Brenda Stichter, artist

  Lost & Foundry Admittedly, I have been falling behind with posting and other online chores lately. The good thing is, I am still not too far behind in my painting goals for the year, which, since it is only February, is to be hoped for and expected! $240.00 plus shipping and handling, framed 9" x 12" Painted with the finest quality acrylic heavy-body paint on wood panel Click here to view or purchase on my website. Last week we had some spectacularly gorgeous days, and I chose one of them to do a plein air painting, since I had not painted outside for a long time. I painted near where my Beloved Husband works, and when I went in to say hello to him, my brother-in-law (with whom my BH works) said to me, "Get a coat on, or you'll get sick!" I argued that it was 65 degrees outside and it felt delightful to be out without a coat! Well, I was disappointed to find that I was completely worn out after painting for a couple of short hours. What I had forgotten was

It's About Time Early in my work as a full-time artist, we met some new friends from Cuba. It was so uncommon to meet someone from Cuba at the time, and they were staggered with the abundance and relative affluence they encountered here in the United States. In spite of our almost-non-existent Spanish, we were able to host them during their time near our home, and show them some of our favorite places.  My paintings were exhibited at a coffee shop then, and we took them there to see them. Can you imagine how humbling it was for me when that new friend encouraged me to continue working with my hands, and then prayed that God would bless "the work of [my] hands"? Obviously, it was very meaningful to me - I still remember it.  Psalm 90:17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us; establish for us the work of our hands— establish the work of our hands! This painting, as with most of my paintings, has layer after layer that has been painted over. It is nearly unseen in the f