Friday Art Smorgasbord - Garden Blessings

Greetings!  Let me begin by apologizing for the late post this week.  I may start titling it "Saturday Art Smorgasbord," since my schedule is probably not going to slow down for a while.  Anyway, this week I looked into my garden for inspiration.  Rather relaxing with family and friends, enjoying visiting creatures, or taking a dip in the swimming pool, God's presence is always evident.  

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
This art journal page is based on a small sculpture of St. Francis of Assisi that stands in a flower bed by my swimming pool.  St. Francis was a man who was born to a wealthy cloth merchant family in Italy.  After a vision, he gave up his wealth and worldly life to become a Roman Catholic friar and preacher.  He is also considered the Patron Saint of Animals because he considered himself a friend of the animals, so he's very popular in garden art and an inspiration to animal lovers like me.  I began this page by doing a Twenty Minute Challenge pencil and Sharpie micron pen sketch.  Then I used a Zig calligraphy pen to write the quote.  Finally, I used a combination of Prismacolor watercolor pencils and Talens opaque watercolors to add some color.  I am submitting this page to Inspiration Avenue - FriendshipsPaint Party FridayArtist's Playroom - You Choose, Artists in Blogland - Show and Tell Saturday #26, and Blue Chair Diary - Sunday Sketches.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
This tag is inspired by one of my garden "friends," which include birds such as Hummingbirds, Red-Tail Hawks, Carolina Wrens, Mockingbirds, Cardinals, White Winged Doves, Turtle Doves, Great Kiskadees, Common Nighthawks, Ladder Backed Woodpeckers, Martins, Swallows, Finches, and several other types of birds.  Although not on a regular basis, I've had a couple of owls visit my garden too.  I consider this magnificent creatures, whom are sometimes associated with the occult because of their nocturnal habits, to be a part of God's creatures great and small.  Although the Bible deems them non-edible, I did not find any demonic references to them.  Details on how I made the tag may be found in my Tag Tuesday post.  I am submitting this tag to Collage Obsession - Owls, Word Art Wednesday #46 - Friends, and Take a Word Wednesday - Zetti.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
This photograph is of the first Monarch Butterfly I spotted in my garden last October during their annual migration route through Del Rio, Texas, where I live.  Although September 22nd is the official first day of Autumn in Texas, I don't consider it truly here until the Monarch's come through.  Flocks of them will gather in my garden and rest in the branches of my trees.  It is truly miraculous to have hundreds of them flutter around you when you walk under the trees.  St. James Episcopal School, my daughters alma mater and where I was Head for seven years, participates in a marvelous program in which they tag them annually.  The students even get to witness the Monarch's cycle, since they grow Milkweed in their gardens.  That's where I developed a true appreciation for them.  I am submitting this photograph to 52 Photos Project - Gallery 22 {Season's Beginning}, A Rural Journey - Your Sunday Best #36: Signs, and The Three Muses Challenge - Autumn.

I hope you enjoyed my Garden Blessings as much as I enjoyed sharing them with you.  By the way, I am also blessed by an amazing night view of the stars, amusing squirrels, fascinating lizards, curious deer, and even cute skunks.  Well they are cute as long as they don't spray my dogs - LOL!  I may have to do a post on them at another time.  Thank you for all your motivating comments during last week's post.  You are cordially invited to leave a comment on this post too, and/or add your name to my list of followers.  Vaya con Dios - Go with God!

Comments

This is another great piece, Arnoldo. You know your art is always such a tremendous blessing to me, and I thank you for playing along with us!
Karen
Word Art Wednesday
Teri said…
As usual, I've enjoyed your post and look forward to it each week. In Isaiah 43:20 there is a nice reference to owls, which I used for my owl piece. We have quite a few around our home and it's fun to listen to them, especially when they start up their 'chorus'.

Ritu Dua said…
Lovely post and great drawings!
Fantastic sketch of Saint Francis! I have two small statues of him in my yard. Your owl piece is lovely, and the monarch is stunning! It's always a pleasure to come to your blog.
Marlena M. said…
I always love the smorgasbord days! Beautiful photo, journal and tag~that owl is a HOOT! ;)
Bella Cirovic said…
Oh, how I would love to see those butterflies!
Your blog, art, and photos are so inspiring.
Thank you for linking up again this week :)
bellefrogworks said…
Love the St. Francis sketch - and the tag is beautiful!
Deanna said…
What wonderful pieces of art, you have an amazing talent. Thanks for joining Nancy's Your Sunday Best.
You truly have the gift of art. Thank you for blessing us with it every week. :)
Winnie said…
Just beautiful! i love your depiction of St. Francis. It is so wonderful. Your owl is amazing. Such intricate cuts! I love owls, I don't find them to be demonic at all either, I think God loves all his feathered friends. I bet you must see a lot of butterflies with the migration to Mexico. I look forward to seeing more pictures. Have a great, creative week.
Tracey FK said…
Saturday Smorgasbord is just as awesome as Friday... I hope you take some photos of the butterflies when they are en masse... I would love to see that... we get flocks of rainbow parakeets which are stunning, but noisy, and early summer one of our trees gets visited by a flock of sulphur crested cockatoos which are so overwhelming in numbers that they strip trees... they are a sea of white and yellow... I would like a flock of butterflies more I think... gentler on our trees...xx
Christine said…
lovely inspired garden piece!
Carolyn Dube said…
Flocks of butterflies- oh that sounds so magical!! Your garden must be wonderful- look at all it has inspired you to do!
GlorV1 said…
Love your work and of course the monarch, my favorite. The home garden is the place to really live in happiness. I do. Thanks for sharing, Happy PPF! Have a great week.
Deepa Gopal said…
Nice post and nice drawing...loved the owl tag :)

Thank you for your visit!
Paula (PEP) said…
Your list of birds is quite something - Hummingbirds I have never seen & I just marvelled at the variety you have. We too are privileged with owls in our woodland which are audible at night. I've yet to see one. A Buzzard visits us sometimes & we often have Red Kites flying overhead. At this time of year we have glistening spiders' webs & I am constantly evicting them from the house. Your journal page is very special.
Paula (PEP)
Nancy said…
So glad you decided to share your artistic talents with us again at Your Sunday Best, Arnoldo! Wishing you a creative week ahead. :)
Zue said…
What gloriously exotic creatures come to grace your garden. They sound exotic to me as I live in the UK. We have beautiful birds but they are less brightly hued.
Have fun in your garden. I enjoyed reading this post and I admire very much your art:)
xx
Such a beautyful owl! Love it!
Unknown said…
what a wonderful painting and such a very true quote!
Your tag is so creative!
Victoria said…
So beautiful Arnoldo! Gorgeous art..I love St.Francis..he is a beautiful soul and your art is magnificent!and wow.. I love the gorgeous monarch!
Victoria
Gemiel said…
Loved this week's garden smorgasboard!! The owl tag is too cute!! Love how you used punches for his various parts. Thanks for playing along with us at Word Art wednesday this week. Blessings!
Barb Cady said…
My goodness you do get a wonderful variety of garden visitors in your part of the world! It sounds amazing, more photos please! I'm glad you liked the Beryl Cook cards, I somehow rhought you would, no thanks needed, just enjoy! Love and light x
minnemie said…
Lots to see and enjoy here as usual:-) I especially like your owl tag!
JansArtyJunk said…
Oh, what wonderful garden blessings!...I just love stopping by your creative blog Arnoldo...so much beautiful creative inspiration!
Anonymous said…
You(!)Arnoldo are such a blessing! Just beautiful! Thank you!
To be surrounded by so many fluttering Monarchs ... it must be truly breath taking!

And I love your whimsical owl!
Jennifer McLean said…
I agree with tracey, I'd love to see a plethora of butterflies in your inspiring garden. it must give you such peace to spend time there. Great art once again this week, thanks Arnoldo.
Best,
Jenn
Leovi said…
Preciosa mariposa.
Icy BC said…
Your painting is so beautiful, and so is your tag! Fantastic work!
Barbara said…
What a beautiful drawing of St. Frances. One of my favorite saints! Lucky you that the monarchs always come your way. I live near Austin and one year they passed our way and it was truly amazing!
Currie Silver said…
BEautimous and so enriching, Arnoldo. I DO indeed look forward to your posts and the wondrous tales you share.

I was really interested to hear about the Monarchs. I've noticed them here in South Florida in the past several months, and I always feel my last Golden Retriever, Reba, is making a visit when I DO. I say hello to her and I really don't care if people hear me talking to her!! My Gracie always tries to see "Rebie" but she canNOT seem to fix her eyes on her. I have asked her to let Gracie see her, but she just flits about and poor Gracie tries and tries to see her...

Thanks for letting me share that little story "out loud" here. It makes my heart happy.
K J D said…
What a wonderful blog post....

Lucky you having such a variety of wonderful birds visit your garden

We get robins, blackbirds, thrushes, sparrows, blue tits and wood pigeons mainly. Once we had a sparrow hawk.

I love the owl in your tag :)

Karen
Gloria j Zucaro said…
At least you did post! I missed The Artist Playroom last week and my usual Zentangle post. But it was worth it to help my son and his wife with their move after the sale of their townhouse. I always enlarge your artwork to see all the wonderful details of them and the wonderful assortment of background objects you put around them to make your composition for your photos. The owl is wonderful as are all the birds and other creatures that visit you in your garden. I admire your drawing skills, too, that produced in a short span of time your St. Francis. Have a wonderful week.
Alice said…
i love the monarchs. too! we have a lot of butterflies outside now, flitting from flower to flower - beautiful!
Darla said…
I enjoyed the visit to your garden. The St. Francis drawing is lovely.

Darla
Neesie said…
Yet again a wonderful smorgasbord of delights Arnoldo! ;D
The flock of butterflies sounds magical and I would love to see such a beautiful sight.
St Francis has always been one of my favourite Saints.
Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for sharing :D
Love your garden inspiration!! We can indeed see the Lord in His creation, when we stop to look!! ~ Blessings, Tracey

http://gracescraps.blogspot.com/
Sharon Wagner said…
Your garden grows and your label labor can't be denied. Good work. I'm also glad to discover owls are deemed unedible. I would rather just admire their beauty anyway.
Seema Misra said…
Your thoughts and artwork are both uplifting, as usual. I love the way you relate to nature ... there is nothing as humbling and enlightening as nature.

"To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour"

Wishing you a happy week.
Your garden sounds amazing, and if this journal page is any indication of that beauty, then WOW!!! Gorgeous drawing...I love it!