Brenda Stichter, artist

 There is a quote  about spring  in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis: " And when he [Aslan] shakes his mane, we shall have spring again." And in The Screwtape Letters , "He [meaning God] gives them the seasons, each season different yet every year the same, so  that spring is always felt as a novelty yet always as the recurrence of an  immemorial theme."  When I posted this painting on social media, I had this to say about it: " Hoosier spring is redbuds in bloom, lilacs, mushroom hunting, lime green trees against aqua skies... it's rejuvenation and hope." And I didn't even mention the dogwood trees, violets, dandelions, and so much more. I would never have called spring my favorite season, but maybe it is. The riot of spectacular color - especially the spring green with the purple and magenta blossoms - just satisfies something in my soul! $215.00 plus shipping and handling 12 " x 9" Painted with artist quality heav

More Better The other day I started a post about this painting thinking it was finished. But after looking quite a bit more, I knew it was not, in fact, finished. NOW, (I think) it is finished! This is one of those paintings that has so much texture, and so much iridescence that I wish you were seeing it in person.  $1350.00 plus shipping and handling 30" x 30" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on 1.5” deep gallery wrapped canvas Edges painted black Click here to view or purchase on my website. This is the verse from the New Testament that grounded this painting, by which I mean the words of the verse were part of the first layers of paint on the canvas.  John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful." My original direction for the painting was to paint borders around most of the words and fill each area with different color and texture and glimmer. But I

Fish 1-5-3  Well, this one is quite a bit different from anything I have painted before, wouldn't you say? I have been pushing pretty hard so far this year with my work, and so I once again have quite a few canvases and panels underway in my studio. 8 of them, if I am counting properly. And of those, only three are at the very beginning stage of the first layer of paint. The other five all are in progress. Whew! $1400.00 plus shipping and handling 24" x 36" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on canvas Click here to view or purchase on my website. John 21:11 Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.  I had been reading in the New Testament book of John, and knew I wanted to paint about this verse from the last chapter. I know that seems like an odd verse to be inspired by, but I couldn't help but notice the specific number of fish that were caught

That Time I Tried Plein Air Painting on Pikes Peak Maybe you remember my story of how I tried plein air painting on Pikes Peak last September. We were on our way down from that (literally) breathtaking site when we were pulled over by park rangers because our brakes were overheating, so I got out my plein air kit and was soon 'in the zone'.  Just a short time into my painting, my Beloved Husband said, "I think that was thunder," and we barely got me packed up and to the car before the fury broke out.  $250.00 plus shipping and handling 12" x 9" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on panel Framed Click here to view or purchase on my website. Until today, I hadn't decided whether to leave the painting in its unfinished state because of the fun story, or finish it. I guess it STILL has a good story.  The trip up Pikes Peak was both beautiful and scary for me, since we drove our own car up the narrow, winding road. (How often do cars go off

In Passing I have given a complete make-over to the painting I am sharing (again) today. I liked many things about this work when I first released it several years ago, but it was time for a refresh. I have posted this painting to my social media platforms, and asked what people see in it now, and have gotten many imaginative comments. It has been fun seeing this one through other people's eyes. Sold 8" x 8" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on 1.5” deep gallery wrapped canvas Composition gold leaf Edges painted black Click here to view or purchase on my website. I still like the title for this piece, too. Now it serves to remind me that it has been updated - remade, so to speak - and its form was, and is, in passing. It has been a good activity to keep my hands and art mind engaged between larger works, as I have enjoyed updating and putting touches in places where more, or sometimes less, was needed. Another artist recently spoke about how much time i

Here is another work that has been a long time on the easel, and now that I am considering it finished (I think) I am struggling for a title for it. I started with a group of three canvases, all the same size, and gessoed the surfaces for texture and then under-painted them with the first layers of gold paint. My concept for all three was the same, Fear Not.  $1350.00 plus shipping and handling 30" x 30" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on 1.5” deep gallery wrapped canvas Composition gold leaf Edges painted black Click here to view or purchase on my website. As you might remember, one of the earliest layers on many of my paintings is often made up of words which help me find my direction as I paint. The words on this painting were "fear not little flock" from  Luke 12:31-32  But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Another thought that h

One of two paintings from the same inspiration, Duly Noted comes from this prompt:   something that recognizes the beauty of music, and praise through that medium, particularly the piano.  What a treat it has been to work on this theme! My mother is an accomplished pianist, and my daughter and I also play, though not with Mom's ear and skill.  So it brought me joy to use abstract painting to express praise through piano music. ( Duly Noted was painted with my daughter's piano teacher in mind.) 24" x 18" Can be displayed either vertically or horizontally Painted with the finest quality heavy-body acrylic paint on gallery wrapped canvas, edges painted black Click here to view or purchase on my website. One of the first ideas I had was to work a suggestion of piano keys throughout the whole work. (Can you see them?) The musical staff with five lines also makes an appearance, crossing with the piano keys to form the cruciform structure on which the painting is built.  In