Saturday, February 28, 2009

Illustration Friday : Breezy Encounter


Many of you know I live near the ocean, a place that centers me and nourishes my soul.

One breezy day I was trying to walk off the blues. This seagull hovered not a foot away from my face and looked me right in the eye as if telling me to leave all my cares right there.

As she hung in the breeze, she brought me down to earth.


(I posted this painting 2 years ago, but not for Illustration Friday.)

acrylic on canvas 36"x36" click to enlarge details

41 comments:

  1. I love the ocean too. Mike and I talked about how wonderful it would be to have small homes (like 750 sq feet), one at the beach, one in the mountains and one in the desert...

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  2. Oh my god Lolo, this is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  3. Could everyone hear me cursing and swearing in frustration today??? IF wouldn't accept my thumbnail for some reason. I must have tried fifteen times!! Finally, I just posted my avatar.
    Sheesh...enough already!

    I hope you enjoy the surprise :)

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  4. beautiful serene image. I've had the thumbnail problem before as well, turned out mine was a pixel or so too large

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  5. It's a beautiful painting...and the small pile of rocks shows me a woman's form. Perhaps the YOU the seagull brought down to earth!

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  6. Lolo,

    Yes, the Turkish Van was Mike's kitty. His name is WishnWhiskers Sir Spoticus and he is 15 now. Mike and his ex-wife used to breed them and he came to me with Spot...

    Here's a link to my post recently (on my Mewsings blog) sharing with new blogging friends about Mike's passing.

    http://terithorsteinson.blogspot.com/2009/02/friday-13thspring-cant-be-far-off-now.html

    Since because of a major snafu/poor information/inconsiderate hospital policies/my lack of knowledge on how things work...an autopsy was not performed, but an aneurysm is probably what happened, for it to be so quick and sudden.

    Thank you for stopping by my cats blog and leaving such a heartfelt note. It means a lot to me...

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  7. Oh beautiful!! I do adore the ocean!!! Sarah

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  8. Wow what a beautiful painting and so special because you got this sign.....
    That she came so close and made contact!
    You captured this moment so well in this beautiful piece

    ps I was eating sateh with peanutsauce there........One of my favorites

    have a nice weekend dear!

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  9. That seagull must have known that he was communicating with an accepting heart...

    I like this Laurel. The seagull is the state bird of Utah, where I grew up, and there isn't an ocean anywhere near.... just the Great Salt Lake.

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  10. magic. pure magic. love the sea...sigh..huggles for you this saturday night... i also did a sea illo for if, will post tomorrow...

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  11. A messenger-gull! It sounds like a transcendent moment, and your painting really brings that to the viewer. I know so well what you mean about the ocean. I never feel completely at peace when I am too far from it.

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  12. Oh m goodness, that gull is gorgeous! Just look at those regal wings. So well done. I wouldn't mind getting a messenger like that.

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  13. This is a beautiful painting. I love birds and cant get enough of them.

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  14. You caught the moment beautifully Lolo.

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  15. Laurel your work is so amazing and your ocean pictures are always so relaxing. I think a better word would be calming.

    My sister gets home tomorrow night, so I will see her Monday.


    xooo

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  16. your work arrived today. Great stuff. Love the envelope especially.

    My trade was sent off on Friday because I had to buy a mailing tube. Sorry for the delay but you should have it by the end of next week.
    Many thanks, N

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  17. oh freedom! i can feel the height so vividly.

    i love her pencil straight feet.

    :)

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  18. Wow, I love the colors and the post! Simply lovely!

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  19. oh the way the seagull is facing us just feels so good...
    as if she's brought us a message of freedom...

    she's so real!

    "As she hung in the breeze, she brought me down to earth."

    healing... sublime...

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  20. Hi Lolo, It is nice to see this painting of yours again, it is one of my favorites of yours, it is easy to imaging the wind underneath the wings. I remember how stunning this painting is in person! I also miss seagulls. I haven't seen one in months, very weird!

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  21. Oh yeah. by the way. I had a ton of trouble with IF on Friday too! I thought I had been blocked and I was really really really sad.

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  22. Oh yeah. by the way. I had a ton of trouble with IF on Friday too! I thought I had been blocked and I was really really really sad.

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  23. I love watching the seagulls do that in the breeze - beautiful.

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  24. A truly beautiful and deeply evocative painting. I love the story that accompanies the art too! I so know what you mean about the ocean nourishing one's soul.

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  25. "As she hung in the breeze, she brought me down to earth..."
    Okay...that right there gave me all kinds of chill bumps...Your words and images are magic to me...:)

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  26. Hello found your comment at the site of my friend Marianne.
    You made me very curious about the wallpainting of the Ridgeback.
    Do you have a picture?

    Greetings from Holland
    Marja

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  27. You're so kind and the paintings are so beautiful.
    Thank you very much in advance.

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  28. Wow! Beautiful! this is one of those paintings can feel and hear- can hear the breeze and the ocean and the seagulls and the quiet. For me, when the gulls get too close, I start to worry about the other little flying presents from them- though they say it's good luck to get hit by it (can't imagine why?). Now when they get close, I'll think about what you wrote.

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  29. Lovely, i can feel the salty breeze on my face. Thanks for sharing :)

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  30. How awesome! Great painting and story too! I need to visit the beach more often...I live about 2 miles inland of the Atlantic, and rarely go! Sadly.

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  31. I am so happy that you reposted this because it deserves more attention! It is filled with beauty Laurel, it's special :)

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  32. This is a beautiful, serene image. I so enjoy your blog - there's always something wonderful to view. Thank you again for pulling me out of the hat! Can't wait to see pigeon in real life!

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  33. ...and I remember it! If my memory serves me right, it was near the time we met :) I've always loved this as for me it represents a sign of freedom, of letting go.

    Thank you for reposting it. Perfect for the prompt.

    Have a terrific week!!

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  34. I need to be near an ocean, one of these old days, but for now, this beautiful creature, with it's yellow eyes, the ocean, and Laurel comforted will do just fine.

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  35. This is great! I also live near the ocean and often wonder what I would do if I didn't. I love your representation of your interaction with the gull. Nature is amazing and is such a great gift to us.

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  36. Love ocean,your illo is amazing and ful of feelings

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  37. acckkkk!! i can SMELL the air in this one! (sigggggghhhh.) except gulls, out here? they STEAL PIZZA SLICES right out of your hand! pepperoni, veggie, white pizza, they DIVE for it!
    a gorgeous painting, lollie! :))

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  38. I love, love, love the new header!!!!!!

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  39. I just stopped by to say I love your header!!

    PS: Be sure your thumbnail is a jpeg. I had the same problems recently because I ignored that...

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  40. Gorgeous! What a magical experience to have with the wee gull. I had a similar experience once, except instead of an inspiring message, my gull was trying to get at my french fries. You run with a decidedly better crowd of birds.

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