show.  I LOVE to paint portraits and figurative pieces.  For this series a story will be told starting with this one.  This is a spouse and child seeing her loved one leave on a deployment.  It is an everyday part of life for a military spouse...never easy...but a part of life.  Every military spouse serves in a very special way.  I am proud to be a military brat, military spouse and mom to two military brats.    

He's Got the Whole World In His Hands

"He's Got the Whole World in His Hands"

16 x 20

Oil on Raymar Panel

Commission  

I love painting smiles...I am the product of a military family.  Brats we are called.  Military brats.  It is a unusual community and only another brat knows what my path has been like and I understand theirs.  I know what it is like to be apart from my family...I know what it is like to count the days until you are together again...I know how joyous homecoming is.  I know how precious family is.  When I saw this reunion of a military member returning from deployment it touched my heart.  

Painting it was a joy...knowing I put a smile one someone’s face makes me happy.  So here I am...painting smiles again.  

The Good News!

Flight

30 x 40

Oil on Canvas

NFS

The good news is my son will be home from his deployment this week!  I get to remove the blue star from my window once again!  To celebrate his homecoming I decided to share this painting of the aircraft he flies.  This is an abstract version of the Osprey breaking through storm clouds.  

I would like to thank my family, my good friends, and followers for your kind thoughts and prayers while he has been deployed.  

Deployment

sold

Deployment

8 x 10

When my son was born I never imagined I would watch him leave for a military deployment...wheeling his weapon through the airport... but there I was.  My heart was breaking but I was so very proud of the man he had become.