Brenda Stichter, artist

Emerald Revelation "How many of these stones overlap in the two lists?" asked my husband. He has been helping me consider how I will frame and display my paintings that I have been working on during this painting challenge . Of all of the stones mentioned in the Bible, the two lists of stones in Exodus 28 & 39, and in Revelation 21 are the stones I want to feature in grouped frames. I was surprised to find that I hadn't made myself complete lists - I just kept going back to the passages each day... so today I made the lists. Well, it looks like I have 7 more paintings to complete (and find acceptable) before I finish! WHICH is fine with me, I might add. I have really enjoyed this challenge.  It has been so very interesting to research these stones (mostly gemstones) and learn about ancient language and usage and so on. I have just loved it. N/A 6" x 6" acrylic on canvas panel  ready to frame       I have been so aware of beauty this month.   ...

Second Sapphire Judging from the research I have done on the sapphire, it is a VERY clear stone - like blue glass. I think a person could look right through it. It seems to have a swirly texture to the fissures, and just a pure, deep blue color. It is beautiful, but tough to represent in an abstract painting!  Since I am now working through the gemstones that are listed as being in the foundation of the New Jerusalem, I thought I would like to represent the sapphire in a huge, eternal sort of way. I feel like in this little painting, I could look right through the blue sapphire and see the stars and nebulae and distant space.  Part of piece called  Foundation Stones 6" x 6" acrylic on canvas panel  ready to frame     I started my day with the privilege of meeting my friend Emma Lou for a visit. (You should meet her - she is a wonderful friend! She invited me to sit on her enclosed patio and watch the rain on the lake. No other friend has ever in...

Also Jasper Since this painting challenge  will soon be in the record books, so to speak, I have already been bemoaning not having the accountability, and not having the theme to work from. Yes, I am actually aware that I can do something about that, but up to this point, I have mostly just been whining about it. *silly girl* Part of piece called  Foundation Stones 6" x 6" acrylic on canvas panel  ready to frame     Well, my helpful friend Tim suggested I paint all my October paintings using only autumn colors. (So, is sky blue an autumn color? Because... How about sunset colors?) Actually, I really think it would be a fun challenge. My husband suggested I do all the ANIMALS in the Bible next time. Oh my goodness, do you have any idea how many animals are mentioned by name in the Bible? Today, as I read in my Bible, I came across a bear story ...  This challenge doing works inspired by stones or gems mentioned in the Bible has been (probably) my...

Jasper Day 26 already! I just can hardly believe the challenge to paint 30 paintings in 30 days has gone so quickly for me. I am sure I still have about 10 more paintings I want to do based on stones found in the Bible - most of the ones I have been painting have been gem stones, and there are so many others mentioned. Part of piece called  Foundation Stones 6" x 6" acrylic on canvas panel  ready to frame     As I suspect is the case with many of my fellow artists, I have noticed that the daily time in the studio is helping my creativity, my techniques, and my desire to paint more. I am finding that when I can imagine something, I usually know what to do to achieve that effect. NOT  that it is perfect, but more practice definitely helps - as we should all know.   To quote Arnold Palmer, the famous golfer who passed away yesterday, " It’s a funny thing, the more I practice the luckier I get." With this painting, my set of stones from ...

Beryl " Aquamarine is a light blue or bluish-green variety of beryl. Historians have likened it to “a thousand leagues of sunlit sea imprisoned in a cup.” It’s very name is descriptive of it’s color: aqua meaning water and marine meaning sea."  Doesn't that description just fire your imagination? It sure does mine! Once again, as I studied this stone, I was just overwhelmed with how beautiful it is. Part of piece called  Foundation Stones 6" x 6" acrylic on canvas panel  ready to frame     According to writings of Pliny the Elder (23-79 a.d.), it is likely that the beryl mentioned in Exodus 28 and Revelation 21 is the aquamarine colored beryl. I just get so excited studying about these ancient jewels, and I wish I could see some!  I just have one more stone to paint to finish out the 12 stones that were on the ephod of the high priest in the Old Testament (I keep getting distracted... ) and then I will move to the revelation passage of 12 stones. ...

Gold II "What shall we pray about this morning?" my husband asked, as he does almost every morning. We get up a little extra early each day to spend time together on the couch, drinking coffee, comparing calendars, waking up (!), and praying. It is our favorite time of the day. It is worth the getting up early (5:30 - not early to some!) even though I seldom am ready to get moving at that time of day! Today, during our time together, I suddenly knew WHICH painting I would do, and HOW I wanted to do it. I practically 'saw' Gold II in my head, and could hardly wait to get to the studio.  SOLD 6" x 6" acrylic on canvas panel  ready to frame     I did a quick internet search, and found 426 uses of the word gold in the New American Standard Bible. 426! The first appearance is in the second chapter of the Old Testament, and the last is in the second to last chapter of the New Testament. This actually really surprised me. I am not sure I actually understan...

Jacinth This morning I got up and got dressed in my painting clothes - orange t-shirt, (I look sickly in orange), black knit pants (WITH pockets) and mismatched socks (obviously). We got home very late last night after celebrating my daughter's birthday in Michigan, and so I was a bit foggy and sluggish to start out. Suddenly I realized that I had a deadline to meet - art to deliver to a contest/exhibition that is an hour away. I usually try to be a bit organized, but... I am becoming more and more creative, and less and less organized. (That's what I keep telling myself. Age has nothing to do with it.)  SO, I changed into a different 'artist costume', the looking decent if a bit creative in public costume, and ventured out to find this new-to-me locale. I have discovered that it would be a great idea to visit these places before I decide which pieces to enter, because sometimes my preconceived notions of what is 'good art' to them are completely mistaken!...