Scenic Earth Studios - The Art Gallery of Rick Short

Mount Dora Art Stroll - July 10, 2009 6pm

2009-07-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

This Friday starting at 6 PM, the Mount Dora, Florida Art Stroll will feature a group of Visual Artsits exhibiting Art and Photography at the Mount Dora Art Stroll in the Donnely building in the heart of Downtown Mount Dora. This will be a group show of many visual artists including myself and also a free movie - Journey to the Center of the Earth - so come check it out and enjoy a fun night in Mount Dora. There is plenty of shopping, nice restaurants and a new Thomas Kincade Art Gallery as well.

July 10 Mount Dora Art Stroll. 6-8PM. FREE. A festive evening of art,
music and hors d'oeuvres designed to showcase regional art at
several walkable venues through out Downtown Mount Dora. Maps
can be picked up at any location along the stroll. All artwork will
be on sale.

Various venues in Downtown
352-383-2165

July 10 2nd Friday Movie in the Park: Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Dusk. FREE. In case of inclement weather, movies will be shown
in the Community Building. For more information please contact
Mount Dora Parks & Recreation Department.
Donnelly Park on the corner of Donnelly Street & 5th Avenue

The Importance of Mentoring and Teaching

2009-02-13T11:48:00.000-08:00

The Importance of Mentoring and Teaching

I have had the honor of being mentored by two people in my life time. Both were professional and well educated people who came to me and offered to volunteer their time to mentor and make an investment in me because they saw the value in doing so. One was a Manager at the National Council on Compensation Insurance who was my boss and the other was a former Sunday School Teacher.

Both took the time to spend time with me, encourage my strengths, work on my weaknesses and enable me to be a better leader, speaker, programmer, encourager and eventually, a mentor to others.

My former Manager at the National Council had an interest in mentoring, it was something he grew into and loved doing. He had a gift for it, a gift that not many people have. Little did I know at the time but he fostered a desire in me to mentor and help others later on in life, just as he did me. I have found over the years, the most rewarding times I have had in my career have been the times when a co-worker needed my help to get up to speed on something and I was able to help them and give them the answer they need and help educate them. It was rewarding to share that knowledge and a pleasant surprise that I had enough knowledge to even help someone else. Knowledge is something that is growing and changing so fast these days due to technology. Therefore, the need for educators and good mentors is growing just as fast.

I can still remember the names of all my teachers in grade school and high school and even some in college. From Kindergarten to college, I can remember the teachers that were wonderful and I counted as friends. I also remember the teachers that were absolutely awful and would even embarrass you in class for no other reason than to be just plain out cruel. You never forget those comments and you never forget the names of those teachers. If I could go back to school and visit them, some I would like to take out to lunch, others I would like to take my foot and kick as far as I can send them.

It is a huge, huge responsibility to be a Teacher or Mentor. Because whether you realize it or not, the lives you touch, the Students you impact, you will mold and shape for the rest of their lives. As a Teacher, you may not always feel appreciated for the work that you do. Your students may not always put an apple on your desk, may never say 'thank you' for all you have taught them, but rest assured, your students will remember you. They will remember how you made them feel and they will remember if you took the time to speak to them and smile at them and be their friend or scowl at them and make a crude comment to make them feel small.

When I look back over all the teachers I had over the years, including my two mentor friends, I can recall the things that made the good teachers good and the bad teachers just plain awful. Truthfully, what made the good teachers 'good' were the simple fact that they cared about their students and loved what they were doing, so naturally they were good at the technique of conveying and communicating that information and it came easy for them.

What made the bad teachers absolutely awful is the fact that they were moody, they were mean, and they simply did not care about their students and it showed. It showed very well. Even an animal can sense if you love them or not. How much more a child. I even had one math teacher in grade school tell an entire class after showing us something on the board, 'well if you dont understand, you don't understand' and left us hanging. What she failed to understand was it was her job to help us understand and she had failed in doing so.

I may not remember everything that my mentors taught me and it is impossible to remember everything I learned in school over the years, but what I do remember well is the faces and names of the teachers who cared enough to say hello to me, smile at me, offer a word of encouragement and make me feel special. In doing so, they showed they were human beings too and approachable and that they wanted me to succeed as a student and eventually, in life. They encouraged me to ask questions and did not make me feel stupid or small when I did. There were some teachers who did make me feel small. I even had one teacher who made a snide comment, causing the other students to laugh at my expense. I remember that moment well, mostly because one of my best friends in class had the courage to stand up for me and say 'hey Rick, dont feel bad, I was getting ready to ask the same question". My teacher just sat their in silence looking at the floor with her jaw clenched. You could hear a pin drop for all the class to hear how very small of a person she was.

We have all heard the old saying, ""Give a man a fish and you have fed him for today. Teach a man HOW to fish and he can feed himself for a lifetime." I do not think people often realize just what an important task it is to teach the children and adults of today. It is a big calling and yet many are not suited for it, even those that are currently employed as Teachers. There are some that would make the world a better place by stepping down and allowing someone better to take their place.

To teach a man to fish, is to literally teach him the best techniques, methods and tools to use but also teach him the value in doing so. We could teach that man to collect welfare, live off of others and lie and cheat his way through life. That seems to be what our society has come to. Yet no one has to be taught to do that. We all do that quite well on our own, some do it so often they dont even realize they are lying or cheating. Others see it, but they do not.

A good teacher will see this and take the time to correct you and change your life forever. There is one teacher that lived on this earth who excelled at doing this, his name was Jesus. His teachings are still changing lives and will continue to do so forever.

The need to teach values and have positive role models and mentors is such a need and yet there are so few people who are up to the call to do it. When you take the time to teach or mentor or invest in yourself in the life of a child, it will always have a positive result. You may not ever see the results of your labor until years down the road or you may never see the results at all, but eventually that student will look back and remember the time you took to spend with them and relish that time spent.

How do I know this? How can I be so sure? Because I am "that student". I remember well the time, energy, hope, joy and friendship that came from those mentors and the teachers that made the effort to show that they cared. I remember seeing them smile from a distance when I got up to speak for the first time in front of a large group of people. I remember the letters they wrote to give praise for the work I have done for a mutual employer. I still have those letters and whenever I need a word of encouragement, I go to those letters and read them again and again.

I never imagined I would want to become a teacher for a career. However, when I look back at my career and the people in it that have made a difference, I could not imagine a more higher calling or profession I would enjoy. I realized this one night just by having dinner with some friends. I sat next to my friend's 13 year old daughter, who I had never met before in my life. I did not know my friends family
but as I talked to them at the dinner table, I turned to the daughter and asked, "so what are you taking in school?" Just listening to her and the enthusiasm she had for her classes, sparked more conversation and I found what a joy it was to hear the hopes and dreams of a child who had her whole life ahead of her and was excited about it. It gave me energy and enthusiasm, just by listening to hers.

Later on that week, my friend and the mother of that little girl called me to say what a great time she had at dinner. She then proceeded to thank me for taking the time to speak with her daughter and make her feel important. What a small investment to make and what a great return it produced.

During my college years, I taught an 8th. grade Sunday school at my local church. There were some kids in my class that were model students that were well behaved and listened, others that could not sit still longer than 3 minutes and others that were distant and cold. The most rewarding experience for me that year was seeing one student in particular that was distant and unfriendly who became a wonderful friend and would smile and laugh every time he saw me. What made that change? I took the time to speak to him and make him feel he was important. I found that the most important thing I did for my students was to listen to them and be there for them. I hope years from now they will remember those times and that when they grow up, they will do the same. Not just for their students, but for their children, their wives and their friends.

What a difference we can make, if we just care enough to try and try to show that we care. The time and emotional investment you make, will pay off in ways you could never imagine.

What happens to your paintings once they are sold?

2009-02-03T07:16:00.000-08:00

What happens to your paintings once they are sold?

As an Artist, Photographer or creative person, one has to often wonder what happens to your creation once it "leaves the nest" and finds a new home.

I have often wondered what happens to my paintings and art prints that are sold online and at galleries. I often wonder how long these treasures last on someone's wall. Do they end up in someone's attic, get tossed away or are they handed down as
treasures from one generation to the next?

I was able to experience first hand what happens to one of my paintings that I ended up selling not once, but twice. So here is the paper trail and story of my painting called "Another Day".

I had a friend in college that once said to me, "I want to buy one of your paintings", so I was happy and honored with her request and sold her my painting called "Another Day" of a vibrant sunset over the ocean. I sold it to her at a good price and gave her a 'friend discount'. A year later I was over her apartment and I did not see my painting any where. So I asked her, "so...what did you do with that painting you bought?" She showed it to me. It was under her bed collecting dust. And when I say "dust", I don't mean your usual dust that comes from sunlight, I am talking dust bunnies that could get up and jump across the room they were so big. I tried to keep my composure but I was horrified. I then asked my friend since she was through with this painting, if I could buy it back from her. She told me I could have it.

So I took my painting home, literally vacuumed the dust off of it and touched it up with acrylic paint since it was an original acrylic painting. It looked brand new again. I even re-matted it and put it in a nice frame, giving it a new life.

A few months later, one of my college professors approached me and said she was looking for some art work for her wall. I showed her some photographs of my work and lo and behold, the painting "Another Day" caught her eye.

I brought it in and showed it to her and she loved it. "It looks better in life than it does in the photograph" she said. She then told me that she would write me a check and she did not care if the school paid for it or not.

I never will forget when I hung that painting on her wall, the look of happiness and contentment on her face. She sat at her desk and stared into that painting and just smiled, as though she was lost in it and literally sitting at that beach watching that sunset. As I was talking to her and saw the look of peace and contentment on her face, I just laughed and said "I'll leave you two alone" and at that point left her office for her to enjoy her new painting.

It is moments like these when you can say your work as an Artist is done, to create something that brings some joy and happiness into someone else's life.
I was glad also that my painting found a new home where someone could appreciate it and enjoy it a little bit longer than its previous owner did. And yet, if you can create something that brings someone joy for a moment, a year or a life time, then
your work has made a difference and brought some joy into someone's life. My hope is that legacy will continue, even long after I am gone.

South to Southwest Art Exhibit in Richmond, Virginia

2008-02-12T19:02:00.000-08:00

South to Southwest Art Exhibit in Richmond, Virginia

Richmond Native and Artist Rick Short will be returning to Richmond, Virginia for the month of February to do a one man Art Exhibit at the Cultural Center at Glen Allen's Slantwall gallery. The Exhibit entitled "South To SouthWest: Paintings and Photography from Virginia to California" showcase Rick's
Acrylic paintings and Photography created in the last 20 years.

Brief description of the work – Acrylic and watercolor paintings of rural life in Virginia, forces of nature and Southwest Art including photographs from Central Florida to Central California.

Rick began painting seascapes and marine art as a young teen but as an adult has focused more recently on southwestern art. “I feel my passion when I was younger was painting boats, seascapes and the ocean where now the desert and rural life in America has captured my interest more and you will notice that in this show and
see the transition from sea to dry land in this exhibit and other shows I will be doing out west. That is what the theme of this show is about. There are many images of the rural west that are starting to disappear as cities grow and those lost images are something I wanted to capture and document as those images were what this
country was built upon and still what makes us who we are today.”

The Cultural Center At Glen Allen, Virginia

Business Hours: 9am-8pm, Monday-Thursday

9am-5pm, Friday

12-5pm, Saturday & Sunday

804-261-ARTS (2787)

2880 Mountain Road, Glen Allen 23060

info@artsglenallen.com

http://www.artsglenallen.com/

Artist's website address: www.ScenicEarth.com

Richmond, Virginia, Glen Allen, Art Show, Acrylic painting, art, Henrico County, Artist Rick Short

The Land of Plenty

2008-01-25T23:01:00.001-08:00

The Land of Plenty

Someone once said, "A picture is worth a thousand words". As a Photographer and Painter, I have found that is often the case. However, I have also found that over the years in taking the pictures I have taken and paintings the paintings I have painted, that there is always a story behind each picture. A story that needs to be told. So I have found myself turning into a bit of a storyteller.

The series of pictures you see entitled 'The Land of Plenty' have a story behind them as well. This series of photographs is a tribute to my step dad, Hersie and the labor of his hands that have turned a once boring flat piece of ground into the flowering garden that you see in this series of photographs and soon to be paintings.

When my mother approached me and told me she might be getting married soon, some 30 odd years after my father passed away, I was glad that she finally found someone that made her happy and she could build a home with.

The first time I really got to spend any time with my step dad, it was a Thanksgiving weekend at our old house. Growing up, I spent time chopping firewood, raking leaves and constantly cutting the grass and doing yard work. So when I came home to visit my parents after years of living in Florida, I did what I normally did growing up, which was to help with chores including raking leaves. Hersie, my step dad, saw me working in the front yard by myself and grabbed a rake to help without saying a word.

Our front yard was a huge sloping hill that was covered in leaves. We worked for half the day raking up leaves and Hersie helped me all day without even breaking a sweat. What amazed me about this was here was a man who was at the time, 77 years old, who never broke a sweat, never complained or said he was too tired. He worked diligently right alongside with me until our front yard had returned to its bright green color of fresh grass, instead of yard filled with leaves and twigs.

The following Christmas, my parents came to Florida to visit me to enjoy the warm weather and spend some time together. I took my parents shopping at the Millennia Mall in Orlando. In the center of the mall, there are reclining sofas and chairs for people to sit in while their loved ones shop. Hersie and I found a relaxing couch to sit on while waiting for my mom and as we sat down, my step dad turned to me and said, 'Maybe we'll get to see a good movie walk by'. I did a double take hearing my step dad say this and laughed out loud. I thought then, 'this man is hilarious'.

As I got to spend more time with Hersie, I got to know more about his character. He was silent and did not say much, kind of like me. But he always smiled, always was encouraging and everyone that met him likes him. He never says an unkind word, he is never in a bad mood, he reads his bible every night and his strength comes from his walk with God. I wish everyone could meet my step dad. Every daughter needs a father like this, every son needs a dad like this. If you could just spend time with him, you would know what I am talking about. There is just a spirit about him of peace, quiet strength and dignity that you just don’t always find in today's society.

My step dad is frail now and 87 years old. This past Thanksgiving and Christmas he suffered several strokes and is encountering memory loss. Old age is catching up with him. When I took these pictures of him last year after watching him work in his garden that blossomed into a farm, I knew then he was getting up in years and would not be here much longer. I wanted to capture these images for my mom to enjoy but also to share with others who may otherwise never get to meet my step dad.

I wish more men were like my step dad, if they were, the world would be a different place. If you could spend time with him, you would know what I am talking about. There is a radiance that comes from his countenance and a silent strength that he carries. You can sense it. In his youth, he was a Marine in the armed forces and worked as a funeral director as his career. His life may not sound spectacular or exciting but sitting back and watching how he has transformed my mother's life and my family, the people he influences and spending time with him, there is something about him that stands out.

Years ago, My parents sold the house I grew up in and moved across town to a little one story rancher with about 3 to 4 acres of land. The house was old and unimpressive and I did not think my mom would be happy relocating from the 3-story home my father built for her into this little humble house. It was smaller and less room for sure.

However, as I came to visit over the years, a strange thing occurred. This little house grew and expanded exponentially. First they remodeled the kitchen with a showroom quality kitchen, then they added on a 'Florida room' with glass doors, an extra bathroom for my mom and then, the house doubled in size when they took the upstairs attic and turned it into a loft complete with wooden floors, skylights, bathroom, a sectional sofa, walk in closets. I wanted to move back home. Well, just for the holidays.
I was amazed at what my parents were accomplishing in their golden years. The 3 acres of land that was once flat grassland and weeds over time turned into a farm and an outdoor nursery with every kind of flowering plant, hanging baskets, bird feeders, and a garden that over time grew into a farm. The place is like a mini sanctuary bustling with food producing plants, vegetables and flowers that allow them to live off the land.

This is what I refer to when I entitled this series of pictures, 'The Land of Plenty'. To see the handy-work of my parents in their golden years and what they are doing is pretty phenomenal and they are having a blast. There is quite a message here and a moral to this story.

Quite a few lessons come to mind including 'Good things come to those who wait'. 'Hard work and perseverance pay off', and 'hope for us all'. You know what I mean.

In closing, I have to say what a difference this man has made in my family's life. To see how God turned tragedy into something so amazing. I still remember when my father passed away. I was just two years old. I never knew him except from the stories that my mother told me about him.

So, I am passing on that legacy and telling you about my step dad through stories and pictures. This is his legacy. This country was built by people like him. People who worked hard to raise food, turn an ugly, shabby little house into a castle and turn a lonely old woman and her adult boys into a family once again or give them some remembrance of what a family could be and used to be.

My mom and dad have never attended an art gallery or art show or been impressed by those kinds of things. This series of pictures that I have put together are going on tour at an Art Gallery just down the street from them. I have been honored to be accepted to do a one man Art show that this piece will be in. It is my hope to share this picture and story so that his legacy will live on, years after he is gone and hopefully inspire other men, women, sons and daughters alike at art galleries across the country so that his legacy may live on a little bit longer to bless and inspire others who hear about the man called Hersie, my step dad.

2008-01-24T18:24:00.000-08:00

My Upcoming Art Shows and Tour Schedule - Winter 2008

January 27th, 2008, Orlando, Florida - Lake Eola Art Farm Group Show, Downtown Lake Eola. Sponsored by the City Arts Factory of Orlando, FL

February 5th. - 29th., 2008, Richmond, Virginia - The Glen Allen Cultural Center, Slantwall Gallery - One Man Show "South to Southwest – Paintings and Photography from Virginia to California by Artist Rick Short"

The Photo of the Week - Bobcat Portrait

2007-12-26T20:05:00.001-08:00

"Seeing Eye to Eye"

I photographed this Bobcat while visiting an Animal Wildlife Rehab center in Central Florida while just standing inches away from this Adult Bobcat. She was not afraid of people but gave a good growl that said this was her territory and she was not going to budge.

This portrait is available for sale and can be bid on at www.ebay.com. For other print sizes, prices or inquiries, just contact me directly here at www.ScenicEarth.com.

Lynx, Bobcat, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography, Wild cats, Animal photography

The Painting of the week - Risen As He said

2007-12-15T23:46:00.000-08:00

"Risen As He Said"

About this Painting - This Print is from an original painting that was created using both acrylic and watercolor paints in 1999. This familiar scene of the three empty crosses on Mount Calvary is symbolic of not only Jesus's death but his ressurection from the dead three days later.

I was actually commissioned to do this painting by some co-workers at the National Council On Compensation Insurance back in 1999. Some co-workers who were Christians came to me and wanted to have a background image of the three crosses on Calvary for a booth about Christmas and Easter and why we celebrate it. This picture was seen as soon as visitors and workers came into the front lobby of the building for about a month and was seen by hundreds and maybe even thousands of people for several months during the Easter season. It was a rare thing and a blessing to be able to showcase what the birth and ressurection of Jesus Christ is about and be able to display it at work.

I painted this painting in just a few days and prayed over it and the Lord helped me come up with the idea and presentation of this painting.

I wanted to illustrate a bible verse along with this painting and the most fitting one that came to mind was Matthew 28:6, "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said...". Not only did Jesus come to die for our sins both past, future and present but He overcame hell, death and the grave. He did just what He said He would do, He arose from the grave 3 days after He died and descended into Hell to defeat satan and even show those that have died before Him that He is Lord. He defeated the works of the enemy of our soul and by Him we can come to have an eternal relationship with Jesus in Heaven.

This painting is a reminder that the cross was not the end of Jesus but a symbol of His love for all of mankind.

The original painting is still available for purchase and come double matted, framed under plexiglas for $375.00. Prints in various sizes can also be purchased from 5" x 7" prints up to 20" x 30" and can be purchased online here at
http://www.scenicearth.com/Risen.asp

To see more of my work, visit
http://www.scenicearth.com/default.asp

The Photo of the Week - Three Amigos

2007-12-04T21:25:00.000-08:00

As an Artist and Photographer, I have really grown to love Southwest Art in the last year or so. Maybe that is due to my recent trips to California and Colorado or just from looking at copies of Southwest Art Magazine. In either case, I am going to be adding a ton of images and paintings in 2008 of Southwest art images to my Art Gallery, including this photograph that I took this past year. This picture has been sold on ebay and is on display at a bookstore in Okeechobee, Florida and has received some great comments and attention so I thought I would share it with my friends here at myspace. Enjoy and dont let them scare you, they are really quite timid unless you are a rodeo clown.

If you would like to purchase a copy of this photograph, just click here to go to my website to order it online at Scenic Earth Studios Fine Art Gallery.

About this Photograph - I took this photograph one week after a Rodeo event in Kissimmee, Florida where these three Bulls were drooling and kicking and running around restless a week earlier while getting ready for the rodeo. I remembered standing at the gate and one of the cowboys telling me and my friends 'you guys might want to get back a bit' because they looked ready to charge anyone so it was funny to come back a week later and see how docile, quiet and still they were. I just talked to them and got as close as they would let me. They didnt budge and stood still as could be to pose for this and a few other pictures and video I took of them. This picture is now a bit of Florida history as this particular Rodeo in Kissimmee is no more and the land was sold recently. I call this picture "Three Amigos" as it was too funny to see these three bulls huddled together. They seemed inseparable. They stood still long enough for me to take plent of pictures and seemed in awe to have a visitor as most of the time they were by themselves or getting ready for a night at the rodeo.

Flying Bird Feet Invade Richmond, Virginia

2007-09-28T13:39:00.000-07:00

Flying Bird Feet Invade Richmond, Virginia

Not since Alfred Hitchcock's thriller 'The Birds' has anyone seen so many flying bird feet as will be seen at Richmond, Virginia's 1212 Art Gallery.

Artist Rick short's photograph entitled 'Pelican Dinner Party' was recently juried in to the 1212 Gallery's National Juried Photography Exhibition show juried out of 758 images from 155 artists. Juror, Brian Paul Clamp selected 53 works from 43 artists. One hundred and fifty-five entrants from all over the United States entered 758 images competing for 53 spots. This year's juror, Brian Clamp, of ClampArt, NYC, selected the work of 43 photographers and artists in Richmond's only competitive, national photography exhibition. For more information, click here

The photography exhibit will be open to the public September 28 through November 4, 2007 in the ent Gallery.

"12 12 Gallery National Juried Photography Exhibition 2007"
Juror: Brian Paul Clamp, New York, NY

The exhibition opens Friday, September 28, 2007 and closes Sunday,November 4, 2007. Awards will be presented at a reception on Sunday,September 28, 2007 from 2-5PM, to which you are invited. Directions to the gallery are available at the 12 12 Gallery website www.1212galleryrichmond.com.

For purchase inquiries, contact

Martin McFadden, Director and Curator

12 12 Gallery

12 East 12th Street

Richmond, Virginia 23224

Phone: 804.233.9957

www.1212galleryrichmond.com

Prints of this photograph can be purchased online at http://www.scenicearth.com/pelicanparty.asp

Upcoming Art Shows and My work on Tour

2007-09-19T22:23:00.000-07:00

Here is an upcoming Tour Schedule of my Art and Photography that will be at the following Galleries or Art Shows.

September 28 - November 4, 2007, Richmond, Virginia

1212 Gallery National Juried Photography Exhibition 2007 Group Show, Richmond, Virginia. Come see my photograph "Pelican Party" on display along with 53 other photographs that were juried out of 758 images from 155 artists. Juror, Brian Paul Clamp selected 53 works from 43 artists. ..>

October 6, 2007, Orlando, Florida

See Rick's work along with 35 other Artists at the Baldwin Park Arts Festival in Baldwin Park for an all day Art Festsival featuring original fine art paintings and photography.

An Interview with Artist Rick Short about Scenic Earth Studios website

2007-09-13T11:55:00.000-07:00

An interview with Artist Rick Short, owner of Scenic Earth Studios, from the WebMaster at
YourArtsncrafts.com

Please give us a short summary of your website

My website contains my life's work of paintings, prints and photography that I have created since I was about 13 years old. These paintings and photographs are captured moments from my life and images, people and places that inspire me.

What inspired you to launch your own website?

Back in 1996 I was looking for a way to show my art work and have people find it with the most cost effective means possible. I met a man who owned a Christian website company and he designed my initial website and I took over the devleopment and programming of it within a year. Through word of mouth advertising, friends from church and work came to me for me to buid website for them as well and the site started to change direction into more of a service burea building websites and creating graphics as well as being a fine art gallery.

When did you launch your first website, and what was it?

I launched www.ScenicEarth.com back in March of 1996. At the time it was just an HTML site showing a few of my paintings and since then it has grown to showcase my photography, helped me win some awards and advertise my art shows at galleries from Virginia to Florida. It has turned out to be more of an important marketing tool second only to my resume.

How did you decide on a name for your website?

Well, I prayed over it and 'Scenic Earth' came to mind. I remember people telling me what a cool name it was. It just came to me and I believe it was God that gave me the idea. This is His website and I want my art work to glorify him as the main subject of the website is The Earth and the scenery and beauty that is His creation. I have stuck with the name and it has become part of who I am. The only down side to the name is there are people out there who mis pronouce it and call it 'Science Earth Studios', which I just do not get. The words 'Science' and 'Scenic' are worlds apart.

What makes it different from other similar offerings?

There are tons of art gallery and individual art sites out there. The feedback I have been given from viewers is my site is very organized and easy to navigate. The images, art and photography are unique in that they are my creations. You will not see them anywhere else but here on this site or some of my affiliate sites so they are unique in that respect. There is so much more I need to add to the site though. As my skills and knowledge as an artist have grown, I want my work to reflect that. The problem is there are just not enough hours in the day to do it all when you are literally a 'one man show'.

What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)

My hope and dream is to see 'Scenic Earth Studios' become a family run business where my paintings and photography can still earn a profit for my children and wife and it be my legacy.

How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?

The investment of time is overwhelming sometimes. There is so much work in desgning a site, promoting it, adding it to search engines, then painting, creating, and showing my work at art shows. The money is not a huge expense but doing art shows all over the country gets expensive because I mail my work and have it mailed back to galleries from California to Virginia to gain exposure and get into nationally juried art shows. It is good advertising though and the best way besides my website to get my work out there to be seen, looked at and hopefully purchased and enjoyed enough to find good homes.

If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?

I would add more video presentations with my digital camera, music and straming video and flash to showcase the work and build more of a personal presence. The web can be so impersonal sometimes so having a way to interact more and show some video of me painting or talking to the customers would make it more personal. Adding more dynamic, interactive content besides still images and static text is my goal.

If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?

That would be the end all goal of having the site. I would definitely pursue it full time and spend more time on the road doing art shows and use the site to promote my work while I am on tour.

What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?

Oh, let's see...

1. Having my site hacked by hackers for the pure fun of it.

2. Technology constanly changing so you feel the site gets outdated and needs to be updated constantly.

3. Constantly trying to market the site to get it seen on search engines and draw customers to it.

4. Trying to figure out why people are not buying my work when it sells at live shows and people comment on it positively all the time.

What has been your biggest challenge?

Constantly spending time working on the site when I would rather be painting, doing art shows and travelling and taking pictures and doing live art shows. The site is one thing but the main joy for me is doing art shows and meeting the public. That is why I paint, to bring joy into people's life and share a vision or idea by bringing it to life on canvas or paper. Meeting people and seeing their reactions is priceless.

I have some very fond memories of seeing my customers and the smiles on their faces when I place my work in their office or home. I remember selling one of my original paintings to one of my College Professors. I brought the painting to her office and hung it up and watched her just sit at her desk and smile and stare into that painting and get lost in it.

I laughed and told her "I'll leave you two alone" and as I left her office, seeing the joy that painting brought to her, I could honestly say 'My work is done here'.

What method has been most successful for promoting your website?

I think simple things like handing out business cards, telling people about it and adding it to other Art Search sites and vertical search engines that deal with expert subject matter such as collecting and buying art.

How has running your website differed from your expectations?

It is a constant uphill climb. I think sometimes a brick and mortor store would be much more successful as you have more of a chance to build relationships with your customers. The internet can be so impersonal but thanks to social networking sites, I have made new friends and built lasting friendships and gained customers. Personally, A physical store would be more rewarding to me, although much more expensive. The website has helped me build credibility and reach customers I would not be able to reach. Also, people are very critical over the internet. You have to constantly test your code using different browsers and keep an eye on things as they change very quickly with technology.

How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?

ScenicEarth.com has been up and running for 11.5 years now as of September 2007. I hope to keep the site up as long as I am alive or until I find a better way of marketing my work. I hope it will grow as I grow and reflect my personality and vision as an Artist.

Investing in Art for your home

2007-08-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

Investing in Art for your home

Whether you are starting college in a dorm, renting an apartment, buying your first home or a seasoned homeowner, investing in Art is always an important consideration to make your dwelling place feel like ‘home’ or a home away from home.

Affordability – Stick with a budget

Even though original paintings may not always be affordable or practical to your budget, there are ways to begin collecting original art through online Auctions such as Ebay or online sites such as Etsy.com, www.Craigslist.org or just by purchasing Prints made from an original work through such sites as AllPosters.com and www.ScenicEarth.com.

Define Your Taste

I once had a friend tell me ‘I don’t know what it’s called but I know what I like’. Well said. You may not know the type or style of Art that interests you but you do know good art when you see it or what stands out as tatesful to your standards. Surround yourself with Art that captures your interests and defines your vision and who you are. Pastor Joel Osteen has often told his church members and television audiences to "write down their vision" and include pictures and photographs of your dreams and vision on your wall where you can see them every day.

There is something that mental health counselors use that is called ‘Art Therapy’ to bring peace, happiness and help their patients recall positive memories. You can have your own Art therapy right in your own home every day to make it a positive, joyful and comfortable environment. After all, your home is your castle, make it even more so by adding some color, images and memories with your favorite photographs and paintings that make a statement about you.

Art is something that should define you and tell others about you. If you want to know what an Artist likes or enjoys, look at the subjects they paint. The same thing can be said for an Art collector or buyer, surround yourself with images of the things that make you happy and interest you. Art is an extremely personal gift. A token of intimate knowledge and taste. What is on one's wall should reflect what's in the soul. It should infuse the everyday with the eternal.

Stage your home

One of the tricks in real estate sales is to ‘stage’ or decorate a home with tasteful art work that brings out the colors in the room and adds character, color and charm to an otherwise bland room, thereby helping the home to sell and making it stand out in the buyer’s mind. Whether you’re having friends or family over or trying to show your home to a potential buyer, Art work is something that can burn a lasting impression into a person’s mind.

People can remember what they see and hear 50% more than other methods when it comes to learning and memory retention. Make a lasting impression with the Art you purchase, after all Art is furniture to your home just like a comfortable relaxing sofa or good lighting fixture. Make an impression and an investement that will last and give you a postive return on your investment.

Consider Family and Personal Photographs

With digital and online photo labs, the cost of enlarging personal photographs has really come down in price. Clark Color laboratories can create a 20” x 30” poster from your negatives or digital images for as low as $8.00 including shipping. Surrounding yourself with people and memories that you love will help you feel connected to your loved ones and give your home your own unique look and feel.

Framing and Matting

Framing is probably the most expensive part of customizing your art work but the right frame will only enhance a piece of art work and make a $3.00 print look like it is worth hundreds of dollars with the right framing and matting.

When it comes to matting, choose only Acid Free matting that will not turn your photographs or prints yellow and cause them to age and detoriate prematurely. Also when enlarging your photographs or purchasing Art or Photography prints, make sure the Artist or producer or photo processor uses archival paper. Archival paper is acid free and has a quality lifetime of 100 years or longer and is often used for critical, permanent records that must be kept for many years. Archival paper may also be used for fine art prints and limited edition prints for even
greater protection than other acid free papers. Art work is something that can be passed on to family members and even willed to your children, why not make sure it is going to last as long as possible.

Purchasing art does not have to be overwhelming. Keep it fun, stay within your budget and surround yourself with Art you enjoy, can share with others and that will last a lifetime.

Regards,
Rick

About the Author

Rick Short is a Painter and Photographer with over twenty years of experience creating custom artwork. His paintings and photographs have been shown in galleries from Richmond, Virginia to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and his photographs have won first and second place prizes in recent art show competitions. See Rick's Online art gallery at www.ScenicEarth.com.

The significance of a piece of Art

2007-06-27T10:26:00.001-07:00

ART is an extremely personal gift. A token of intimate knowledge and taste.
What is on one's wall should reflect what's in the soul. It should infuse the everyday with the eternal.

New Art work on Tour '+After the Hurricane"

2007-06-27T10:14:00.000-07:00

“After the Hurricane”, an original Acrylic seascape painting by Artist Rick short will be on display and for sale at the 1212 Gallery in Richmond, Virginia.

This original painting was created from a photograph of a ship wreck off the coast of South Carolina after Hurricane Hugo. It is created in Acrylic paint and measures 46.5” wide x 33.5” high. The painting is framed in a gloss black wood frame and the asking price is $800.00.

This painting is dedicated to all those souls lost at sea. May you find your way home to the pearly gates where the storms of life rage no more.

For purchase inquiries, contact Martin McFadden, Gallery Director and Curator at
1212 Gallery at martin@1212galleryrichmond.com
12 East 12th. Street
Richmond, Virginia 23225
804-233-9957
www.1212galleryRichmond.com

To order prints of this painting or see other works by this Artist, visit his website at http://www.scenicearth.com/hurricane.asp.

'Staging' homes with works of art gets them sold faster

2006-09-01T11:50:00.000-07:00

by Virginie Montet Sat Aug 26, 1:32 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - With home sales tumbling to a two year low, real estate agents looking for innovative marketing techniques to boost sales have found that a work of art hooks a buyer better than a fresh coat of paint.

From coast to coast, "staging" homes is quickly becoming the industry standard in a highly competitive real estate market, and more and more agents are hanging expensive works of art to glamorize a room.
And it works, said Jan Sewell, a real estate agent in the northwestern city of Seattle who specializes in decorating homes for sale.

"Many times the houses sat there and after we stage them, we've got multiple offers," she told AFP. Sewell works with the rental/sales gallery of the Seattle Art Museum, which makes 20 percent of its one million dollar-a-year business by lending local contemporary works of art to real estate agents, according to gallery coordinator Jodi Bento.

With around 100 paintings currently showcased in homes he represents in the Seattle area, Sewell said an artist's creation "helps to create an impression on a subliminal level, unconscious level ... making people fall in love with the house."
"People think they want to be rational in buying a house. Nobody is," she added.
Angela Di Bello, who runs the Agora Gallery in New York with a similar rental program, agrees wholeheartedly.

"When you walk into a room that has artwork, the space becomes more personalized. It instills a sort of passion, excitement in the mind," she said.
"It has a very positive effect. It makes people feel good. If they feel good they say yes, if not they become negative and say no," Di Bello added.

"It's a balancing act," cautioned Sewell. "The principle behind staging is to sell the house. You don't want the potential buyer to be overwhelmed by the art" to the point that they buy a painting instead of the house, as sometimes is the case.
Most often, contemporary abstract art is chosen for staging homes. A rental fee of three percent of the painting's sale value will keep it hanging in a house for three months.

The works of art rarely surpass 20,000 dollars in value, putting rental prices usually between 50 and 600 dollars for three months.
While the marketing technique is mostly used for upscale homes, "it has infiltrated the lower market," said Di Bello.

The Larsen Gallery in Scottsdale, a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona, has a comprehensive rental policy. "We can offer a wide variety of artwork for clients to choose from, ranging from traditional landscapes to contemporary abstracts," said owner Scott Larsen.

"We have found that the style and type of artwork is really dictated by the clients furniture, home design, etc. and therefore we have placed a myriad of subjects and styles," he said, adding that the gallery has even loaned engravings by Salvador Dali.

"With the slow down of the real estate market, real estate agents are trying to be more innovative," said Gopal Ahluwalia, vice-president for research at the the National Association of Home Builders.

New US home sales tumbled 4.3 percent and existing homes 4.1 percent in July from June, according to the latest latest Commerce Department data.

Besides artwork, he said, people seeking expensive homes are offered a wide variety of incentives including fireplaces, wood floors, swimming pools, travel packages and even cars.

Finding your purpose in life

2006-08-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

Finding your purpose in life
"He begins to die,that quits his desires"

"What is a man for? If you know what something is designed to do, then you know its purpose in life. Desire reveals design and design reveals destiny". The secret longing of your heart is that which you were designed to do in life.

Art work inspired by the Television show LOST

2006-08-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

My Painting, "Sawyer's Prayer"

Last November 2005, One of my Pastors from my church announced that the church was doing a new Art exhibit called 'The Prayer of St. Francis'. Something told me I couldn't miss out on being a part of this show. However, as fate would have it, I ended up having to work late and missed the exhibit kickoff meeting.

A few days later, my pastor called me and said 'Come by and get your verse' and the Lord opened another opportunity for me to be a part of this exhibit.

As I picked a verse at random from an envelope and selected the verse 'Where there is doubt, faith', my first thought was 'now how am I going to illustrate this?' It took less than three minutes for the idea to come to me. I remembered hearing two of my Pastors mention the TV Show 'Lost' in previous sermons and the Lord gave me the image of one of the show's Characters, 'Sawyer' praying.

Why this character?

There is something about the character of Sawyer that you can't help but like. He comes across as a tough, independent soul but when others around him are threatened or suffering, he shows a spirit of compassion and is quick to back you up, even at his own expense. There is also something powerful about seeing a man pray and I wanted to capture that in this painting.

My goal was to capture the emotional devastation of the aftermath of a plane crash but also show that even in the midst of the worst circumstances, that God is already there to help you overcome that circumstance. Every circumstance, every problem, and every trial you will ever face, must bow to the authority of Jesus Christ. The crosses at the top of the mountain in this picture symbolize that there is no mountain too tall, no problem too big that God has not already conquered. All you need to do is to believe and have faith in Christ and your every need will be met.

Struggling with my own doubts and faith

I had so many doubts that I would not be able to do this painting justice but I knew that if God gave me the idea, then He would be faithful to complete that which He began and give me the ability to finish it for this exhibit and that there would be people it would touch and speak to.

While creating this painting, I did learn the meaning of this verse 'Where there is doubt, faith'. It is faith that enabled me to sit down at my easel each night and start painting whether I had the strength, the skills, and the know how to do the task or not. There were days when I struggled with this picture, and could not get things to look right but in the end, God gave me the confidence to relax, paint and enjoy the experience.

There was pressure to get this done and meet a deadline but it also gave me the consistency to paint each day and with that consistency, confidence to get the job done. I could see God's hand working as I overcame each obstacle and adding detail to this scene until I felt it was complete.

In painting this image, I learned that it is through that faith that I know "I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me" and so can you. The end result was something that I never expected - People from as far away as California and Australia and as close as my friends who attended my church loved this painting. It spoke to them and had an impact and it has turned out to be one of the most popular paintings I have ever done.

A Study on Art and Alzheimer's disease

2006-08-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

A Study on Art and Alzheimer's disease

By Matilda Charles, from "Seniors Nowadays" Magazine, December 30, 2005

Recently, in a New York City Art Museum, a group of people with mid-stage Alzheimer's disease stared at a Picasso painting and afterwards discussed what they found in the paintings. One man said Picasso had no words to tell his story, so he painted it. "He knows what he means, even if we don't," he said. As the member of the group voiced their feelings, no one repeated themselves, as many in that stage of Alzheimer's often do.

We now know that the more we try to puzzle out something, the more we stimulate the brain into producing larger numbers of brain cells. This fact would support the inference that Picasso' work, or indeed any good piece of artwork, demands that we think about it, and this has a beneficial effect on the brain.

The group also looked at Christina's World, a panting by Andrew Wyeth of a young girl sitting on the ground looking towards an old house. It appears to be a simple painting as compared to the Picasso. It also evoked thought among the group such as 'Why is she on the ground? Is she unable to walk? Is that her house?" One woman in the group thought that she had figured the meaning of the painting out. "The girl was trying to get into the house and would get into it. I want to go there, too" she added.

Visual stimuli affect us more than we realize. For example, looking at a large mountain range or starting up towards the vaulted ceiling of a Gothic Church Cathedral produces feel-good alpha waves in our brains. Scientists agree that we need to do more research on the potential benefits of using visual stimuli in Alzheimer's and other brain-linked problems.

"What kind of artist are you?"

2006-08-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

"What kind of artist are you?"

"I think that artists can be divided into two camps - Innovators and Observers. Innovators are usually inspired to paint by an internally sourced creative idea. Their work is often abstract or impressionistic. They tend to be experimental and they can create with no visual source material.

Observers have an eye for recognizing art in what surrounds them - externally sourced inspiration. They tend to work in a more realistic or at least representational style. Both ways of working have their advantages and disadvantages. Its all part of what makes being an artist an adventure"

- Artist Pamela Carter

Personally, I am more of an observer in that I tend to look at photographs, clips of other pictures and tend to go for a more photo-realistic look and feel in my work.When I paint a picture, I look for realism and detail, shadows, texture, color, depth, light - these are all things that make a good painting or photograph. Some artists that I have talked to and met over the years do not like photo realism simply because they know it takes a great amount of time and effort. I want the end product to be something I can be proud of, that anyone can look at and know what they are looking at without having to guess but still leave them with something to talk about and enjoy. If it takes me a day or a month to work on a painting, the end result is what I am after and that is what the customer will keep and enjoy for what you hope will be a life time or more.

- Artist Rick Short

"I paint because I feel that's what God wants me to do with the talent He has given me. Its not only pleasure for me, but also an act of reverence to paint what I see around me. I want to touch the hearts of my viewers. I want to give people who may work indoors all day a breath of fresh air"

- Artist Scott Kennedy

30 years of growing as an Artist

2006-08-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

30+ years of growing as an Artist

(A mini biography about my attempts to pursue my dream of being a successful artist)

My Teenage Years

I began drawing as a kid when I was about 9 years old and started learning to paint when I was about 14 years old. I think what inspired me to sit down and start painting was I would see a picture of something and wanted to recreate it just to see if I could. I did not know how to paint so it was a personal challenge to learn how to recreate something by looking at a picture or group of pictures and painting the image until I got it "right" or as close to the original image as possible, adding my own personal touches or interpretation of the image.

I painted using every medium I could find from oils on canvas to colored pencil on poster board to Testor's enamel model paint on wood, canvas and poster board. As a young teen with not much money, I would buy the cheapest materials I could from my local drug store and just have fun creating. My favorite subjects to paint as a young teen were the ocean, sunsets, boats, and surfing scenes straight from the pages of 'Surfer' magazine.

The Surfing images on display today on my website at www.scenicearth.com are paintings I created from 1982 to 1990.

"The Roaring 20's

During my college years I was pretty much told by the Dean of the School of business to "Stay away from the Arts" and Art classes in general. My family did their best to discourage me from pursuing such a passion as taking art classes as their fears were I would grow up to be a starving artist selling art on a street corner somewhere.

I continued my painting and began to get more serious about my work and broadening my horizons by painting portraits, subject I felt I did not have the confidence to do in my teen age years. I still worked from photographs, pictures from catalogs and even photographs of friends.

The painting of a young girl with long red hair called Charlotte Sometimes
was a picture of a model from a catalog that came in the mail. I saw this picture of a girl with long,wavy red hair and could just picture a painting in the making. So, again, it was a personal challenge to me to sit down for weeks at a time after work and school to paint the detail in her hair, with the sun shining through her red locks, the detail in the green sweater and the wooden, rustic fence in the background.

"Rusty's Day at the Lake" was a painting I did from a black and white photo of a friend of mine fishing in my old neighborhood one summer afternoon. Again, this was one of those photographs that I looked at one day and said "This would make a great painting". I began painting this scene while exhibiting at an all day art show at a local church in Richmond, VA to pass the time when I was not greeting customers. I remember selling my first print of the painting "Charlotte Sometimes" at that show to a lady who kept coming by and observing that painting. She said "That looks just like my daughter". She also observed me painting "Rusty's Day at the Lake" and by the third time she came by my booth, her comment was "Your almost finished" with the painting. I actually almost completed the painting in under a few hours with one small exception. I ran out of paint!. So I took my painting home and worked on it a little at a time adding more detail until I was happy with the detail and composition enough to actually call it finished.

Growing up, Normal Rockwell was one of my all time favorite artists. He was not just a great illustrator, but a story teller as well. He had a style that captured early Americana and captured the innocence of youth. I wanted my paintings to tell a story as well and even though I painted from photographs, I wanted my paintings to have a fine art look bordering on realism and impressionism. My work began to take on its own style and a maturity as I began to get more serous about my work.

"The Accidental Tourist"

When I was 29 years old, I crammed everything I could possibly fit into a small Toyota Corolla SR5 and drove from Richmond, VA to Fort Lauderdale, FL, to embark on new adventures, live with new friends, travel and see the country and take a new job. I was busy with a prosperous career as a Software Programmer and spent time traveling all over the state of Florida and the Southeastern US. As I began seeing more places, I began taking pictures as a way of documenting my trips and keeping memories of all places I was visiting. I saw so many places and went on so many trips that If I did not take my camera, it was all too easy to forget what I saw and where I had been.

In the process of taking so many photographs, I began to really study images through the camera lens like I was looking at a piece of fine art. I got to the point where if the subject did not look good, I would study it from different angles until it did look good and I began to really develop an eye for good images. Even to the point where I was selling prints of my photographs on Ebay and started my first website selling prints of my paintings and photographs.

Between traveling, living in 3 different cities in ten years, owning 3 houses and running a part time web design business, I had very little time left over to paint. I would start several paintings, only to find they got pushed aside for working on the house, paying bills and the daily grind of earning a living. My business school mindset took over and my "Artistic child" was no longer being nurtured. However, I did spend those years developing a new skill as a photographer and my artistic side embraced a new medium of painting with light instead of a brush.

A True Calling

Just within the last two years of my life, I have felt I have received a calling to return to my roots of being a painter and made a commitment to start doing art shows and being a true artist again.

Not only have I dusted off some of my unfinished projects, but I received commissions to do some custom paintings and have done more art shows in the past year than I have in my entire life. It is a commitment that was long overdue and with the age of experience and maturity, I am determined to do my best work ever and not allow the cares of this life to stand in my way.

It is a challenge to avoid the temptation "hurry up and finish something" but I have learned to enjoy adding detail and working on something, no matter how long it takes and see it through to completion. I am no longer painting as a hobby, I am building a legacy and something I can share with my friends, community and my own family to enjoy for generations to come. I hope you will enjoy what you have seen so far. "The best is yet to come" as they say. While I still enjoy painting seascapes and nautical art, my interests have turned more to wildlife art, christian themes and portrait paintings. My goal is to have more fun with my art, tell stories and instill more of my personality and sense of humor that comes through in the painting itself. I want my paintings to have personality and allow people to have fun seeing them as well. I want to take on new projects such as illustrating children's books, to creating new characters and even working on sequential art such as a computer animated character or video.

I have learned that sometimes it is later in life that we start to enjoy seeing our dreams come true. It is ashamed to have to wait so long but the good news is that waiting brings maturity, a sense of confidence and new determination. Things such as education, saving money, building a career that were once so important can now be tempered with things you enjoy and having the determination to go after those dreams and bring balance, fulfillment, meaning and purpose to life.

Let me encourage you, the reader, to pursue your dreams that God has put in your heart to do. You were made for a purpose and no doubt that thing that you dream of doing that is your passion is what you were put on this earth to do.

Write down your vision, put it on paper and keep it front of you. Remind yourself of that vision and do not lose sight of it. Write down sone goals and a time line to reach those goals but dont get discouraged if you do not reach them. Take things one day at a time, don't put pressure on yourself, try to enjoy doing what you love to do. Don't make it a job, make it your hobby and then one day you will find that doing what you love to do will not be like work but like play and will add years to your life. Doing what you love to do will not only bring joy to you, but to others around you. When you are fulfilling your purpose in life, others around you will be blessed because you are here.

My Painting, "The Light of the World"

2006-08-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

My Painting, "The Light of the World"

Link : My Painting, 'The Light of the World'

The painting of Jesus entitled "Jesus, the Light of the World" is a painting I did when I was just a teenager, just learning how to paint. I painted this picture to present to my favorite radio station, a Christian radio station called 92 Light WDYL in Chesterfield, Virginia. I remember the call letters of the radio station well because I had made a poster for the station and included their logo at the bottom of the painting that I made for them.

I photographed this poster to keep a copy for myself and years later, dusted off this photograph one day and decided it was time to bring this picture back to life. I enlarged the photograph, painted over it in some areas and redid the hands, the garment and added more color and perspective to this painting to update it and bring it to its full potential for an art show at my local church in May 2006.

So, as you can imagine, this painting has been a work in progress that has taken place over many years from the time I was about 15 to now. The same can be true of my walk as a Christian. I have been saved since I was nine years old, grew up in the church and have always been active in Bible studies, served in various ministries from being an usher in a small Baptist Church in Richmond, VA to acting in one of the largest Christmas Drama plays at First Baptist Church, Fort Lauderdale and teaching Sunday School for single adults and youth. That doesnt mean I am a perfect Christian or have all the answers in life.

Just like this picture, I too have found I needed some updating, fixing and upgrading in my spiritual walk, needed some more perspective, and in great need of adding some depth to my walk with Jesus.

I am still growing as a Christian, and lately, found some areas I have really needed to grow in, much to my own disappointment. After being saved for years, I find I need Jesus more and more and have really been praying 24-7 and just drawing closer to Him. He really is all we ever need in this life and He truly is the Light of the World that this world so desparately needs.

I couldnt imagine life without Jesus, I know I have been spared a lot of ugly things in life by walking with Him all these years and for that I am grateful. He truly is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother, He is the great healer, the father I never had growing up and a companion not just for life but all eternity.

Whatever you are going through in life, where ever ou are at spiritually and emotionally, there is no problem too great that He cannot solve, no pain He cannot heal, no wrong He cannot make right. He is the everlasting Father, Almighty God, the Prince of Peace.

Draw closer to Him and He will draw closer to you. His thoughts will become your thoughts, His plan will be made clear to you and His will for your life will become as obvious as your own reflection in the mirror.

There is nothing like growing in the Lord. Growing can be painful as most growing pains are but the end result is well worth it. To become more like Jesus, to be a better Servant, a better friend, a better husband, a better father, a better mother, or whatever you desire to be. He wants the very best for you and for you to be the very best for His honor and glory. He will never leave you or forsake you and of His kingdom, theer shall be no end.