SUNDAY PAINTERS

A 'Sunday Painter' is defined as someone who paints as a hobby, is non-professional, and usually unschooled.

My step-great-grandmother was considered a Sunday Painter in her time during the early 20th century.  My family always considered her a crazy artist with the temperament to match.  Evidently in my family of hard-working pioneers, artistic endeavors were not considered a proper use of time.  I only met her a few times when we would travel from Colorado to California where she lived in retirement.  I never understood their assessment of her personality as I just found her fascinating!

When she died, I guess I was the only one that wanted her paintings.  I was about 12 years old at the time.

This is the only still-life oil painting that I inherited.  All the others are landscapes.

 She painted on whatever surface she could find.  Below appears to be a school slate.  Sunday Painters often learned painting skills by copying other artist's works because there were not other opportunities available at the time.  I think this was one she must have copied.  It looks a lot like Lake Louise in Canada, and I know she never traveled there.  Copying other artist's works to learn is a debatable practice still today.  However, while touring the Louvre in Paris seven years ago, we observed an artist set up to study and paint a famous painting.

This is an oil painting she did that is reminiscent of her native state of Maine.

I also have several charcoal landscape drawings of hers that incorporate sheep.  Those are very familiar scenes to me and must represent her time living in Colorado with my family's sheep business.  I've been unsuccessful in photographing them because of the glare of the old, wavy glass.

I'm so glad I had the foresight to claim her work.  We've enjoyed them in our home for years.

What do you think about copying other artist's works to learn techniques?

I'm joining the following:
Backyard Neighbor for Blue Monday
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday

HAPPY TARTAN DAY - APRIL 6TH

 Some of my wool tartan stash just waiting for a future project.

Today may just be the day to start making a new pillow or two or three!!

Happy Tartan Day

GENERATIONAL PICTURES

I'm still busy sorting and organizing bunches of photos.  It's no wonder it takes me forever, as I get hung up on comparing generational pictures.  In my immediate family, there are four generations of us with the middle name of Jeanne -- my mother was Lois Jeanne; me, Sally Jeanne; our daughter, Jennifer Jeanne; and our granddaughter, Caitlin Jeanne.  Here are three collages with the four of us.

First, in white baby dresses:

Then, with wheels:

And, in our fancy dresses:

I love the picture of my mother in the collage above.  She was about to graduate from Hutchinson, Kansas Junior College at the age of 17.  She was on scholarship -- they were quite poor, so I'm sure that dress was very special to her.  The dress was purchased to wear in the May Queen Court.  With the photo, I found this newspaper clipping from 1937.  Mother was the Jeanne listed.  In my opinion, she should have been the Queen!

I'm joining the following:
Backyard Neighbor for Blue Monday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday