Sunset Silhouettes

Artist's Gallery

Simple Sunset Painting

When I was first getting into acrylics, I picked up an excellent book at the library called Fast and Fun Landscaping with Donna Dewberry. Although I’d never watched Donna Dewberry’s TV painting show, I loved this book. It really shaped my acrylic technique, and I discovered a style I really enjoy. She uses a relatively new high-definition acrylic paint (that means it’s thicker and stands up more). I actually used cheap Wal-Mart poster paint, which didn’t have quite the same effect, but I still learned a lot.

This is the very first (and easiest) project from the book. Following the step-by-step example, I used a sponge to streak red, orange, and yellow paint across the sky, put in the sun, and added some more red clouds. The tree silhouettes are made with a fan brush. And the foreground was supposed to be applied with a palette knife and be very textured. My plastic color-mixing knife and runny black paint didn’t do quite the trick!!

Snowshoe Rabbit

Artist's Gallery

Snowshoe Rabbit

Well, we’re not switching gears too much to look at a few of my own art pieces! I did this paint-by-number when I was eight years old. The many shades of blue and brown on the white coat have always intrigued me, and I think the subtle touches of red contrast very nicely. I did several paint-by-numbers at that time—astronauts on the moon, a puppy and soccer ball, and a beautiful one with dolphins jumping at sunset. I also composed this poem to go with my Snowshoe Rabbit painting when I was eight:

All creatures great and powerful,

All creatures great and small,
There's none like the snowshoe rabbit

That changes in the fall.

 In the spring it emerges

A shade of rustic brown;

 In the winter it shows up pure white,

Like a wedding gown.

Birds Snowflake

Ohio History

Birds of the Air

Look at all the birds on this one! I never thought there were so many different silhouette shapes for birds!! This snowflake must have been a difficult one—can you imagine cutting out those tiny stalks of wheat? The detail sure is mind boggling on this one. It comes from Matthew 6:26:

"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns;
yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not of more value than they?"

More Snowflakes

Ohio History

Treasures in Heaven

I like the little moths in the center of this snowflake. It’s one of the more complicated patterns, with trees and people around the outside, topped by stars. You can spend quite a while studying any of the snowflakes, and more pictures will pop out! This one represents Matthew 6:19-20:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,

where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;

but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven,

where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

The Matt. 5-7 series included many diverse patterns and pictures—people, plants, flowers, stars, clouds, and butterflies, to name a few. One even had pig faces on it (“Do not cast your pearls before the swine”).

Paper Snowflakes

Ohio History

Light of the World

The final attraction at the Hayes Museum appeared at first to be a bunch of large snowflakes. They were created by a surgeon from Michigan named Thomas Clark. Otherwise known as “Dr. Snowflake,” he specializes in this intricate cut-paper art. Most of us have probably folded a circle in quarters and cut out little notches to make a snowflake. Well, Dr. Snowflake used the same technique to create an array of tiny pictures within an 8” or 10” paper circle. It was truly amazing!

There some Christmas-themed snowflakes and a few designs featuring the planets. But the largest collection was a series picturing Bible verses from Matthew 5, 6, and 7. This snowflake illustrates Matthew 5:14:

“You are the light of the world.

 A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand,

and it gives light to all who are in the house.”

Model Trains

Ohio History

Trains in the Village

Here’s a view of the other side of the layout with two passing trains. I think the one on the left ran on an interactive switch. It even has lights in the passenger cars! The short one with yellow cars is also in one of my previous pictures. Head over to J Beachy Photography if you want to see an extraordinary video of a model train in action. It’s really awesome, complete with scenery and music!

Exploring the Trains

Ohio History

Ski Lift and Trolley Car

Besides watching the trains chugg around the tracks, we could also try out interactive buttons all over the layout. Some of them operated model trains on short sets of tracks. Others sent children’s swings, tiny ice skaters, and a carousel (with lights & music) into motion. We could even move the ski lift up and down a snowy mountain! Above you can see both the ski lift and a little trolley car (which got stuck every time we tried to run it!).

Railroad Crossing

Here is the little railroad crossing station. The door opens like this and the little man pops out when you press the button. I think it’s so cute!
Below is a scene with a lighted church, ice skaters (that lake is actually a mirror), and a train. Those cows in the background caught my eye—what on earth are they doing in the snow outside a hardware store?? 

Cows in the Snow



Hayes Train Layout

Ohio History

Second & Third Levels

The train layout was fascinating to examine—countless tracks ran in every direction, through tunnels, railroad crossings, and stations! Green turf and plenty of cotton stuffing created the snowy backdrop for a village scene with miniature houses, shops, churches, and depots. Many were even lit by tiny electric lights. Did you spot the two trains coming ‘round the bend? I’ll tell you, it was a challenge to get all the moving trains lined up for a picture!

Trains and Village

The six large trains replicated actual styles in use during President Hayes’ time. Railroads were crucial during the Civil War and Mr. Hayes probably rode them frequently. I’d say that both of these look like passenger trains; what do you think?