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

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!

The first painting in my series to donate to Rescue Haiti’s Children is titled,
“I Was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me.”

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5″x7″ Watercolor painting by Breezy Brookshire

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I was left in the rubble, forgotten by the dead,
Amid the stench and smoke, I laid broken and unfed.

You knew not my kindred or family of birth,
But redeemed eyes saw that our Creator gave us worth.

He led you by my dying cries and rushed to set me free.
Though I was but a stranger, you loved and welcomed me.

-

(detail)

I will be posting pictures of the paintings here on my blog as each one is created.  Once I have completed all six they will be available to buy individually in my Etsy shop. To buy on Etsy, you will need an Etsy account and a PayPal account, both of which are very easy to set up.

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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)

“Hitty” (you may recall she was only a sketch two weeks ago) is at our public library along with twenty other pieces, and all is going well. I seem to be getting an encouraging response from the community (even though I know everyone that’s been positive about it).

There is one more piece I’ll be adding to my Sr. art exhibit - a portrait of my 94-year old great-uncle Bill. It’s in graphite pencil, and almost done!

Since the open-house, our schedule hasn’t been as crazy, but I’m still busy. Emily and I have been working on designing some websites (mostly Emily though).I’m looking forward to the illustration projects just around the corner, and I’ll keep you posted on that. ;)

And I’ve been reading more. Yes, my graduation gift was a small mountain of books. Books on art and culture, books on history, books on the biblical family, books on holiness, books on health…fourteen excellent books I’ll be spending a lot of time with over the next few years decades.

These. are. good. books.

Well, I’m off to read and pull weeds!

.:. .:. .:.

I’ll begin by telling you that I am speechless. The words are having a hard time coming, and I seem to only find scraps of fond memories and vivid colors like chartreuse and hydrangea blue.

I’d much rather paint you a picture. ::trots off to pull out watercolors:: 90 minutes later…

.:. .:. .:.

.:. This is how I am feeling: a tad nostalgic .:.

A few months ago I wrote a post for Sarah Mae’s blog about my homeschool experience. It should give you a glimpse into what it was like growing up in my world, and the things I’ve learned in general.

There is so much I could say about my “formal” home education; what I liked most, favorite books, poetry I read, historical figures I admire, the beautiful memories… In many ways it is overwhelming.

But over all, I have been blessed. And I still am. I will continue to read all those wonderful books, study at home, and start illustrating “more seriously.”

For lots of pictures of my graduation open house and art exhibit, click here for Emily’s post, here for Momma’s post, and here Maggie’s tribute that may make you tear up. We did.

I can’t wait to begin the journey with my own wee ones some day!

.:. .:. .:.