Plein Air!

Well, I finally did it! After watching video after video from youtube and vimeo, and after looking at picture after picture...I got so inspired by these plein air painters, that I just had to try it myself. "Plein air"??? what is that, you might say. Well, it pretty much means what it looks like: painting in plain or open air.

I found this little scene in the woods behind my house.

The Patriot

I was asked recently if I would be willing to donate some artwork for an upcoming auction at Fayetteville St. Christian School. I gladly accepted since this school holds a special place in my childhood.

The Patriot is the school's mascot, so I thought it would be fitting to paint a portrait of one.

North Carolina Friends of Midwives

Visit their website at http://www.ncfom.org/

Support Your Local Midwife

If you have a facebook account, blog, or anything else that's social media-related, please post this on your site:

This tab is in support of a local midwife who was arrested recently for providing care for a newborn. What a twisted system we have. If you choose to kill your baby in the womb, then by all means do so, you'll even have government help to do it. But, if you keep the baby and you just so happen to live in NC, then you're not allowed the opportunity to choose who will help deliver the baby. It's your choice to kill but not your choice to who delivers.

I can only think of one verse for this infuriating twisted logic which is found in Isaiah 5:20,

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! "

Please pray for her and let's seek the proper means and legislature to have these sickening policies abolished.

Winter Landscape

I figured I should post this snow scene quickly since it's 70 some degrees outside this February day. This is a painting I started a couple of weeks ago, but I've just found time to actually complete it. I don't have a title for this 16x20 original acrylic on canvas painting, as of yet, but I'm sure I'll think of something.

Below are some pictures of its progression.

Our Trip to Mt. Moriah

Mt. Moriah has been the place of several significant events in Jewish and Christian history. It was the mountain to which God told Abraham to offer his only son, Isaac (a type that was fulfilled with God offering His only begotten Son). It was also the place that God chose to let Solomon build the temple...a place designated for God to manifest His glory and holiness. With all the glorious events that have taken place on this mountain, it seems very fitting to name a church after it.

We were privileged to minister this past Sunday morning, Feb. 13, at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church located in Marshville, NC.

Level Cross Elementary Art

This past Wednesday, Feb.2, I was honored to present some of my artwork to the art students of Level Cross Elementary, Level Cross, NC. There were about 40 or so students attending and wow! what a blessing they were!

What Sends Men to Hell?

The audience sits in a trance, soaking up the feel good message of the speaker. "You don't go to hell for telling a lie! You don't go to hell for getting drunk, people go to hell because they don't believe in Jesus!" says the modern day preacher. Hypnotised by the charisma of a man wearing a suit and tie behind a pulpit, while speaking with an open bible, the people naively swallow everything that is said. Surely it's true, he's a "man of God".

Many today, leave their brains and their bibles at the door of the church. They would rather have someone else tell them what to believe. And just like babies, they need someone else to chew their food and deliver it to their mouths with a silver spoon.

Recent Features

Thanks to Ascribing Artists blog for adding my link. Graciously, they will have a feature of my work in Feb.

Be sure to check out their blog, HERE.

Also check out the Christian Artist Resource for including my Luke 19:10 painting.



In Faux-cus

Faux: it's pronounced "foe" for you English speaking gents and ladies, or "phoe" for the Greek savvy. It basically means "false". So, when you hear of someone having a faux finish painted, you'll now be able to understand that they're implying they're having a specialty finish painted to make something look like something it's not.
Here's one of my latest faux projects:

Pilot Mountain Painting

Finally! I just took this pic. of my first completed canvas painting for 2011. It measures 12"x24" and is an original acrylic on canvas. The quality of the digital, however,  looks a little "shady" compared to the original.

Ashland St. Baptist Church Mural

Thanks to Ashland St. Baptist Church, Archdale, NC for their commissioning of this mural. The mural resides behind the choir loft inside their sanctuary.

Book Cover Painting

"Night of The Cossack"

by Tom Blubaugh
Artwork by Jeremy Sams

 Bro. Dennis Vance of  Bound By Faith Publishers commissioned me to paint this scene as a book cover for one of their new releases. Dennis is a fellow graduate of the School of Biblical Evangelism. If you're not familiar with this online school, you can visit Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron's Way of the Master website.

Acrylic Painting Lessons!

Have you ever watched someone paint and thought to yourself, "I would love to try that, I think I could do it!" After watching Bob Ross on PBS for several years as a toddler, I, myself, finally tried it. He made it look so easy and his soft voice would just about make you fall asleep...if it wasn't for the bobbing of that big afro, I probably would have. Well, that's one more "thanks" we can give to big-afro-people: the ability to keep someone's attention.

Ever since I started painting, I have absolutely enjoyed myself. There is something so gratifying to watch nothing turn into something by your own hands. For a while now, I've thought about how to bring others to find some satisfaction and enjoyment in this little world of painting. This past Monday night, I finally got my chance.

One of the coolest houses ever!

This style of house and the lifestyle that accompanies it, has been the subject of many of my daydreams.

The Jesus Way...Great News For Sinners

An excerpt from one of John Piper's sermons. To view the complete sermon, click here.

The Last Santa Post...for this year

Yeah, I know...is there anything else worth talking about? Sure there is, and we'll get to that some time later. I would like to post this last blog article which was written by Noel Piper, the wife of Pastor John Piper. Please visit his Desiring God website. It has tons of great resources, most of which is free.

This article reflects so well my views of Santa, so I just had to share it. You can view the complete post here. It's called, "Thinking About Santa", by Noel Piper.

A response from the weaker brother

Before Ellie was born, I tried to work out almost every day. I could bench press a person and a half, and do 10-12 pull-ups with a 45 lb. weight attached to my waist. I made Arnold Schwarzenegger look like...well, a really huge guy with big muscles. I was nothing like that. But now, several years later, along with the average of 4 seasonal trips to the gym, atrophy has left me looking more like this:

Yes folks, take away the glasses and the shaggy hair and there ya have me. Apart from my high weight/low reps workout routine and high protein intake, I have become...weak. I admit it.

"Santa Claus is a Liar!"

Oh what joyous memories the Christmas season brings! Long lines at the malls and department stores, no parking places for miles, more rude agitated customers than you can shake a stick at, and of course, parents who lie to their kids with a big smile on their face...all of these things have marked the modern reality of the Christmas season.

"What's Santa gonna bring you, little girl?", this has been the most popular question asked to my 3 year old daughter for the past 3 weeks. What the questioners don't realize is that at my house, we don't condone lying to our children. Yeah, I know, we're fanatics. I've been called that more times than once. And, surely, telling your kids about Santa is not that bad, right? It's just all fun and games, right?

The Greatest Gifts...Christmas painting sermon

JESUS: He shall save His people from their sins.

Tis the season for giving!...or getting, depending on your personality. Ask any child what their most favorite part of Christmas is and without hesitation, most will say "Presents!"
Well, approximately 2,000 years ago, God the Father gave the greatest gifts to His Son and also to us.