Patricia Jordan Fast: Now to post a few Christmas gifts......

Merry Christmas Granddaddy- This is a little outside the scope of what I normally do, but my Granddaddy is rebuilding the barn on the farm where he grew up. I was recently told about barn quilts- painted on a board 8'x8' and hung on the outside of the barn... So I designed one, with the gift being the promise of painting an actual large quilt- when the dimensions of the barn are confirmed. Really enjoyed experimenting with lines and blocks of color. When we finish the large project, I'll post the final product. Until then, here's the 12"x12" design. If you think about it, just do an internet search of barn quilts- it's really pretty interesting!

Merry Christmas Shane and Kristin... Great were my intentions for Christmas gifts this year, then I simply ran out of time. Below is Buck, a gift for my brother and sister in law. I think Buck is pretty much finished, but the background could probably use a bit more refining. Honestly, I kind of like the background simple and out-of-focus. We'll see. More later on this.... This is Acrylic on 12"x12" wrapped canvas.

Commission for a sweet friend- A Christmas gift for her parents. My friends were married in this church, and her family has been a part of it for years. I felt so humbled that they asked ME to do this! The simplicity of this white wooden church tucked into the woods was inspiration as I painted. I think that the feel of it came through in the simple and traditional composition and color palette. Really enjoyed the trees in the background the most- I'm trying to get away from layering on the background first, then moving to the foreground. Focusing on painting what I see, not what I logically know is there, usually results in a softer image that better conveys the feel of the setting. The color is a little off, but good news: this is the last of my blog posting with my point and shoot- expect an exponential increase in quality from now on!