In Full Bloom!

Royal Purple, 9x12" oil on gessoboard 

© Helen Read  

 

Please visit my website to see this and other beautiful paintings! 

Nothing says "spring" to me quite like the bloom of tulips.   Spring hasn't really arrived here in my area - even though it's past due - being mid-April!  So, I've taken to creating spring with paint, while I wait!
This gathering of beautiful purple tulips seems to shimmer and glow. 
I looked up the meaning of tulips... so many flowers are associated with a cryptic meaning.  I found out that tulips are representative of love and passion.  Purple is indicative of royalty.   I must admit, they do have a very regal upright habit, commanding one's attention!

Bring a love, passion, and lots of royal color to your walls! 
This lovely painting is almost dry and ready to ship very soon!

Oh - before you go! 

Did you know that I keep in touch with my friends with a monthly newsnote? It's filled with visual beauty and other fun things like free downloads, contests for free mini paintings, discounts, and late breaking updates and news.  You get an inside look into the life of an artist and get to share some of the fun!
It's super easy to join us! Just click the button below and let me know!

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The Best News Ever!

Dear friends of mine ~ I have to share this with you, because it truly is the best news in 
all the world! A truer story has never been written....take a minute and imagine with me the 
feelings of Jesus' band of friends millennia ago ....

Friday evening ~

It looked like all was lost. Every ray of hope destroyed.

Jesus, their friend - the miracle worker - the preacher who had an

upside down, radical message of love and relationship,

of mercy and forgiveness,

of hope and promise -

the One who made people laugh and dance - who changed sickness into health - 
who fed the hungry, who touched the untouchable; Jesus, who spoke of the

wonders of things to come, the One who calmed the wind with just a word and 
commanded Death to give way to Life ...

Now He, Himself, was dead.

Devastation - Disbelief - Questions .... Doubts.  Fear.

"What just happened? HOW could this have happened?"

But His death was confirmed.  No question. Certain. Final. Buried.

That was Friday.

______________

Saturday  dawns ~

A day of grieving, of despair, of wondering how to move forward 
amidst the shards of shattered hopes and dreams.

______________

Then came Sunday morning....

and

the earth trembled, then shook with force.

A blinding, brilliant, angelic light moved to the massive stone that sealed the tomb.

Heaven was descending to write a new ending to this story.

Guards,  posted around the grave,  could not withstand the forces they witnessed and 
fell to the ground as if dead.

Jesus, who had been bloodied and beaten, blow by blow - 
who had been nailed to a Roman cross, who had been pierced in His side with a spear... 
Jesus, who had breathed His last breath as a prayer to His Father - this same Jesus 
whom His friends had wrapped for burial and sealed in a tomb, all in public view -

now, He walks out of that tomb vitally alive!

Healed from his wounds, but with the evidence of His scars.

Victorious over the specter of death!

___________

His friends:

From grieving, hopeless, disbelief to

laughing, incredulous joy!

Amazing!

The miracle worker has dealt Death its death blow.

Now, so much of His message - not fully understood in the preceding days - 
fits into place with deep meaning.

As the Roman Soldier said, observing Jesus’ death:

“Surely this was the Son of God.”

_____________

     What strikes me, dear friends, is that the happenings of those 3 days reverberates 
through time and history and it's still good news today ... the BEST news, ever!  We - each of us - 
are invited into Life!!

     But the bad news that is on the forward side of the good news has to be faced. We are born 
into a far less than perfect world. We each live with our mistakes, with wrongs we might wish 
to right, with attitudes that could have been better, with good that we didn't do... 
We are trapped, really, in the way we are. Living with our failings -  trying to be better - 
is never good enough, according to God's perfect standards.

      Jesus' upside down message then and now says, there's HOPE! There's a way out... rescue!  
His perfect life and unjust death is God's answer to our predicament.  Out of His great love, 
He died to take on the weight of everything wrong in this world. He satisfied God's requirement 
for justice and also showed God's love for mercy. He paid my debt (and yours too) and then burst 
out of death's grip – into vibrant life. And He offers to bring each one of us with Him! So many years 
after that first Easter, His gift is still extended to all who choose to embrace it - 
those who say, "Yes, I believe."

       I know I can't provide any of that for myself; only God could.  Physical death may still stalk us, 
but the inner life of the spirit - the eternal soul - is alive and well forever! What great news - 
we have hope! Not just the "maybe" kind of hope, but hope based on the assurance of God's promise 
and the proof is in Jesus' resurrection. That's a hope no one else offers!

"But to all who believed in Him and accepted Him, 
He gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12

     Easter is a day of joy and thankfulness, a day of brilliance shining into darkness. It's a day that 
offers a Life that prevails over Death! It's a day when God proves His love for each of us.

The whole of this amazing story - an eyewitness account of it -

is found in the New Testament. I suggest reading beginning in John, chapter 18. 
The account continues through chapter 20.

      This is the best news I know how to send! I hope it's news that encourages you and gives you hope! 
It could be news that changes everything. Please don't hesitate to send me a message if I can help! 
That's what friends are for!

Wishing you a  Joyful and Happy Easter ~ may it be a day of deep blessing.

There's a Winner!

This little guy will be making it's flight to TEXAS!  

One of my email friends who entered my contest to win this original mini painting will be getting this little painting and its easel in the mail later this week!  Pretty cool!  

All they had to do was:

* Get my email in their inbox

* Open and read the email to find out that there is a contest

* Follow the directions to enter the contest
(pretty simple - just send a message that enters their name)

* Wait on the edge of their seat for a few days till the date of the drawing

*And then, read an email from me that says -
"YOU ARE THE WINNER!!" 

* Go to their mailbox - get the package - open and display!!  

Simple, huh?   Yes... but you will need to be an email friend in order to find out about this!  

I conduct a little contest like this every few months -so there's lots of opportunity to enter and win.... and if you think  "I'm someone who never wins anything."  Well, this might just be your turning point!  

 In the last few years, I've sent mini paintings (totally free - I even pay the postage) to many states across the nation... maybe you will be next!  

Winners are chosen with an entirely random drawing!  So, why not!?  Sign up for my email newsletter and you'll get a fun and colorful email in your inbox at the beginning of each month - and you'll find out about cool contests, discounts, free downloads, and a great connection to me and what's going on on my side of the easel. 

Either text the word HELEN to 22828 or hit the button below and you are in! 

 

Please! I want to join!

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Center Stage

Coneflower, centered,   8x8" oil on gallery wrapped canvas
(painted around the sides) 

©Helen Read

 

Please visit my website to see all my paintings! 

This lovely colorful oil painting is waiting for it's home.  I have been painting larger paintings lately, but this smaller gem is eye catching!    This painting is offered for the month of April to my email friends at a 15% discount ... AND, when it sells, I will also donate another 15% to a wonderful charity that offers help and healing to women who are survivors of human trafficking.   

To make this purchase, please send an email and let me know you'd love to be added to my email friends list and you'd like to purchase this beautiful painting!   This discount runs just through the month of April.  It is an original work, a one-of-a-kind!   Take a minute to get in touch and I'll sign you up and send you all the info about this little painting and how to make it yours.  

When you sign up for my emails:

Every month, you'll get a friendly, fun email from me - sometimes I have a contest to win a free painting, I often offer a discount (like this one), I usually have something you can download for yourself. And of course, I keep you up to date about my newest works and what's happening on my side of the easel!  

It's a great way to stay in touch! 

Spring has arrived!

A little watercolor and ink rendition of what I see in my yard in April!

I have always loved rabbits - even though they DO invite themselves into my garden in the summer, which never makes me very happy at the time.  Nevertheless, they have always captured my heart. 

This is just one of the reasons to join my email friends list! 
This little watercolor was a free download gift to all my friends in this month of April. 
Every month, I have gifts such as this download. I often have contests to win a free mini oil painting (which is mailed to you with it's own little easel).  And I frequently offer discounts on selected original works - with the bonus of knowing that when you make that purchase, I give a donation to a great cause that helps children or women or those in need in various parts of the world.  Also, we get to know each other - and I share my latest studio work with you and my thoughts as I've created it.

Joining is super easy ... and you'll get all this fun right in your inbox at the beginning of each month.  Text the word Helen to 22828 to join me! Or just hit the button below!  There's something new and fun every month! 
Let's be friends!!

Please! I want to join!

For Email Marketing you can trust.

(If you join now, since my newsletter has been sent this month - send me an email - just put "I joined" in the subject line and I'll send you the April newsletter which has this cute downloadable painting!) 

This month's free painting contest!

And YOU could be the winner!!  

Now's the time, just hours before my April newsletter is sent, to join my friend's list where you will get all the information about entering the contest!  

Not only do you get to enter to win, you'll also get a free downloadable piece of art, there are discounts, and lots of fun things to be part of!   It's super simple to join me... just text the word Helen to 22828  or click the button below!  I'll be sending out my newsletter in the next day or so - and you'll get it right in your inbox!  

I love my friends... so, your email address is safe with my secure email service.  

 Let's be friends!!   

Please! I want to join!

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Summer Cathedral

Summer Cathedral,  20x16" oil on canvas 

©Helen Read 

 

Please visit my website to see this and other beautiful landscapes.

I find such intrigue in the landscape.  This one captured my imagination for a painting.  I took the reference picture almost 3 years ago locally.  I loved the way the sunlight filtered through the leaves, giving all of it a glow.  And then, there were some dark shadowy areas as well, lending a bit of mystery.  

What I hope to accomplish when I paint a landscape it to create an environment that is colorful and energized, yet familiar to the eye.  A bit of a surprise, but also a sense of having been there.  I hope to create a space of peace and beauty, but a little bit of the unknown.  

I named this painting Summer Cathedral because of the arch of the tree, reminding me of a sacred space.  And the way the light filtered through the upper branches was reminiscent of beautiful stained glass windows as one might see in an ancient cathedral.  Somehow, it seemed fitting - a natural place of praise  for the Creator of such beauty.

What? Another Freebie!?

This little Blue Jay mini painting is drying and will be my give-away painting for April!   Every few months, I paint a little painting and yep... give it away! :)   All you have to do is watch in your inbox for my April news note, which will be sent in the first week of the month - grab the details - and enter to win!   It's that simple!   Then, on the 15th, I'll be picking a winner by a random drawing.   Then, I package it up and send it off!    Oh, did I mention it comes with a tiny easel for display? 

How do I get your news note, you may be asking!? 

Glad  you asked!  That too is super simple.  You can text the word Helen to 22828 and get signed up - or - you can click the button below and get signed up.  Then, watch for the newsletter to arrive in early April!   Oh - I should also mention, that's not the only cool thing.  I also offer a discount to my friends during the month of April and there's a free download of art too!   So... there's great reasons to look for my monthly news note!  Sign up now... it only takes a minute - and then your in!  

Yay! Sign me up!

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Let's start at the Beginning.....

Planning.... 

Yes,  even for the artist - a well thought out plan for a painting is vital.
For me, it starts with a reference picture - and imagination.... what could this be?  

I think about color schemes and the basic warmth or coolness I want to portray - even in something as basic as a landscape picture.  The reference picture is only that - a reference... it doesn't dictate the final work. 

Before getting out a canvas to begin, I do thumbnail sketches to be sure of my composition and I do value studies to compare various values within the composition.  These are done in my sketchbook - as well as notes about what I'm imagining.   And for me, I pray... for added insight, for guidance, for the ability to give this idea and painting more than what might be obvious.   

In my plans for this new painting - which will be a beautifully sculptural overhanging tree, greens are predominant.  So I've done a brightly colored underpainting in magenta, purples, and peaches. 

 

 With a thinned down purple, I've sketched in the basic shape of the tree - it has a graceful arch to the left.  There will be the suggestion of woods behind it, but the main idea is the tree, in all its abundance. 

 The sky holes in this foliage of the tree are very light.  They range from peach to lavender.  I've created the general area for them, but will go back with additional color before I'm done. 

 I've added some shadows in cooler tones, and started putting in some foliage.  But I'm thinking about the kinds of greens I want to add, and how to make them more interesting - how can I juxtapose them with other colors to make them sparkle or tone them down?  

After this step - I felt I needed to understand my green possibilities more completely.  I made some color studies of the various greens that I have and mixed with the various yellows - I was able to see my range of colors from a very blue-green through a very gray green with all the stops in between. 

Color studies take some time to do... but it's valuable time.  Time spent  that will give me complete understanding and control over the range of this color, green.  

My work on this painting, which measures 20x 16" continues....  planning creates a strong start. 
As I get further on, I will pay close attention to values as well as colors... values are even more important than actual color!  

As this painting comes together, I'll post more!  Keep watching to see it unfold.  Even though I have an idea of it's outcome - it's final form will be something I do not yet totally envision.   I mentioned above that I pray - and I do... it may sound crazy - we don't often think of it this way, but the Creator of all is the Greatest Artist - and has a great delight in the creation of art, lending guidance and help all along the way when we ask.  

The Value of Sketchbooks

After a long, trying (and tiring day), working in a sketchbook - for no final outcome - just for therapy can be just the thing that brings balance back again.  This past week, I've had such a day.  In the evening, I had nothing left - and my mind was not settled.  So... quiet music, a pen, a sketchbook, and a photo from which to work  ~  and balance was found.  (A good night's sleep also helped!) 

Using a sketchbook has so many benefits.  It is a place for visual journaling.  It is a place to write and draw, to work out compositions, to just think in a more visual way.   It's not something that will likely be shared or seen, but that's not the purpose!  The purpose is personal. 

Grab your sketchbook!  Let it help you bring balance back into the day!  It's good therapy! 

Delphinium! A free download for my friends :)

I love my friends!  I painted this little watercolor with them in mind! 

Each month, my news comes right into their inbox - and they can get an inside look into what's happening in my studio and in my busy life!   But also, I offer DISCOUNTS on my work,  we contribute to great causes, and I have give aways or downloads.  Sometimes there are contests to win original works of art.

The delphinium painting you see above is a free download to my friends this month! 

It's always fun and it's great to stay in touch... Join us, won't you!

It's easy!  Hit the button below or you can text the word HELEN to 22828.

Let's start a great friendship!!

Yes! I want to join!

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Lovely Lavender

Lovely Lavender,  6x9" oil on gessoboard
©Helen Read 

What is more magical than a field with row after row of lavender in bloom!?  The beautiful color, the wonderful scent!   All of the senses are brought to life!  And this painting captures all of it. 

Sold unframed so that you can add your own frame, or if you'd like to have it all ready to go, I'll add a contemporary black frame to set apart and show off it's colors and it will be ready to hang.
(Please allow about 2 weeks before shipping, if sold framed)


Please visit my website to see this and additional works! 

And it's never too late to join my list of newsnote friends.... I love to give away art, to offer freebies, and to stay in touch!  Join me!  It's easy... just text the word  HELEN  to 22828, and you're in!  
 

Evening Lagoon

Evening Lagoon,  24x36" Oil on canvas 

©Helen Read 

Much bigger in size - and maybe bolder than I usually paint - this painting has been in progress over the past few weeks. And now, I'm calling it finished!  There's always some satisfaction in coming to the end a work... and larger ones that take longer magnify that feeling. 

I've been sensing a desire for some changes in my work in the previous months.  I desire to show more color, more vivacity, more joy in immersing oneself in the beauty of nature.  More delight in the Creator who gives us such beauty to enjoy.  I also have been looking for more freedom - freedom to interpret and imagine - freedom of brushstroke and expression.  This painting has allowed me to go in that direction.  

It is framed in a contemporary black wooden frame and will be ready to ship after an upcoming exhibit. 

Please visit my website for more details on this and other beautiful paintings!

A Painting Process

The painting process is nearing the finish line.  For this larger painting (2'x3') it has been in some weeks of work - in between other things of life - like my daily job! 

This one started out with a reference picture I took nearby ~ which was January drab.  Everything gray and overcast.  I began by working out a composition from my photos.  

Then, I planned the basic color palette - for this one a split complementary.  Yellows with violet-red and violet-blue.  I wanted to push the color into places where I did not see it in the reference photos. 

The more important thing than color in a landscape is value.  If I get the values right - then the color is pretty secondary... it still ends up being a believable painting.  And in working with color in a more vivid dramatic way, I am speaking a message that I want to convey.  

Joy - Freedom - Peace - but also energy, which is seen in the purposeful and bold brush marks. 

As I was working on this painting, I began to think about how God may have created his beautiful work of art - earth's surface with vegetation and topography ~ full of life!  And yet - what we see isn't always this kind of beauty.  But perhaps, vibrancy is how He intended us to see it!  

Perhaps a radiant color and glorious light is really how it was created to be. 

What if that is how it will one day be restored?  

These are thoughts that have been infused into this painting - and they represent a truth about our Creator... 

He has good intentions toward us.  He has good intentions toward his creation.  His good intentions are peace, fullness, well-being, flourishing, thriving, joy, goodness ~ the reality of all being just as it should be.  

All of it represents Hope - for us now and for the future.  

I'd love to have you join my group of friends who receive monthly emails with great offers, give aways, and downloads... along with a peek at the latest work I'm doing with some of my artist's thoughts along the way! 

 Click the button below and be added to receive all the fun!  

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