Praying Angel Cross Icon - My Painting For Today

I've been working on a series of large angel and Madonna icons for the Buyers Market of American Craft show next week.

This is a contemplative angel, rather peaceful, her hands raised in prayer. My hubby cuts the crosses in 3/4 inch plywood. I gesso them and apply the Celtic braid in texture medium; sort of like decorating a cake. I let it dry over night then carry on with the painting. Once I'm satisfied I seal it then add the sparkling little crystals.




“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”

~ St. Thomas Aquinas

Title: Enduring Faith
Size: 14 x 24 in
60 x 36 cm


*All Image Rights Reserved © Wendy Ryan *

More Paintings. Surreal Cats Angels and Horses

Well, the new printer is installed and somehow this weekend I'm going to have to learn to use it! But in the meantime I'm painting, which is of course a lot more fun than printing!

I think I'm just about caught up posting my new work to my website. Here are a couple pieces that I finished this week.

. This one is a bit on the surreal side. It's called "It Was Cloudy".



When I was a girl I had an Appaloosa pony. Like so many farm stories, there was an unhappy ending to our Appaloosa story. But all is well for this little angel speeding across the snow on her grand spotted steed. This one is called "Dreaming Free".

Clogged Printer and Another Madonna Painting

With only two weeks left until we pack up for the Buyers Market of American Craft show in Philadelphia, the last thing I needed this weekend was a clogged printer! I realize there's never a good time for technical difficulties but Sunday evening has got to be just about the worst. My good old Epson 2200 has produced countless prints for me over the past two years without so much as a burp. Tomorrow will tell if it's time for yet another investment....

But in the meantime, I have finished some more new work. This one is called "Intention So Pure".

Saint Rose of Lima Icon Painting for Yesterday

With that large commission piece finished, it was time yesterday to move on to another commission. Out of the blue on the weekend, I had received a phone call from a collector in New Orleans. During the course of our conversation she mentioned that she is just now, finally returning to her home after almost two years. Her grace and dignity in the face of that disaster and the challenges that followed made this little commission a particular delight.

So here is her Saint Rose of Lima.



Although she was only 31 at her death in 1617, she was known as "Mother of the Poor".

Sunflower Sunday Family Painting Commission

I realized today that I have so many new paintings completed during the last few weeks and I haven't taken the time to post them. So tonight I'm making a start by posting the painting I finished today.

It's always the best feeling when I finish a commission, send the image off to the client and they're happy... beyond happy, over the moon, delighted beyond words is my preference of course! And today was one of those happy days. From the start it was my favourite kind of commission. Lovely clients who made it clear what they like but put great trust in me and encouraged me to paint. It's a sort of portrait that portrays where this family is in their lives, who they are to each other. The figures are intended to "represent" the family members rather than "be" them. And they love Sunflowers!

So Long Since I Blogged

Almost a whole month since I last posted an entry. I'm realizing that committing to a blog takes more time, discipline and creativity than I seem to have. I'm still a daily painter...just not a daily blogger I guess.
But I'm back today with a painting I finished yesterday.



So far this one is just called "That Cat Today."