Straddle the Turtle

Learning to slow down, because life's too short ~ ~ ~

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Grantview Studio Spring Newsletter

04.25.2025 by Barbara Grant //

grotto in garden with angel statue
Greetings from Grantview Studio!

Last year’s trip to Belgium generated some good things 🌷

It has been one year since our family travelled to Belgium to visit the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery where my husband’s birth father is buried. Sgt. Robert Grant was killed at the Battle of the Bulge in 1944. Since returning Bob has created a grotto in our back yard to remember his dad, and we’ve stayed in touch with the woman who volunteered to visit the cemetery on our behalf.

She recently emailed photos of her latest visit to place a bouquet of red roses and reported removing bird droppings from the top of the cross.

drawing of Kestrel sitting on cross

This prompted Bob’s comment, ā€œMust have been a bird resting there.ā€ Things like this make it into my journal – possible ideas for compositions.

If my journal entry is difficult to read, it basically records that I learned the common Kestrel is the national bird of Belgium, so I made a quick sketch of Mr. Kestrel perched on the cross of Sgt. Robert Grant.

My brother-in-law Paul, a writer, became fascinated by the account in my last newsletter about the reuniting of father and son after 80 years. It inspired him to write the story, spending countless hours digging into legal documents, letters, telegrams, photos, newspaper clippings, researching locations and interviewing anyone who might help fill in the gaps of a life almost forgotten. Our pingpong table was piled with artifacts, and he and Bob created a timeline on an adjacent wallboard. The source of my husband’s yearning for most of his life was being unearthed and finally taking shape after all those years. Paul’s sensitivity to the emotional roller coaster this caused in our family is something for which we cannot repay.

He titled the story Grant’s View and invited me to create the artwork for the eBook & Paperback. On the front cover I incorporated the use of a drawing that is not mine. It is a portrait of Bob’s dad in uniform. Martin Balow is the artist who sketched him from life. (His tiny initials can be seen on the lower right side.) Sgt. Grant then lovingly addressed the drawing to his wife Marie. We found this original drawing in her box of letters.

From the first time I laid eyes on this gem, I understood what a precious record it was. Any trained artist would note the choices made: the variety of pressure of pencil point to paper, the economy of line, the tenderness rendered – a meditation of truth transferred to the page. I marvel that the facial features depicted are recognizable in Robert’s offspring, the men and grandchildren in my life.

I hope someday we may learn the whereabouts of this thoughtful artist’s family to share our stories.

drawing of Sgt. Robert Grant

Grant’s View is now available on Amazon.com. Just click this link Amazon.com …or search ā€œPaul Turelli booksā€ on Amazon.com

🌷🌷🌷

As for Grantview Studio, I’m still connecting with my OddBall artist group in Illinois. Many of us participated in the Looking In Looking Out windows exhibit organized by Sara Peak Convery (Arts Alive Chicago). My contribution was a painting on an old window frame called Dance Studio.

Dance Studio painting

I am gifting this one to my dear friend Peggy who suddenly became my impromptu model. It was such an intense collaboration, an important experience for both of us about the anguish of war.

You can learn more about it on my Grantview Studio blog: (that’s https://grantviewstudio.com/blog)

Peggy's modeling pose in anguish

Most Saturday mornings I’m with my Milwaukee sketch group, drawing points of interest in and around our fine city. I’m always open to learning from other artists about new art supplies, techniques and soaking up their various views about…everything. There’s a good vibe that feeds my soul when I’m with my friends.

* Here we are hamming it up for the photographer at Mitchel Park Domes.

* Here we are hamming it up for the photographer at Mitchel Park Domes.
Bell playing with Roxy & Ringo

The most recent highlight for Roxy and Ringo was a whole week’s visit with granddaughter Bell, who hopes to someday ā€œlive out in the country and take in ALL the rescue dogs that nobody wants.ā€ Bell is the youngest of eleven grandchildren in our blended family.

Our great-grandchild David was born last August! Here he is galloping on his rocking horse!

David wearing cowboy hat riding rocking horse
We thank you for your interest in our Grantview Studio endeavors & projects, along with a few family updates. 
And we always love hearing back from you!

Wishing you peace and happiness
 ā€ØšŸ™ā€Ø
Bob & Barbara Grant

🌷🌷🌷

See contact page to stay in touch ~ ~ ~

p.s. I continue to create new work and manage my websites, where I post other things beside our newsletters.

(Most of what I share are stories about the creative process.)

Categories // Art for worthy causes, Creative Process, Limelights on my friends, Newsletters, Reading Tags // art community, artist friends, inspirational friends, Story telling

A Colorful Tree & my Fall Newsletter (all in one :)

10.04.2023 by Barbara Grant //

Fall newsletter 2023 from Grantview Studio

Before leaving summer behind there’s something that I want to share.

I recently finished this painting titled Colorful Tree. The art lover who requested I create it got the idea when she saw my painting of kids in a tree that I had posted on my blog years ago.* She had an empty wall just waiting for something like this, had no particulars about what medium I chose, and was in no hurry. No pressure! Fun project! I’m grateful for her patience, because I was interrupted multiple times with other projects with deadlines.

Following are excerpts from our email exchange that reveal some of the magic of this venture:

Me — This painting has been a joy to work on – more play than work. I loved creating a comfortable, climbable tree; I loved pretending I was each one of those kids; I loved dressing each child and imagining their personalities. Every time I thought it was finished, I photographed it for your approval and noticed something else to fix. But I better stop now before I go too far and wreck something! If there’s something I can alter to make it more to your liking, I will do my best. It’s been so fun!

Client — Barb, I just LOVE this!!!  It is gorgeous. Just what I was hoping for!  I was mulling over one change.  Would you be willing to change the skin tone of one the kids?  I don’t care at all which one and while all of my grandkids will most likely be white, I kind of like the idea of some variety.  I know that I never mentioned this so I apologize for this inconvenience.  It never occurred to me.  Let me know your thoughts … Thank you, Barb, I really do love it!

Me — I’m so glad you’re pleased. I have to reveal something pretty funny. As I worked on this I had an Irish redhead on the swing, Hispanic boy up on the limb, lovely Asian girl in the crook of the tree, little blondie tackling the kite and a brown skinned beauty kicking off her sandals. But in final stages I allowed them to morph into a generic crew, because I felt I was being presumptuous. I went back & forth thinking, well…they could be at a city park?!  Anyway, pretty funny huh? I’ll make changes & send photos for your approval.

Client — Oh your original plan was perfect. Go for it!!!

ME — I’ll do my best šŸ¤“

Client — I’m sure it will be fabulous 🄰

She didn’t want to risk damage or loss via shipping and offered to drive from Illinois to my studio in Wisconsin. I suggested we meet halfway, and so we were able to enjoy a nice lunch. She was interested in how I created the painting and asked questions about the process. One of the things I told her was about a song I learned as a child in Sunday School:

šŸŽ¼ Jesus loves the little children; all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white; they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world šŸŽ¶

This song ran through my mind as I composed the drawing, chose colors, mixed and applied the paint. I’m fortunate to be friends with two artists who are experts in mixing skin tones; they educated me in using undertones of red or blue depending on ethnicity. It’s tricky.

* The earlier painting of ā€œkids in a treeā€ that my client recalled can be found on my blog. The title of this post is Poetry + Soccer = America Scores. You can easily go to it by clicking here. This is the artwork:

My last newsletter was posted December of last year, so I have a few other project updates I’d like to share

photos of the creative process to completion

I created another book cover that turned out to be helpful in my quest to learn more about painting digitally. This came about as I was grappling with the composition for the commissioned design. I uploaded my drawings to the Procreate app on my iPad, then using the incredibly magic Apple Pencil started experimenting… So fun! I moved back & forth working on canvas, paper and the digital app and sending images of my progress to Mr. Turelli for his feedback and guidance. Quite the learning process for me! The author’s website is: PaulTurelli.com

My Catch of the Day painting was included in an exhibit this last June with my friends at Oddball Art Labs. As a teenager I heard rumors about Big Foot who roamed around the countryside near Big Hollow Road in Peoria, Illinois. I returned to scout out the area earlier this year. At dusk it was still spooky for me to visit alone. A narrow train bridge came into view as I drove around a curve on the isolated, tree-lined country road, the sides of its inner walls covered with graffiti. It took me back to my high school days and inspired my entry for this artwork.

back of painting

(Happy Halloween!)

Also I created a logo for Precious Tots Preschool where my daughter Tobi teaches. The design needed to include what the director of her school desired for their new T-shirt fundraiser. I putzed around long enough with various designs and kept throwing in new ideas for approval – back & forth – I could have gone on forever I was having so much fun… But Tobi finally had to say, “Mom, stop! Quit changing things! It’s fine the way it is!!!” So with the help of Dori, my younger daughter who was finalizing the project for print on fabric, I was able to slip in one more itty bitty improvement to balance the composition – a little tuffet of grass in the bottom left corner. Tobi will never know unless she reads this far into my newsletter, which I admit is rather lengthy.😬

It was a fun summer. We made it to Milwaukee’s Summerfest to see the James Taylor/Cheryl Crow concert, Bob cleaned out the garden shed, designed and had a bar built for our deck, met some cute cows out in the countryside during one of his photography assignments, and we celebrated the 4th of July with Roxy & Ringo:

cleaned out shed

šŸ™ Thanks for reading and looking… šŸ‘€

bottom banner with Roxy & ringo photo signing off with love

p.s. My friend who knows a lot about watercolor told me that yellow “pushes” other colors. I did this experiment to watch it happen. I’m aware that it’s a visually powerful color but just look how it punched into this red! I used this for the background of the banners in this newsletter. I painted it on postcard paper, scanned the image and uploaded it to the Canva app to make my designs. I also sent the postcard via the U.S. post service to my friend way out near Seattle šŸ™‚

Image for banners
Yellow Push

Categories // Creative Process, Newsletters Tags // art community, artist friends, artwork feedback, book cover art, fun in the studio, idea and information sharing, inspirational friends

The Reverence of Poise

07.29.2022 by Barbara Grant //

watercolor painting of cup of tea

This morning I played ā€œpoiseā€ in a word game. Then I sat with my coffee to ponder this word’s loveliness. I looked it up to make sure I understood it’s true meaning: 

  • graceful and elegant bearing in a personĀ 
  • composure and dignity of mannerĀ 
  • balance
  • equilibrium

Yes, as perfect as I’d imagined.

On the way to the groomer Roxy and Ringo peered at the driver behind us as the light turned green. He HONKED immediately, because I’d waited a split second to smile at my pups in the rear view mirror gazing at a man in a hurry. I did not rush. I allowed him to speed around me, feeling no slight but wondering what has changed in me? Why no flood of rage and indignation that would normally ruin my day?  Curious…

This happened another day recently while looking for a parking spot. The shop owner greeted me at the door. Boasting that it was I who had caused the barrage of honking and yelling in the street just prior, she sighed, ā€œHappens all the time; people are angry.ā€ I have to admit I felt a wee bit powerful, and it didn’t wreck my day. I was, in fact, giggling at those silly folks.

What’s the story? I’ve not always been like this. I can be as impatient as the next person if I’m tired, hungry or in pain. I remember one incident specifically when I was riding my bike, a vehicle almost ran me off the road. The driver cursed me for being in his way. I was livid and chased him down where he’d pulled over to refuel and let loose in such a rage I didn’t recognize myself. I’m ashamed now – did I need a protein shake? a nap?  But perhaps he learned a little something about the rules of the road that day.

This new way of being patient with the rudeness of others is new for me. It’s not something I’m trying to do. It’s just happening. I can tell by my heart rate and blood pressure, which are just staying calm ~ ~ ~  I’m not sure where it is coming from. 

Maturity? I do meditate regularly; maybe it really does help. Or am I’m getting accustomed to the anger that seems to be everywhere. But forgiveness and happiness are out there in abundance, too. It’s like going to the zoo; we’re exposed to all kinds when we open ourselves to the world. Some people are sweet and funny, some are impatient and mean. 

My friend sent me a lovely card recently. Inside she wrote this quote by Thich Nhat Hanh: 

ā€œDrink your tea slowly without rushing to the futureā€

photo of handwritten quote
(her abridged version to get the point across to my hurried mind)

I put it near my place mat as a reminder. Then I researched* the full quote, which is:

ā€œDrink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.ā€

sketch of cup revolving around the axis of the earth

This is a hastily sketched diagram to help me visualize the tea in my cup reverently revolving with the axis of the earth. 

I’ve been working on slowing down. In actuality, my aging body has been assisting in that endeavor. I would like to focus more on drinking my tea with reverence but am not sure what that means. My gut tells me I might begin by returning to my first paragraph to concentrate on the meaning of poise.

As a connected effort, I’ve begun seven small watercolors focusing on a ceramic mug made by a dear friend. I cannot look at this cup without imagining how her hands formed it. When these paintings are finished they will be available in my shop as blank greeting cards with envelopes.

photo of 3 watercolor paintings of cup of tea with cup next to them

*The full quote pulled up on online at https://ma.tt/2019/01/thich-nhat-hanh-on-tea/ was posted by Matt Mullenweg on 1/23/19 and links to Thich Nhat Hanh’s book The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation at Amazon.com

Categories // Creative Process, Just felt like sharing :) Tags // art therapy, artist friends, being kind, creative energy, slowing down

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