Lullaby and Goodnight - SOLD

 

My Girl, Hazel - SOLD

 

Miss Bell's Store - SOLD

 

My One and Only - SOLD

 

Together, Forever -SOLD

 

Happy Ever After - SOLD

 

Lyla

 

Ludwig - SOLD

 

I Don't Feel Like Dancing - SOLD

 

The Look of Love - SOLD

 

Little SnowmanN- SOLD

 

In the Deep Blue Ocean - SOLD

 

My Beautiful Friend - SOLD

 

Forever - SOLD

 

Marcus

I have an art page on Facebook, Marcia Hodges, Artist and I appreciate every single person who follows me and gives my art a home. Through the years I have met people through this that I would never have known and count some of them as my close friends.   Periodically, I give away a small painting.  During the give away, I have the viewers "like" the photo of the painting and leave a comment.  I then have my daughter generate a number from the amount of comments and I manually count down to that number.  I am very particular about being fair.  Four years ago I gave away a painting and there were 383 comments. When I counted down to the winner it was Marcus H. Smith.  I had never heard of Marcus H. Smith  except that I had noticed he frequently commented on my art and the comments were full of positive critiques.  I sensed he knew something about painting.  I messaged him for his address and sent him the painting.  He wrote to me, thanked me and then told me he was a 88 year old retired Methodist minister and he had painted in the past but in recent years he had not.  He told me he was inspired by my art.  My husband is a retired Methodist minister also, so we had a lot in common.  

This meeting began a friendship that has deepened over the last four years.  Marcus was usually at home with his wife, Vann who was dependent on caregivers.  He started painting again.  Sometimes he would send me paintings he was working on and ask for my input.  I would mark them up in photoshop and then send him ideas he could incorporate.  He thought I was so smart because I could do this.  He always took opportunities to brag about my skills and puff up my ego.  His art got better and better.  I was so impressed with his work and he consistently reminded me of his age and told me to tell anyone who doubted their ability that if he could do it then they could also.  He once asked me if he could copy a painting I had done and I told him, "Yes, but you can not paint it better than me."  :)

Marcus was full of wisdom, compassion and love for others.  As the years went by I came to appreciate him more and more.  I learned little tidbits about his past ministry as others saw his comments on my art and then told me what he had meant to them over the years.  I also saw examples of his writings on his Facebook page and examples from his previous sermons.  I learned that he loved his family very much  and he was so proud of his children and grandchildren.  His wife, Vann died last year and he was so thankful for the wonderful 66 years they had shared and he told me how smart she was and how she excelled in her field of counseling.

Marcus would text me every week for the last 4 years, sometimes in the middle of the night when he could not sleep.  He was funny and always complementary of me and my art.  He would sometimes send me little presents at Christmas or my Birthday that would make me smile.  This August he bought one of my paintings for his granddaughter and this is the note he sent me.

Last year my friend, Deb and I were in Destin and I found out that Marcus was there also at his condo with his daughter.  Deb and I arranged a little visit and I got to meet Marcus for the first time in person.  His daughter told me we had made his day.  It certainly made mine.

On September 6 Marcus commented on one of my paintings on Facebook.  I always looked for his comments because he usually made an attempt to point out what was right.  I had not received a text from him for a couple of days so I was glad to see that.  Three days later when I had not heard from him I texted to see if he was ok.  His daughter wrote me back and told me he had had a massive stroke the afternoon of the 6th.  Marcus died September 18.  My heart has been saddened, as many have been by his passing.  Marcus was 92.  I know he could not live forever here but I miss him so much.  I am so thankful our paths crossed and the impact he had on my life.  His was a life well lived, full of love, wisdom and compassion.  Knowing Marcus,  he would not want me sad about his passing but happy that he is with the ones he loved and probably has his easel set up near Jesus.     I have included some of his art here .

Here's the Church and Here is the Steeple - SOLD

 

A Love Story - SOLD

 

Everlasting Love - SOLD

 If I am ever asked what is the hardest thing to paint it is hands.  It is so important to get the values correct and these are special hands to me.  A couple who have been together for 73 years and meant so much to so many.  One of the last times to hold hands and the story is so full of love.

Love in Venice- SOLD

 

Richard - SOLD

 

Lucy- GIFTED

 I have written about the relationship with our animals before and how they become a part of our families and touch our lives so deeply. This is Lucy and she was much loved.

I'm On Top of the World -SOLD

 Memories are made of moments like this.

Little Mama Ballerina in Cowboy Boots - SOLD

 At the present time I am not taking commissions as I am working on a couple of projects but when the grandmother of this little ballerina sent me this picture I fell in love.  I felt the reference photo had a story to tell about a little girl all dressed up with dreams.  She is going to be a ballerina and a Mama but she has a toughness to her that will carry her far in life so don't even try to take her cowboy boots away. :)

Sweet Home in Alabama - SOLD

 

You're My Person - SOLD

 

Spring Has Sprung - SOLD

 

Sugar Baby - SOLD

     10" x 10" oil on linen panel

You Were Always My Cup of Tea - SOLD

 

There is a Bluebird at My Window - SOLD

Valentines Day

 14" x 11" mixed media on linen panel

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1160237978/valentines-day?click_key=363437850884359ba50075e108fd09aaa91a48e1%3A1160237978&click_sum=6c28031b&ref=shop_home_active_1&frs=1&sts=1

I loved the reference photo for this painting that I found on Museum.  I am painting a lot of mixed media this month and incorporating mark making and abstract backgrounds in my pieces.  I also love paintings that tell a story and I felt this one did.  Plus it was right for Valentines Day.  The small heart in the bottom right hand corner if a piece of one of my old palettes that I loved and part of his bowtie is a torn piece of scrapbook paper.  These little abstract pieces add interest to me.  I hope you enjoy.

My Wedding Day - Gift

 I always hope I can capture the emotion in a moment.

Little Man - Gift

This little guy makes a great muse for a rainy day like today.  He loves to cook (that is a spatula in his hand).  He is full of energy, something I want to capture in my paintings so  I am working with mixed media and some new techniques trying to capture energy and mark making.  This little guy actually made some very interesting marks on my daughters wall this week so maybe I can learn something from him.

The Flower Girls - Gift

The Flower Girls

 In November we had the most beautiful day in our family.  A magical wedding with a beautiful bride.  There were four little flower girls, nieces of the bride and they had so much fun.  They all had matching robes, had their hair done and then donned beautiful little white dresses.  There was a lot of laughter from this group and they even sneaked a peak at the groom and bride's first look at each other.  

Hooter - Donated

 10" x 8" acrylic on canvas board

Sometimes it is good to laugh and this little whimsical owl makes me smile.  He is also a reminder of a fun day spent with my good friend, Deb.  Deb loves to shop and the last weekend in October we decided to knock out some Christmas shopping.  As we were leaving one store we decided to grab some lunch.  It was raining and we did not really want to go back to our car and drive in the rain.  Deb saw a restaurant across the parking lot and said, "Why don't we just go there.  It is close and we can walk."  So we walked over and entered the restaurant.  The  young lady who met us at the entrance was dressed with angel wings and what looked like lingerie from Victoria's Secrets but not much was left "secret".  Then I realized it was Halloween so I thought she was dressed for the occasion. I said, "Oh, you look so cute."  She looked at me very funny and said, "Uh....Thank you???"  She then walked us to our table.  Deb and I were still talking about the great shopping we had done when we sat down.  When our waitress appeared we were speechless!  She also wore lingerie complete with fishnet hose and a very, very skimpy outfit.  I must admit being a feminist at heart, I was concerned about her choice of attire.  It was about that time we looked around the large room to see that we were the only females eating at Twin Peaks.  Every other customer, and there were a lot of them, were male.  Then it dawned on us that this restaurant must be a restaurant similar to Hooters.  Hooters is another restaurant known for girls with perky or perfect bustlines.   Hooter girls are noted on the internet to be hired as "entertainers" not waitresses.  The internet search I did on Twin Peaks girls said that "nothing compares to a Twin Peaks Girl.  the iconic buffalo plaid stands for more than just serving great food and ice cold beer with a smile.  It's an invitation to be you, to be unique, and to bring a one-of-a-kind experience to every guest, every time."   Mission accomplished.  

 We started to leave  but we were hungry and we decided we were of the age that we could do whatever we wanted.  So we stayed.  I did however have a long talk with our waitress.  She was a doll and I asked her, "Why?  Why would you dress like that and work at a place like this?" She told us she was working on her degree and in the last year she had paid off thousands of dollars of her student loans.  Well that is one way of doing it I guess.  The manager paid Deb and I a visit and we told him we felt a little out of place but he assured us we were very welcome.    We must have been there on a day when plaid was replaced by lingerie  but the food was really good!

The Hunting Club - SOLD

 

My Presence is a Promise - SOLD

 Recently a friend asked me to paint a redbird for her friend who had recently lost her sister.  The friend had come upon the story relating the sighting of a redbird as a sign that their loved one is near.  There are also stories of redbirds being a sign of hope or peace.  A message of a promise...a good promise.  The unknown can create doubt and questions about our faith of a life after death.  Doubt is not bad, it can actually be a way of finding faith because asking questions lead us to researching and that leads us to answers in our faith.  Faith is about taking a leap. There is a scripture of hope found in John 14:1-6 "Don't be troubled.  Trust in God.  Trust also in me.  My Father's house has room to spare.  if that weren't the case, would I have told you that I'm going to prepare a place for you, I will return and take you to be with me so that where I am you will be too." I admit I am always looking for "signs".  Signs that there is Someone greater who is orchestrating life and the situations that are beyond our limited minds and belief.  

I have been in a week of sadness as I am at that place of grief and questioning.  My sister in law who has been my "sister" for the majority of my life is facing those final moments in this life.  She is receiving palliative care and her time on earth is limited.  My friend had no idea that I needed to paint this redbird, not only for her friend but for myself.  I needed this reminder, this promise that our loved ones are at peace and I am counting on the fact that we will see them again.

Thank you Gale.

Faithfully - SOLD

         16" x 20" acrylic on stretched canvas

Wallflowers - SOLD

                 20" x 16" acrylic on stretched canvas

I love the paintings in my home.  Each one touches something in my soul and has it's own unique story.  I only hope my art brings that same joy to those who collect it.  Every year right after Christmas after I have painted commissions for months I tell myself I am no longer going to take commissions.  Then I take a commission and a painting appears on my easel that I just fall in love with.  I feel that way about this one.

Little Carri - SOLD