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This piece is inspired, not by a specific church, but rather is something of a culmination of many windows seen throughout my life. It’s the message.

I’ve tried my hand at building stained-glass windows (of course, “… peripatetic, perambulatory, desultory .. ” what is that word … ?!?!). I really appreciate the physical side of it: heavy, mechanical, structural … and the artistic as well: simplified images and color, planned/conceptual, simple, to the point. It’s a great media. And, in the hands of a real artist, art with a huge presence.

Here’s the initial sketch:

… and the final.

… and a detail …

I’m happy with this. The mosaic of stained glass windows is a tough, for me, path to take – but I’m happy with it. Funny, but I’m also very happy with how the pews turned out … simple, but reads well I think. Don’t get me wrong, I have not arrived at a place I’m truly happy with watercolor-wise … but am happy with my effort and progress to-date.

FYI … this painting for sale in my Inside: Looking Out Gallery … 🙂

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Painting the steeples, I often have thought of the beautiful church windows below. Some are stained-glass, some clear, some with arched shapes … all with a spiritual and practical role. In contrast to steeples, they are usually best experienced from within the church. While all, as windows, provide some degree of light, they also tell a story: stained-glass a pictorial story, clear-pained offer the story of the outside view … from within, looking out.

This first piece was inspired by an old chapel located in a peach grove. Beautiful, tall, arched windows framing an inspiring view of surrounding hills and trees. An arched piece of landscape art by the Creator.

… and, a detail …

FYI … this painting for sale in my Inside: Looking Out Gallery … 🙂

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Ok, a bit of a curve here, and, having fun with it!

While traveling, I was thinking of building a birdhouse, and the steeple project also came into the mix. What of a bird house, three (triune) stories with arched doors above the perches, all forming a steeple of sorts … and, of course, topped with a simple cross. I sketched some ideas, and it quickly focused into this:

(few days later) Ok, I think I’m done now. I love this little bird chapel!

I think I need to make a plan to build it! A pretty simple painting, but the drawing is a bit more involved. A few things I specially like: the three-story, Triune architecture, it’s simple steeple-like vertical, and the arched doors for the birds … fun!

If, I do ever build it, I’ll be sure to post a photo – til then, enjoy the painting!

Here’s a detail:

FYI … this painting for sale in my Steeple Project Gallery … 🙂

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(I know, don’t ask … first post of the year (!!) Actually, the second … I just discovered one I had meant to post in January … but still … Life … )

Ok, beginning a new steeple project piece. It’s inspiration is a church on an island nearby that has a wonderful, open bell area (I wonder, architecturally, what that area/room is called … ). The bell is visible from ground level, as-is the wheel/pulley (wonder what that is called …) – very pretty and stately.

Here’s my beginning sketch:

Now, on to background and softening the text …

So good to be back!

The photo above: thought it might be fun to show my travel paintbox. It holds 12 basic colors, plus I carry other tubes to mix and use. Looks pretty messy 🙂 the painting is much calmer than the box … what fun!

Moving along to painting. Got the background begun and some of the steeple/roof. I really like the detail in the bell tower area … the joists and posts … and I really like the openness of the bell area (… wonder what/if there is a name of the area that actually houses the bell … ). Anyways, I’m liking the sky/background: keeping it soft and vignetted (to keep it truly in the background, let the steeple move forward).

And, the final … I really like the detail allowed the bell, given the openness of the bell area (whatever, architecturally it’s called … ). I also really like the details of the joists and arches … I’d like to stand up there and ring that bell!

… and a detail …

FYI … this painting for sale in my Steeple Project Gallery … 🙂

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(this was written back in January, but I somehow failed to post it … so, here is it ...)

So, about 41 years ago, my sweetheart and I were married in a little country chapel in California’s great valley. For her Christmas present, I decided to paint it for her.

This had several different aspects to it. Firstly, from a steeple aspect, it’s not really a steeple-proper … rather, a steep pitched roof. But it has a cross atop, so close enough. :). Secondly, it’s not white. Not that a church has to be, many are not: consider the brick versions I’ve painted.

Thirdly, it’ll not be offered for sale :).

She loved it!

(Oops, forgot to grab sketch/in-progress shots … so, on to the final image).

Calling this one “Red Dome”. Not sure if it is copper or clay or painted, but the dome shape grabbed my attention. In color, kind of an off-rust, reddish, etc.. Very peaceful in some way: not so much a major vertical thrust, but still a reach upward to Heaven with graceful lines and curves – the dome wedges matching the octangular (or ten-tangular?) tower. Beautiful steeple.

Painting-wise, thus far, many of these share a common look: churches are, for the most part, white. So, I am thankful for shadows of siding and vents 🙂 . On this one, given the dome and steeple roof material, I really tried to push for accurate, but heightened color. The result is that I really like this steeple and its bright color!

Here’s the detail shot. Very happy with the drawing too.

A side note on the background text. I made a bit of a change. Previous paintings use a letterpress version that I printed using very light grey ink. You’ll recall from earlier posts on the printing aspect, my first letterpress run, using a dark grey ink which turned out printing well, but much too dark for my liking. My intent was to have the text very background so-as not to upstage (visually) the delicate watercolor to come. So, I did a second run on the little press with a very light ink – much better (though the legibility on the second run suffered a bit).

On this painting, I used one of the original, dark text prints – and did a series of loose washes of white watercolor over the text, creating a painterly, loose background that is both legible and yet subdued. Perfect!

This, I think, will be the new direction for a while … 🙂

FYI … this painting for sale in my Steeple Project Gallery … 🙂

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Been working this one for a few days. Its inspiration is a church out in the country, very pretty setting surrounded by flower fields and farms. Aside from the beauty and stature of this church, what caught my eye was something on the on the little cross atop the steeple. Upon closer scrutiny, I found that it is a crown – how cool! Not sure I’ve seen that before, though I feel I may have seen a cross with a crown hung over the top vertical, sitting on the horizontal cross bar … vague memory though …. I wonder if the crown began up on the crosspiece, and has somehow slid or was blown down (we get some stiff winds here), past its intended spot, onto the lower vertical. ?? The mystery is well with my soul: either way, I appreciate the symbolism and message of the cross on the crown.

The beginning sketch:

And, here’s the final …

Some detail …

… and with a mat …

Hope you enjoy!

FYI … this painting for sale in my Steeple Project Gallery … 🙂

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More times than I can tell you, I’ve admired this church as I’ve passed by. It looks like it belongs on a knoll, above the bog, in England …cue the fog, please.

But, I’ve never been to England … this is a church on our soil, and it is beautiful and a tad rare with it’s rock structure. Architecturally, I’m not sure of what it would be called: I always think “Early California Mission Realized in Rock”. My ignorance aside, it’s a beautiful church.

I goofed-up and forgot to get a photo of the beginning sketch, so we’ll just move onto the final:

Not a bell tower, I think more a bell arch. Lovely rosette window below, very ancient looking, solid-but-graceful … I love that the rosette window, along with the pointed steeple above it, harkens to the last line of the text: “As faith-based prayers are sent up, the steeple points the way: True North on a spiritual compass rose”. This church epitomizes that statement. I love and revere it.

A detail shot:

Hope you enjoy …

FYI … this painting for sale in my Steeple Project Gallery … 🙂

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Yes, I’m concurrently painting … some … but in keeping to my peripatetic nature, a bit of a drift today. Actually, in my mind, not “today” really because, over the course of a day, I go from painting to photo to whatever. Probably, most of us meander like that. I guess I admire those who wake to one focus and fall asleep later with the same. But, and alas, though, that’s not me – and, I do like the options, along with the accompanying breadth of challenges and knowledge/experience – though usually accompanied with creative confusion.

Meet a couple of old friends:

I’ve had these guys since, I don’t know, maybe the early/mid 70’s. I had, of course, a headband in those days … and with these guys around my neck, the self-image was W Eugene Smith or Lee Friedlander or Jerry McMillan … or probably more like Dennis Hopper in “Apocalypse Now” … either way, let’s just say the self-image and the reality-image did not share the same perspective … 🙂

Heavy and metal, film, scratches and dents in the pro-black. Heavy, yeah, but solid to the heft. I also like the attitude: max 36 clicks to the roll, you had to plan and think. Such good friends who shared and created great memories on the street … and still do today.

Time standing-down a bit, I hope to get the darkroom cleared and spend some time in the room where dim light is yellow, and where strange and wonderful things happen.

So, brief thoughts about these steeples and, thus, churches. You’ll notice I’ve not named or identified specific churches I use as source for these pieces. This owes to several reasons, mainly two:

First, I’m not wanting to endorse any specific denomination. My interest in painting these is out of appreciation of the beauty of churches in general, and steeples specifically. I can equally enjoy and be faith-inspired by a grand cathedral as-well-as a prosaic country church … and most in-between.

Secondly, I think that by identifying a locale/city, it focuses, again, on a non-issue. 🙂 It’s the beauty/creativity – the spirituality these architectural looking-upwards promote/exhibit that intrigue and inspire me.

Hopefully, without locale and denominational tie-downs, more can enjoy and be inspired by these images.