Brenda Stichter, artist

The Journey  For my last painting post of 2021, I want to share this abstracted landscape painting. I finished it right before Christmas, but just like many of you, I have been preparing for and spending time with family celebrating Jesus' birth, and the close of this year and beginning of the next. I have enjoyed focusing on them instead of my computer for the last little while.  There have been quite a few surprising bumps along the way in this last couple of weeks as well. I have three family members dealing with health concerns, and we are still planning to visit some family in another state. I hope the weather is better than what has been predicted for our drive!  12" x 12" 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. I finished another painting, too, right before Christmas, but haven't yet shared it. I guess it will be my first post in 2022. This smaller

  Early during the harvest season this year, I was driving home from an art event as evening approached, and I saw the scene that inspired Hoosier Harvest. Here in northern Indiana, one is never very far from a field of corn. I was on the freeway, but saw a darkening field of corn with lights from a tractor or pickup truck lighting up the barn at the edge of the field. Obviously, I didn't have time to stop to  study the scene , or even to  take a photo , since I was driving full speed toward home. But the scene made an impression in my memory and I wanted to try to capture the feeling of warmth that I found in that moment.  36" x 12" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on canvas Framed Click here to view or purchase on my website. This work is quite different from my usual style, and because it is painted on a linen, regular depth canvas, I will probably be framing it before long.  Does this painting remind you of someone or of another time? I have never

O Christmas Tree What inspires you to make whatever it is that you make? I hope you make something, and that you know at least a few ways to get your creative fire lit so that you are eager to make that thing! This painting came about by my looking at other art that I like. I saw something that might not even remind you of this painting if you saw them side by side, but it made me see the Christmas tree painted in this style in my mind's eye, and I was eager to see what I could make!  As I mention every now and then, paintings are often much more interesting in person than  in a photo on a screen. This one has lots of texture and has iridescent marks on the tree that I could not figure out how to capture with a camera. I wish I could show them to you! 11" x 14" Painted with the finest quality heavy-body acrylic paint on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper Ready to frame Click here to view or purchase on my website.  My friend came today to see some of my pai

For the first time in several years, I am offering wall calendars with several of my paintings for sale. (I have made them for family and a few close friends in the last couple of years, but have not offered them for sale.)  The calendar features 12 of my favorite paintings from this year, plus one on the cover. Some of these works are sold already, so this is a good way to enjoy each one for a month in your house! Each calendar is $25 plus shipping and handling. Please contact me via email or comment to purchase. Thank you, and Merry Christmas!

Another long time favorite painting of mine that IS on my website is Incarnation, a painting from 2013.  As is often the case, I am surprised that this one is still available, but then I remember that it hasn't been seen very often!  11" x 14", image plus white border Painted with the finest quality heavy-body acrylic paint on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper Ready to frame Click here to view or purchase on my website.  I have not yet found my focus for this year's Christmas, but by this time in 2013 I was already focused on this concept of incarnation, as you can see in this painting's original blog post here.   The way the earthy, rich color cuts through the lighter tones seems so effective for this idea.  A passage from my daily Bible reading that has started to nudge my imagination also highlights Jesus' incarnation.  Hebrews 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all thin

I Would See Jesus  I finally got my nativity collection out yesterday. The boxes had been out since Thanksgiving, and were driving me crazy. I had a new painting from a fellow artist hanging near them, and somehow it just didn't look quite right to me. So I started reviewing some of my older work to see what would fit with the theme, and I found I Would See Jesus, from 2017. This painting fits in so well with the grouping, and brings so much color into the room! 11" x 14" Painted with the finest quality heavy-body acrylic paint on gallery wrapped, deep canvas It is yet another work that is not featured on my website, and can be purchased through the original blog post here .  Though the painting was painted in September of that year, I think it is particularly fitting for this years celebration of the coming of Jesus into our world. "I Would See Jesus" seems like what I would expect to hear from the shepherds and wisemen, of whom we read in the gospel recounting

Advent Tree  Yesterday I went out for a walk before the sun came up. It was so pleasant to get back in the woods in the almost-morning-light, and by the time I started toward the house  the sun came up . I heard some odd noises as I walked, and I think I interrupted a squabble between a raccoon and an opossum !  As I neared the house, a little tree we planted caught my eye. I am sure it was only a year ago or so that we planted the little twig, but the tree is the same height as me. How does that happen? I loved the sparkle of frost on the grass around the tree, and on the bluish-greenish-gray needles. The light coming from behind the tree caught my attention too.  6" x 6" 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. So THIS morning, I painted before breakfast (and before sunrise, I think). I really wanted to capture some of the beauty of this tree.  And, I think the

Boardwalk 1 click here for original blog post After a wonderful, delightful time with our kids this past weekend, my studio time has been shorter than I prefer. (Have I been saying that every week lately?) With that in mind, I decided that for a few days at least, I want to share some of my paintings that have been "off the grid" since they were painted several years ago. I am posting some on social media, and want to continue with my blog and newsletter here. Today I want to start off with these three paintings, each inspired by the same place. Near our home, there are several walking paths available to the public, and one of them includes a boardwalk that crosses an area of cattails and trees. I have enjoyed walking this trail for several years, and in fact, I got to walk there this morning!  Psalm 24:1 (NASB) The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it. Boardwalk 1 &  Boardwalk 2 11" x 14", image area 10.125" x 13.1

We'll Be All Right I really, and I mean REALLY struggled with this painting, and considered just completely painting over it more than once! It was such a difficult painting, but I really love how it has turned out. Finally.  48" x 18" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on 1.8” deep gallery wrapped canvas Edges painted black Click here to view or purchase on my website. Almost certainly, this blog post will not even begin to tell you all that I was trying to articulate as I worked on We'll Be All Right. First, the very first marks on the canvas were an arc and words from a Bible passage, expressing the full story of God's creation. Though several Bible passages have come into play as I have worked on it, the first one to hit the canvas, so to speak, was 1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always! The canvas is covered with scars and scratches, colors and mistakes and layers and layers of paint. If you look carefully at the marks and composition, you can

This morning was heavily shrouded in fog here in northern Indiana as the snow began melting with slowly rising temperatures. There is a certain beauty in the quietness of the cold fog. But after a little while, the sun blazed and the orange and gold autumn leaves burned against a purply blue sky. It felt like the air was glad. 11" x 14" Painted with the finest quality heavy-body acrylic paint on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper Ready to frame Click here to view or purchase on my website. Psalm 96:11-12  Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and all that fills it resound. Let the fields and everything in them exult. Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy This painting reminds me of days like today. It also brought to mind a poem: God's Grandeur  BY GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil Crushed. Wh

Weed or Flower, 2017 For the next few weeks, I hope to be sharing some of my older works, as well as some ACEOs with you while I am busy painting large paintings, arranging new exhibits, and taking online classes! Some of you who have not been with me on this journey for very long have not seen many of my earlier works that are still available, and I keep finding pieces that I still love and want to share with you.  12" x 12" Painted with the finest quality heavy-body acrylic paint on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper Ready to frame Click here to view or purchase on my website. The original blog post about this work reminded me that sometimes the things I wish to be finished with (like weeds in my planters) are actually something that will bring beauty in my life. The passage from the Bible that came to my mind was  Isaiah 55:8 - 9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the ear

  Fins and Feathers You know that feeling, right? When you are really, really wanting something - missing something - a little homesick, but you cannot quite put a finger on what it is? When you have what you want, aren't really searching for anything, and are at home with loved ones, but still... That strong pull for - something - that you cannot figure out.  I am not sure why, but it definitely strikes me every now and then. When it does, I think there must be a book I want to read, or a food I am hungry for... maybe a place I want to go... but I cannot think what it might be.  Sometimes even when I am legitimately missing someone or feeling sorrowful for a loss in my life, still the mysterious ache that will not be satisfied shows up, and I know it is different than my longing for that lost love.  I felt a twinge of that today when I was trying to think of ... something... I have a memory that is just a little too far away, and I cannot quite grasp it. I have had the privilege o

Click here for video  I am pleased to be able to share this link to the video of my presentation at the Fort Wayne Artists Guild! I watched it this evening as soon as I got the link, and I am not too embarrassed to share it with you (ha ha!) I hope you enjoy watching as much as I enjoyed presenting.  Coram Deo.

Communication (completed demo painting)   Painting Purposeful Abstracts , Demonstration for the Fort Wayne Artists Guild; Brenda will be presenting and demonstrating her methods and techniques for painting abstract paintings with meaning. She will focus on ideas to help traditional painters produce successful abstract paintings using tools and concepts they already use.  Last week was my opportunity to give a demonstration and talk about doing abstract paintings for my fellow artists in Fort Wayne. I really enjoyed it! I loved seeing the smiling, engaged faces in the audience and fielding the questions. It had been a while since I had done any public speaking as such.  The moderator introduced me as an artist who "paints in poetry", which I thought was a lovely expression!  Interestingly, the concept I painted for my demo fits right in with the way I was presenting my work. I had asked the audience to help me decide what I would be painting by choosing a word or phrase that w

Mystery  Dense fog advisory. That is the notice on my weather app the last few days, and that fog brings its own unique beauty. Especially in early morning, the air is a lovely pastel color - maybe pink or peach, or recently even lavender - and landscapes that are otherwise well known to me take on a whisper of the unknown.  6" x 6" 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. Starting with a heavily textured 6" square canvas, I layered in the background colors of anthraquinone blue and quinacridone magenta. I then began to use a negative painting technique to pull out the trees from the background by painting the lighter colored "air" around the trees. It required a lot of concentration to leave the darkest darks in places where I wanted to keep the boldest part of the painting. I wanted to keep the mysterious landscape, yet show the coming sunrise thr

Courage, Dear Heart I have a large painting on the easel in my studio, and have been  slowly   working on it while I have been engaged in other projects. The meaning is so significant, but difficult to put into words. As of yet, the canvas doesn't begin to 'say' what I want it to say.  Oddly enough, though, I think this little work does say at least part of it. An unsatisfying way to put the thought into words looks like this: when all seems confusing and lost, my Hope and confidence are in the same place as when all seems to be flowing smoothly. My eyes turn toward the Creator, Who (incredibly) loves me.  12" x 12" 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. Reading works by C.S. Lewis has made such a deep impact on my thinking. Often it surprises me to recognize how much of an impact! As I worked on framing my studio musings for this post, I found that

Simmer Down   I am excited about this new painting for today.  30" x 22" Painted with the finest quality heavy-body acrylic paint on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper Ready to frame Click here to view or purchase on my website. As I worked on it, I kept telling myself that I needed to find a color to help the painting simmer down, and at one point, I just decided that would be a great title for it.  The sermon we listened to on Sunday was excellent. The series is called Fearless, and I think I need to look up all of the other sermons in the series and listen to them. At one point, the pastor referred to the world seeming like it has gone crazy. It sure does seem like a lot of people feel the same way, including me. It can be too easy to focus on all of the difficult and strange things that seem to be going on.  For the last several days, I have chosen to read the entire book of Ephesians each morning. It is only six chapters long, but I usually just read one c

 Last evening, my Beloved Husband and I left an event a little early and headed toward home from Indianapolis. Glancing back for traffic as we merged, I caught sight of his side mirror and gasped at the beauty reflected there! Several miles further around the loop, the sunset was to the side of us, and as I watched (this is why he drives - the sky distracts me!) we drove past this steeple. Wow. It was just beautiful. I knew for sure that I wanted to paint it, and also that a photo could not possibly catch even enough to help me paint. So I just watched. And I loved that. It felt almost like a benediction. Sold 6" x 6" 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. Jude 24-25 Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless and with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be g

Ebb and Flow This painting started out as a daily painting, following all of the rules that I had set fo r myself, but I just could not make it into something I liked. So today I decided to see whether I could make it more pleasing. It has become so colorful, and when I saw the photo icons of it on my phone, the painting reminded me of Van Gogh's Starry Night. Can you see that in the flow of the painting?  Even after only a weekend, getting back into painting seems to be more difficult. I find that at the end of my work week in the studio, I usually have about four paintings in my head that I am eager to continue with, but by the beginning of the next week, I am dredging my mind for ideas. I have lost the flow of my work in the days full of different responsibilities.  Sold 11" x 14" 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. One good thing that is coming fr

What Was I Thinking?  This daily painting practice has been so good for me, though if I am honest, it has produced a painting or two that I am less than proud of. I have been practicing with a particular set of colors, painting on an easel with limited space and tools, and working with different compositions - all intentionally to reacquaint myself with these things, and prepare for demonstrating what has almost become second nature to me. That means painting with other people in the room, and talking at the same time! What was I thinking when I agreed to do this again? (I have actually enjoyed these kinds of opportunities in the past, and it is really, really good for me to get back at it...)  11" x 14" Painted with the finest quality heavy-body acrylic paint on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper Ready to frame Click here to view or purchase on my website. An overbalanced, almost threatening composition was my starting point with this painting (which I have to