6" x 6" oil on panel

This past Sunday my family and I went to visit a a friend who lives in the country way up on a hill overlooking the town of Loudonville and the surrounding Mohican Forest area. (One day I am going to paint the view from up there, but thats for another day.) It was a nice afternoon but we went there to swim in their nice pool which we call, “5:00 somewhere.” They tend to like warm water there and the pool water was at 99•. It was like bath water. My family still got in. I decided I was going to paint instead. I had about an hour and a half so I decided to do a small painting from their great garden area. This was the result. Lots of bees flying around doing their thing. I left them alone and they did the same for me. I even got one to pose for me. I slipped him a little pollen for his trouble. It was a great afternoon. I need to paint there some more.

  

White Carnation, 9.75″ x 18″ oil on panel

This painting came to me because my good friend, Doug Cooper, had the guts to talk about sex and relationships in church. (Got your attention?) Anyway, on the last day of the series he brought out a chuppah which is a jewis a canopy traditionally used in Jewish weddings. It consists of a cloth or sheet, sometimes a tallit, stretched or supported over four poles, or sometimes carried by attendants to the ceremony. A chuppah symbolizes the home the couple will build together. Chuppah literally means a canopy or a covering. Doug had people come up and take a white carnation and stand under the chuppah to re-kindle and pray about their relationships. Lanie and I went up and I think it was pretty special. So this painting is something to remember that experience.