Melanie Stokes Art – Page 3 – Melanie Stokes Art

February 11, 2023February 11, 2023

Is the Grass Really Greener?

melaniestokesart.com — Is The Grass Really Greener on the Other Side of the Fence?
16×20 oil

Usually, when I walk along the fence line of our property, the neighbor’s cows will turn their backs and move away from me. At first, one or two will leave, and then, the others will notice and begin a trot to move the entire group to safety in herd fashion.

On this day, they stayed, crowded together, and stared at the lady with the phone camera pointed toward them.

I liked the composition of their heads bunched together, the large interesting shape that they created standing in one dark mass, the “expressions” on their faces as they peered across the fence.

I imagined they were thinking (if cows think), “Is the grass really greener on the other side of the fence?” Is it?

Is that what we look like as we peer into the lives of others on social media? As we turn our backs to reality on our side of the fence? As we imagine “what ifs” and “wish I hads” until it becomes discontentment? Maybe so.

I snapped a few photos from which to paint, but it wasn’t long until the cows scattered and moved away. They bowed their heads toward the grass they already had and munched contently on the plenty.

December 30, 2022September 28, 2024

As Ducks Fly…

This landscape, from a photo on our property, was used for demonstration in the recent Earth and Sky workshop. The 11×14 study had been on a table in my studio for a few weeks when I felt compelled to paint it in a larger 24×30 format. It was one of those paintings that simmered for a few weeks, as I made minor adjustments. And before I knew it…the ducks were flying in, or out, depending on the weather, both outside and in my painting.

We have a pond (or tank, as people around here call it) and are often entertained by the migrating birds that come around. The ducks stay for awhile. And then something changes and they leave. It could be the wind, the temperature, a predator, an event that disturbs their peace, or the need to get up and find food. As they fly, they usually go together, making the trip easier. “There is safety in numbers.” Sometimes, I see one staying behind. Maybe he/she is more brave. Maybe he/she is tired of the group. Maybe he/she is lost.

It’s a thing to ponder: How do they decide where to land? Seasons change, circumstances shift. Then, as ducks fly, maybe we do, too.

Ducks can’t fly backwards. (Or so the internet states.) So, here’s to a New Year of flying straight ahead. Remember to land and rest. Enjoy the company of others. And when seasons change, move on. Oh, one more fact: ducks remember where they came from and often return year after year to visit.

December 19, 2022December 19, 2022

Happy Holidays

September 22, 2022September 22, 2022

Separation Day

The Mama Cows gathered at the corral gate, wondering why the calves were being herded into the trailer, not knowing that the young ones were about to be taken away.

This was the scene I captured with my camera on the day that the year old calves were taken to another place. (We won’t speculate as to whether they were going to another grazing area or to market. The cows on our property belong to someone else, who leases the pasture from us.) We get attached to the cows, watch them from birth, give them names, feed them by hand (well, my husband does that.) And we are glad to have them on our acreage.

Being the novice rancher that I am, I did not expect what came next… As the truck and trailer rattled away with five calves, the cows began to bellow! And they bellowed and bellowed for about two days. They knew those babies were missing. They thought if they kept calling, they would come back. They knew they were supposed to be checking on them and keeping them safe.

As the wails went on, my “mama heart” hurt for their pain. Can cows have emotional pain? They wanted to care for their young, but the new distance was making that impossible. I thought about the times I’ve had physical and emotional distance from my own children. I thought about women who lose children through custody battles, illnesses, adoptions, and miscarriages. I thought about mothers and children and the heartaches that come with the joys. And then, I remembered… for goodness sake, we are talking about cows, here!

The stark contrast of the darks and lights drew me into the scene. The barricade of the gate seemed so final against their faces. The cows’ attention toward those leaving was a shared experience for the ones left behind. Their wails of mourning subsided after a few days. And, once again, the remaining cows became content to stroll from back to front pasture, searching for the perfect blade of grass.

September 4, 2022September 4, 2022

Glory Fills the Skies! a Solo Show of Visual and Written Observations by Melanie Stokes

What a thrill it is to see three years worth of paintings and writings, all hanging in one gallery!

At Warehouse Living Arts Center 119 W. 6th Avenue Corsicana, TX

If you have been following this Texas journey, you know how I’ve been obsessed with observing the big skies and painting them. These twenty five paintings are each 24×30 gallery wrapped canvas with painted edges. Though I do paint en plein air often, these were painted in the studio from my own photos and studies. And most of them were inspired from our property, right here in Mart, Texas.

The show, Glory Fills the Skies!, will be at the Warehouse Living Arts Center in Corsicana, Texas until September 28. I am grateful to the many who came to the opening reception to share this experience with me. And I love watching people use the QR codes to read The Story Behind the Paintings on my website.

Here are a few other opportunities to visit the show during September:

Weekdays until September 28 – 12 noon to 5 p.m.

September 8, 6:00-7:15 p.m. Meet the Artist (Before opening of Our Town theatre production by WLAC)

September 12 – 10 a.m. – FBC Waco Senior Life Group Visit

SATURDAY, September 17 – 12 noon to 5 p.m.

AND, be watching for the release of the images on my website for those who would like to visit and purchase via internet. Sign up for my newsletter to be sure you are notified when released.

Each painting is $550, (plus sales tax and shipping.) A few samples…

Glory Fills the Skies!

July 17, 2022July 17, 2022

Vespers – an Evening Prayer

As I painted, I thought about the Spirit of God hovering over the earth, somewhat like this sun setting on a cool evening, and coming close to our hearts as we pray to him. The word, “vespers” came to mind, “associated with evening prayer.”

My Freshman Year at Shorter College (many moons ago), I often went to a Vespers service after eating supper in the dining hall with friends. I don’t remember hearing the word, “vespers” in my Baptist upbringing before then, but I soon found out it was an evening devotional service that had good sing-alongs with guitars. It was a ritual that delayed going back to the dorm room to study, and an opportunity to socialize with friends, so I was usually in. (And besides, there were usually a few cute guys who tagged along with us which always made it more interesting.)

Even though my main motivation for attending the service on this Baptist campus might not have been to commune with God, His Spirit usually made himself known. God seemed close to me in the outdoor settings, through the songs or devotional thoughts.

And for a brief moment at the setting of the sun, I still bow in gratitude for another day.

“From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised.” Psalm 113:3

June 24, 2022June 24, 2022

Cloud Cathedral

I spotted the sheep, scattered across barren land, as we travelled through west Texas. My husband and I had been discussing the need for rain in this area of the state. This image continued to develop in my mind as we rode along. And, after a few sketches to consider the composition, I had an idea for a new painting.

Tall wind-ravaged cedars, making me think of columns in a cathedral, pointed upward at the swirly thick clouds, as if begging them to drop rain. The sheep were grazing in different directions, seemingly oblivious of each other. And a Bible verse I learned long ago came to my mind. “All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6

(More contemporary language says it this way — “All of us were like sheep that had wandered off. We had each gone our own way, but the Lord God gave him the punishment we deserved. “) As a child, I learned that this spoke of Jehovah God sending Jesus to earth to rescue all of us wandering sheep from our sinful selves. And I accepted it and believed.

Sometimes sheep can be really stupid. They can wander with no direction. They only think of themselves. They get lost.

As I enter this Cloud Cathedral, I see the tall cedars pointing upward in reverence and the winds of hope swirling overhead with power, leading me to thoughts of the Lord God who sent Jesus. He brings redemption, forgiveness, and guidance in being more than sheep. And maybe, lacking a pipe organ in this cathedral, a shepherd boy’s flute plays a haunting, child-like melody, reminding me of Jesus when I wander from truth.

June 16, 2022August 21, 2023

Light at the Top

On a recent trip to Taos, New Mexico, we were glad to have friends with us who had been there before. One evening they sat in the back seat and directed us down a treacherous dirt and rock semblance of a road. We wound our way to the bottom of the gorge, across the John Dunn Bridge, so we could see this view. I was somewhat skeptical as the road had those places where you just know you are going to slide off into nothingness or into the blinding sunlight of the setting sun. So when we got to the bottom and saw the relaxing Rio Grand River, my tension melted into the coolness of the shaded rock walls. And, the sight that grabbed my attention the most was the light at the top of the gorge! This was a sunset glow just barely skimming the tops of the gorge walls, giving warm color to the rock formations, and reflecting in the cool water below. I took photos, knowing I would paint this scene later in my studio.

The light on any subject usually gets my attention. And light at the top directs me to look upward. The view was well worth the journey and ended on a happy note! And yes, the ride back up was not as challenging! Thank you, Shannon and Guy, for sharing a memorable view– a moment of ahhh!

April 30, 2022August 21, 2023

A Sacred Moment

I sat on the ground, maybe twenty feet away, and observed the spell-binding sacred moment of birth.

The labor, the exhaustion, the slow delivery process, the maternal instincts for cleanup and greeting her offspring, the bonding . . . all consumed my camera’s attention for over two hours. The other cows grazed silently nearby, as in a prayer vigil for the completion of the task.

This moment, this precious moment, was captured as the Mother Angus was successful in nudging the new life to stand on its own four feet. The cord was detached. Air was expanding the lungs of the little one. Thin legs were shaky, but strong. Initiation to the herd followed after this.

The Mother will continue her role of guiding and providing, until the young one is ready for independence. I’ll keep watching to determine how she knows when it is time.

With humans, the cords may be detached, but the heart strings remain intact for years and miles. And, we are glad to be able to keep in touch with our children through technology. Call your Mama, today.

March 30, 2022March 30, 2022

Fly Away!

Remember when you were a child and would look up at the sky and pretend to fly away? Clouds floated gently on the wind, while changing shapes. It seemed they could lift you easily into the sky, where you would experience looking back at the earth below.

As I painted this wispiness of clouds, the words “fly away” came to my mind in song. I couldn’t remember anything about it but those two words sung over and over. I googled later, and found many songs with the words “Fly Away.” Many. So, when I tell you the one stuck in my mind was sung by John Denver, you may equate that with my Boomer age.

For the past two years, I have been obsessed with watching the sky on this Texas Prairie. It’s so different each day. This time, the shadow of a cloud and the bright light, cast on the horizon, caught my attention just long enough to snap a photo for studio reference. The painting of the “cloud dance” continued for weeks as I changed them with as much undetermined shape as they change themselves. But as all paintings come to an end, I finally made myself put down the brush and back away, continuing to ponder how one’s spirit can fly away.

I remembered that it was the light on the earth that attracted me to this scene. And perhaps, that is the reminder for me. While it seems easier to “fly away,” avoiding all of the problems of today, the earth is our home for now. We are here to care for it and its inhabitants. We are here to be light, to love, to guide, to encourage, to teach, and to support. I need to work on letting the worries fly away, casting my burdens to God, trusting that He cares for us.

And I’m reminded of that other Fly Away song that the old timers always requested at Sunday Night Hymn Pick — I’ll Fly Away. “…And when I die, Hallelujah, By and By, I’ll Fly Away.”