Brenda Stichter, artist

Who Are YOU? Earlier this week, I was so excited to find a website that I loved of another artist . I have visited her site several times, and I am still loving it! I love the depth into which she goes as she explains her work, life, and inspiration.  12" x 12"  painted with artist quality heavy- body  acrylic  paint  on cradled panel Ready to frame   or hang One of her projects set me working in a different direction than she is working, but with a very similar concept. To put it into only a few words, it is the idea of allowing any and every thing to call me into worship, and to ask my Heavenly Father, "Who are YOU, Lord, that You can make that sunrise" or "that You allow me to notice such tiny beauty" or even "that You can allow that situation?" This concept really struck a chord with me. I had to paint it, but how in the WORLD do I paint something like that? This is a layered painting, and the part that appears white is actually iride...

Let the Little Children Come When this painting went to my 'fan club' (my family, mother, and friend who lives far from here), I got the same response from ALL of them - so I am sure you see it too. All saw a snowman, and one of them asked if I think this is how snowmen procreate - by sitting on colorful snow-baby-eggs! Ha ha! Well, interestingly, I was thinking of babies, children, pregnancy, and I guess it really shows! (I definitely did NOT intend the snowman though!)  NFS 24" x 36"  painted with artist quality heavy-body  acrylic  paint  on canvas  Painting can hang vertically or horizontally Ready to frame   As I was reflecting on 'women's issues' and the problems of unwanted children, sexual slavery for mothers and children (primarily), abortion, drug use, rape, and on and on, I felt the need to paint about these things, even though I am well aware that they can be politically and socially divisive. I hate - HATE - to be divisive. But...

Like a Tree Planted By Water diptych What an exciting morning! As I started my research for today's work, I found a new source of inspiration that should really help me with my website, newsletter, etc. I found several galleries that might be a good fit for my style, and people that 'talk the talk' and 'walk the walk' where abstract art that is focused on Jesus is concerned. (Did you follow that run-on sentence?)  Then as I read in the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, (a very sad book), I found a passage that just spoke to me - hit the spot, so to speak! I was so wound up that I could hardly wait to get into my studio! BUT THEN I actually did get into my studio.  2 cradled panels, 30" x 44" total (22" x 30" each) painted with artist quality heavy-body  acrylic  paint  on h andmade prepared cradled panel edges painted black Ready to hang When I thought the mail might have arrived today, I headed out to our mailbox. It is not a long dri...

Could I Have This Dance? I remember a song from the 1980s called Could I Have This Dance  and I have to admit, it has been going through my head all morning!  For today's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge , I painted something completely different from what I usually paint. I was playing with color and texture, and employing some of the concepts taught by Bob Burridge in his workshops. (I had the opportunity to attend a couple of his shortened workshops at an art expo.) One of the fun things about these challenges is taking chances and trying different things.  9" x 12"  painted with artist quality heavy-body  acrylic  paint  on canvas panel Ready to frame   Because I have to get my business sales tax figured out today, I am posting early and keeping it short! Talk to you tomorrow!  Zephaniah 3:17 (NASB) “The Lord your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, H...

Unafraid The old man stood up in church to read from his Bible. We had just sung "O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast... Under the shadow of Thy throne, Still may we dwell secure; Sufficient is Thine arm alone..." and he went on to read from Psalm 112 about not being afraid. I was surprised to find myself crying as I listened to him. I hadn't even realized that I was afraid! But, there it was - I was feeling fearful. No longer available 12" x 12"  painted with artist quality heavy-body  acrylic  paint  on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper Ready to frame   When I texted this photo to my 'fan club' of my good friend, mother, and family, I told them that I hadn't titled it yet, but that it would have to do with not being fearful. Surprisingly, two of them immediately texted back, "How about Unafraid?" (How did I not think of that, anyway?) I love the free color, t...

Fresh Perspective Today I had a marketing consultation with Leslie Saeta  and we talked about my art, and my goals for my art and my marketing. (I didn't even know I HAD goals until we started working together!) It was so helpful to have fresh eyes looking at my website , my Facebook page , my blog, and my other social media sites. It was great to have someone helping to define my work and to define who might be interested in it. It was a fresh perspective.  11" x 14"  painted with artist quality heavy-body  acrylic  paint  on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper Contact me to purchase Ready to frame   Before Leslie and I started talking on the phone today, I had already gone to the studio to paint. I had a plan and a direction I was going with my painting. As sometimes happens, the painting kind of decided to go in its own direction! While it is not what I thought I would see, I do like this painting. It is a different 'view' th...

Falling in Love Again "Could you come and speak to a group Friday morning at 7:30?" the text reads. WHAT!? I am almost never decent by 7:30. I am in my artist 'uniform' at that time, and it would definitely not benefit ANYONE to see that in public! This has been a very interesting week - and maybe just a tiiiny bit overwhelming - and so very promising at the same time.  16" x 20"  painted with artist quality, heavy-body  acrylic  paint  on canvas, unpainted sides Ready to frame   As I have looked back at my paintings for the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge that Leslie Saeta is hosting , I am seeing 'new' colors and composition. (Still lousy photography skills, but... ) It is exactly one of the reasons I have participated so many times. I learn a lot, and I remember that I love to paint.  Each time, I return to the studio, reexamine color theory, composition, line, shape, value, and so on, I find my love of painting rekindled.  This same...

January Thunder Ba-ba-BOOM! I could hardly believe my ears this morning - thunder! In Indiana - in January! When we got up, it was over 50 degrees, raining, and there was thunder and lightning. Not at all what we are used to! Well, that will knock the sleepies out of a girl, let me tell you.  9" x 12"  painted with artist quality heavy-body  acrylic  paint  on canvas panel Ready to frame   Click here to view or purchase on my website.  This little green landscape painting has been through a lot of layers, restarts, and upgrades. I am nearly sure you wouldn't recognize where it started this morning. Part of teaching classes requires a lot of prep work, and this piece started out as prep. Again, I am using unfamiliar paint, colors, and substrate, and it can be very overwhelming. Not what I am used to, to say the least. It will wake up a 'sleepy' artist, let me tell you.  My Bible reading is still in the Old Testament book of Jeremiah where G...

NFS I don't mean to whine, but I am sketching and posting from a reclining position... the flu bug seems to be knocking. I hope that taking it easy will kick it out the door! *wink* This sketch is not for sale. It is done with the closest ballpoint pen on my old 5" x 7" sketchbook that I have had since college! (I had some pages left...) It was actually pretty fun to do, so maybe I will try another one.  Anyway, here's my sketch from the couch. 

Pooh Sticks "There is Pooh Sticks Bridge," said my daughter as we were driving near the house we used to live in. It is not really a bridge at all - it is really a large culvert where a creek connects with a lake. We loved to walk with our kids and our dog down to watch the water and give the dog a bath and play Pooh Sticks.  SOLD 9" x 12"  painted with artist quality heavy-body  acrylic  paint  on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper Ready to frame   I love to think back on the times when the kids were small, and I am thankful for the time we had playing Pooh Sticks. Sometimes, when the future seems especially dark and the current of time seems to be curling and rushing relentlessly toward a crashing, foaming future, I want to remember to play my Pooh Sticks. To enjoy each day - today - and catch the beauty of it.  To celebrate!  Lamentations 3:22-23 22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;     his merc...

Mulligan Do you have a Mulligan when you play mini-golf or Bocce Ball, or other games of so-called skill? We often did, especially when our kids were younger. We would call "Mulligan" to have a one time start over from the beginning of the turn. (Of course, sometimes it was so tempting to have more than one Mulligan!) SOLD 9" x 12"  painted with artist quality a crylic  paint  on unstretched canvas So today's painting is a Mulligan - though I won't promise it will be the only one I will call!  I am using unfamiliar paint, unfamiliar color combinations, and an unfamiliar substrate, and yesterday's attempt was a dismal failure. Well, no. That is not true. As my son reminded me, yesterday's attempt did exactly what it was supposed to! It got me started and showed me some things that didn't work. It made me think differently. And today, I painted over the whole thing, and I actually like this one! Even with the same paint, colors, and substrat...

Study Today, for my challenge painting, ( see today's challenge paintings on Leslie Saeta's blog here ) I am posting a study. I know the PLAN is to paint a complete painting daily, but today I worked on 4 paintings, planning for teaching a class, and some miscellaneous art paperwork. AND I worked on this study. I have to say, I just love working with texture and color and composition... (Please pardon the glare on the photo today!)  SOLD 8" x 8"  painted with the finest quality heavy-body  acrylic  paint,  on watercolor paper Ready to frame   I do want to post part of a passage that I read this morning that actually had me in tears. I feel that the writing is so very powerful. So poetic. This kind of writing draws me to the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, even though the book is so sad.  Jeremiah 4: 19 "My soul, my soul! I am in anguish! Oh, my heart! My heart is pounding in me; I cannot be silent, Because you have heard, O my soul, ...

My Sheep Hear My Voice When my son, who is now 25, was a baby, there was one particular little song that my Dear Husband or I could sing to him, and it never failed to calm him. (I haven't tried it recently... HA!) It seemed that even at his fussiest moments, we could start singing "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them and they follow me..." and he would stop wriggling and crying and focus on the music. One evening in the city park, we mentioned that to friends, and they said, "Show us." Sure enough, after I had sung it through a time or two, our baby boy settled into my arms and watched my face. As I contemplated this painting, I wanted to represent, in an abstract way, that idea of following the Shepherd. The painting feels to me like a cold and treacherous mountainous area, with peaks, cliffs, and waterfalls. I wanted to express that although the 'landscape' of life may seem cold and treacherous, I can be calm and comforted by following the v...

I Will Follow Him YouTube is great for so many things. Today, as I type, I am listening to a song from 1963, I Will Follow Him . I also remember hearing the song in a movie about a nun/singer who was running from the mob. Oh yeah, Sister Act was the name of that one. I love this lyrical song, and it can be so very expressive!  11" x 14"  painted with the finest quality (artist's) acrylic heavy-body paint,  on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper Ready to frame   Click here to purchase via my website.  This is another of my 30 paintings in 30 days challenge paintings, and I am still a little bit on the landscape concept. It is strange to look at my own work and see so many somewhat representational paintings in a row! This landscape reminds me of a place far away, and maybe a little lonely. The colors seem reminiscent of a sunset. I would really have to love someone to follow him that far... This morning I was reading in the Old Testament ...

Walk With Me "Paint what you know." That is what we are told, so today I painted another abstract landscape of one of the places that I love to walk. In fact, this is our own woods.  SOLD 6" x 6"  painted with the finest quality (artist's) acrylic heavy-body paint Art Bite painting panel ready to frame Today was such a busy day, and it was difficult to get into my studio to paint. (Which is why I am posting so much later than usual!) I started the day very early, at about 5:30 - yes, I know that isn't early for some! - and I really wanted to get a good start, so I began with my Bible reading.  I found myself reading in 1 John in the New Testament, and once again was struck with the idea of GOD walking with us on our planet. It is just so very amazing to me! This reference photo of our trail in fog makes me think of walking with Him. You, too? 1 John 1:7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one a...

No Place is So Dear Oh dear, I hate being trite! I really tried to come up with a different name for this abstract landscape, but it just looks so much like a "church in the wildwood".  11" x 14"  painted with the finest quality (artist's) acrylic heavy-body paint,  on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper Ready to frame   Comment for more info or to purchase I am beginning to think that my theme for this January '30 paintings in 30 days' challenge  is going to be recycling old paintings, and maybe venturing into more abstract landscapes, too. I am not sure about that part... My guess is that it won't be long and I will be just dying to get back to abstracts!  Painting on old, recycled paintings means that the surface has interesting textures, and sometimes the color from previous work shows through. I love that about reworking older work!  I have been reading from the Old Testament book of Isaiah, and I am in a section wher...

Wish You Were Here "This weather seems to be doing that to people," she said as she took me to start a procedure. "Everyone's pain seems worse today." The cold and damp and post-Christmas-break stress must be taking a toll on lots of people! 20" x 20"  painted with the finest quality (artist's) acrylic heavy-body paint 3/4" deep canvas, edges painted black ready to hang Click here to purchase via my website.  I decided that for my second challenge painting of January 2017, I would try a loose, abstracted landscape. I always love seeing them when others have painted them. I took a photo from a place where I like to walk in the summer time and worked to simplify the image until I was happy with the abstract value sketch, then off I went! I had a blast painting with a HUGE (yooge?) round stencil brush. There is a lot of varied color and texture in this painting. It reminds me of how much stronger and better I feel when I am getting...

O Come, O Come Emmanuel "Do you think you'd have time to go with me?" I asked my Dear Husband. We were sitting together working out our scheduling for the days he would be off work this Christmas season. (Today is his last day off for this break - rats anyway!) I have several appointments scheduled, and one of them was making me nervous. "Would you like me to come? I think I should be able to be there," he said. Well, call me a wimp, but it just made me feel a lot better to have his support and help to tackle this tough assignment. 22" x 28"  painted with the finest quality (artist's) acrylic heavy-body paint,  on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper ready to frame    Click here to view or purchase on my website. This painting is on a background that is entirely underpainted with iridescent gold, and then with an abstract, colorful landscape that is allowed to barely be seen here and there through the surface treatment of the w...