More plein air art from the Mother Daughter Paintout team, Aleada and Leela Siragusa

As I said before we are the Joan and Melissa Rivers of Plein Air Paintout. Please allow me to expand on this, if you will. As a famous comedian, Joan is mainly known for is her wit, her humor and she is now also known for her great relationship with her daughter which leads to many good stories and fun as they work together. Leela and I have a banter among ourselves along with her father, my husband, Guy.  I treasure the time we have to paint together with so many laughs along the way.

So here is the second edition of the Mother Daughter Paintout, which takes place in areas around St Petersburg Florida.

 

 Palm tree grouping, Aleada

 Here we are on location at Fort De Soto Park at a southern area of Pinellas County. I have painted here several times before and you can see these photographs and learn more about the park in my Gallery and my Links page.

This is Leela's watercolor  looking out on the water from the picnic area.

Above is a small watercolor I painted looking out at the bridge at John's pass.

Above is a a pen and ink Leela drew looking from under the bridge.

Not far from where we live is the Veterans Memorial Park where I have also painted and drawn many times. I drew and painted the view above while on a walk with my dog and Leela's cat. again you can see more paintings done here in my Gallery.

Leela drew this energetic picture at one of the picnic area's in the park. I like the expressive movement in the foliage and that she left it "unfinished", it reminds me of a Van Gogh sketch.

I painted this small watercolor overlooking the inlet towards Madeira Beach at the same picnic table.

 The watercolor above was done at Saw Grass Lake Park, it was still winter so the spring greens were not budding out on the trees yet.

Here is another pen and ink Leela drew in the same location near the water, note the egret sitting on the tree branch.

Leela also drew this lovely windswept palm tree while we were out.

Scapegoating or Not

 

everyone may be against you except God- take comfort in the Lord and do what you know is right

The above prayer I wrote to go along with this drawing.  It is taken from Mark 14:3-9

 Scapegoating: 

 

If you mention that you have had no support from your parents from an early age, it may not be scapegoating, but a response to the often used, “my parents saw what a great artist I was at an early age”. You may be just saying; like I did, “hey I made it as an artist in spite of some things that didn't go my way”.  Are we to always just be silenced when we point this out? Should I just leave large gaps in my life instead of saying things weren't always rosy? There is a balance here that needs to be struck between biographical information or just complaining, and blaming. Hey it's ok to inform and perhaps encourage others who may be facing illness, or a busy child rearing career coupled with outside work, all sorts of reasons you may not be producing to your fullest potential. When we focus on people’s complaints as being just scapegoating, perhaps we miss the point; we need to encourage by showing ways to create art, in spite of everything. That's what I try to do, just give people the tools they need to express themselves;  no matter what.  I did it; I was able to take the time to be an artist; I was blessed with opportunities along with some setbacks; but hey, that's what life's about!

  I am auto-biographical in my musings and in sharing parts of my life and in defense of what I say, which is not always about being happy or healthy, I think this is relevant.

 The drawing and prayer I created to go along with this drawings taken from Mark 14:3-9 


I created it originally for a lesson from the book, The Way of The Scripture, Companions in Christ chapter 4 exercise 3.

Here is the Bible Passage:

Mark 14:3-9

New International Version (NIV)

 ³ While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

 ⁴ Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? ⁵ It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages^[a] and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

   ⁶ “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷ The poor you will always have with you,^[b] and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. ⁸ She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. ⁹ Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” 

Below are my comments:

And They Rebuked her harshly

if  you put yourself in this woman's place you will see what a brave thing she did. She was not allowed to touch Jesus, considered to be a Rabbi. Perhaps she touched him while she poured the oil over his head. Now here are the 12 apostles rebuking her harshly, just look at the picture, 12 against two, there she is entering this place and doing this act which outraged so many. She is just a woman, and as we know in those days and even many places today she is considered a second class citizen by being female. Now Jesus comes to her defense, “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. [how healing for her and enlightening to the apostles,] "She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial."

So here I am  in the year of our Lord 2012, sharing this passage with you after having spent more than one evening discussing this in class.

"Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”