Saturday night, about 10pm

I’m sitting here late in the evening wrapping up a day’s work, serenaded by quiet yet heart-swelling music. Wearing a scarf of deep purple (a new favorite color), I feel rather writerly. I’ve always wanted to be a writer or musician. Throughout my young life I’ve wanted to be many things (architect, actress, cartoonist, animal rescuer, etc.). But the enthrallment with words and music has been there the whole time.

I’ve loved doodling all my life, but every now and then a transitory hope would rise in my heart that indeed, I had it in me to become the next sonnet-writing Shakespeare, the piano-trilling protege of renown. Hours of an afternoon would be spent deep in thought, daydreaming about my myriad ideas and all the possibilities. But somehow the conqueror spirit would leave me discouraged and the scrawled-on pages lost and forgotten.

It’s been a trouble for me, this bog of discontentment I sometimes find myself in. The Sovereign of the universe saw it fitting that He give me a particular gift, and I’ve spent countless hours wishing I had another.

A while back a saw this clip of Maurice Sendak (a famous children’s book illustrator) talk about what it means to be an illustrator: it has given definition to my frustration. Notice what he says 0:53 seconds into the clip. I remind myself of this anytime I feel discouraged about not being a writer:

(Please excuse the momentary curse—to avoid it, mute it from 2:01 to 2:05.)

So that’s what its been! “An illustrator . . . is someone who so falls in love with writing, that the closest he can get to it is illustrating it.”

I’m still slowly learning the how’s and why’s of using art to glorify my King, but it all begins with a thankful heart, praising the One who chose to give the gift.

Lucy and Tumnus by Pauline Baynes

May I say that I simply love black and white art work?  Especially Pauline Baynes’ pen-and-ink style.  Pauline Baynes (the illustrator for the original Chronicles of Narnia) has such a wonderful style; there’s much I could learn from her—not to copy, mind you, but to enhance my own style.

In this piece by Pauline Baynes I can see she has already slightly influenced my work; my “Tree House” comes to mind.  What I love most about her style I can’t say.  For starters, I love the fluidity and liveliness of it.  Her lines are living and breathing.   I can hear the clinks of the crude tableware, and smell the aromas of the earthy fare.

Secondly, you can tell the characters are her personal friends: they, too, are alive.  Thirdly, every detail is taken into account and utilized for the overall composition and aesthetic environment.   Fourthly, her cross-hatching.  I simply can’t get enough of her cross-hatching! It may have been this signature element of her work that first caught my eye and snagged my heart.

Even with color added, her work is simply wonderful.  After I’m finished working on my *current projects,* I will hopefully get to experiment with pen and ink again, of course with Pauline Baynes by my side.

crunch, crunch, crunch

“Feeding Baby Brother” © Breezy Brookshire

A quick sketch made while taking a break from drawing. Just can’t get away from it!

I write poetry.  Occasionally.

And I can’t wait to go to the beach.

Poem Copyright © Breezy Brookshire 2010

I am blessed with such a generous and talented sister!  After having the last theme for over a year, I thought it might be time to freshen things up a bit, and did she ever!  She was so gracious while I told her about what I wanted, and she created exactly what I had in mind.

You’ll find that I have a few new pages, a brand new subscribe button, and it’s all organized in beauty and simplicity.  I love the Provence palette and feminine feel.  Just my cup of tea.  Thank you, darling Emily Rose, for taking time out if your overwhelming schedule to make your sister such a lovely design!  I love you!

The latest painting is now available in my Etsy shop! For each print sold, $10 will be donated to Rescue Haiti’s Children.

“I Was Hungry and You Gave Me Food” was created in watercolor and colored pencil. The prints are reproduced with toner on Archival-quality, 80lb bright white card stock. Print will not have watermark, and will come with artist’s hand-written signature. Please note that the coloring may slightly vary due to your monitor.

Print size: 8″×10″ on an easily-framed 8 1/2″×11″ sheet.

Click here to order your copy!

.:. .:. .:.

For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
I was naked and you clothed me,
I was sick and you visited me,
I was in prison and you came to me.’
- Matthew 25:35-36 (ESV)

“I Was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me” is now available
for sale in my Etsy shop!

For each sale, $10 will be donated to Rescue Haiti’s Children.

“I Was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me” was created in ink and watercolor. The prints are reproduced with toner on Archival-quality, 80lb bright white card stock. Print will not have watermark, and will come with artist’s hand-written signature. Please note that the coloring may slightly vary due to your monitor.

Print size: 8″x10″ on an easily-framed 8 1/2″x11″ sheet.

Click here to order your copy!

.:. .:. .:.

The Rescue Haiti’s Children team is still laboring in Haiti.  Haiti’s needs will be long term, and Rescue Haiti’s Children will need continued support as well.  In light of this, I have decided to make a few changes in regard to the original art sale.

Changes: Instead of selling the original paintings, I will be selling prints.  This way more people will be able to buy their own copy and we will eventually (+hopefully) be able to donate even more to Rescue Haiti’s Children.

Also, due to time restraints and the creative process, I will be spreading out the paintings.  I currently have “I was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me” finished and ready to make prints of, which I will be selling in my Etsy shop.  Over a longer course of time I will be creating more pieces for the Matthew 25:35-36 series.  I will inform you all as they are made available.

Thank you so much for your support and enthusiasm!
I’ll keep you updated!

How would you like to own one of my original paintings?

How would you like to help the orphans in Haiti at the same time?

***UPDATE: Click here for the update on my art sale!***

Mr. Doug Phillips and a group of men have just arrived in Haiti to help the many orphans and victims of the recent earth quake. You can read the details on Mr. Phillips’ blog. Keep updated on the Rescue Haiti’s Children mission by following their Facebook page and Twitter feed. Mr. Phillips writes,

My mission to Haiti is four-fold: First, I will be establishing one of the only distinctively Christian reporting operations to tell stories of both the present crisis and the work of Christians on behalf of the sick and the widows and the orphans in the midst of Haiti’s present horror. Second, I will be working to facilitate the rescue and delivery of orphans to Christian families in America. Third, I will be identifying specific families that need direct support from the people of God in America. Fourth, my team will be providing specific relief to people in distress.  Read more . . .

This is a critical time for Haiti, and the Rescue Haiti’s Children team needs our open hearts and financial support. Maybe you can’t travel to Haiti, or even adopt an orphan. But perhaps you could give . . . even a little?

As for my art: Over the next several days I will be creating six pieces of original art. As a fund-raiser, I will be donating all profit from these six original paintings to the Rescue Haiti’s Children. Each piece will be based on Matthew 25:35-36:

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.

I will be posting the paintings as they are created and made available for sale. Until now, I have never sold any original pieces. Each one will never be made available again as no prints will be made. All profit will be going to the Rescue Haiti’s Children project.

Or, if you can’t wait to give, donate now by going here.

.:. .:. .:.

I believe I’ve quite recovered from artist’s angst and have two sweet links to share with you.

“The Music Lesson” by Frederic Lord Leighton

Many of you are familiar with the artist Edmund Blair Leighton, but may not know it. He painted many of the most famous historically-themed pieces from the Victorian era, including “The Accolade.” You may also be unaware that he had a tremendous sense of humor, as can be read in his short story, “A Dark Deed.”

I love listening to Christmas music. Don’t you? This season we’ve had the privilege to listen to our friend Prentiss Kendall’s harp CDs, the covers of which Emily designed. Prentiss’s Why This Jubilee? has beautifully filled our house with heavenly Christmas cheer. I highly recommend it to everyone!

.:. .:. .:.