Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Here's one for you, Sara Foz

I painted this painting. It's a tree. I wonder if anyone can guess where I got the inspiration?

***Edit -- Julie was right! Here it is!***


As you know, Josh and I live in a tiny little apartment on campus here at Southern. The majority of the time, I am quite content with this little home -- walking to work, not tons of housekeeping, good price -- it has several advantages. There are seasons, however, where I struggle with discontent. I especially miss having a yard, and having a garden. The campus of Southern is beautiful, so I do, in a way, have a very large and lovely yard (as opposed to living in the heart of a city block with no green grass in sight), but not a little private piece of my own.

I decided to add a few little touches to sort of enhance my home to help me enjoy it better -- not that I hate it! Sara Foz gave me the inspiration to do a little artwork -- a very inexpensive way to add a very personal touch! So I picked a few paint colors that I wanted to add to the room, and Josh and I each made a painting to hang above the table -- sort of creating a bit of a dining space. I'm not finished yet (I want to paint the table, also!), but here's how it looks -- I'm quite pleased! I think the paintings look great together because we used the same family of colors. Josh says his painting looks like Spider Man's ripped up suit, but it does not! It's because he actually has artistic talent that he can hate on his work -- I, on the other hand, am so pleased that anything looks good, I feel like I'm Van Gogh or something!


Stay tuned. . . I have plans for another wall, and this time it's going to be BIG! (P.S. I know the flowers don't really match, but I got them at the Farmer's market, and I didn't want everything to be TOO matchy matchy, you know?)

17 comments:

Sarah said...

Very cool, Gret!!! I am so impressed (I have no artistic talent at all, so I am easy to impress.....). You guys are so cute! :-)

sara said...

OH MY WORD....I LOVE your painting!!!!!! I just want to whip out my paints and try to do one like it!!!! You have such a clean and modern technique!!! I am totally impresed! I like Josh's too...and what a great idea to use the same colors- the same yet so unique to you both! It is such a personal touch to your eating area. I can't wait to see what else you have planned.

sara said...

OK I hate it when I spell something wrong in a comment!! I was so overcome with the beauty of your art!

Anonymous said...

Your painting looks like a book cover. Was a book the source of your inspiration?

Gretchen said...

Sar and Sar -- you guys are TOO kind! It is really so simple and unoriginal with me, actually.

MR -- BING BING BING! You've got it, girl! Can you guess which one?

~By the way, Sara Foz, I am so glad you like the color scheme idea. Afterward I was afraid it made it too limited, but I wanted to add specific colors to this room. The rest is rather a mishmash, with all the books and mix of used furniture and decor. Not that I mind that, but I just like some colors more, and I thought it would "clean up" the room if I went for a certain look.

Anonymous said...

Gret - I love it! You are so creative...Maybe you and Foz could open and online store?? ! :)

Anonymous said...

Gret, the painting looks great in your apt! I completely understand fighting discontentment with living in apt. I have a random question: what farmers market do you go to? I'm looking for one that is close and open in the evenings or weekends. Are the prices reasonable??
Annie

Gretchen said...

Geen -- yeah, right, Sara Foz can handle that on her own!

Annie -- Oooooooh! Try the farmer's market in the parking lot of that big Methodist church on Shelbyville Road. It's huge and the prices are decent. Every Saturday

Stephanie said...

Gret Van Go! :) You did a really good job. My painting is limited to the big roller in the boys room. Gary does the trim (I don't even get that right!) It is fun to make a room prettier isn't it? Gary said last night - "I can't believe we have waited 6 years to start painting rooms!" What can I say - we are slow and methodical around here.LOL

Anonymous said...

Was Psalm 1 your inspiration? "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water..."

Anonymous said...

GROOTCHEN! Loves it. :) Spiderman? Ooo, Remember when those people looked at Josh funny when we left the theater after the 1st spiderman? :)

Anna

Anonymous said...

It was "To Kill a Mockingbird" It has a gorgeous cover that looks just like your picture. Good job!!!

Gretchen said...

JULES! We have a winner! I am so proud of you, miss bookstore-owner! I shall now post the cover art of "To Kill a Mockingbird" to show my inspiration! Good job, girl!

Steph -- thanks, kid! I TOTALLY wish I lived somewhere I could paint the walls. Someday where I live there will not be one SINGLE off white wall, because that is all I've EVER had (renting, you know).

MR -- good guess, but I actually first thought of the poem by Gerard Manly Hopkins "Glory be to God for dappled things -- for skies of couple-colour as a brindled cow", and then I saw the cover art of "To Kill a Mockingbird" and I knew it!

Anna -- I about died laughing when Josh was mocking his painting. He was dead serious, but I thought it was hysterical! Ripped up Spiderman! HA HA HA HA HA!

megan said...

gret
i was wanting to get a copy of the Jesus storybook. i can just mail you a check if you let me know how much i owe you. you can either leave it on your blog or mine. will you be coming home anytime soon?? if so, you can just bring it home when you are back in illinois. thanks. sorry i'm so late in requesting one. we were gone on a little vacation this week and i'm just catching up on blogs. thanks megan

Anonymous said...

girl that turned out awesome! we need things on our walls but the roomie is kinda picky about it I think...good job artsy fartsy girl!

Anonymous said...

Gretchen,

This is Mr. Hill who used to be at MBBC. Actually, I am Dr. Hill now. I just graduated this summer.

I certainly am impressed with the maturity and content of your blogs.

Since you focus on reading, I have a couple of suggestions for you. I just finished The Confessions by Augustine. It is quite good and very enlightenting, that is up until the last couple of chapters where he starts allegorizing the entire book of Genesis. I have also recently read The Cost of Discipleship by Bonhoffer. It is very challenging, especially when you consider that he had the chance to escape Nazi Germany but stayed because of his commitment to Christ.

I'm glad I found your blog it has been very encouraging. I was looking for a way to contact your sister, Anna. I haven't emailed her since before she got engaged.

I just wanted to let her know that I had graduated and am now on the faculty at Ball State University as an astronomer. And of course, see how she is doing.

So, if you could pass that along to her, I would appreciate it. If anyone wants to know my email addresses are: roberthill58@yahoo.com and rlhill@bsu.edu

Thanks again for a good blog site. I can see that you and Josh have very fulfilling lives. I'm happy for you.

Emily said...

That is super pretty....I long to paint..I just never have time and I need new brushes badly....
anyway..I love it...can't wait to se it! and you!!
-emma