Who Lives In The Pumpkin House?

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.”
—Mark Twain

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Who Lives In The Pumpkin House?  – Watercolor & Ink

Some of you may remember this one.  It’s from a year or two ago.  I didn’t have time to do something Halloweeny in time to post it today.  Have a wonderful Halloween!  Are you in costume at work today?  Tell me about your costume.  I have on a necktie.  Yup.  That’s it.  🙂

Mark Twain

Samuel Clemens was born on November 30‚ 1835 in Florida‚ Missouri‚ the sixth of seven children. At the age of 4‚ Sam and his family moved to the small frontier town of Hannibal‚ Missouri‚ on the banks of the Mississippi River. Missouri‚ at the time‚ was a fairly new state (it had gained statehood in 1821) and comprised part of the country’s western border. It was also a slave state. Sam’s father owned one slave and his uncle owned several. In fact‚ it was on his uncle’s farm that Sam spent many boyhood summers playing in the slave quarters‚ listening to tall tales and the slave spirituals that he would enjoy throughout his life.

In 1847‚ when Sam was 11‚ his father died. Shortly thereafter he left school‚ having completed the fifth grade‚ to work as a printer’s apprentice for a local newspaper. His job was to arrange the type for each of the newspaper’s stories‚ allowing Sam to read the news of the world while completing his work.  More…

Eilean Donan Castle 5 in Fall Colors

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”
— Epictetus

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Eilean Donan Castle 5  in Fall Colors – 5″ x 9″ Watercolor & Prismacolor Pen

I painted this from a photo taken in summer by Rick Brind.  The October challenge at paintmyphoto.com was to turn the summer photo to fall colors.  It was really fun!  I also submitted this painting to the fall art contest at Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff.

There are so many artists that will undoubtedly surpass me there, but for a $500 gift certificate at Cheap Joe’s, I’m willing to try.

Epictetus,  (born ad 55, probably at Hierapolis, Phrygia [now Pamukkale, Turkey]—died c. 135, Nicopolis, Epirus [Greece]), Greek philosopher associated with the Stoics, remembered for the religious tone of his teachings, which commended him to numerous early Christian thinkers.

His original name is not known; epiktētos is the Greek word meaning “acquired.” As a boy he was a slave but managed to attend lectures by the Stoic Musonius Rufus. He later became a freedman and lived his life lame and in ill health. In ad 90 he was expelled from Rome with other philosophers by the emperor Domitian, who was irritated by the favourable reception given by Stoics to opponents of his tyranny. The rest of his life Epictetus spent at Nicopolis.  More…

 

Black Cats are Haunted by Halloween

“Were the diver to think on the jaws of the shark, he would never lay hands on the precious pearl.”
– Saadi

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Black Cats are Haunted by Halloween – 6″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

Haunt is the word of the week on Illustration Friday.    If you see a black cat over the next few days, give them a friendly pat or hug.   This is a scary time of year for them.    Their owners hide them inside  to keep them safe from all the pranksters that are out and about after dark on Halloween.   So… I thought I’d paint some happy looking black cats.  🙂

I have an alarm clock that automatically changes for daylight savings.  The problem is the clock is 15 years old, so it changes when daylight savings used to be.  The moral of that story is… I got an extra hour of sleep today.  I was an hour late for work, but since I work by myself, I’m the only one who noticed.  he he

About Saadi

Saadi was a Persian moralist poet best known for Gulistan (The Rose Garden), which combines prose and verse, and Bustan (The Fruit Garden), which includes histories, anecdotes, and fables. He was born in 1184 and lived in Shiraz in what is now Iran. For 30 years, he traveled throughout the Middle East, including Turkey, Egypt, and Arabia. One of his most famous poems adorns the entrance to the Hall of Nations at the UN building in New York. He died when he was 107 years old.

 

Kiss, Please – Who could resist this face?

“I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time.”
– Anna Freud

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Kiss, Please – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

I painted this from a terrific photo by Robyn Lovelock at Paint My Photo.  I had such a good time with this.  🙂

About Anna Freud

Austrian psychoanalyst Anna Freud was a pioneer in the field of child psychiatry; she also worked closely with her father, Sigmund Freud, in developing his theories. She was born in Vienna in 1895 and fled to London with her parents in 1938, escaping the Nazi regime. When her father became sick with cancer, she took over his studies, becoming his intellectual heir. She founded the Hampstead Clinic to work with children. She died in 1982.

Can You Guess Who’s Building This Is?

“Gratitude is our most direct line to God and the angels.  If we take the time, no matter how crazy and troubled we feel, we can find something to be thankful for.  The more we seek gratitude, the more reason the angels will give us for gratitude and and joy to exist in our lives.”
—Terry Lynn Taylor

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Can You Guess Who’s Building This Is?

It’s a pen sketch of a building in Eufaula, Oklahoma.  I just thought I’d send a little tease your way.  🙂

Terry Lynn Taylor

In 1985, on a hiatus from work on her master’s degree in counseling, Terry Lynn Taylor became seriously interested in angels. She felt that the joy and lightness she experienced growing up in Southern California had turned into seriousness and strain. It was then that she came across the G.K. Chesterton quote “Angles can fly because they take themselves lightly.” She began to acknowledge the role angels play as spiritual helpers in our everyday life, and this realization was the beginning of a major life transformation.

Terry set out to find a book that would help her attract the angels into her life. Not finding one, she decided to write one herself. Messengers of Light sold out the first printing of 10,000 copies in eight weeks, and has since sold more than 500,000 copies.

Terry went on to write eight more books and established herself as the first lady of angel books. She has an absolutely devoted following of angel fans. She has appeared on the Leeza Show, 2 NBC Prime Time Specials (viewed by more than 20 million people), Sonya Live and Strange Universe, to name only a few. She has been featured or reviewed in People, Time, Newsweek, and Ladies’ Home Journal, as well as Body Mind Spirit and many other new age magazines. She publishes her own newsletter with a circulation of 2,000, gives angel “playshops.” She currently lives in Pomona, California.

Peaceful Little Setting

“Calm self-confidence is as far from conceit as the desire to earn a decent living is remote from greed.”
– Channing Pollock

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Peaceful Little Setting – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor

I painted this one from a photo by Robyn Lovelock at PaintMyPhoto.com.  It reminds me of some of the scenery from southeastern Idaho.  Very calming and serene.  🙂

About Channing Pollock

American playwright Channing Pollock is best remembered for his work massively redesigning the plot of the film Metropolis after it was shot. He was born in 1880. He worked in every aspect of New York theater, first as publicist for the Shubert family of theater owners, then as a drama critic who was banned from every Shubert theater, and finally as a playwright whose work included the morality play, The Enemy, as well as Clothes and The Fool. He died in 1946.

 

Eufaula Memorial Library in Watercolor

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one that has opened for us.”
–Alexander Graham Bell

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Eufaula Memorial Library – 8″ x 10″ Watercolor

Our library is a hugel part of our community.  There are a lot of programs for children and adults alike.  The Librarian, Margaret Collins, and her staff are doing a wonderful job!

In 1985, Eufaula Public Library became Eufaula Memorial Library and moved into the new building created with funds raised by area citizens.  The Friends of Eufaula Memorial Library group was organized in 1987 to support the programs and activities of the library. Organizers were Mary Wendel, Nadine George, and Marguerite Schmitt. The first meeting was held on February 24, 1988 .

Alexander Graham Bell was born on March 3, 1847, in Edinburgh, Scotland. His education was largely received through numerous experiments in sound and the furthering of his father’s work on Visible Speech for the deaf. Bell worked with Thomas Watson on the design and patent of the first practical telephone. In all, Bell held 18 patents in his name alone and 12 that he shared with collaborators. He died in 1922.  More…

Stormy Sky for Illustration Friday

“What is important is to keep learning, to enjoy challenge, and to tolerate ambiguity. In the end there are no certain answers.”
– Matina Horner

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Stormy Sky for Illustration Friday – 4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

Sky is the word this week for Illustration Friday.  I discovered an amazing photographer at PaintMyPhoto…. PixelBloke took the photo I painted this from.  It was so fun to bring it to Bethville.  😀

Sunday, I worked on a couple more historic Eufaula buildings.  One of them is the Armory, which was built in 1936 by the WPA program.  The other on is the Foley Mansion, which was built in 1901 and burned in 1962.   I need to go to the library and find some better photos of it.  It’s amazing!

About Matina Horner

American psychologist Matina Horner is best known for her groundbreaking research in the late 1960’s on smart women’s fear of success, which became known as the Horner Effect. She was born in 1939 in Massachusetts. During her 17-year tenure as president of Radcliffe College, she helped integrate the women’s college into a mainstream presence for women on the Harvard University campus. She has received several awards and serves on the boards of many institutions.

 

I want to See Inside These Building

“Some people grumble because the roses have thorns instead of being grateful that the thorns have roses.”
—author unknown

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

I want to See Inside These Building – 5″ x 8″ Watercolor & Ink

This one is from the archives and is painted from a photo by Jakesgram at WetCanvas.  I’d love to have a peek inside… wouldn’t you?  🙂

I forgot to set my alarm last night, so I got an extra hour of sleep.  It’ll get me started a little late today, but hopefully I’ll have more energy.  I have a very full day, including 4 truck, 4 banners and a huge slew of other signs.  Then I have 6 jobs to prepare to go to the printer.  (business cards & postcards)  I guess I better get to it.  Have a wonderful day!

Christmas Sock Monkeys at Antie Faye’s

“Reduce the complexity of life by eliminating the needless wants of life, and the labors of life will reduce themselves.”
—Edwin Way Teale

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Christmas Sock Monkeys

I have been painting  little Christmas things I can add to the building paintings, so that clients can make Christmas cards.  I just stuck these two little toy soldiers on this to show you how fun it can be.  They sorta blend into this building, but it’s just for an example.  I’m making wreaths and swags and trees, for example, to jazz up any card.  Fun!

Edwin Way Teale

Edwin Way Teale, (1899-1980), was a naturalist, writer, and photographer who captured the imaginations and hearts of Americans in his many books about nature. He is ranked with John Muir, Henry David Thoreau, and John Burroughs as one of the best and most influential nature writers in America.  More here…