MORNING, AT LAST

Good morning, folks. I post today the finished oil I started some weeks ago. I have renamed it, MORNING, AT LAST, because my life has been filled with many complications since Part 2 was posted. My son, my husband and my mother have all been ill. Two of them extremely ill and I was called away from home for one and am caring at home for the other. All during this time, this painting stood on its easel staring at me. It is a large canvas, 20" x 26", so it also loomed over me. It seemed to be yelling at me, "Paint me. Work with me. Finish me."One morning, in a brief respite from all the chaos surrounding me, I sat down at it to paint a little. Time became suspended and after several hours, I was finished with it. I realize now that it became one thing that I could control, one thing that I could complete, one thing that had a happy ending, one thing that took my mind off the rest of my life where I was feeling hopeless, helpless and sorely inadequate. This painting may not be my best work technically, but it will always be the one that "watched over me" during a hard time. And, the one that gave me rest when I could find it no place else. Thanks for listening.

Morning - phase 2

Hello Folks. This is phase 2 of the oil painting I am working on at present. As I said, oil painting takes time and I appreciate your being patient with me through this process. As you can see, the trees are growing leaves. Any comments would be welcome.

Morning

Good morning followers and visitors. Taking a leaf out of my friend, Laura Tovar Deitrick's book, I am writing to tell you that I am still painting, but in oils. Pastels and watercolors dry quickly and are ready for scanning or photographing sometimes the same day they are done. Oils take time. Some areas need to dry (which takes time) before one can approach them again. Anyway, as a stopgap and to keep in touch with you, I am posting a photograph of an oil I am working on even though it is unfinished. I'll try to update you with photos as I complete the various stages. Hope you enjoy this process. Let me know. Thanks, Morna

Navy Kiss

Good morning. This pastel painting was inspired by a newspaper article covering a homecoming of a Navy ship. Even though it was years ago and my husband was in the Air Force, I vividly recall his homecomings. The excited crowds filled with spouses, children, girlfriends, boyfriends, parents, etc. would surge forward like a tidal wave at the first glimpse of a uniform. And, at least once, my husband grabbed me up off my feet and twirled me around. Romance hung in the air. I wish for this couple continued romance.

Windblown

Good morning. This pastel painting is a new experience for me. I decided to try to paint loosely and without a lot of detail. It reminds me of a sunflower blowing in the wind but the colors are not those usually associated with sunflowers. Sometimes it is freeing to do something no one expects from us, isn't it?

Thunderhead

This picture was inspired by a photograph I saw in a magazine. Nature provides us with so many beautiful images as well as questions. Why is this thundercloud orange and purple? Was the sun way up high over white clouds and a cold front began rolling in low from somewhere? What did it look like as a person on the earth stared up above? Did they just see the purple bottom but not the plume of orange and white above it? The perspective I chose was one of a person on a hill overlooking the valley who could see all of it. In our own lives, we often have a gorgeous "top plume" that we present to the world, but we can have a purple gathering of emotions beneath, can't we? Thanks for tuning in.

A Writer's Prayer

Today folks, I thought I would share with you a poem I wrote that is about writing but also covers the intimidation one feels as one begins to paint:

A WRITER'S PRAYER

White paper, like blank new snow

Intimidates me;

Clear screens with icons in a row

Infuriate me;

Let me crumple the paper in a fist of bold resolve,

Let me strike a word or name to fill the void;

Let me muck up the paper and muddle up the fonts;

Let me write, type, or assault with

Black on white.

Copyrighted by Morna W. Owens

The Market

Good Morning. This oil was inspired by a trip to an outdoor market I made one day while in New York City. It was raining but I had an umbrella so I was determined to still see all I could of NYC. Down around Canal Street, there are many open flower and vegetable markets. On this particular day, the rain dulled the usually vibrant colors of daffodils, roses and the fresh fruit. Some people have said that a rainy day affects their moods dramatically. I wonder if it is because there seems to be a gray veil between them and the bright colors that routinely decorate the streets, the sky, and even the grass of their world. Thanks for tuning in.

French Meadow

Good Morning. I have been very busy painting the last week. This 4 x 6 oil is the first of 5 paintings I have done. I have seen many pictures, scenes from movies and other artists' renderings of a French landscape. They always made me sigh at the beauty. So this painting is my own interpretation of what a meadow in Versailles might look like. However, the beauty of nature is among us every day, no matter where we are. Even sitting at a stoplight we can appreciate the landscaping that has been done to beautify the median. And there is always the beauty in the bright eyes and bright smiles of those we care about. Have a great day and thanks for tuning in.

Abandoned

Hello. I'm sure by now that you've noticed that I am fond of rural life on farms. This painting was inspired by a photograph. Where I come from in N.C., as you ride down the twisty roads, many a gray and decaying building appears on both sides. Some are old barns, some are smokehouses, others are family dwellings. Often they sit in the middle of fields with corn, soybeans and cotton growing as close to the dwelling as the farmer and the plow could get. As my mother and I ride by the houses, she names them for the families who built them, raised children in them and then either moved away or built newer houses. She'll speak of the children as she knew them in school and tell tales of playing basketball outdoors on dirt courts, or of pranks they played on their teachers. The contrast between her vivid recollections and the broken down dwellings is stark. My mother holds the history in her heart and mind. I think that is fortunate for the folks she knew.

Mission

Good afternoon. I just completed this pastel. It was inspired by a photograph I saw of an old mission. It looked sad but inspirational at the same time. When I think of the people who built it, their faith and their labor of love, I am filled with respect and admiration for them. Not all of us have the opportunity to build a building from the ground up fueled by faith and hope. We do build things, and it is often with faith and hope: relationships, family, friendships. Out heart and soul go into these personal endeavors,. don't they? Although this mission looks like it is in a state of decay, it is still a work of art. Let's all work toward building things that last forever. Thanks.

Monday Wash

Good morning, everyone. This oil (and I admit that it didn't scan very well) represents the archetypical work ethic of country folks all around our country and even our world. Their lives are filled up with chores that seem simple and repetitious but are crucial to their survival. In my experience, I have found they just do the task before them and move on to the next. Monday morning wash was a ritual where I spent some of my childhood. The women would stand at the wringer washing machine and feed the sheets, towels and clothing through the wringers. There was a tin tub or basket that caught the laundry as it dropped from the wringer. That basket was hurried out to the clothesline while the next load was wringing through. Along with the chatter about how many loads were left to do, they planned dinner and supper. Sometimes yeast rolls were already rising in the kitchen with a ham baking in the oven. Who would gather the lima beans and tomatoes from the garden? Who would set to baking the pie shells? Once in a while, while the sheets are swishing in my electric washer, I put a ham in the oven and set to making out yeast rolls. On such a day, I feel grounded.

Bucket Of Summer

Good morning. This is an oil painting I did of hydrangeas. As you know, the pH of the soil determines to a great extent the colors of hygrandeas. Acid, alkaline, or a mixture of both can produce the deepest or the softest pinks, blues, purples and whites. They are all beautiful in their own way. Just like people and their various shades and hues, right? I'm on the lookout for beauty today, how about you?

Siesta Country

Good morning, folks. I was at the doctor's office the other day and told him I seemed to be sleeping too much. I mentioned that on some afternoons, I fall asleep for 3 hours or more, only to awaken and go to bed at 10:00 and sleep through the night. He said that a 3 hour nap was a bit long for us, around here. He meant our country. He said that in other countries, an afternoon siesta is customary, if not expected. He must have travelled a lot because he named several countries where afternoon naps are part of employment: businesses closing, just for lunch and a siesta, to open again around 4:00 and stay open until 8:00 or so in the evening. I know about these customs in other countries and I think he knew I knew. As I look back, he seemed rather wistfull in manner, as if he were remembering siestas he had taken elsewhere. So, this pastel painting was inspired by a trip to the doctor's office. He prescribed a 1 hour nap for me. I bet he would prescribe a siesta for everyone if he could, himself included. Have a long, leisurely siesta as soon as you can - maybe in your backyard, your own "Siesta Country."

Home Place

Good morning. This watercolor is of my ideal house. It speaks to me of family, summer, picnics, grandmothers and grandfathers, and of Southern women who always have the prefix "Miss" before their first name, like "Miss Ada." In the lazy Southern town where I spent a lot of my childhood, homes resembling this were abundant and behind every front door was an entry, a parlor and a "Miss Somebody." On Sunday afternoons, it was the custom of my grandmother and my aunts to go and visit these sweet ladies. More often than not, they were widows. It was tough for a ten year old little girl to sit perfectly still on the settee while the ladies exchanged cares, woes, and gentle laughter. I took in all the doillies, figurines and oval sepia tinted family portraits. Once in a while I had to recite a poem or some quotation I had learned at school. There was no escape. But, now that I've come to a place in my life where the children down the street call me "Miss Morna", I very much wish I had the house to go with the title.

BOA BABES

Good morning. This picture I post today is a watercolor I did of my friends, Pat, Wanda, Ruth and me who would go to New York City once a year to get away. We would see some shows, shop in Chinatown and be raucous and silly for 3 days away from home and husbands. Wanda was the instigator of this annual retreat. It is with a heavy heart that I tell you that Wanda passed away last night after a long battle with cancer. She was brave to the end. She was a quiet person with an ironic sense of humor. She was a dedicated employee wherever she worked and was trustworthy beyond the norm. She was a gardener, a cook, a collector of antiques, a compassionate and loyal friend. She was humble. She wouldn't necessarily like it that I am posting this today but she would understand why I needed to do it because she understood me. She will be missed by her husband, daughter, son-in-law, grandson, mother and many more family members. Her friends too will miss her. I knew her 33 years and can't imagine how my life would have been without her. May she rest in peace. May all of you be blessed with such a friend. Give 'em a call.

SUDDENLY

Good morning. This pastel shows a sailboat which appears to be heading into a violent thunderstorm. It seems very fragile as it faces the force of nature. No doubt the captain had a map, had a plan and charted his course to clear the shoals and catch the wind to carry him to his destination. In living our lives, we often have a destination so we get a map, chart a course and navigate the shoals to smooth sailing. But, suddenly stuff happens. Sometimes it's a lack of organization on our part. Sometimes, it's the interference of someone else. It can be a disappointment or an outright storm we feel as tragedy. We are disoriented, frightened and bewildered. How could this happen to our best laid plans? I, for one, don't know. What I do know is that our only choice is to hunker down and ride it out. Once it is over, we start anew. Again and again. We are brave. We do try again. We are heroes and heroines in our own lives everyday. I salute us. Thanks for tuning in.

SUMMER SAIL

Summer is here! It brings with it all the freedom and space a person longs for during the winter. Winter asks us to stay close to home, to huddle for warmth within our four walls, to meet the day in darkness, to end the day in darkness, long before we've had enough time with the sun. We draw into ourselves, we ponder too much and we have longings that we can't even identify. In my case, I am longing for bright days with hot sun, mornings when the sun awakens me and long, lazy afternoons that slip slowly into twilight. In Tidewater, we are surrounded by water and the opportunity to sail, surf and tan by the ocean, rivers and creeks. I am grateful for summer this year, ending a long period of recuperation from heart surgery. I am uplifted by the light. Thanks for tuning in.

Serious Night Blooming Ceres

Good Morning. With spring arriving and summer on its way, I thought I would share with you this pastel painting I did from a photograph of this splendid cactus one night last summer. This plant is ugly most of the time. It has awkward limbs and fat, flat leaves and strange shoots that are skinny with no leaves and just grow taller and taller. They make me think of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." The first year I warily watched it grow bigger and tried treating it kindly, watering and fertilizing it as if it were a lovely rose or sweet smelling lilac. It began to put forth little brown knobs on the flat leaves. These knobs grew until they became some kind of wiry, spidery closed bud. Then one night, as we wandered in the garden, we looked over and the bud had burst open! There, was the most beautiful white bloom resembling a chrysantheum but much bigger. It was like a burst of white fireworks! The next day it was dead. You see, the bud only blooms one night. All that ugliness, all that twisting, all those weird shoots result in one night of glory. Other blooms followed. Now, some years later, we have rooted several and, one night, sometime in the summer, there will be white fireworks in the garden again. The moral to this story, if there is one, is that maybe appearances are deceiving. Maybe, behind or within something we consider ugly, there is beauty beyond belief. Thanks for tuning in.

Trippy

Good morning folks. This is Trippy, our outdoors pet cat. When we moved into this house 9 years ago, it came with Trippy's mother, Mama Cat, who was feral but very open to being fed. We began to pet her while she was eating and we all became friends. Several litters, and I mean several litters followed. We tried to care for them. We gave away kittens by 2's and 3's. I would name them all - Princess, Cuddles, Charles, etc. Then I stopped because after naming them, I would miss them. We took care of the problem of overpopulation with the help of Peta and another rescue organization which assisted us with spaying/neutering Mama Cat, her grandaughter Sissy, her son Blackie, and her great grandson Trippy. They now live in our backyard. These have all been short-haired cats except for Trippy who has long hair, as if some Persian is his long lost ancestor. Trippy is very loving when he wants to be. He will twine around your legs until you sit down and let him lie in your lap. Nature being what it is - unavoidable - Trippy hides in my flower beds, stalking birds. In this picture, he seems to be asserting his true belief regarding birds, "I can see you but you can't see me." Have a nice day, thanks for tuning in.

Painted Shack

Sometimes it can be engaging to paint things not as they are, but as you'd like them to be. This pastel/watercolor painting is an example of my muse running wild. This old shack, sitting on the edge of town, takes on a new personality when rendered in bright colors. It seems peaceful in spite of the lovely colors. To paraphrase a line from a song in My Fair Lady, "all I want is a room somewhere." A room, a shack, my room, my shack. "Wouldn't it be loverly?" Thanks for tuning in. What would your shack look like?

Pink and Glass

This is a pastel painting I did of a flower arrangment a good friend sent me to bring me cheer while I was recovering from some surgery. Unknowingly, she not only touched my heart with her thoughtfulness, she provided me with inspiration to paint. I had been so preoccupied with getting well, I'd not even thought of painting. This bouquet stirred my muse and I began to paint again. Again, her gesture did more than cheer me up, it brought me back to my passion. Thus, I began to really recover. The things we do for others or give to others with no thought of recompense always set in motion good consequences. More often than not, we never know about this ripple effect. But the universe knows and we are rewarded in a way that just suits our need at just the precise moment. Thanks for tuning in. Let us all go out today and smile at one another. May the ripples roll.

Parked

Good afternoon, Folks. This pen and watercolor sketch I did this morning as I wanted to try to paint a cat. Please tell me this little black animal looks like a black cat. Usually, I enjoy painting nature scenes and often add people to them. Sometimes I add birds. However, Riverview Gallery, where some of my art hangs, is having a theme show next month entitled, "It's Raining Frogs and Cats." So, I opted to try to paint a cat rather than a frog. This painting also follows my musings regarding peace and serenity. Trees, park benches, water, etc., seem to offer us the advice, "be still and all will be well." Being still is something cats do very well, if you have ever noticed. They also seem to convey an independent, self-sufficient air, i.e., "I don't know what you're going to do, but I'm going to rest right here until I'm good and ready to move." The boy in this painting seems to be admiring the composure of his cat friend. Thanks for tuning in. Remember, "be still and all will be well."

Princess Grace In The Moonlight

This pastel was done from a photograph I took of some roses in my garden one night last year. This rose is called, "Princess Grace" after Princess Grace of Monaco. As you can see, the bloom is pale pink at the bottom then ends in a richer pink. A companion rose to this one, also in my garden, is "Cary Grant." He is a salmon colored rose. Why I planted these two together was to memorialize the movie, "To Catch A Thief." Classic move lovers will remember that Grace Kelly and Cary Grant were cast in this suspenseful yet romantic movie. This year, both bushes are budding out all over and I hope to photograph them together one night. How romantic, eh? Romance in nature, now there's a subject to write about and paint! Thanks for tuning in.

Forget-me-not

FORGET ME NOT



In the spring

I planted tiny seeds;

I protected them well,

Pulling out the weeds.



I watched as shoots,

Tender, small and green,

Rose up above the mound,

Struggling to be seen.



The sun rose up

And the buds appeared;

Soon the vision I'd had

Would make it's grand premiere.



Then, birthed in my backyard

Were blue forget-me-nots;

Now the beauty of your soul

I pledge I will forget not.



For I shall pick a posy

After the dew is gone,

And pin it just above my heart

To wear the whole day long.

Morna Owens

Poppin' Poppies II

Good morning to you all. Poppies are one of my favorite flowers to paint. They seem so proud - long stems, topped by open and inviting blooms, standing tall among the grasses and other flowers around them. Viewing a field of poppies, the wind creates waves that ebb and flow resembling the the tides and movements of an ocean or a river. Nature presents us with patterns showing that certain shapes, themes and colors are repeated over and over. There are shapes, patterns and colors repeated in our own lives, perhaps by actions or even fashion choices. What is your favorite color? Is it blue? If so, does a blue sky draw your attention? Are your eyes blue? How many shades of blue are in nature? We are part of this planet and we do contribute to it in our own way. Thanks for tuning in today, go out and contribute!

Good morning. Everything in my yard has buds but not yet bursting into blooms. The daffodils are plentiful though. This pastel captures the joy of spring and the tradition of a new dress for Easter Sunday. Her look seems to say, "this is my flower." Enjoy your day. Each new morning brings us closer to those warm spring days. Thanks for tuning in.

Deliverance

White light, God light,

Fill my inner core,

Slow the hurry, ease the worry

Until they are no more.

White light, God light,

Warm this heart of mine,

Make it kinder, make it gentler

For me and all mankind.

KiKi

Good afternoon. Thought I would share with you this sketch from my sketch book. I've named her KiKi, which is short for Katherine. She doesn't like the name Katherine so she picked her own nickname. She's a kooky teenager who's intelligent but chooses to hide it well. You may find her listening to a little Frank Sinatra or Elvis when her friends aren't looking. She likes art that has a deep and emotional theme. She's very, very funny and her quirky sense of humor emerges unexpectedly. Someday I may write a short story about her and her escapades. I think there is some of "KiKi" in all of us - maybe the rebel. Have a great day and let your "KiKi" side out. Thanks for tuning in.

Sunset Somewhere

Hello. Today I was in the mood to paint a pastel. I was inspired to paint a sunset. To me this painting represents peace and serenity. I don't know where it is geographically, but I'm sure it exists somewhere in the world as well as my imagination. I hope you enjoy it. Go out, have a wonderful day and remember, your day is your original creation.

Lake Mattamuskeet

This morning I thought I thought I would share with you a painting I did of Lake Mattamuskeet which is located in Hyde Country, N.C. This lake is 7 miles wide and 21 miles long. Rumor has it that the lake was formed by the Mattamuskeet indians burning the ground out. Another rumor is that in the 30's as part of the WPA system, it was drained to permit crops to be planted. Eventually it was filled up again. It is so calm, so peaceful, one feels endless serenity while sitting along side it. May this painting give you peace and serenity if only for just a moment. Thanks for tuning in.

Hi folks. This is me. I seem to recall that I am "air" conducting a version of my song, "I'll Be Coming Home" for a family friend. The song is about someone who is far away but is thinking of home and asking his or her loved ones to keep the porchlight burning for they are coming home.

Dinner At Grandmother's House

My grandparents lived in an old house in North Carolina. It was weathered and worn. It was unique in that the main house and the kitchen/dining room were not connected except by a long porch. I am told this was to prevent the whole house from burning down in the event of a fire in the kitchen. There were eight children born to them and from that, 21 grandchildren. When we would go "home" from Virginia for holidays, we would all crowd around the dining room table. It had 4 leaves and could seat about 18 people. The youngest children sat at a separate table over to the side. But, when I went to stay with Grandmama in the summer, several of my cousins and I could sit at the big table and watch Grandmama carve a ham or slide bisquits from a hot tin sheet to a gleaming white plate. We always had butter and jelly. All this is seared in my memory in a romantic and wonderful way. The truth is, there was no bathroom in the house, so we all had to use the outhouse. That was interesting and different to a city girl!

phish

My son and daughter-in-law are big fans of the group phish. This year, once again, they were unable to obtain tickets to the venue closest to them. They said they tried everything but that it seemed the tickets were sold out before they could even get on the internet. Anyway, they were so disappointed, I drew this watercolor picture for them showing fish in the audience watching phish. They thought it was kinda cute. Their 4 year old daughter thought it was "funny." Hope you like it. Remember, there's a lot of fun out there to be had.

Sailabration

This little watercolor painting I did as a thank you to some friends who are avid sailors. Here, on July 4th, fireworks are thrown up and away over the Elizabeth River. Many of the sailors in our area anchor out in the river to watch. Their boats actually become part of the scene in this spectacular event. I am so touched by any kind of patriotic event, I cry while cheering at a parade. When the military units march by, watch out!