Weirdness abounds around

Today my husband was declared an immortal. (I told you weirdness abounds). Let’s see if I can explain. He was inducted into the Brazilian Evangelical Academy of “Letters”, which is basically an honor for published writers. In this case, Christian writers. I have no idea if there is an equivalent in North America. The members are referred to as “immortals”, again I suppose since they are writers their words live on. But Sissy and I have been teasing him asking if we, by extension are also a little bit immortal. The certificate is too big for my scanner, but you get the idea.

I also finished a strange art project from my book on color theory. I thought I would enjoy the project, but turned out to kind of be a drudge and not all that pleased with the results, although I have to admit, I learned a lot. I know color is important and learning to match, blend and change hue and intensity is all important. So here is the weird project.  I bought a napkin and scanned it so it would be 8x10. then I painted it in 5 different sessions. I glued a strip of the original colors at the bottom right corner. Than I tried to match the colors. In the next section I painted the complimentary colors (according to a color wheel). That made me go a little bonkers, as I looked at the original and saw light violet and I painted it yellow green, light green and I painted it pinkish. Next I had to paint it in the opposite value, that it to say I painted the light blue, in navy blue, etc. Then I had to change the intensity. The light green became an olive green and lilac became a sickly purple. Finally I returned to the original colors. I suffered because I don’t have a tiny brush to use in the curves and leaves and so things got all goofy by the end. I have found a beautiful picture of a tulip in a vase and am thinking of doing a series of studies of it – graphite black and white, then with pastels and finally with acrylics and maybe watercolors. Hopefully they will all turn out nicely and I can do my wall in the dining room. I have class tomorrow and will make a consult with my teacher as to the sizes I should use as well as types of media. It is amazing how much there is to learn – even the kinds of materials you use make such a difference.

I actually won’t have too much time to paint as I am getting ready to preach at a women’s congress this weekend down on the border of Argentina and Paraguay, at the Iguaçu Falls. I have wrapped up two of the three messages, but have the challenge of the third ahead of me. I have outlined and put in my stories and Bible references. Now it is just drawing it all together, since I know where I am heading. I hope to have time to do some tourism and take some great photos while I am there. I think it is absolutely magnificent and you will enjoy the views if I get to take any photos.