"Green Light" $75.00- still life by Sandra Reeves Cutrer

Using a very limited palette- one green,yellow,red, and blue. I really enjoyed the challenge of this small still life. Painted in oils on a gallery wrapped canvas measuring 8x8x0.5 inches. Green is my favorite hue. I pretty much enjoy all shades of green (except maybe army green). This one was set up with more overhead lighting in an already sunny room- north light. Still lifes are a pleasure to paint, putting  me a peaceful and relaxing mood. Bell peppers have such a wonderful aroma. When I was a child I use to search for them in our small garden, or frig, so I could eat them raw. Last week in our local market they were stocking such bright orange and yellow ones. I have never seen such a vibrant array of  bell peppers before. I need to go back and purchase some for future still life work. What fun! $75.00

John 1:14 ESV

And the Word became flesh (Jesus) and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Blessings,
Sandra
sandrasart777@aol.com
Sandra-Cutrer.artistwebsites.com for prints of original work
Artist of Texas
cfai.com

"Day Lilies" by Sandra Reeves Cutrer $150.00

Its rare that I dream about my paintings, but I awoke this morning knowing that I dreamt about this painting named "Day Lilies" last night. I don't know if  it's because I've missed painting and blogging for nearly three weeks, while our granddaughter was visiting and traveling with us, or because the heat is so terrible here, that I am wishing for a cool spring day like the one in this painting represents. I have visions of all of the work that I will get done, the wonderful ideas are floating around in my head, and heart, just waiting for me to pick up my brushes,load them with paint, and apply them to my canvases. I just hope I will be able to paint them as I see them in my mind's eye. So many times my paintings never go the way that I want them to, but rather how my brushes want them to. There are times that I feel that I own magic brushes, and other times they are misbehaving sticks with hair, making me work harder at figuring out where I am going with a piece.Such is life. It seems, right when we think all is well, our plans and dreams are like "ducks in a row" BOOM! Things go awry, causing us havoc, pain, sadness, or upheaval that leads us in a totally new and different direction than what we had planned. If we are Christians, living for Jesus, asking  his will in our daily lives, we need to stay opened minded to his plans and not our own. Although he expects us to plan, be organized and productive in our lives, he also lets us know when we may have gotten off track and puts us on another road, leading us toward being the best that he knows we can be. Don't buck-up and be offended, Jesus knows what we need, when we need it. He is a "right-on-time" God!

Blessings,

Sandra

sandrasart777@aol.com

Sandra-Cutrer.artistwebsites.com

Artist of Texas

cfai.com

Native American Indian Drawing by Sandra Reeves Cutrer

Drawing is such fun.One of our beautiful granddaughters is here with her Pop and Nana for a good 2 weeks or so. We are having a blast, shopping until we drop, sleeping late, riding bikes, and looking forward to going on a trip to the mountains . I have promised to take some time this week to help her improve her drawing. She will be learning to shade, value lessons, composition, and how not to hold a pencil tightly, making hard lines where none should be. I am hoping she will be a great artist, along with her dream of being a veterinarian.

Have a blessed summer, and keep God first in all that you do. That is the recipe for true joy and success.

 "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." As the people celebrated God and shared with those in need the joy of the Lord came upon them.Nehemiah 8:10 NKJV

THIS DRAWING HAS SOLD!



Blessings,
Sandra Reeves Cutrer
Sandra-Cutrer.artistwebsites.com
sandrasart777@aol.com

God decides all things, not us!

According to the news, tomorrow is predicted to be "the end of the world" so says a few pitiful souls who haven't studied their Bible (with lots of prayer and fasting for wisdom). The word of God says that only God (the father of all) knows the time and hour of his coming. Don't fret, and don't believe those who predict it, for they are wrong in doing such a thing. But, instead, worry about whether you are right with God today, for you could die at any time and it will be the "end" for you,at least on this earth. You will face the only judge when HE decides, not men.
A few weeks ago, I thought Ms Bella, our sweet kitty, was too sick to live. I prayed and cried, but had little faith after watching her suffer for weeks. God doesn't always heal, as I know this first hand from losing a child to cancer (who, in my opinion, was way too young to die), so my faith was very shallow. I got my husband to take her to the vet, with the intent of having her put-down. Well, as you can see in the photo, it wasn't her time to "go", no matter what I thought, no matter how little faith I had. God made a way where I saw no way. It was such a simple thing for Him, but so hard for me. After all, I had to let go of fear and trust her maker. She is now healthier than she was before she got so sick. God knew exactly what she needed, but especially HE knew what I needed even more!

But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.Hebrews 11:6

Blessings,
Sandra Reeves Cutrer
sandrasart777@aol.com
Sandra-Cutrer.artistwebsites.com

"Rush Hour" by Sandra Reeves Cutrer $95.00

This is the same painting that I posted yesterday, with a few changes. I spent another hour or so on it today, which was still pretty quick work for me to call "finished" ( am I ever really finished with a painting??)
I hope you'll enjoy viewing it. I name it,"Rush Hour" because the rushing water reminds me of how we rush our time here on earth. Such a hurry, and for what? Thinking about this, and how guilty I am of rushing, it makes me stop and take a deep,deep breath. God, with your help, please allow me to notice when I am doing this, and help me to stop and pay attention to the day that I am in. This is my life, and I should take in every moment you have so graciously given to me.Amen!
12"x12"x1.5" gallery wrapped canvas,oils, $95.00.

Blessings,
Sandra Reeves Cutrer
sandrasart777@aol.com
Sandra-Cutrer.artistwebsites.com for prints and cards of my work

"Rush Hour" oils on canvas by Sandra Reeves Cutrer

Normally, I don't try for a "painting in a day", but yesterday was a rough day. A lot going on had me unplugging telephones and getting out to my studio. I grabbed a canvas and just started applying paint.Whatever came, came. And this is what I got. Funniest thing to happen was that it became a landscape! I am really not into landscape painting, but I think my mind went to the flowing water because it is such a peaceful thing. I sleep at night with a sound machine turned on to flowing water. I love the mountains, although I did not paint any in this work. Maybe because I feel like I am always climbing mountains lately in my life. I know there are things that I need to "touch-up", a few more hi-lights here and there, but this is what I did in a day. 12"x12", gallery wrap canvas. $95.00 plus shipping.

The First Day

The first recorded Words of God that we have are "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3 NIV). The sun was already shining brightly, but God made the earth's thick new atmosphere allow diffuse light to penetrate to the surface. And so it was that the light was made separate from darkness. The first day of earth's creation was literally the first "day" as someone on earth's surface would experience it - a period of opaque light, and a period of darkness. (Genesis 1:3-5)


Blessings,
Sandra Reeves Cutrer
sandrasart777@aol.com

"Is It Safe?" Cat photo by Sandra Reeves Cutrer

This is one of many photographs I've taken for future paintings.

This little feral kitty seems to be asking me, "Is it safe, yet?", but yet he couldn't really trust me for an answer. I happened to be working in my yard one evening when this little sweetheart popped his head out of the limbs of my neighbor's tree. I could tell he was scared, but hungry. I went to get food and my camera. He allowed me to take several shots of him, but wouldn't trust me enough to come down and eat, instead he decided to run away. Little did he know that I adore cats, would have fed him, pampered him, and loved him like I love my indoor kitty. Learning to trust others, and God, is so much like this kitty situation. We want to trust others, but when people have burned us in the past it is hard to forget and trust again. When God doesn't answer our prayers ( the way we asked or hoped he would), instead he sends more hardship our way, more hurt, frustrations, and seemingly unanswered prayers, we panic and run. When the whole time, there are good people out there, waiting to have a trust worthy friend, the same as we, and God is wanting to love you, pamper you, and build your faith, we run before he can show us what the "big picture" is. So we lose out with what could have been for what we "saw" with our big-eyed fear in front of us, our past making our hearts so heavy with doubt and past hurts, that we can't find trust other than in ourselves. We need to know that we can't trust ourselves always, because as humans we are so full of emotions, Emotions play havoc on trust and faith. Learn to let go today, of the past, the pain, the hurt, and go forward. Yep, we can be hurt again, but then again we could learn there is more "good stuff" out there, more joy, more love, more good to be gotten, felt, given, and hoped for.

God bless,

Sandra

Sandra-Cutrer.artistwebsites.com for prints of this original photo!