Saturday, April 25, 2009

Update on "THE ORCHARD" Painting for Teens Opposing Poverty


This is a close up of the apple truck. I have to say I thought it turned out really cool. You can see more details of the progress of "The Orchard" the painting for Teens Opposing Poverty at "The Orchard" on my http://www.llmartin.com/ website.
Also dont forget to check out Teens Opposing Poverty at http://www.teensopposingpoverty.org/

We are what we speak..it seems like truth but sometimes it isnt.

This is what a twitter I follow posted this morning: "As intercessors, He has called us Not to wonder about the future, but to create the future." Francis Frangipane

As an artist I create my interpretation of the world around me; as a prophetic artist I create the world as I see it with my heart and sometimes what it could be. I was inspired once to write fiction. In fiction, I took what I knew about the world and wrote it the way I wanted it to turn out. The problem is always cause and effect. You want the world to be beautiful, and kind, and nurturing. But most of the time we speak things that are the opposite. And we take those murmurings and turn them into a reality that we call truth.

Many years ago I was covering the Preakness Stakes. I personally was there for one reason: to report a history making race. From start to finish I wrote one of my best racing stories. It just so happened that there was a huge power outage that day. The press booth, crowded with international reporters, was an oven. The elevators were not working. The only way out was down 5 stories of stairs, with no emergency lights. Tempers were flaring everywhere except the infield. (They had generators and ice and tents for the VIPs)

I made my way perilously down the stairs with out a flashlight and back to the barns. I ended up watching the race on a monitor with the guys from ESPN. Now how cool was that!And I took down first person quotes as the trainers and owners brought their horses back to their stalls after the race. It was a record breaking day with crowds. I never would have made it back to the barns had I not been there when the race finished. Grant it it, wasn't the best of days; however, I choose not to mummer. I chose to do and say all that was necessary to make it a good experience and a good story.

As it turned out, I was the only writer there that day that wrote a positive story about the experience. It was a memorable day. I probably wouldn't choose to go through again, but It was still a positive experience even with the hardships.

I think we complain and mummer too much sometimes. While we are looking at how bad things are, we forget that we still have control over making things better than they seem. We can only do that by our attitude and by what we say. As an intercessor I should indeed be speaking Life and hope and peace and encouragement and nurturing into every event and every thing that is around me. Especially in these days of confusion and uncertainty. I choose to create rather than kill, I choose to make life rather, than kill dreams. I choose to give hope, rather than bring despaired. I choose to keep my eyes on God, rather than on circumstances I can do nothing about.

In 1998 our family took its last vacation together. My father had been to the doctor and there was a lot of worry because we didn't know yet what kind of cancer he had. My dad wanted to show the youngest girls his childhood home and the girls wanted to visit Chincoteague. Talk about storms.. The entire time we were at the shore a huge Hurricane was baring down on the east coast of Virginia. After a few days at Chincoteague we were heading down across the bay bridge toward Virginia Beach to see Dad's sister. We stopped at one of the rest stops in the middle of the bay. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. And it was made worse by the fact that surrounding us was boiling ocean and driving rain and the gusts were 40mph an hour.

Dad asked one of the bridge keepers " so does the water ever get high enough to flood the tunnels." I think dad was hoping the man would say no. But the guy said yes. The water of the bay was about 15 feet from the bottom of the bridge and yes the water goes up over the bridge and right down into the tunnels because of the storm surge. He said but don't worry if the wind gusts get up to 50 mph they will close the bridge. The next question dad asked scared him and he rushed us all right out to the car. It seems that if you are at the rest stop in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay during 50mph winds or higher they make you stay at the rest stop until the storm passes. Dad wasn't relishing the idea of having his whole family washed out to sea because we were stranded at the rest stop or drowned in a tunnel.

The storm chased us all the way to Virginia Beach and the next day to York Town were we were very close to being washed into the York River at one point. As we headed to Williamsburg our whole family was in misery. We were snapping at each other, the tension was terrible. My sister was driving and we wanted to go on the Williamsburg Parkway but we kept turning down wrong roads.
Finally out of a clear blue sky my dad said something totally inane, really sarcastic and extremely funny. It was vintage dad. I don't even remember what he said. Just that the shock of hearing my dad be my dad stopped everyone cold. Where there was pandemonium and noise you could almost hear a pin drop. Suddenly and simultaneously the entire family burst into laughter.

For the first time that whole trip, because my dad was the leader, he set the tone, he was strong, he was powerful he was dad and he wasn't going to let a hurricane, cancer, or being lost in traffic mess up his good time, or ours.

I remember saying. " Gee, Dad I wish you had said that about 4 days ago." And from that moment on we got along, we laughed, we joked. Before we drove home we took the little ones to the Mall in Williamsburg. And we toured Williamsburg Pottery. What could have been the most horrid family vacation ever, turned into one of the best.

Here is a truth we can all hold on to: in the mist of the storm, life threatening troubles, stresses of the unthinkable, one person, speaking life into a situation, can change everything.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

A Little practice Time: Apple Trees




I spent a little time the last few days working on my apple trees. The result was a few little blooming apple trees with small farm animals. I have currently posted a couple of them on eBay for sale. The first is are two palamino ponies standing infront of the apple tree. The second is two little pigs in front of an apple tree. Enjoy them.!! They can be purchased on eBay.

Rembermber these Little paingings are standard ACEO 2.5 by 3.5 inches and they are Highly collectible minatures.
These were practice for The Orchard painting I am currently working on.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Update On The Orchard




Check out the latest work on The Orchard. I am still working on the background. This is the painting that will be going to Teens Opposing Poverty when its finished. Click here To find out more about Teens Opposing Poverty and how you can help this wonderful cause.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

The Orchard: A Painting for Teens Opposing Poverty



The Orchard is a unique modern day interpretation of the story of Jesus and the Children in Luke 18:16 "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." The painting is set is an apple orchard, very similar to those found in the Northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, especially around Warren, Fredrick and Clark Counties who are famous for their apple orchards. Currently a work in progress, The Orchard is a 24" by 30" painted with acrylic polymer on canvas by artist Linda L. Martin. This painting is destined for Teens Opposing Poverty. (more info to come on this very worthy organization) The artist is known primarily for her horse and companion animal portraits and her paintings of Virginia Country Life.
Photo by Mary Tayne
stage 1: The background is nearly complete

Follow the development of the painting here, with updates on http://www.llmartin.com/ ,
Linda L.Martin Affordable Animal Portraits and Art on Facebook and follow LindaLMartin on Twitter. Pass the word along to all your friends!!