Silly Practice Page

 

I told you it was silly!

Lower Salem Church

I forgot to take a picture of the finished painting before it was framed. This is the Lower Salem Church in Lower Salem, Ohio. It is done in watercolor.

Creighton Ridge Church in Monroe County Ohio

 

 

This is a watercolor painting on watercolor paper of Creighton Ridge Church of Christ in Monroe County OH. The size is 11 x 14.

Practice Book - Train

 

I’m still playing with watercolor.

Practice Book - Rocker on Porch

 

It is lots of fun to practice with watercolor and learn how it works. I find the study of watercolor to be a long session! Anyway, I had fun painting this in my practice book.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in god, believe also in Me.” John 14:1

Every evening turn your worries over to God. He’ll be up all night anyway. Mary Crowley

Little House Practice

This is today’s practice. Nothing more.

Today’s Thought

It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners. Mark 2:17

Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 Broken Fence in the Snow

 

This one was painted while watching a video on YouTube. The photo of the painting was taken before it was totally dry, thus the wrinkles. They’ll go away when it dries.

Today’s Thoughts:

As you write out goals, make two columns. List those that only Jesus can resolve and ones you can work to achieve with Him.

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 43:5

Friday, Jan. 2, 2026 Practice Book

 

For the new year I plan to do more work in my practice book. When I come up with something I like I will paint it on larger paper.

Today’s Thought:

Put on a heated vest, get under an electric blanket, or put something on straight from the warm dryer. Close your eyes and feel Jesus’s love radiating through you.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34

Thursday, January 1, 2026 Practice Book

 Just playing around.

Today’s thought:

As you reflect on the past year, thank Jesus for always being in control. Whether you make resolutions or not, pray for Him reveal the beginning you need.

“Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Matthew 6:8

Cold Winter Day

 

This watercolor represents the day we are having today. Cold, snow, wind….good time to stay in the house and paint. 11 x 14 watercolor.

Painting Flowers on a Cold Winter Night

 

On this cold evening, it was relaxing to sit and practice using watercolors on this bunch of flowers. It’s an 11 x 14 watercolor.

My Christmas Arragement

 

For Christmas Don gave me a flower arrangement as he usually does. This if my painting of it. It is 11 x 14 done in watercolor. 

Deer practice in watercolor

 

When I paint I really need to look at another picture to do a good job. In this one, I was on my own. I’ve been reading a lot about watercolor and know that it is not exactly an easy medium to conquer. I’ll keep trying to do a better job. Practice, practice, practice!

Playing around with Watercolor

 

Playing around with watercolor. Notes to self: For shadows mix the color with the color opposite on the color wheel. Control depth of color with water. Layer. Start light then add color. Sometimes stick to the same family of colors like in this one, lots of blues and greens in different amounts of color. Wipe off color when you need to and leave bare white. Don’t use white and black to darken and lighten. Use water instead. Keep practicing. 

Lottie & Bobo the Snowman

 

This is a watercolor, size 11 x 14, of our great-granddaughter, Lottie and the snowman she and her Daddy made during the first snow of the season. 

Presents

 

This painting is 11 x 14 (not matted) done in watercolor. It is framed. $40.

                                                                          $40 each  Framed

A Lone Candle

 

This is an 11 x 14 watercolor painting of a Christmas candle. 

Available framed for $40 each. Contact me at drudou@gmail.com if interested.

Poinsettia

 

This is an 11 x 14 watercolor painting of a poinsettia. It is for sale framed for $40.

Christmas Tree Bulb Duo

 

An 11 x 14 Christmas Tree Bulb duo. Ready for framing. NO LONGER AVAILABLE.

Christmas Tree Bulb

 

After a day of not feeling very good and mostly sleeping, the painting corner got my attention and this is the result. It’s 11 x 14, not matted, done in gouache, ready to frame. This painting IS AVAILABLE framed for $40.

Yule Log with Candles

 

Just a little Saturday night painting entertainment.  Gouache 11 x 14. No mat.

A Couple Trees (Personalized) for a friend

 

Friday Doodles

 

Just practicing. (Watercolor) This tree has the names of Don and me and our children. The second one below is done in acrylic gouache.

Fall Farm Commission

 This is a painting for a customer. The size is 16 x 20 and it is done in acrylic gouache paint. 

Watercolor Christmas Card

 This is not for sale. It is a practice drawing of a Christmas Card done in watercolor.

Bushy Berry Christmas

 This painting is done on an 8x 10 canvas with acrylic gouache paint. NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Poinsettia Wreath

 This is an acrylic gouache painting on watercolor paper, size 11 x 14, matted ready for framing. NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Red Candle Christmas

 This is an 11 x 14 gouache painting on watercolor paper, matted ready for framing.

Plaid Bow Christmas

 This is an 11x 14 matted painting for Christmas. It is ready for framing. NO LONGER AVAILABLE

A Blend of Greens Christmas Painting

 

This is an 11 x 14 pot of greens for Christmas. The size is 11 x 14. The painting is a matted gouache painting on watercolor paper. It is ready for framing.

Red Bow Centerpiece Painting

 

This is an 11x14 gouache painting of a Christmas centerpiece. It is painted on watercolor paper, is matted and ready to frame.

First Christmas 2025 Painting

 

The seasons roll around faster every year it seems. I decided it was time to get some Christmas 2025 paintings done. This is an 11 x 14 gouache on watercolor paper, matted in white and ready to frame. NO LONGER AVAILABLE.

This is how the buyer displayed it:

Ohio University Graduation Gift

 

A painting of my guitar lying on an afghan on our couch. This is a Gibson J5 purchased in 1965. This has been a trusty friend for me for sixty years. My mother used to borrow it for entertaining at the rest home and other places. I used it to accompany our singing here and there and when playing in some music groups and at family gatherings. 

Our Little Sweeties - Watercolor

 

These girls are little readers.

Flowers for a Friend

 

A friend sent me a picture of some flowers she received during her recent illness. I decided to use them as a model for this watercolor. It is a 11 x 14 watercolor on watercolor paper.

Pumpkin Scene

 Watercolor pumpkin scene. 11 x 14 watercolor.

Watercolor Pumpkins

 

These pumpkins are done in watercolor on watercolor paper. The size is 11 x 14. 

Pumpkin Buddies

 

This is an 11 x 14 canvas painted with Acrylic Gouache. Ready for framing. NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Autumn Scene

 

This is a 5 x 7 canvas of a fall scene. $10.

Ham and Eggs

 

Ham and Egg Fries

Each year the upper grades of Mt. Ephraim School under our teacher’s direction planned some outside events. One was the Ham and Egg Fry. In the planning stage our teacher would ask us what we could bring. One of the main items was ham. 

This wasn’t ham that one purchased at the store but ham that was home-raised and sugar cured. Sugar cured was a way of preserving ham. Different families used their own variations in its preparation. The way it was done at our house was that of rubbing  coarse salt into the ham along with pepper, and brown sugar and something else that I don’t remember, wrapping it in newspaper then in a muslin cloth and hanging it in a safe place for several months until it was “sugar cured.” Sometimes when it was taken down there could be some mold on it that had to be removed but the fried sliced ham had a distinct taste that is hard to find these days. That was the kind of ham that was needed for the ham and egg fry and some of us voluntarily offered to supply it for this event.

Other people brought utensils (skillets, spatulas, paper plates, plastic eating utensils,salt and pepper, etc.) and of course eggs, bread, etc. We brainstormed all the items that would be needed and assigned the different tasks to class members. 

The event took place at Grant Moore’s farm across from the old Grant Moore’s store on Seneca Lake. In the field above the store there were some gigantic rocks that the kids climbed on. In today’s world, liability because of the chance of falling in the climbing escapades would have been a concern.  This all took place before liability was the focus it is today. I remember the rocks as unusually large and those who liked to climb relished them.

The students were the cooks who put some small rocks together and some wood in between, lit the fire (sometimes with a little difficulty), placed the skillet on the rocks above the fire and cooked the ham and fried the eggs.

All enjoyed eating the prepared items and then we cleaned up the mess.

How did we travel to Grant Moore’s? I think it was by individual cars. I don’t remember the school bus taking us to such an event.

Memories…that’s what the event at Grant Moore’s rocks gave us. Something most of us who were in that classroom will not forget in our lifetimes.

“Old School”

 To me this was a wonderful place…Mt. Ephraim School. Previously, this was a high school where my father graduated. By the time we were in school, it was a two-room school with the primary (grades 1-4) in the room on the left with one teacher and on the right grades 5-8 on the right with Dallas Bates as teacher when I was there. There were no bathrooms, no tv’s, no copiers, and so many of the conveniences that schools have today. It didn’t matter at all. We learned and succeeded in life. For tests, our teacher usually wrote the questions on the blackboard. We were called up by grade and subject to the front seats to recite. Discipline was strict but mostly acceptable. Our library was one set of World Book Encyclopedias. There were many assets…for recess we had freedom to play lots of different group or individual games outside. In the winter we used the “old high school” room for basketball, tag, roller skating and marching or, we donned our winter clothes and skiied on the hill behind the school. Lunch was wonderful. The amazing cooks made homemade bread and other homemade foods that were so good. To me, the door in this painting says “Welcome!” Note: This painting is from a picture I snapped when the building was in collapse mode. Sadly, it no longer exists. I could look at this building and probably write a book of stories. I loved the place so much!

Return from Vacation

 Just returned from vacation and I was pretty tired so I tired to paint in a slap-happy way. This is how it ended. Nothing special…just something.

Second day:

First day:

Fall is Just Ahead

 

11 x 14 matted fall painting in gouache. Ready for framing.