It’s a Puppy! Watercolor on Masa 6″ x 8″

“One of the common ways we block success is by refusing to take action on a project or opportunity until we can see the entire pathway from start to finish. We are afraid to start because the outcome is uncertain. While we plan, think, research, and analyze, the opportunity slips away.

 

Highly successful people take a different approach. They just lean into it—they open themselves to opportunities and become willing to do what it takes to pursue opportunities further, without any expectations. They say “yes” to opportunities, take the first step, and then find out along the way if they want to keep going.”

–Jack Canfield

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

It’s a Puppy!  Watercolor on Masa 6″ x 8″

Okay… I painted this one a while back, but I thought something heartwarming was called for, in light of all the tragedy surrounding us in Oklahoma.  It’s 90 miles away, but still grips every one of us.

What is more fun than a puppy?  Can you smell her breath from here?

The photo is of Cleo, by OldRockChick at WetCanvas.

Jack Canfield

As the beloved originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series, Jack Canfield fostered the emergence of inspirational anthologies as a genre – and watched it grow to a billion dollar market. As the driving force behind the development and delivery of more than 123 million books sold through the Chicken Soup for the Soul® franchise (and over 500 million copies in print worldwide), Jack Canfield is uniquely qualified to talk about success.

Behind the empire Time Magazine called the “publishing phenomenon of the decade” is America’s leading expert in creating peak performance for entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, managers, sales professionals, corporate employees, and educators. Over the last 30 years, his compelling message, empowering energy and personable coaching style has helped hundreds of thousands of individuals achieve their dreams.  More…

 

Keetah – A Rainbow Colored Cat in a Hat

“Mishaps are like knives, that either serve us or cut us, as we grasp them by the blade or by the handle.”
– James Russell Lowell

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Keetah – A Rainbow Colored Cat in a Hat

This is Keetah, Sharrm’s (from WetCanvas) cat.    It’s another old one, while I work on my commission.  Have a great day!

About James Russell Lowell

James Russell Lowell, the sometimes romantic, often ironic American poet, was also a diplomat, serving as ambassador to Spain and, later, Britain. He was born in 1819 in Massachusetts and became known as a New England poet. His satire The Bigelow Papers was his best-known work. While a professor at Harvard, he wrote critical studies of Dante, Shakespeare, and Chaucer, among others, and also served as the founding editor of the influential magazine The Atlantic Monthly. He died in 1891.

 

The Tattooed Puppy… not in real life!!

“If you must begin then go all the way, because if you begin and quit, the unfinished business you have left behind begins to haunt you all the time.”
– Chögyam Trungpa

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

The Tattooed Puppy… not in real life!!

Of course you know I did the tattooing with my paint brush… on the paper.  Just checkin’.    No puppy (or cow) was subjected to a real tattoo making contraption.  Can you imagine a critter sitting still for all that?  Not any I have ever known.  I don’t even have tattoos.   You couldn’t make me do that!

This is an older painting because I haven’t had time to get much done of the cows.  Maybe over the weekend.  I’m working at the sign shop Saturday, but I’ll be off on Sunday.

About Chögyam Trungpa

Tibetan Buddhist leader Chögyam Trungpa was instrumental in bringing Buddhism to the West. He was born on February 28, 1939 in Tibet and was recognized as the reincarnation of a Rinpoche (enlightened teacher) at 13 months old. After moving to England, he abandoned his monk garb: He wanted his Western students to perceive the Buddhist teachings without becoming distracted by exotic trappings. He founded Naropa University in Colorado and wrote several books. He died on April 4, 1987.

Little Purple Doxie – 4″ x 5″ Watercolor

“The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.”
– William Connor Magee

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Little Purple Doxie – 4″ x 5″ Watercolor

I did this little quickie this morning, because I had a little extra time on my hands.  I have one of those atomic alarm clocks that is over 15 years old.  It changed to daylight savings automatically…. at the time of year it used to change.  So when I thought I was getting up at 5:00 am, it was actually only 4:00.  Mercy!

I don’t really even like this painting, but I know a few dachshund lovers that may look past the flaws. 

About William Connor Magee

British prelate William Connor Magee was known as the Militant Bishop for his forceful speaking style, though he always worked for peace. He was born in 1821 in Ireland. Extremely bright, he enrolled in Trinity College at age 13. Ordained to a curacy at St. Thomas’s, Dublin, his fame as a speaker took him all the way to the powerful Archbishop of York. He spoke several times in the House of Lords, arguing against the dissolution of the Irish Church and against national temperance laws. He died on May 5, 1891.

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“Talk doesn’t cook rice.” –Chinese proverb

“Some of us are crazy about self-help books, inspirational tapes, and personal improvement seminars. We’ll buy or sign up for anything, whatever the price, if it promises revolutionary insights or a foolproof new system. We want relief in a day and deliverance in a weekend. And we want the expert of the hour to do it for us. There’s nothing wrong with wishing, of course. But there’s a lot wrong with kidding ourselves as a way of life.

Think about it: If progress could be bought, we wouldn’t need to be meditating. If personal transformation resulted from collecting new ideas, we’d have been transformed long ago. Exploring is great. And looking for all the inspiration and wisdom we can find is necessary for growth. But changing is doing. All the plans and schemes for improvement put together won’t change a thing if we don’t put the principles into daily practice. Even catchy words are just words.”

 –Earnie Larsen & Carol Larsen Hegarty

Lucy, the The Cat is Trying to take a nap! Shhhhhh….

“The be-all and end-all of life should not be to get rich, but to enrich the world.”
– Bertie Charles Forbes

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Lucy, the The Cat is Trying to take a nap!  Shhhhhh….

Okay, time for another cat.  This one is from the archives, also.  It’s Lucy and the photo of the cat in a plain old box came from Crispur at WetCanvas.  The embellishment came from….. you got it…. Bethville!

About Bertie Charles Forbes

 

Bertie Charles Forbes, known as B.C. Forbes, is remembered as the founder of the long-running Forbes magazine, aimed at investors. He was born on May 14, 1880 in Scotland. He worked as a reporter for a Dundee newspaper until 1901, when he moved to South Africa and founded a newspaper there; but he stayed just three years before moving to the United States, where he became a financial editor and columnist. His sons Bruce and Malcolm succeeded him as editors-in-chief of Forbes. He died on May 6, 1954.

Purple Dachshund Becomes a Movie Star

“I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be honorable, to be compassionate. It is, after all, to matter: to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all.”
– Leo Rosten

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Purple Dachshund

I painted this a couple years ago for a neighbor.  She was giving it to her friend to put in her cubicle at work.  I recently received a message about this little painting that I really appreciated.

“Hi there! I was searching the web for pictures of purple dachshunds for a graduate video class I am currently taking and found some of your art work. I was wondering if I could use a clip of your purple dachshund art at the end of my video. My video group is called Purple Doxie Productions. It would only be shown for a 6 second clip. I wanted to be kind and ask permission, rather than just steal your image. I think that it is wrong to use someone’s creative work without asking. I would also put your information in the credits. Would this be ok? Ali Kelly”

I love that she was concerned about creative copyright.  Of course, I not only gave her permission, but sent her a higher res photo.  Neat, huh! 

About Leo Rosten

Leo Rosten, the Polish-American academic and author, is best known for his seminal The Joys of Yiddish, an amusing look at Yiddish words that have entered the American vernacular. Born in Lodz, Poland, on April 11, 1908, he immigrated to Chicago as a child. He wrote dozens of books, including a set of extremely popular humorous stories about Hyman Kaplan, a night-school student struggling with English. Under the pseudonym Leonard Q. Ross, he wrote mysteries and film noir screenplays. He died on February 19, 1997.

Colorful Kitty – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor Postcard

“Hope is the feeling you have that the feeling you have isn’t permanent.”
– Jean Kerr

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

I did this little painting last May, from a photo by Lotsofmoggies at WetCanvas.   I’m working on another Eufaula painting, but it won’t be done for a while, so I hope you don’t mind the older work.

I’m getting a bit of a late start this morning because my darling hubby took me to breakfast. 

About Jean Kerr

Comedic American author Jean Kerr is known for her wry take on married life in the suburbs in such books as How I Got to Be Perfect and Please Don’t Eat the Daisies, which was turned into both a movie and a TV series. She was born in Pennsylvania on July 10, 1922. She often collaborated on plays with her husband, drama critic Walter Kerr. She also wrote a number of plays by herself, including the extremely successful Mary, Mary, which ran for nearly 1,600 performances. She died on January 5, 2003.

It’s Proof that I am a Little Weird

“Make voyages! — Attempt them! — there’s nothing else…”
– Tennessee Williams

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

Proof that I am a Little Weird – Acrylic on Canvas

It’s a cat in Bethville!  Oh My!   This is a little diversion, since I’m sure you’re a little tired of Kansas City paintings.  Do I see life a little differently from normal people?  You bet! 

About Tennessee Williams

Tennessee Williams was the pen name of Thomas Lanier Williams, the multiple-award-winning Southern Gothic playwright best known for his plays Streetcar Named Desire and The Glass Menagerie. He was born on March 26, 1911 in Mississippi, where he had a difficult childhood with an abusive father, a smothering mother, and a schizophrenic sister. His emotionally honest plays often feature sensitive souls who don’t fit into a confining culture. He spent most of his adult life in New York City. He died on February 25, 1983.

 

It’s Another Purple Weanie Dog

“In every person who comes near you look for what is good and strong; honor that; try to imitate it, and your faults will drop off like dead leaves when their time comes.”
– John Ruskin

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

It’s Another Purple Weanie Dog

I promise… nothing stronger than coffee was imbibed during the painting of this little purple critter. 

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving and if you’re traveling, please be safe.

About John Ruskin

John Ruskin was an English art critic who influenced the attitude of a whole generation toward art and architecture. He was born in 1819 in London. His career began with an essay defending his friend, artist J.M.W. Turner, from critics. His book Modern Painters made Turner popular and gave stature to the Pre-Raphaelite movement. He founded the Cambridge Scool of Art in 1858, now known as the Anglia Ruskin University. Leo Tolstoy called him one of those rare men who think with their heart. When Ruskin inherited wealth, he gave most of the money away. He died in 1900.

 

It’s a Purple Weanie Dog!

“You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
–Buddha

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

It’s a Purple Weanie Dog!

This is one of two paintings I did for my neighbor.  She was giving them to her best friend, who just happens to love these dogs.  I worked on commissions all weekend, so I don’t have anything brand new to show you for the next couple days, so I’m exploring the archives. 

Who is Buddha?

Buddha can refer to the historical Buddha Shakyamuni or to anyone who has attained full enlightenment. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso explains in Introduction to Buddhism:

Awakened One.  A Buddha is a person who is completely free from all faults and mental obstructions.

In general, ‘Buddha’ means ‘Awakened One’, someone who has awakened from the sleep of ignorance and sees things as they really are. A Buddha is a person who is completely free from all faults and mental obstructions. There are many people who have become Buddhas in the past, and many people will become Buddhas in the future….There is nothing that Buddha does not know. Because he has awakened from the sleep of ignorance and has removed all obstructions from his mind, he knows everything of the past, present, and future, directly and simultaneously. Moreover, Buddha has great compassion which is completely impartial, embracing all living beings without discrimination.

He benefits all living beings without exception by emanating various forms throughout the universe, and by bestowing his blessings on their minds. Through receiving Buddha’s blessings, all being, even the lowliest animals, sometimes develop peaceful and virtuous states of mind. Eventually, through meeting an emanation of Buddha in the form of a Spiritual Guide, everyone will have the opportunity to enter the path to liberation and enlightenment. As the great Indian Buddhist scholar Nagarjuna said, there is no one who has not received help from Buddha.