“April hath put a spirit of youth in everything. (Sonnet XCVIII)”
― William Shakespeare
8″x6″ oil on single oil primed Belgium linen. I bought a multipack of panels trying to decide which surface I like the best. The single primed linen really grabs the paint, it takes more paint to fill the tooth, which was perfect for this wet rainy painting.
It has been a lovely spring here in North Texas. The breezes have been frequent, the wildflowers abundant, and the baseball diamonds full of life. I love the sounds of an evening in the ballpark: the smack of the ball, the call of the coaches, the one liners of the baseball nuts in the stands, the roar of the crowds, and the support calls and cheers of team mates. Last night was the last game of our season, it was a good one, the season and the game. The boys played well and supported each other, the community grew smaller as people made connections and relationships through conversations in the bleachers. Siblings that didn’t know each other became friends, and learned the valuable skill of passing hours and hours while their brothers played and parents and grandparents watched the games. I am humbled by our coaches who have given our sons such a valuable gift: of their talent and time – both in abundance. They taught our boys skills, and sportsmanship, when to fight and when to let it go. “Play every play with all your heart, but just remember whatever happens on this field stays on this field.”
Climbing Trees: A Poem
By Joe Suzz
Mom seeking quiet
Hurried me outside:
–
Forgetting my shoes by the front closet,
Leaving my socks on the back porch
Through the screen door, then,
Running to the canopying maples
Just past the clustered pines,
–
Mom had things to do, but she gravitated towards
The double paned glass.
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Star burning energy, glimpses of sensation:
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Climbing high enough to see Robin’s nest,
It’s fluttering wings, perched on the twisted twigs,
Feeding its young.
I perched myself a time or two. Watching my dog, Nicky, chasing squirrels
Along the fence. Sometimes, seeing my mom through the branches.
–
In the crossing of brief moments,
Childhood eclipsed.
Beautifully colorful. Almost gaudy. It is a fine line, my 6 year old walks it all the time.
I love prairie flowers, and the way the change every few weeks. This composition was tricky with that one live oak tree, but what a lovely walk to such a beautiful reading spot. Spend a minute under that tree today when things get crazy.
Black Eyed Susan and Indian blanket….with a little imagination and rhyme you could almost write a fable or a country and western song about these fields.
I painted this from a thumbnail. I planned on using a photo to finish it, but the photo was on my ipad and I couldn’t see the screen at baseball practice. I could see it ok in the dugout, but when a ball came zooming in, I decided I better pay attention or get out. So, I finished the painting from my little black and white thumbnail safely behind the netting in the stands. If you listen closely, perhaps you can hear the sounds of the afternoon…
“Bluebonnets have inspired the poet’s pen, the artist’s brush, the cowboy’s dream, and the legislator’s eloquence throughout the broad spaces of Texas. Their royal beauty and enchanting fragrance have a particular message which speaks to the emotions with compelling directness.”
–Mary Daggett Lake, 1926
Lupinus texensis is the scientific name for Texas Bluebonnet.
My studies and thumbnails from Hawaii outlasted my trip, and although I still have a dozen or so more to complete, spring in Texas is just too hard to ignore. I hope you enjoyed the tropics; you might want to trade your flip flops for boots, we are headed deep into the heart of the lone star state!
“When I was a little girl, I grew up listening to the wind in the pine trees of the East Texas woods.
My heart found its home long ago in the beauty, mystery, order and disorder of the flowering earth.
My special cause, the one that alerts my interest and quickens the pace of my life, is to preserve the wildflowers and native plants that define the regions of our land—to encourage and promote their use in appropriate areas, and thus help pass on to generation in waiting the quiet jobs and satisfactions I have known since my childhood.” – Lady Bird Johnson, in her own words
Thank you Lady Bird for leaving such a beautiful legacy. May we all find our special cause that alerts our interest and quickens our pace.
I painted this a few years ago at the LBJ National Grasslands, near Decatur, Texas. We head over for the trail marathon every year. The race has rolled around again, and perhaps I will be able to sneak in a few studies between checking on my boys today. This is a complimentary color study in violet and yellow, and some neutral grey-violets. I love energy of these colors together.
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