Brenda Stichter, artist

Ice Cave Frigid. The Midwest has been locked in the cold for a few days, and although I spent my high school and early college years in frozen Minnesota, I am no longer prepared for or used to these temperatures. I am thankful to be able to stay at home this week. Mail delivery for my city has been cancelled, businesses and schools are closed, and I think people here have a mixed sense of adventure and fear as we move through this cold spell.  SOLD 16" x 20" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on gallery wrapped canvas, edges painted with micaceous iron oxide paint Click here to view on my website. This painting has been on the easel for a very long time, waiting for me to know how to finish it. There have been so many layers, and there is now a lot of texture and surface interest in the painting. So finishing it has been challenging, since I want to keep what works, and finish well. And as I have finished it in the last few days, I find that I have

Doxology You know, traveling is not my favorite thing. I am pretty much a homebody, but last week, I was in Minnesota for five days, then I returned home for two days, and then went to Michigan for five more days. I have to say, it has been so delightful to be home today!  Of course, part of traveling is trying to sleep in unfamiliar places. I am old enough now that it is not always easy to do that, no matter how tired I am! One of the nights in Minnesota, I was struggling with an overactive brain and an uncomfortable body.  As I lay awake during the night, I knew that if I wished to sleep, I should change my focus. My Heavenly Father could calm my mind and remove my fear. But instead of a Bible verse or prayer, I began to consider and pray these words written by Thomas Ken in 1674:  Praise God from Whom all blessings flow Praise Him all creatures here below Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. That must have worked, because I don't remem

New Every Morning #14 I am furiously preparing for traveling again, but got up a little extra early to paint this little piece that has been coming to me every morning for the last few days. I want to post it today because I will not be taking my computer with me (gasp!) so I will have a tough time updating and posting for the next little bit. 6" x 6" Painted with the finest quality acrylic heavy-body paint on Art Bite panel Ready to frame Click here to purchase via PayPal on my website. New Every Morning #14 does not look quite like I had pictured it, but I do love it! (I wish you could see the color and iridescence in real life.) It is painted with the transparent colors that I love, with Phthalo Turquoise (Southern Ocean Blue if I am using Matisse paints instead of Golden) being the main color. I also used some interference color that does not show up at all in the photo.  Last night we had guests at our house for supper, and we talked a little bit about some

Call to Me My shoulders relaxed and my eyes lifted as I read Jeremiah 33:3  (NASB)   Call to me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know. The tension going out of my system surprised me a bit. I had not really recognized the strain of trying to get back into a routine. Since I am returning my studio and painting, which I love, and am cooking less, (which just makes me SO happy), shouldn't I have been feeling pretty fresh? Able to put my feet up, metaphorically speaking?  NLA 9" x 12" Painted with the finest quality acrylic heavy-body paint on canvas panel Ready to frame Red is a color that I use only sparingly - in fact, if there is a color that I don't like, it is red. But since it has been cold and snowy here, I have been just feeling like I need warmth, and what color could be warmer than red!? Since it is not one of my regular stable of colors, though, it takes more effort to get something that I am ha

Sea of Galilee Quasi-normal. I am not exactly sure that is a word, but it seems like the one I want to use for today. Today I am returning to that state after the holiday bustle of the last several weeks. I would guess you are too. As I have mentioned (probably too many times), my dear seminarians were home for a while, and this mama's heart was soaking in that time with them.  My son returned to his seminary yesterday, having spent a few extra days here with us, but my daughter... well, she is globe trotting again, as she loves to do! This time, though, she is taking a study trip with her seminary and is visiting Israel and Jordan. Though I am one who loves to be in my own home, I have to admit her photos have made me just the tiniest bit jealous. Maybe I will have to see if my Beloved Husband would like to go on a "study tour" with me next year!  SOLD 12" x 12" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on 1.5” deep gallery wrapped canvas

New Every Morning #13 "Do some painting today," encouraged my Beloved Husband as he and our son left for the morning. Today is their last hurrah of this break before our son returns to grad school. It has been spectacular to spend time with our kids and my extended family for the last several weeks, and I hope you were able to make beautiful memories too!  SOLD 6" x 6" Painted with the finest quality heavy-body acrylic paint on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper Ready to frame Click here to view on my website. This is my first completed (and posted) painting for 2019 and is one of my daily warm up series called New Every Morning #13. Even though I have been painting sporadically during this break, it has been quite challenging to get back into "the zone". I suspect some think of artistic ability as a talent that one has or does not have, but I would say it is much more like physical fitness where one has to keep practicing or one