So Good

This is a 16X20 watercolor pencil painting done for Legacy Trust Competition.  I recently found out that the type of art I product is called Hyper Realistic. Never new it had a name.  Hyper Realism means to paint a picture so that it looks like a photo.  I was always upset when people would say they thought my paintings looked like photo's.  Little did I know it was a compliment.  Well this painting won the prize at the Legacy Trust.  Legacy will now sponsor me in the 2017 Art Prize in Grand Rapids Michigan.  Wow I am so surprised.   The name of the painting is "So Good."  I will be in the Devos Place down town Grand Rapids.

Spring Love Collage 2

These are three watercolor pencil painting that are included in the Spring Love Collage for the Legacy Trust Competition.  These are 3" x 5".  I will post more of the individual paintings as the time passes. 

Spring Love

This is the collage I did for Legacy Prize competition.  It is a competition for individuals with disabilities.  The work has five 8x10 Paintings and six 3x5 watercolor pencil paintings on canvas. I call it Spring Love.  If I win this competition the work will be entered into the Art Prize competition in Grand Rapids Michigan.  I believe it is a picture worth Art Prize I also feel that because of all the politics I will probable not get in.  I will be featuring some of the pictures individually in the next few weeks.

Legacy Prize Time

After months of deliberation I have decided to once again enter the Legacy Prize Competition.  I really struggled with this decision because  this type of competition has messed with my mind and spirit in the past.  I am trying to learn how to loose with grace.  I will post a picture later.

Discouragement

I haven't written in a month.  That is how long it has been since I got bumped out of the legacy prize by a business man who wants to increase his autistic son's self esteem by asking all his business friends to vote for his son,  Never mind that it takes him all of 3 minutes to paint some lines on a page.  Never mind that his teacher frequently holds his hand with his paint brush in it.  Never mind that it takes me weeks to complete a piece of work.  Never mind that I have no more money for supplies.  Never mind that I can not compete like a regular person.  Never mind that I was one of two people who spent all of the second day and the Art Museum when no one else did. I am so angry.  I can find no peace here any more.  I am no longer sure I want to paint.  I do not sell any pictures.  I do not know how to deal with any of this.  No selling no material to paint no painting.  It will be a while till I find my way back.  Sorry all.
Elaine

Legacy Prize

Well I decided to go with the paintings of the kids for Legacy Prize competition.  I liked My Oz   But Life's Best Medicine will be the one.  I hope to get into Art Prize through this competition.  They will be at the Grand Rapids Art Museum.  The public vote on May 23, 2013.Come on down I could use the vote.  Thank you, Elaine J. Hoogeboom

Proud Native American

This little guy was so proud of himself at the Pow-wow. His bright colors were amazing. This is a 16" by 20" watercolor painting on canvas. The picture was taken about 2 years ago. I am experimenting with the back grounds. Hope you like it.

After much thought I have decided not to enter the Legacy Prize contest this year. I will not enter Art Prize as a result of this. It is just too much for me and I am taking a year off.

I will be in the Mary Free bed show this year and look forward to it.

Mary Free Bed Contest.

This is one of three pictures I will be entering into the Mary Free Bed art show. There is another one of Zack looking at some flowers with binoculars and then the one of the wizard of oz that was done for Art Prize 2009.

I am struggling right now with my art and I don't know why. I am definitely hitting a mental block of some kind. I have decided to sit out of the Legacy Prize contest this year as well as Art Prize. I just can't get up the energy to get out there. We will see how this goes as time passes.

Flowers and Art Prize

I have know idea what type of flower this was but painted it because I thought it was pretty. I say it in my friends yard so took a picture of it.

The news on Art Prize is as follows. My art will be placed at the Butterworth Hospital entrance with several other artist. I will not be with other Legacy Prize winners and this is very upsetting to me. I basically had a melt down last night about it. I don't know if I will have the support I had last year and this is freaking me out. My friend suggested we go to see the venue this week end to check it out. I am thinking about asking people to sit with me during the event but it is a lot of time and will probable be difficult for people to lend me the time for support. I will have to think about it. Thank goodness we have time to figure it out. I think asthma is triggered by anxiety.

Legacy Trust Contest.

Well this is what Legacy Trust Set up ended up looking like. I think I did well. I am exhausted. I should know be Tues if I go farther.

I can't believe that none of these pictures were good enough for the Grand Rapids Art Festival. I swear there are some political things in the art world that I DO NOT Understand. As money gets tight a smaller group of the same people seem to get into the art shows. Oh well they lose for now. Legacy Prize come on Thurs and Friday of this week and I hope I do good there.

Sgt Michael Keith Ingram Jr.

Sgt Michael Keith Ingram Jr.

From: Monroe, Michigan
Age: 23
Unit: Company C, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
Died: April 17, 2010

Fatal incident occurred in Kandahar, Afghanistan
Died of wounds suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near his dismounted patrol in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Michael was known for his smile. His step-mom thought he would be a good model with a smile like this. I agree.

Sqt Dillon Black Foxx

From: Traverse City, Michigan
Age: 22
Unit: Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
Died: February 5, 2010

Sqt Dillon Black Foxx

Fatal incident occurred in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan Died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with a roadside bomb in Bala Murghab, Badghis province, Afghanistan, on February 5, 2010 I am learning a lot about each one of these men and sometimes the sadness is overwhelming.

1st Lt Joel Christopher Gentz

From: Grass Lake, Michigan
Age: 25
Unit: 58th Rescue Squadron, 563rd Rescue Group, 23rd Wing
Died: June 9, 2010

1^st Lt Joel Christopher Gentz

Fatal incident occurred in Helmand province , Afghanistan
One of four airmen killed when their HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopter was shot down near Forward Operating Base Jackson in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on June 9, 2010

Joel was a pretty incredible man. He went through some of the hardest training in the service to get to were he was at. he also was arranging for the children of the area to get gifts from the soldiers. He was known more as a peace maker not a fighter. His helicopter went down and he was killed. In developing the story for the book to be shown at the showing of the pictures I have come to have a large appreciation for whom this man was.

Spc. DeAngelo Barnell Snow

From: Saginaw, Michigan
Age: 22
Unit: Company D, 526th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division
Died: September 17, 2010

Spc. DeAngelo Barnell Snow

Fatal incident occurred in Kandahar province, Afghanistan Died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with a rocket-propelled grenade in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, on September 17, 2010 DeAngelo was an interesting young man who came up to manhood with many tragedies. He joined the army to better himself and get out of the old neighborhood. It makes me feel very sad to know the only way he made it out was through death. competition I am working on my stress levels and am looking forward to painting a few flowers in the near future. I am working on a small book with the pictures and stories of these men to display with there pictures. I do not know were the Legacy prize people will be this year as the Civic Theater is only doing outdoor displays this year. We will have to see.

senior airman James Arthur Hansen

From: Athens, Michigan Age: 25 Unit: 46th Operations Support Squadron, 46th Operations Group, 46th Test Wing Died: September 15, 2010 senior airman James Arthur Hansen

Fatal incident occurred in Balad, Iraq Died of wounds suffered during a controlled detonation at Joint Base Balad in Balad, Iraq, on September 15, 2010 I continue to work hard to finish the paintings for the Legacy Contest. There will be 17 in all when I am done. I put in the application for the Contest today. Art prize is now open to artist registration. Everything feels rushed and uncomfortable. I will try to just focus on what my original goal is and that is to honor these young men for the sacrifice they made for both you and me.