Brenda Stichter, artist

Smoke on the Mountain   This is the first abstract painting that I have finished since coming home from New Mexico, and it depicts some of the things I remember seeing while I was there. The rocks and trees all looked dusty, and they probably were. The weather was unusually dry when we were there, even for that area. In the midst of all of the dusty, dry colors in the natural surroundings, many of the shops and restaurants were brightly decorated with vivid color standing out against adobe buildings. I loved that. 20" x 16" 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. Many of the rocky outcroppings had vertical cracks, with caves and boulders in and around them. The sun hitting the rocks from different angles really caught my attention (it's a good thing I wasn't driving!) and I was fascinated by the changing shadows and shapes as sunset neared...

First Cutting Yesterday was the first day I tried plein air painting at home after our return from Santa Fe. (Are you tired of hearing about that yet?) I loved being out in the sun and painting the place I love! I suspect I was taking in some much needed vitamin D, since I came in with a little sunburn! When we got home, my Beloved Husband was so eager to get to work around our property. He had to do a lot more sitting around and "wasting time" than he likes while we were traveling, and that is no small matter to him. He loves to be accomplishing something and  is   rarely still for more than a few minutes, so he was glad to be on his mower starting to tame our wildly growing pasture.  $160.00 plus shipping and handling 8" x 10" Painted with acrylic heavy-body paint on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper, contact me to purchase Psalm 109:26-27  Help me, Lord my God; save me according to Your faithful love so they may know that this is Your hand and tha...

Simmer Down , 2021 Awarded the  Jill & Flori Padget Memorial Award At the Fort Wayne Artist Guild Ventures Exhibit   Well, what a great trip we had! Santa Fe grew on me more and more the longer we stayed (and it got easier to relax in unfamiliar surroundings.) We went to Santa Fe for a large Plein Air painting convention, and I learned a lot and was immersed in a different painting atmosphere than I am used to. And for those who were wondering, I am not planning to stop painting abstract paintings. Abstract work is my heart language - the kind of work I most love to do. I can 'say' what I have to say with an abstract painting far more readily than with more representational paintings. But I am continually working to learn more and become an all around better artist. (I may even be trying a portrait workshop in the not too distant future.) In spite of being so new to this kind of painting, I found that I already had a head start on a few things, like the significance of com...

Spring Morning All of the windows in the house are open this morning. I guess it is supposed to get hot today, but for right now, it is just fabulous to have the fresh breeze. As I was passing through our living room a little while ago, I heard a sound like a chicken clucking, or at least what I think that sounds like. Since I have never actually had chickens, I guess I am not sure about that. I glanced out the front window, and there was a pileated woodpecker right near our porch where we have bird feeders most of the year. He visited several times during the winter, but I hadn't seen him in a long time. These birds are uncommon, and are pretty shy. Have you ever seen one?  When a car came into our driveway, he swooped away to safety in a tall tree in our fencerow.  NLA 6" x 6" Painted with the finest quality acrylic heavy-body paint on panel Ready to frame This morning I just HAD to get to my studio and paint a little  before breakfast! I have been missing studio time,...

This past week I decided at the last minute to take a trip to the no-longer-quite-so-frozen North to visit my Mom. It is a long drive, but the time with her was more than worth it. While I was there, I painted a couple of small paintings in my motel room. I find that painting without my regular tools and paints is very challenging, and is probably really, really good for me! This painting is done with watercolor pencil on watercolor paper and is 4" x 4".  My drive time was made more enjoyable at times with a couple of audio books, including Blessed Are the Misfits, by Brant Hansen (a book that was given to me by a friend) and Right Ho Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse. The Hansen book was great for making me think, and the Wodehouse for making me laugh.  As I was driving, I got a notification for my email, so I checked it out when I stopped for gas, and found that my work had not been accepted in an exhibition that I had applied for. Of course, I was disappointed by that, but imagine...