Brenda Stichter, artist

Far Kingdom After nearly a week trying to name and blog about this painting, I finally gave up and posted it on Instagram and Facebook as "Untitled", and asked for title suggestions. I felt that my longing for my eternal home and my (sometimes distant) hope were showing up in this landscape.  One friend suggested "Far Kingdom" in reference to a song by the Gray Havens , and I am loving that suggestion! One of the lines in that song that touches me speaks of the Far Kingdom knowing my name.  36" x 36" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on 1.5” deep gallery wrapped canvas Click here to purchase via my website. John 14:1 - 3  “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be al...

Let's Go Fly a Kite This past Sunday, it was windy, but beautiful blue and cold here. In the later afternoon, my Beloved Husband and I were walking around in our back yard, and he decided it would be a good time to fly a kite! We spent a little while trying two different kites, (I didn't even know we had them! They were somewhere in the recesses of our shed...) and found that the wind actually wasn't quite strong enough to keep them flying. Either that, or the gusts were just too crazy! Our kite would frequently dive for the wood pile or swoop into the tree, just like Charlie Brown's kite always does.  The color, fresh air, and unaccustomed venture were so refreshing for me! I was almost sorry when we decided we just couldn't keep the kite in the air and put it away.  20" x 20" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on 1.5” deep gallery wrapped canvas Click here to purchase via my website. I called my mom today. I have told you...

Do you hear the music when you are looking at this painting? As I have been looking at it (for days now) trying to decide how to blog about it, the one thing that keeps interrupting me is the music! The first song I "heard" when I was looking at this painting to blog about it has a line that says " I ran out of that grave ", and that is the heart of what is expressed in this work.  Another one (completely different sort of song, by the way) swells to HUGE organ music in the third verse, and my inside just seems to swell with the music. I feel that immensity. And I want you to feel that when you look at this painting too.  12" x 12" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on 1.5” deep gallery wrapped canvas Click here to purchase via my website. I feel the same thing when the sunrise (or sunset) is unspeakably beautiful, when I feel relief from pain, when I realize I am deeply loved.  Here is a passage from the New Testament that f...

Let the Little Children Come II  Earlier this year an email came to me with the subject line "...possibly fun project, if you are interested..." It came from the curator of the gallery at rua, where I had a very enjoyable and successful exhibit last year, and he was inviting me to participate in a charity event. I am delighted to share that I am participating in Raise the Brush, an art exhibit and auction with proceeds going to assist those who are fundraising for adoption.  SOLD 40" x 30" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on 1.5” deep gallery wrapped canvas Click here to see on my website. Bouncing balls, twirling skirts, spinning tops, blowing bubbles, hula hoops, bike wheels/pedals; can you see them here? I thought about so many things as I started working on the concept for this painting, and eventually came to a New Testament passage from the Gospel of Mark that talks about Jesus with children. His disciples didn't seem to see ...

New Every Morning #24 A quick post this afternoon to share the painting I shared on Instagram ( brendakaypaintings ). As I mentioned there, I had fully intended to add an abandoned building to this landscape, but I am choosing to keep it sparse, at least for now.  I really love the greens and the textures in the grass.  The feeling of a sparse, abandoned, forgotten place in an empty landscape was the original intent, but this little painting is sweet as it is.  6" x 6" Painted with the finest quality acrylic heavy-body paint on panel Ready to frame Click here to view on my website. The sorrowful news over the weekend of more people being shot to death in our country brings added significance to my painting, but more so to the Scripture verses on which the series is based.  Lamentations 3:21‭-‬23 ESV But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every m...

Seek My Face If you have watched my progress for very long, you know it is fairly uncommon for me to paint a representational painting. (Notice, I didn't call it realistic! I would still consider this to be an abstract landscape.) But being recognizable isn't the only unusual thing about this painting. It is also huge! It is 48" x 60" - tied with Higher Glory for the biggest painting I have done.  SOLD 48" x 60" Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on  deep gallery-wrapped canvas Ready to hang Click here to see this painting on my website. There were several 'muses' for this work. I don't suppose muse is quite the correct word, but the influence of all of these things has been with me as I have worked on this painting.   First, let me share with you a song that my mother recommended to me, called Is He Worthy? , by Andrew Peterson. It was quite a while from the time Mom suggested this song until I listened to it, bu...

Nativity II This painting may not be anyone's idea of the Nativity. I surely wouldn't have looked for these colors, were I looking for a Christmas painting! However, some of the thoughts in this work are of the birth  of Jesus being overshadowed by His cross, of the unique character of the GOD/Man, and of the surprising circumstances surrounding his arrival here on our planet!  SOLD 8" x 10" on canvas iridescent accents, lots of texture