My Love of Art: A Few Favorite Paintings

I've always been an art freak. I have been drawing since I could hold a pencil. I wanted to be an artist from the time I knew that there was something you should "be" when you grow up. The great thing about art is that you don't have to be famous to enjoy making or viewing it. It does help if you have the money for art SUPPLIES, however! I have not painted since I was in public school... which is a sad, sad shame. That is one of my goals in homeschooling is to share my talent and love for art with my children. As soon as we get another home with a school room - and a few dollars for supplies... I am going to paint something other than "paint by numbers" with them!

Surrounding yourself with beauty is something that will lift your spirits. God made us to admire his creation and put an innate sense of love for beauty in us. Go ahead, frame some of your children's artwork and hang it in their bedrooms (I plan to do this with my kid's art contest drawings they did in 2004... but am saving them for our next house)! Do a few crafts. Hang a few curtains. Paint that white wall you've been staring at. Add some beauty to your world.
I read a post at Trivium Persuit Online not long ago (which inspired this one) in which the author wrote about their favorite paintings. I decided to look up a few of my own... to see them again and share them with the children. Here were a few that came to mind:

van Gogh's Starry Night over the Rhone

van Gogh’s The Café Terrace on the Place du Forum, Arles, at Night

"Red Poppy, 1927" Poster Print by Georgia O`Keeffe

Edvard Munch’s “The Scream”

DAVID Jacques Louis (1748-1825) - “The First Consul crossing the Alps at the Grand-Saint-Bernard pass” (Painting of Napoleon on his White Horse)

Angel with Lute by Rosso Fiorentino

I also love Jeffe Cherry Huldah... a Dallas, Texas born painter who's work was very popular in the 1950's.

I have a copy of one of her paintings in my house that my mother passed down to me. Here is a sample of her work, although this is not my particular favorite:

The Sailboat Pond - Jeffe Cherry Huldah

Here's a copy of a painting I really liked when I was a child. I painted this one, but the original (which looks just like it) was done by Robert Yarber in 1984. I painted this in 1986 or 7 when I was in Junior High School. I took a photo of it tonight, and the glare from the flash is not all that great. Maybe I'll remember to take it outside some time and get a better photo without a flash. Better yet - maybe someday I'll be able to afford a scanner and get it done right!

Falling in Love - Robert Yarber

Here's a favorite painting from my husband's uncle also. He has such amazing talent. Some of my very favorite paintings are done by amateur artists (although I don't think you could really call any of them amateur - they are just as talented as the "great artists", they are just un-discovered!):

Alice in the Sunflowers - by Uncle Joe

What are a few of your favorite paintings? Won't you share them with us!? A link would be appreciated so the kids and I can view them!


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