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.

Amazing stats from this blog!

Russia	21
Germany	9
United States	7
Lebanon	4
United Kingdom	2
Canada	1
Ukraine	1

It always amazes me who is looking at the pictures on my Blog.  21 people from Russia viewed my blog this week and 9 from Germany.  Isn't the internet wonderful!  Who would think a 60 year old, disabled woman would possible  be able to show her painting around the world.  The following picture  is one from my collage for Legacy Trust and possible Art Prize.  It is an 8" x 10" watercolor pencil painting done on canvas. Enjoy please! It is a painting of a loon and it's baby.

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.

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.

Legacy Trust Contest. Results

What did I do after the Legacy prize contest? Of course I went fishing. It is difficult to wait for the results of the contest but finally they were announced. I am one of the winners again in the Contest. I am the only returning artist from last year. It feels good. I even painted a picture for one of the other people on the fishing trip, which felt good. Now on to all the hype of the Art Prize.

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.

Spc Shane Hasan Ahmed

Spc Shane Hasan Ahmed

From: Chesterfield, Michigan
Age: 31
Unit: Company A, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division
Died: November 14, 2010

From: Chesterfield, Michigan
Age: 31
Unit: Company A, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division
Died: November 14, 2010

Well these are all the young men who died from Michigan in 2011, in Afghanistan and Iraq. My stress is way high and I am doing my best to stay focused. I do not know why this is so hard this time but it is.

Cpl. Paul James Miller

Cpl. Paul James Miller

From: Traverse City, Michigan
Age: 22
Unit: 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force
Died: July 19, 2010

Fatal incident occurred in Helmand province, Afghanistan
Died following an roadside bomb attack in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 19, 2010

Legacy prize dates are: May 19 and 20 at the Grand Rapids Civic Theater. I almost missed the dead line for entry which was today. A friend of mine told me to call and make sure the information was in. When I did I found out that it was not in and probable lost in the mail as the VSA had recently moved. Although I was in an investment class all day I did get to the new office and filled in the papers. I must be distracted as I did the same thing with the Mary Freebed show. I did win a Guild Purchase Award. It gave me enough money to get the frames for this project. Still working on a wing and a prayer.

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.