A Servant's Heart - Work in progress

A Servant's Heart | detail | oil on canvas

So much to do and so little time. Time is truly a valuable asset. What we do with it is a measure of what is important to each of us. I've had people ask me how I find the time to paint. Usually it's not a matter of finding the time, it is that I make the time to paint. It's important to me.

The watch in the painting represents the fact that real servants make themselves available. They make the time to serve. Making ourselves available is not easy–especially making the time to serve in the right spirit. Do we serve without a hint of resentment?

Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve - Matthew 20:28

It's almost time to show you the completed "puzzle" of these detail images I've been showing you this last while. I just want to put a few finishing touches on it.

Maurice Elevator at Dusk

Maurice Elevator at Dusk | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

This elevator is the one that stands right here in Maurice, just a few blocks from our house. It has of course been around for a very long time and the old tin siding has a beautiful tarnished silver finish. I have always admired the way the sun lights the building at different times of the day–particularly late in the day when the warm sunlight creates dramatic geometric panels of light and shadow.

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A Servant's Heart - Work in progress

A Servant's Heart | detail | oil on canvas

Here's another detail of the commission I'm working on. It's coming along pretty nicely.

Servants do their best with what they have. The nut and the nail are the symbols which represent that in the painting. Servants don't make excuses, procrastinate or wait for better circumstances. They just do what needs to be done. They do the best they can with what they have. Less than perfect service is always better than good intentions.

Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. - Ecclesiastes 11:4

Vicks Corner

Vicks Corner | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

If you're at all familiar with Okoboji, you know where Vicks Corner is. Although I have no idea who Vick is, this building is a landmark that has been a part of the Okoboji area as long as I can remember. A gas station, garage, bait shop and grocery store. It was a "convenience store" long before they started calling them that.

It also reminds me of other corners around here. My favorites are Perkins Corner and the Million Dollar Corner. Perkins Corner is near Hull and the once thriving town of Perkins. My Grandpa and Grandma Vander Stelt lived there for a time as a couple of newlyweds. Perkins is not much more than a few houses these days. The Million Dollar Corner is two miles north of Maurice at the intersection of highways 75 and 10. It was dubbed that because it cost the then astronomical amount back in the day when they built the intersection. Also the home of a gas station and cafe which had the same name.

What corners have special meaning to you?

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A Servant's Heart - Work in progress

A Servant's Heart | detail | oil on canvas

Here is the second closeup detail of the commission I'm working on. This painting is 30"x40" and the quarter you see here is actually about 6 inches wide on the canvas. Each element in the painting is symbolic of a different aspect of being a servant.

Servants are always on the lookout for ways to help others. How sensitive are we to the needs right in front of us? Opportunities come and go quickly.

You can tell what they are, by what they do. - Matthew 7:16

12 Feet

12 Feet | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

As promised, another Okoboji painting. I typically do not enjoy the task of titling my paintings. My titles often are pretty straightforward. But there are times like this painting where I find a title that makes me smile. I couldn't decide whether to title it "4 foot 8" or "12 Feet". In the end, 12 feet seemed like the better choice.

More cut-off figures. I like the composition, angularity and colors.

This was at the pool at our resort. We always stay at Triggs Bay Resort. It's one of the few family run resorts remaining at the lakes.

I've also been working on a new commission piece. I thought it might be interesting to give you a glimpse of it. (see detail below) This is a tight shot of a small section of the painting. It is a painting that focuses on the theme of serving others. It is coming along pretty nicely. I'll post more glimpses as it progresses.



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Beach Babes

Beach Babes| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

We just returned from a week of vacation – our yearly pilgrimage to Okoboji and the Iowa Great Lakes. There are a slew of jokes you could make about Iowa and its' lakes, or lack thereof. With Minnesota hoarding 10,000+ lakes, it leaves very few for Iowans to claim as our own and even fewer that we can call "great". We always stay at the same family resort every year and this is a scene on the beach there.

The bold colors and bright sunlight create some vibrant contrast and make for lively color. While the woman and child are the focus of the piece, I like the swimmer in the water and the partial figure cut off on the right.


Beach Babes| detail

This detail of the swimmer shows how a figure can be captured in a few simple strokes, and the bright white highlight on the shoulder gives the viewer the impression that the skin is wet.

I hope many of you have had the opportunity to take a vacation this Summer. It's good to relax, recharge your mental batteries, and spend time with family.

Stay tuned for more Okoboji paintings.

Available for $100

Bale Out

Bale Out| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

More round, er..uh...square bales.

I've never considered myself a landscape painter. My Grandfather was a painter of landscapes. He painted them almost exclusively. I'm not sure why they didn't become my passion, but I do enjoy painting them; especially at this small size.

Available for $100

Cake Walk

Cake Walk| 6"x6" | oil on hardboard

In honor of my 50th blog entry, I'm introducing a new square format. Almost all of the paintings on this blog thus far have been 5x7" but I now have prepared a bunch of 6x6" panels so you'll be seeing square pieces now too from time to time.

A few weeks ago we had our annual church picnic. If there is any event that is quintessentially small town, it is our church picnic. Many of our traditions and community celebrations have come and gone, but the Maurice church picnic remains, even after well over 100 years.

I like taking photos at the picnic and this year was another beautiful summer evening. They block off the street and do a kids carnival, including things like a football throw, face painting, fish pond and more. The cake walk is always a hit. Both of my boys won a cake this year so we had a nice supply of cake...for a few days. My sons like cake.

This scene captures the long shadows of late day sunlight. Something about the cutoff figure at the top center kinda completes the composition nicely. It brings the eye back around in a circular direction.

Below is a photo of those in attendance at the picnic this year. A big group for a small town. Click on it for a closer look.

Fields of Green

Fields of Green| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

It has been a week of rain and stormy weather here in Sioux County. Fields near town were flattened by 70mph winds and other areas suffered the wrath of golf ball to softball sized hail.

These are fields South of Maurice that escaped unscathed, and are benefiting from the generous amounts of rain. Remnants of rain clouds hang in the sky. I like how the purple shades in the clouds contrast with the lush shades of green.

We spent the weekend in Des Moines, and on the drive home Sunday I was again inspired by the beauty of our state. How it ever became stereotyped as flat I will never know. I guess compared to Colorado we're flat. But if you compare us to Nebraska...

Available for $100