VACATION IS OVER; TIME TO PAINT!

I am both happy and sad to say that our vacations are over for this summer! I saw a quote just the other day that sums it up quite well:

"Don't cry that it's over; smile that it happened!" Dr. Seuss

I am smiling at all the adventures of our trip to Spain, as well as our more recent glamping trip in the Ucluelet and Tofino area of Vancouver Island. (For those of you who don't know what the term "glamping" means, it is glamorous camping - in a YURT!) I will be posting pictures over the next several weeks of the highlights of our trips, but for today, I am showing you a charcoal portrait from the drawing stage to the finished piece. (And yes, I am back into the studio as of this afternoon...working on some special things!)

I did this drawing in the spring of last year - just before we moved. This is one of the portraits of 5 grandchildren that I did for some friends of ours in Calgary.   Each of the pieces is now hanging side by side in their home, and will one day be handed down to each of the children. 

It is SUCH a thrill to see the painting come alive as I work on the facial features! It is at that point that I get excited for how the work is progressing. :-) So here are the stages that most of my charcoal portraits go through, from beginning to end.

9" x 12"
charcoal on Canford paper

DOWN IN THE DUMPS

Photo Credit: vincentm1 via Compfight cc

I have been "down in the dumps" lately...but not in the way you think. When you think of what that term means, do you ever wonder where it came from and what it actually means? For many years, we took our own trash to the dump when we lived outside the city where there was no garbage pickup. It is a smelly, dirty, foul place where creatures I don't want to think about thrive. But our garbage dumps are sanitary places compared to third world countries, and that is the kind of trash heap I have been in for a few months...

Last year, I received a commission from a friend to do a painting of a little boy, around 8 years old, who lived in a garbage dump in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. She told me the story behind the photo she sent me, and as I painted this little guy, I could not help but reflect on how tragic it is that first world nations are so wrapped up in sports, fashion, luxury vacations and so on that we ignore the millions of children/people who live this life daily - both in third world countries, and in some cases, in our own cities here in Canada. Often, these "dump children" are being raised by a single parent, usually the mother. Their food comes from what they can find in the dump...mostly mouldy, rotten scraps which provide only the lowest amount of nutrition, which keeps starvation just at bay. The children have skin sores, and lesions. You can see the ringworm just under the skin...the conditions are horrible. Their homes are made out of any scraps of cardboard, metal, and wood that they find amongst the garbage, and the way they earn money is to find the few things of value that can be sold, by working the dump. As far as I know, these kids do not get a chance to have any kind of an education. They are doomed to remain in this hopeless life unless someone helps them...

Here is the portrait, and the story of this little guy (who would now be about 18 years old) as written by my client. I hope your heart is touched by his story as was mine.

" I was in Honduras with Compassion Canada about 10 years ago. We had visited a church project in San Pedro Sula. The Pastor was very active in the community. His life was threatened many times as he ministered to the children and had a heart for the people who lived at the dump site. He asked if we would like to see the dump and told us how he came out often to talk to the families and see if they would allow their children to come to church and hopefully at some point get off working the dump. Our bus went out there and we stopped and saw these kids working. There were a couple of rough made homes nearby. We asked the Pastor if it would be okay to stop and get out and maybe meet one of these families. No one meets these families as they are the lowest of lows in society and here these Canadians are asking if we can meet a family. The Pastor got off and went to one of the homes and got permission for us to meet the woman and see her home. The children came running. One little boy ran ahead and pushed open the door and stood there ever so thrilled and proud that these Canadians graced their home. This is the picture of this little boy. When I saw him and how his expression went from wonder to humble pride it reminded me of the verse in Rev 3:20. This little boy represented Jesus and he opened the door for us to enter in. It was amazing how people saw the parallel in what this little boy did, at least the few that saw it. I managed to snap the picture before he ran to his Mother. Today the dump is closed and the Pastor found places for many of the families."

Honduras Boy
transparent watercolor
15.5" x 22"

WORKING ON BABY GIRL PORTRAIT

My husband and I leave later this afternoon to fly out to Vancouver Island. I won't be posting during that time, but I thought you might like to see the charcoal portrait of a baby girl that I am currently working on. She is such a beautiful little girl in every way, and I love how this portrait is already showing her sweetness. She was around a year old when I took the photo that I am working from, and that day her fine hair was not cooperating, but flying out from her head. In the sun, it was like a halo. 

When we return from our little trip, I will be finishing her up and presenting the piece to her parents the end of this month. I am pretty sure they will love it. :-)

CONTE PENCIL PORTRAIT

original conte pencil/crayon 

This conte pencil/crayon portrait is completed. Really - although this medium is not nearly as easy as pencil, it is still all about value and shape. I used 3 colors in this one - Sanguine, Sepia and Black. The black was a completely different texture than the other 2 colors, so it made for an interesting experience when I was doing the black over the sanguine in the braided hair. The black is very soft compared to the chalky-ness of the sanguine and the sepia. I'm not sure what to call this one - I could just give it the name of the woman who posed for it. But that seems rather mundane. Anyone willing to suggest a title?

PENCIL PORTRAIT OF ELIZABETH

Elizabeth
9 x 12" original pencil portrait

Last week I was delivering two paintings to one of my collectors. It was a beautiful sunny day, and we sat outside in the sun until a cool breeze came up, then we moved inside. Soon, her daughter, son-in-law, and their 4 kids arrived for an impromptu visit as they were bicycling in the neighbourhood. (They live about 2 miles from each other.)


Their oldest girl, Elizabeth, is a beautiful 8 year old with the biggest blue eyes ever! I happened to have my camera with me, so I convinced her to go outside with me so I could take a few photos of her in the sunlight, to practice my portrait drawing skills. I chose to do this pose, as the light was bouncing around on the planes of her face, and on the top of her head. The wind was blowing the loose strands of her hair, which I found quite wonderful.


 It was lots of fun to do this  pencil portrait as it is going to be a surprise gift for Elizabeth's grandmother. I know she is going to love it! And I think my skills are improving. 

Harley - a portrait in pencil

This is a portrait of one of my 4 grandsons. He is 5 years old and full of energy and enthusiasm for life. Everything is something to be learned and discussed. He has a heart of compassion even though he is so young - and he loves to help people.

This drawing was done as a gift to Harley's father, Chris, for his birthday.

If you would like a portrait done - either painted or in pencil, please contact me:

jogiesbrecht@gmail.com

Merry Christmas 2008

I want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!  

This is one of the first Christmases in a long time that will be white! I am hoping that it will warm up enough to actually be outside for sledding and walking though - it has been minus 30 degrees or so over the last week, and the long range forecast is for more of the same. It makes shopping a bit of a challenge... walking from the Jeep into the mall seems like a very long way. 

I am looking forward to having family stay here with us for a few days. The tree is up and almost fully decorated, the shopping is almost complete, the house has been decked out for the holidays, and the turkey is in the freezer.  Christmas baking is being done for me as a gift from my daughter-in-law, so it will come just in time to be consumed when we are all together! (That is a good thing - I HAVE to share that way!)

I hope that each of you will have a fabulous holiday season, and that the joy of Christmas fills your homes and your relationships, not only in late December, but also throughout all of the New Year. 

See you in 2009.

If you are interested in commissioning a portrait picture, please e-mail me at jogiesbrecht@gmail.com