Bob Ross Quotations
“Let’s do a little cabinectomy here.”
“Maybe in our world there lives a happy little tree over there.”
“Shwooop. Hehe. You have to make those little noises, or it just doesn’t work.”
“That’s a crooked tree. We’ll send him to Washington.”
“The only thing worse than yellow snow is green snow.”
“Water’s like me. It’s laaazy… Boy, it always looks for the easiest way to do things.”
“We don’t make mistakes, we just have happy accidents.”
“We want happy paintings. Happy paintings. If you want sad things, watch the news.”
Orchids
Orchids
A.M. Otwell, 2008
12 x 36 inches
Original $450
This painting is based on this photograph by the very talented Dawne Olson, who graciously gave her permission for me to use her image as a reference.
In other news, Nick and Lark was featured in the Impressionist Art group at Redbubble. It happened a few days ago, and I was slow to report it, but it should still be on the front page of that group for a few more days.
There’s still free shipping (through October 30) going on at RedBubble for a few more days, so if you like this painting, now would be a good time to buy a print!
The Reluctant Christian Mourns
The Reluctant Christian Mourns
When I, each time anew,
shed tears as bread and wine are blessed.
Am I sad for You
or for my gnawing emptiness?
Do I cry because You suffer
You perfect Lamb, unblemished life,
or do I cry from self importance,
too self aware and full of strife?
I thirst!
I hunger for Your love.
I am too well versed in my need.
I cry for my lonely destitution
– I also cry because you bleed.
Inseparable, my joy and grief,
my love embedded in my need.
O Lord, please make whole my belief,
purify thought, word, and deed.
– A.M. Otwell, 2008
The Reluctant Christian Reflects
The Reluctant Christian Reflects
Must it all be to your glory?
Is there not one part of this story
I can call my own
if I’m to claim my wretchedness
and confess
your glory?
Can’t I have but one bright spot,
supply one tiny beam of my own,
a flashlight to illumine the sun?
Ah,
I see.
But I still am not content
to be some silver serving tray
reflecting that which quenches.
I am afraid of that which wrenches
self from self, me from mine
. . . that which refines.
– A.M. Otwell, 2008
The Reluctant Christian at Table
The Reluctant Christian at Table
Please take this back to the kitchen.
It is too rare.
Warm, yes,
but raw.
Unsuspecting, I pierced it with my fork;
red spread over my plate,
bathing everything in blood.
Please replace it all,
the side of faith,
the helping of hope.
You can leave out the gratitude garnish
– I never eat it, anyway.
Yes, I know
some think the blood enriches the flavor.
It does not tempt
my palate.
Please take it back.
Bring me something neater, if less divine,
to go with my wine.
I ordered my love well done.
– A.M. Otwell, 2008
Art and Design Books and Reading Commonplace Book Creativity and Creating
by amo
2 comments
From My Reading
These two quotations are really one, but I stopped and thought about the first part for a while before I read on to see what followed, so I’m going to break up what is really one paragraph in a book:
“When I get to heaven I mean to spend a considerable portion of my first million years in painting, and so get to the bottom of the subject.”
Flowers in a Green Vase
Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
“But then I shall require a still gayer palette than I get here below. I expect orange and vermilion will be the darkest, dullest colors upon it, and beyond them there will be a whole range of wonderful new colours which will delight the celestial eye.”
– from Painting as a Pastime
(While I was looking for an appropriate photo of one of his paintings, I came across this story, which I found rather interesting.)
