Here is a collection of some more photos of the beautiful California that I live in. It is truly a wonderful part of the world to live in. Most people only get to visit.
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Today is my birthday. I’m 47!! Check out my @mycharitywater campaign. Help me raise money for clean water. http://www.mycharitywater.org/richbrimer Here is a repost of a painting called “The other side” that. I started it in 2004. It took until 2007 to get it all finished up. I only have this video, but it is pretty nice to see it up close. If you have a current version of QuickTime on your computer (and you are NOT using Firefox on a PC) you can press the link below and watch it. This 24″ x 48″ oil painting is the biblical scene when Peter comes to shore after fishing all night long with nothing to show for his efforts. When he gets close to shore, a man standing on the shore tells him to give it another try, but on the far side of the boat. Peter is tired and has been at this all night long, but gives in and does what he knows will not yield anything. He is surprised to see that he was wrong about it and then recognizes that it is his friend Jesus that has told him this. Some days, we just do what you are trained to do. Sometimes we are told to do differently. Against their better judgment, Peter did do what Jesus asked of him, but I am sure that they had a discussion beforehand that went something like “Well, we are the fishermen here, but if we need to toss our net over the edge of the boat again to get you to shut your mouth…” and with a “ugggh” and a toss, the net was in the water. What would YOU have done? When do you feel that God is asking you to go or do something against your better judgment? This painting shows the provision of the provider when we think we have nothing to gain in giving it an extra go… even when Spirit compels us to keep going. Press on! I was commissioned to create this painting to show that sometimes the provision of God is just below the surface and also that he always knows where it will come from before we are nudged to act upon his Call. Peter had done everything right – all night long – and he was tired form doing the right thing with NO result. Jesus came to them to say “Keep it up”. Sometimes it seems absurd to do what you think is the “right thing”, but I have found that to keep pressing in is often the thing that is needed… that which needs to be done in order to get to the tipping point, to cause the equilibrium to go your way, to cause status quo to be not good enough. Life is hard work if we want to accomplish much or even SEE much in this world. It is always easier to “go with the flow” and just sit on a raft and float to the end of the river. I am never satisfied with this for very long. Rest and solitude is good and important for us, but real LIFE is hard work… and rewarding. Yesterday I sent off the four completed diptychs in my “Face of Love” series. The went with John Alderson and his son Bryce to BIOLA University for an exhibit that will last the entire semester. It will be in the foyer of one of the buildings on campus. I will post photos of the display when I get them in. It seems a bit strange to send off my paintings and not be there to hang them. I fully trust John’s judgment, but still odd not to be there. ;.) Below is the current stage of the paintings. I have not displayed the “I was Thirsty” paints ever before, and (don’t tell anyone…) there is still a bit of work to be done on it. I want to fuss a bit with the faces still, but I need a break to do some other work, so I shipped them off as is for the time being. Click on an image to view larger.  I was thirsty - You gave me drink" 36" x 72" Oil on canvas  I was sick - You visited me 36" x 72" Oil on canvas  I was sick - You visited me 36" x 72" Oil on canvas  I was naked - You clothed me 36" x 72" Oil on canvas
OK… I am getting closer. I have at least put some effort into ALL of the faces now. I have quite a lot left to do on each to tweak them but I can start to see where this is all going. I plan to finish this week with it because there is a “Board and Friends” art show for the Arts Council of the Conejo Valley that I am in. I am wondering what else to show? Here is the current state of things at the moment….  I have the first layer for her face in finally. I wiped of her mouth about 4 times before I found one to keep. Now to finese it.
So, it has been a long while since I posted an update for this painting. I have been poking at it and doing some work on it for a few evenings this week, so I am showing some of the progress here. Getting into the studio has been a pleasure that I have finally gotten to do since moving to Camarillo. I have a 9′ x 9′ corner of the garage boxed in with a wall so I can keep out the other items of the garage from overflowing in to the space. It is the first time that I have had three walls to contain a studio. I am loving my “Man Cave” as my wife calls it. I can go out late at night and paint with KLOS playing old classic rock and I loose my time. Next weekend I will be painting at the Freedom Day 2009 conference. I hope to see some familuar faces there. LEt me know if you can join me…
I met Scott Harrison last night at The Idea Camp and was floored by how the simple idea of clean water can make such a change for someone without it. HE showed this video to expose us (Americans) to a glimpse of what it is like (perhaps) for a BILLION people around the world that do not have access to clean water. He SUPER-reinvigorated my drive to help in any way I can. Although we are preparing for a home move in three weeks, I am compelled to get back to work on my “I was Thirsty” painting. So, I have actually been working on this painting a bit over the past month, but honestly, it is difficult to be motivated when the garage studio is 45 degrees. I have a space heater now but it costs a lot to run and it all the heat gets sucked out as soon as someone opens the garage door. <woosh!> So, here you have the latest draft of this piece. The top kid on the top right is turning out to being the focus. I am struggling still with the faces a bit – specifically the eyes… but I WILL get them right. It is the most important part to get right. I hate seeing a painted face with one eye higher or farther to the side than the other… Adding color has really changed the feel of the painting. I like it, but I also really liked the look and feel of the monotone version. I will post again when I have something new to show… but we are planning to move in the next month, so craziness ensues.
Here you can see that I have begun to block in the four figures on the left panel. There is a lot of work left to get the faces right, but I am well on my way to a good start. I have been off line with this painting for a couple of days to prepare for painting for Christmas Eve services.
So, here is the very first early sketch of a new painting. This is the 4th of my “Face of Love” series. After drawing it with pencil, I began to do a wash of burnt umber and walnut oil. I will not be able to get back to it until Sunday night. This will be called “I was Thirsty” and is going to be my hope that through it, I will raise the funds necessary to build a well in a waterless village in Africa. I am inspired by the hundreds of churches that are conspiring together this Advent Season to provide funds to allow Living Water to build hundreds of new wells around the world. This is from the Advent Conspiracy website… “Drilling a fresh water well is a relatively inexpensive, yet permanent solution to this epidemic… Solving this water problem once and for all will cost about $10 billion. Not bad considering Americans spent $450 billion on Christmas last year. Our hope is that, by celebrating Christ in a new way at Christmas, the church can serve as the leading movement behind ending the water crisis once and for all.” I know a few more churches this year that are involved in this effort. I am joining in with this new painting. I will be spreading the word throu this blog, and in due time, through art shows. Now to get back to painting … which will be difficult during this time of year. but I will work on it as much as I can. Soon, I will also be adding a new “Faces of Love” page to display each of the paintings in the series together. |
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