A Silent Night on Christmas Eve on Matlacha Island

Sara joins Leoma and paints a Christmas Tree

On a whim on Christmas Eve (2015) to honor the birth of Jesus Christ I painted live in the front room of my retail gallery. 

I mentioned it on facebook and Sara and her mother stopped in to watch. 

After I had finished a few paintings I turned around and handed a paint brush to young college student Sara and said, "come paint with me". With little hesitation, she did. 

Sara begins her painting

Sara begins to paint.

Leoma and Sara painting live during the
Matlacha Island, Florida Luminaries event.

It was one of my joyous Christmas moments. We have since become friends and Instagram buddies

Sara and Leoma, new painting buddies

 Sara and Leoma, new painting buddies. Gave her an apron because she had no idea she was to be painting that night. We didn't want to get paint on her clothes.

Leoma's "Madonna and Child"

My painting of Madonna and Child. I was nervous to paint a baby because

I had never painted a close up of a new born before. I tried several times

on this painting and finally liked what I came up with. A pleasant infant Jesus.

Sara's "Christmas Tree"

Sara's Christmas Tree

Looking forward to next year's Christmas Eve with Sara.
I love tradition, especially during Christmas. 

I'm looking forward to painting live again at my gallery on Matlacha Island, and I sure hope Sara joins me again. Stop in if you are in the area to celebrate the birth of my Savior, Jesus Christ.

Love Always,
Leoma Lovegrove

 Check out my instagram, Leoma_Lovegrove and see several of the photos from the evenings fun time.

I Wish I Could Be in California

"Wish I Could Be in California"

Today I was inspired to paint the weekly challenge from the Daily Paintworks website. A photo was posted of the California coast and I have such fond memories of my recent visit to the northern coast of California. Last year I spent a week being a tourist and fell in love with the area. I stopped and picnicked with the sea lions, drove up a little ways and stopped to watch the huge waves breaking along the shore due the a big approaching storm. Photographed the the wild zebras for about an hour outside the Hearst Castle and soaked it all up. Spend the last two days with family which was the icing on the California Cake. I enjoyed reminiscing as I painted the weekly challenge. 

Photo posted for weekly challenge on DailyPaintworks.com

Daily Rain Lilies

Daily Rain Lilies

Rain lilies are in full bloom in my waterside gardens on Matlacha Island. I have been growing the bulbs from a mere start of ten teeny bulbs that I bought at a local dept. store. The package said it would take five years to bloom. Well, that was eighteen years ago. Now, there are over five hundred lovely delicate pink flowers blooming all at once right before it rains. Patience pays off and it only took me one hour to paint this small painting. Claude Monet planted flowers so he would have something to paint on a rainy day. I paint in the rain under an umbrella. 

"Rain Lilies of My Valley

These two paintings in this blog are small warm ups before I start my big day of commissions for Bealls Florida Dept. Stores. One per day. I find that warming up before I paint large helps me to stay true to my art. 

"My Rain Gauge"

Last Train to Paris

Last Train to Paris
click here to buy

Mike and I were invited to our very first French barbecue along the Seine River near Giverny. Stephanie and Gerard have been our friends for nearly 15 years and we have enjoyed watching them through many stages of their married life. They have two girls and and it is really fun watching them grow and becoming friends with then too. Youngest, Marion paints with me each year when we return for our annual retreat away from the states. 

The barbecue did not even start until 9pm and Mike and I enjoyed the wine, the river, the french conversation which we did not understand, but knew the entire family and their friends were enjoying themselves and being together was the big it. We were happy to be a part of it. 

I heard a train and looked up and saw the last train of the night headed to Paris. I thought what an adventure to go to Paris, and then I realized we were experiencing even a better adventure with this precious french family. 



LovegroveGalleryandGardens@gmail.com