Little Owl

Little Owl – acrylic painting by Heni Sandoval

Little Owl is my new painting of a small owl sitting on a branch in a forest just prior to dusk.  In late May, my good friend was in town for a visit and to see my art show.  After dinner we took a walk through the neighborhood as the sun was setting.  I happened to glance over at a dogwood tree in a wooded front yard where I noticed a large barn owl only about eight feet from us on a low branch. We stopped to watch him as he stared at us silently with his large eyes never moving. He was striking and must have been waiting for darkness to set in before hunting.

In recent years, owls have been a big decor item and I had been resisting painting them. Since seeing this owl and also recently hearing an owl’s hoot in the late night I decided it was time to paint one.   I looked up what it could mean when you see an owl and read that there could be a mystery afoot or some kind of transition coming up.  Owls also represent wisdom and intelligence.

My daughter leaves to study in Prague for the semester in just two weeks.  She’ll be taking a photography class along with a couple of language and core classes.  Her passport and visa finally came in the mail today,  her new film camera for the class arrived yesterday so she is just about ready.  Her twentieth  birthday is a few days before she leaves.  She’s got a lot to look forward to, we’re excited for her upcoming adventure.  I plan to paint all weekend, don’t have a subject picked out yet.  Enjoy your weekend!

 

Crow at Dusk

Crow at Dusk – acrylic painting by Heni Sandoval

I wrote my first blog post a year ago today.  I was nervous about starting a blog because I’m a pretty private person.  I consoled myself thinking not many would read my writing anyway, we are all so busy, so I went ahead and decided to try it.   I posted a crow painting and wrote a very personal piece in memory of my dad who was born on this date.  What I’ve discovered surprisingly is that it has been fun to write and express the thoughts and stories behind my paintings.  It’s been like jumping in to cold water, it starts warming up after a while.  I’ve enjoyed connecting with other bloggers and following blogs that catch my interest.  I feel a sense of community with people all over the world.  I’m glad I took the plunge.

Speaking of my dad, I think he has been a big influence on why I enjoy writing.   He grew up during the depression in Virginia before television.  Time was slower then and his family would hang out playing music and listening to stories.  He got the story telling gift;  he was perfectly at ease being the center of attention and could tell a story that would keep anyone interested.  My sisters and I heard fun stories about my dad’s childhood:  like hunting for squirrels, or how he pretended to hate whipped cream because he got special attention for that,  the way he swept mom off her feet when they first met, their fun first years together and on and on.  My oldest sister was an english major in college and is a natural writer, she writes an excellent monthly astrology column, Heavenly Messages, which she posts on her website here.  My twin sister is a gifted poet and is planning on publishing a daily Christian devotional soon.   I think dad would be happy about his influence on us and I wonder what he would have thought about blogging.  Happy birthday Dad, thanks!