837 Shining Light

The Campion home was filled with warmth and joy at Christmas and Chanukah.  We had a house full of family--many from a warm climate who loved the cold (go figure) and frolicking in the snow.  We were all bundled up to endure snowball fights, building forts, and the highlight-- snow tubing.  Food and drink were plentiful, and laughter filled the air.  Santa visited and left many gifts for the children after filling his belly with cookies and milk.  We are all so fortunate to have so many blessings.

Painting over the last few weeks was at a minimum, but I was too busy to make it a priority.  I was a little worried that the dreaded painter's block would slip in, but thankfully it didn't.  A giant antique door knob painting called out from the easel, and a beautiful amaryllis gift from a friend is blooming and stirring potential painting ideas.

But at this time yesterday and today, I felt compelled to paint another refugee child pictured on ANERA'S "#Shine Your Light" year-end fundraising campaign (www.ANERA.com) as part of The Innocents Project.  This little girl stole my heart with her big brown eyes and bowed lips.  This will make my 10th portrait in this series,  and I will continue painting until I have a body of work to display and raise awareness (and funds) for the refugee children in Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan. American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) has a great track record for providing education, shoes, warm clothes, medical supplies, improved water systems, and whatever else is needed to give refugees some dignity and the tools needed to make a better future.  It is very cold in that part of the world, perhaps you didn't know that, and heat is not plentiful even in regular homes, let alone in tents and makeshift cement structures. Imagine sleeping in 40 degrees without heat!  I hope you will check out ANERA's web sight and their Facebook page.  Their focus is on providing better lives for the refugees, NOT politics, so I hope that will further encourage you to read about their good work and to consider a donation.

I would like to express my gratitude to you for following my work and for all your comments, suggestions and encouragement.  I am grateful for the two galleries who represent me, Edgewood Orchard Gallery in Door County, Wisconsin, and The Leigh Gallery in Chicago.  I wish you all good things for 2017--good health, happiness, a heart full of love, and whatever prosperity means to you.

"837 Shining Light"
acrylic - 12x12 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/837-shining-light/542711

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www.dianecampion.blogspot.com

803 I Deserve More

 From all outward appearances, this darling little girl looks normal, right?  She's clean,  her hair is combed and she is wearing a nice big smile on a sunny day (not that all of that makes "normal).  But her life is far from normal.  She is one of too many refugees living in makeshift camps devised from tents or old barracks in Lebanon and Palestine.  In the many photos I have seen of the camps, they appear to be cement walls with a tarp used as a "roof" to connect them.  It's very sad for me to think that this is how this little girl lives and it is the only way she knows to live.   Her family has to beg for clean water to cook, drink and bathe in a bucket.  

ANERA is working very hard to help these children who have faced war and displacement in their very short lives.  They have renovated schools, improved on water systems, and provide shelter, medical supplies, clean clothes, blankets, playgrounds and done everything within their power to make the lives of the displaced Syrians and Palestinians more comfortable and "normal."  

This painting is part of my series of refugee children that I am calling "The Innocents Project."  I am very committed to try to raise awareness of the horrific situations that the children face, with the hope that you will check out the good work that ANERA does (American Near East Refugee Assistance) and consider making a donation to help these children.   This project came about for me because I wasn't satisfied with just sending donations to this worthy cause.  I felt I needed to do more.  I sincerely hope you will go to ANERA's web site to see the reality that these people face and will make a donation.  www.anera.org 

"803 I Deserve More"

acrylic - 12x12 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/803-i-deserve-more/483851

dianecampion.blogspot.com

767 Confidence Comes With the Hat

Dress up boxes are great gifts for kids.  They have so much fun being whoever they want to be with no expectations.  I guess I shouldn't generalize--adults can ham it up when given the chance to let their guard down. 

"767 Confidence Comes With the Hat"
acrylic - 5x5 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/767-confidence-comes-with-the-hat/441605

dianecampion.blogspot.com

762 Sunset Cartwheel

In addition to portraits, I have been struggling with a large painting, a still life.  I've tried many different background (wall) colors,  but nothing felt right until today, not even the artistically logical ones.  I hope to post it this week.    This painting (above) provided a little levity for me.  This little girl could win a cartwheel contest!

"762 Sunset Cartwheel"
acrylic - 8x10 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/762-sunset-cartwheel/439584
dianecampion.blogspot.com

761 All About the Eyes

Learning to paint portraits is an ongoing challenge.  Undoubtedly, the eyes are the favorite part of the painting for me, but often the placement is difficult.  It is so easy to mess things up by not having one eye positioned the same as the other.  The direction of the "look" is so easily changed by the position and the level of the lids, as well as the little glint.

The nose.  That's another story.  Noses are all so different and I find them the most challenging.  This little girl has a perfect nose with a perfect little triangle at the tip.  My version of her nose is not perfect. 

Since I have been painting portraits, when I meet someone, I find myself studying the face and the placement of the features.  I never paid much attention to those details before. But now they are important.  Nevertheless, I keep plugging away.  I am running out of photos of people showing no teeth, which look  like chicklets in a painting. 
"761 All About the Eyes"
acrylic - 4x4 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/761-all-about-the-eyes/439006

dianecampion.blogspot.com

759 I Did It!!

This little girl just got her ears pierced!  Doesn't she look proud?

"759 I Did It!!"
acrylic - 6x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/759-i-did-it!!/438430

dianecampion.blogspot.com

745 Helpful

The Art Ladies visited South Carolina a few years ago to paint marshes.  One of the highlights of our trip was to visit Beaufort and St. Helena Island, where we visited the Gullah Grub Restaurant.  The Gullah are a people rich with history and culture, living in Sea Island and the coastal regions of the South Carolina, Georgia and Northeast Florida.  Bill Green, owner of Gullah Grub welcomed all of us and not only was the food delicious, but the hospitality was warm.  Bill's young granddaughter happened to be helping out at the restaurant and was very serious about her responsibilities.  She had a face I knew someday I would want to paint, and it took some effort to get her to smile.  I wish I remembered her name. 

"745 Helpful"
acrylic - 6x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/745-helpful/434131

dianecampion.blogspot.com

740 A Moment in Time

Thirteen years ago, during a summer vacation, my family visited a beautiful gallery with a lovely courtyard and gardens.  My daughter couldn't resist plucking a flower from the garden and I snapped a photo of her.   I felt so welcome there at that inviting and peaceful place, but little did I know that I would be represented by this gallery many later.  I have always loved the photo of my daughter, but now I appreciate it so much more.  I enjoyed painting her with her look of happiness and joy over such a simple and sweet little pansy.

"740 A Moment in Time"
acrylic - 8x8 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/740-a-moment-in-time/433359

730 Contemplating

With each new painting and lots of study, I am learning.  I have
 corrected this painting at least a dozen times after photographing it, when errors glare at you.  I have to give it up for this painting (for now).  As the month nears an end, I hate to see it go, as Chantel's class comes to a close soon.  I never thought an online class could be so informative! I will continue  working on portraits at least until the end of the year, and then who knows where my whim will take me....

"730 Contemplating"
acrylic - 8x10 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/730-contemplating/429935