Flower, Art Prize,Pfc Shane Michael Reifert

This is a 12X16" painting done with watercolor paints in a tub. I am finding that some things are done better with this technique and others are done better with with the water color pencil. I guess the combo is OK. There is now some lag time before art prize and I find myself painting a lot of flowers, a dog, a baby and then more flowers. I have stopped worrying about Art Prize and am just trying to beat the heat in Michigan. I continue to enjoy reading the blog: My fallen soldier.blogspot.com Both his mother and sister are very good writers and although I don't read well it is worth the struggle. I appreciate their honesty and thoughts. Thank you.

Fourth Art Prize Picture.

This is the fourth picture in the art prize series. This young man was so innocent and sincere looking. I admired his dedication and reverence. Again, this is a water color pencil painting on canvas. This picture took me approximately three days of non-stop painting. It filled me with serenity.

Second Picture in Art Prize

Well its a new day and here is the second picture that will be involved in Art Prize. Tomorrow I will have professional shots of the pictures and also of myself. Never really thought of doing that before. Zack, My 4 year old Grandson and myself will be in an art show in Sparta Michigan. He's a great kid with a great imagination and already quite the photographer (see the picture of the cactus above that he put in the Sparta show). I get a kick out of him because he is always telling me he has put in pictures to the kids "Art Surprise" and he always wins because other people just put plain pieces of paper. He wants me to enter this contest too. He is really excited about the show in Sparta. The people there do not think he took the picture by himself because it was framed so nicely and looked so professional. I am making a photo book of his shots for him to show off at the show.

Another Year of Art Prize

Well here we are in 2010 and Art Prize is getting close again. This year I won the Legacy Trust Award so I am receiving help with all the hard parts. I already have a venue, Civic Theatre in Center City. Maybe this year people will see my art. Last Year was discouraging because I don't think many people even new some of use were out there.

This year I have decided to go with a native American theme. It is a series of paintings of young American Male's dancing. I call it Dance Into Manhood. The regalia at the Pow-Wow was wonderful which I found my inspiration in.

The picture above is the first of six. I will write about the others another day. The flow of the regalia was wild. Painting this picture was also a flowing experience. It took me about three non-stop days. I then fell asleep for a full day. It was exhausting but fulfilling.

Awe and Wonder

I made it into The Art Prize Contest.  What a difficult Task.  There is a lot more politics than I thought there would be.

This is my picture.  I based it on the Wizard of Oz because that is what my life has felt like for the last 2 and 1/2 years.

Those who know me know that after surgery I thought I lost my brain.  I struggled with verbal  communication(aphasic).  It was a new world and a new life I was no longer in Kansas.

I  was afraid and angry and I withdrew into my art.  Here I found a hidden talent that I did not know I had.  I work with water color pencil on canvas and practice every day.  Although I have given away many more painting than I have ever sold I have faith that someday I will be able to earn a meager living at it and pass it on to my grandchildren.

Wizard of OZ

Just created some new Wizard of Oz watercolor pencil on canvas paintings. These are 11 by 5 and are all matted and in frames. These two will be entered in the Mary Freebed art show to take place some time in March.

I really got into the video again do to the emotional aspects of this recovery business. I titled the Scarecrow picture, "Not ME." and the Lion picture, " I found my courage."

Introductions

Biography of Photo and Water Color Pencil painting.

Elaine J. Hoogeboom was born on June 12, 1954. Elaine was born, grew up,
and has stayed in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She received a BA in 1982
form Aquinas College. She went on and obtained a Masters in Social work
in 1984. She worked successfully in the Social Work field for over 25 years.
Do to a childhood injury she struggled with increasing back pain which
inevitable lead to three successive back surgeries within four years. She
began taking pictures while participating in physical rehabilitation following
her first back surgery. Elaine would walk a minimum of two miles a day
always carrying a camera and taking shots of birds, flowers, butterflies and
anything that caught her fancy. She has had no formal training in
photography but seems to have a good eye for the focused beauty of nature.
She has been shooting pictures for the last 3 years but has never shown any
of her work.
Elaine began working with water color pencils about 2 years ago when her third back surgery left her with many hours of solitary time. The anaesthesia left her aphasic and she withdrew into art. After a year of speech therapy she is now beginning to show the world the gift she feels she has received for the adversity of the
complications of the last surgery. She has had no formal training in the art
field.

Elaine has developed a good support team including: Dee Ann Hands her
best friend and partner, Mike and Sue Callihan her art mentors, Julia Bomia
her speech therapist and Jamie Williams, Lori Holstege, Mike Ryan, and
Pamela Wright-Hatchet. These are the core people who believe in her and
have encouraged her to draw.