I Am Right By You

I had the most wonderful day today.  I have two long time friends that I love with all my heart.  We meet together every couple of weeks and we have a Bible Study.  Today our lesson was on Jacob and Esau and the fact that their mother helped Jacob steal Esau's blessing.  The writer of the study said that even when she feels like she has been a bad mother she remembers that she never glued hair to her sons arm to steal another's family blessing.  We laugh and we identify with a teacher who can be honest and laugh in the middle of chaos.  We also have learned through our life experiences to do just that.  These two ladies and I know every little piece of each other's lives. The good, the bad and the parts we wish had been different.   We trust each other, we agree that we are seeking to be "real" in our lives and we are probably not considered to be conventional in any sense of the word.  Today I prepared lunch for them and after the study  we painted.  They had asked me to teach them....how humbling.  

 They are also great "squealers". I remember several years ago they attended an art show I was in and I won 3rd place.  They squealed!  I mean real loud, high pitched, excited squealing!  The kind of squealing that makes you feel something great is happening.  Today they squealed about the chicken stew and the lemon pound cake.  They then moved to  old paintings of mine and started the squealing and told me how much they love the paintings and could not believe that I did not have them displayed.   ( That really fuels my ego!) Anyway, today after they left, I find my paintings that I had stored in my garage arranged around my house.  This one is named "I Am Right By You". Such a reminder to me that I know  in my heart of hearts, whatever the circumstance, whatever the moment, each of us would be right by the other when needed. What a great blessing that I have these two squealers in my life.

Do What You Can to Live in Peace - SOLD

8" x 8" on deep sided canvas with sides painted.

I love painting with a palette knife on occasion.

I Will Always Be Around - SOLD

This commission was so meaningful to me.  The love between these two sisters is so apparent.  I have heard sisters say that even if their sister drove them crazy at times that same sister would always defend to death.   It has been said that the best thing about having a sister is that you always have a friend.  It seems in this beautiful setting each sister was thankful for her friend.

Angelina's Guest House - SOLD

I love the laid back feeling of Key West and this was an honor to paint a resort for a friend of mine who has been a friend for many, many years.  It is always an honor to have a friend commission a painting with me but especially one who is a wonderful artist. Martha is a folk artist completing the most amazing pieces with cloth, buttons and embroidery.  Check out her facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/martha.beadle

This painting was so much fun to paint because it is HUGE!  It is 30" x 40" and I had fun slinging so much paint and using such large brushes, however, as I type this post I see I am covered in paint, even my hands that are typing.  I thought I had the painting completed when I saw I had not added the roosters who rule the sidewalk so you will notice two little guys made in on the corner.

Praying in the Storm -SOLD

Today I have limited time and a limited palette so I am completing this small palette knife painting as a give away on my facebook page, Marcia Hodges, Artist.  It is a acrylic painting on 8" x 8" linen panel.  I know I have mentioned before that I am involved with a group of recovering addicts/alcoholics and I am so thankful for the lives I have seen changed.  There is a song by Zack Williams called "Chain Breaker" and the men I have met who have broken those chains of addiction are an inspiration.  

Little Angel - SOLD

Everybody needs a little angel to watch over them.  This one looks a little tired.

When The Heart Finds Home - SOLD

I am always looking for little chapels to paint and this week one of my friends, Ann Reynolds posted this picture on her Instagram of a little chapel in Cullman, Alabama.  (Ann is the owner of Sunshine Gallery in Watkinsville, Georgia.  Check out her Instagram).  Anyway, I always ask permission to use someone's photo unless it comes from a site where photos have been made available without copyright.  Ann did not take the photo so I wrote to my good friend Paula who happens to live in Cullman and she provided me with so many photos!  It really pays to have a good friend who is good with her iPhone!  I loved this little chapel and I am pushing myself to use a limited palette so this painting was completed using only 3 colors plus White, Ultramarine Blue, Vermillion Red and Yellow Ochre.