Brenda Stichter, artist

Sand and Palm Trees Here in northern Indiana, we are experiencing a preview of spring, and it has been delightful! The sun shining in my windows calls me to go outside and play, and it has been warm enough to wear a light jacket, or sometimes even skip a jacket all together. In spite of the appeal of this Indiana pre-spring, I still felt the pull to paint an even warmer place once again. There is just something about sand and palm trees that tugs at me just a little.  4" x 4" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on 1.5” deep cradled wood panel Edges painted black Click here to view on my website.  I painted a sand-and-palm-tree painting in December, and have chosen to make this one quite similar in that I am using only a palette knife instead of brushes, and am using a very limited palette of colors. I love the feeling that I am looking down over the edge of a hill toward the water, and I especially like the tiny strip of sand in the distance where the land ju...

Ancient Hymn Isn't that sunlight spectacular? I have been working on the Open House pretty much non-stop in the last days, as you will have seen if you follow my social media. I would guess most of you are getting almost as tired of reading about it as I am of writing about it! But it sure has been a delight to see some of my older work that has been out of sight for a long time, and some of my newer work hanging in new places. This is my view this morning from my chair where I read my Bible. It really caught my attention when the sun hit the painting this way! Ancient Hymn 18" x 48" or 48" x 18" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on 1.5” deep gallery wrapped canvas Edges painted black Click here to view on my website. For a long time now, my Beloved Husband and I have been talking about downsizing. Well, this Open House is a step toward downsizing for us. I have many, many paintings currently hanging in our home, and a lot of them will be ...

From the Heart, 2019. Things are getting serious now, let me tell you! I am hanging work, ordering supplies, and doing lots of computer work, all trying to be prepared for my Open House Valentine's Day weekend.  James 1:17 Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning. 30" x 22" Painted with the finest quality heavy-body acrylic paint on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper Click here to view on my website.  It is invigorating to do all of the preparation, but I sure do miss the studio time. I have a few works in progress, and I know my next steps on those paintings, and it is challenging to leave them and do what I have to do! But it's a good problem to have.  Our family's world/life has been spinning so fast this week, and I have discovered something a little surprising to me. I find that I am less anxious when I have more craziness going on......

Pretty Much As it turns out, it is very difficult to photograph silver pigment and leaf. I shouldn't be surprised, especially since I don't use a camera, per se, to photograph, but use my phone almost exclusively. Still, I will probably have to use several photos to give you the idea of what this piece actually looks like. 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. I hope you notice the movement and color in the background, behind the silver. I love the swirls and splashes, and I definitely see water there. The yellow-green areas are not as dominant in real life. The textures are the best part of this one. Well, maybe the way the silver pigment powder responded to my work on the surface is the star, but the textures are right up there too.  Romans 7:22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, I have been reading in Romans in the New ...

Come Before Winter During my quiet time, the time I spend reading the Bible and praying, I can look out the window across our pasture and woods. The big windows face east, so this time of year, I can watch the sunrise. Often, the view of the sunrise accentuates my sense of being in communication with my Heavenly Father.  6" x 6" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on 1.5” deep cradled wood panel Click here to view or purchase on my website. We have had a few bright, sunny mornings here in northern Indiana, and I have sat in front of the windows with my pantlegs and sleeves rolled up to try to soak up some of that "vitamin S". (Yes, I made that up. I am sure it has a proper name.) Those bright skies, with only a hint of cloudiness, inspired this painting.  I wanted to paint the smooth transition of cold color in the sky, and the dark silhouettes of the trees in the foreground, but NOT in a photorealistic style. I love to just suggest the beauty I am ...

Homesick, 2018 Click here for original blog post My 2026 Open House is in the active planning stage! I have been hinting at it for a while now, but I have started sending out more formal announcements, creating "Events" on my website and Facebook, and fretting about getting all of my paintings arranged and tagged by February 13.  If you receive my other email newsletter (which tends to be less frequent, and less about the stories of individual new paintings), you will have already seen some information about my plans for this year. The biggest news is that after the Open House, I will be retiring a lot of my paintings. I have already started working through some things on my website, and will be narrowing down the available paintings by quite a bit.  You can find more information on my website by clicking the Open House Event here.  I will plan to share a coupon for newsletter subscribers (both newsletters), and highlight more information as the time gets closer.  If...

Talking in My Sleep For the last few weeks, I have known the title for this painting, even while it was unfinished. It started, as many do, with words from the Bible on an early layer, and that was a good start toward the title, Talking in My Sleep. I like the title, and I think it helps encourage curiosity about the painting.  20" x 30" Painted with the finest quality heavy-body acrylic paint and silver colored metal leaf on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper White frame included Click here to view on my website. The words from the Bible come from one of my favorite passages that I have used often, Psalm 62:5-8 My soul, wait in silence for God only , For my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah. I have mentioned before that I...