Trials, tribulations and the dark mountain.

Dark Mountain 5x7 Oil on Paper $90

Welcome to the Dark Mountain on this 7th day of January.... When I saw this scene I was visiting my son, who's name is Seven by the way, and I remember thinking - what made this mountain so dark?  It not only looked dark but it felt dark too.  I was reliving this all as I was painting it.  After I had painted it but before I had written this blog entry I heard an interesting story.

Kind of off track but what the hey.  Not sure who said what so I can't do quotes but the story kind of went as this----

There was a lady who was in despair.  She sits next to a preacher on a plane and they begin to talk during their flight. Their talking eventually leads them to tell each other the sad, wrong, trying things that have happened to each other in their lives.  Both stories are crazy tragic.  The preacher was happy but the lady was so sad.  In the end, the lady asks the preacher- What makes bad things happen to good people?  

I think we have all felt this way before or at least known someone who felt like this, right?

Here is the preachers response - No body is perfect, we are all in fact sinners.  So what you must ask is -why do good things happen to bad people?

Oooohhhhhh.  Kind of makes you think, huh?  Yes, I am far from perfect.  I know it can be hard but don't dwell on the bad stuff, seek the good in all.

This story kind of moved me a bit.  It was also much more detailed when I heard it but I am a slow typer so I need to share the brief version.

So now back to the art...       This painting is about a scene I saw near Prescott Arizona.  I was drawn to the dark mountain and the few trees that grew there.  I wondered if they felt lonely and this thought made me sad.  But then, I saw the sun rising behind it and my sadness lifted.  I asked earlier what made this mountain so dark?   Wrong question.  I should've asked - What made everything else so bright?

Seek the light my friends.

-Larry

June 25 Tractors

To Dig Deep   30 x 40    Oil on Canvas

I like tractors.  Enough said...

Actually, there is a little more to be said here. Scientia Fideles Defendit translates from Latin to mean: knowledge protects the faithful ones.  This saying is about creating a solid understanding of the Lord.  Luke 6:46 is about the wise and foolish builders.  A wise person building a house will dig deep to lay the foundation on solid rock.  A foolish builder does not and his house is destroyed in flloods and winds.  These clues I am giving lead to family values and knowing the Lord.  But, how does this blend with a tractor hanging from wires?

I have spent countless hours on construction sites. I have seen this many times:  The mechanic arrives early and starts warming up the tractors, they sit unattended.  At lunch the drivers will leave the tractor running while they go take their break. At a controlled site this may be okay but so many times I have seen cars pull up and some kid or a group of kids get out,  jump the short orange construction fencing and go running up to the tractors.  Usually, last out of the car is Dad.  He yells a few things at them but doesn't do much to stop them. When the tractor drivers see what's happening they start screaming at the kids to get off, then Dad becomes upset and then everyone gets mad, the driver, the dad and the kids.  If you really think about it, if the kids were to get in there and change the controls or the tractor blew a pressure hose or if the driver jumped in, unaware the kids were around, and drove off, someone could be killed!  

I have often wondered why a parent would stop their car, let the kids out, allow them to jump barriers just to show their kids potential death, but not show them Life.  This goes for many things, not just tractors.  Let's go see a scary movie about a possessed killer and fill our heads with cruelty. Let's go to the river and try and drown ourselves. Let's get on our bikes and try and break our backs Etc, etc, etc.  These are all fun things and I'm absolutely not opposed to them.  But....  Why not show the same excitement for church?  In all these things we are trusting in God to protect our kids, so why not stop the car, jump barriers and get to know Him a little more? 

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Don't just trust the tractor.  Ignorance kills.

Prints of this painting are available!  Easy to order.  Here's where to go:
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/to-dig-deep-larry-reinhart.html

I should be able to get back to painting the whale very soon.  It's been a busy week.  Gotta love life!  Today (Saturday) I'm off to Search and Rescue training in the mountains.

Larry

June 24 Something else, a horse perhaps?

The Four Horsemen   36 x 60 Oil on Canvas

I'm think'in that if I don't have anything to share regarding the whale painting then I should share something else.  So here's something else:

My painting of the Four Horsemen.

The four horsemen are called upon in chapter 6 in the book of Revelations.  To understand what these riders represent you must actually do a lot of reading and interpretation but a good place to start is chapter 6.  Interpretations may vary but what I have gathered is that the white rider represents the false prophet, the antichrist, the red horse could be the next big world war, the black horse brings recession and poverty to all and the last horse, described as the pale horse, brings death.  These are gruesome things and the riders who enact them will probably do horrific acts as they bring these revelations to reality. 

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After explaining this, I have been asked how I could possibly paint these horses to resemble childish toys.  Here's what I was thinking:

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We are given toys to play with at a young age so we can learn from them.  We learn how mechanical devices work, we discover cause and effect, we can even learn how to share with others and to respect the toy for what it is, who gave it to us, etc.  God, who created these horses doesn’t really need them or the riders to process His judgment, He could simply snap His fingers and we would all be obliterated.  But by bringing each horseman out he is giving us the opportunity to learn from what is happening and make a life saving decision, Salvation.  So I'm saying these horsemen are like toys.  They are a means to teach us in a way we can understand, interact with and learn from.  Brutal toys, yes, but still toys.

In Matthew chapter 24, Matthew describes the early stages of the tribulations as birthing pains for what will be coming in the end.  If this is true then these horsemen would be coming early on and there would be lot more things to follow them. So in representing these horsemen as toys I think they would be simple, like pull toys a young child could grow to play with.  

It's just how my thought process is.

Prints of this painting are available through my print on demand site :

 http://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-four-horsemen-larry-reinhart.html

They are awesome prints, available in many sizes and are very reasonably priced.  Come check them out!  I recommend a print on the Archival Matte paper.

Larry

The Time is Coming, What does this painting mean?

The Time is Coming 36x48 Oil on Canvas

I recently found out that my painting The Time is Coming won the Galleries Choice Award at Contemporary Art Gallery in Annapolis, Maryland.  I feel extremely blessed to be able to paint as I do and share my art with everyone.  At first glance, a lot of people may not notice that a lot of my art is Christian based.  I like to keep my Christian thoughts subtle in my work but this particular image is one of the more direct paintings.  Study the image a bit and come up with what you think it means then read on to learn what I was trying to convey:

Ready?  Here we go...

Revelations 16:16 calls out a place with the Hebrew name of Armageddon.  It is said that this is the place where all nations will come together and battle Christ.  Armageddon is translated from the Hebrew word Har Megiddo which means Hill of Megiddo.  This was an ancient city in Northwestern Palestine, Southeast of Haifa in present day Israel.  This name is depicted above the front door to this building.

The building I chose to depict here is completely made up but in my design I wanted a building that felt solid, like a bank, older government building or something along this line.  Surrounding the building I have added a few symbolic items to help tell my story.  Here's what I included:  Above the door you can see a United Nations symbol to push the idea of one government to rule all nations.  The gold statue bust above the central portico is my depiction of a false idol, it is ambiguous on purpose.  The gold front doors have tarnished to green to symbolize the decay of the building has started from within and is working it's way outside.  The entry stairs and the column bases have not tarnished yet but when they do will it effect the buildings strength?  The time of the clock is 3:06, or three sixes, the number of the beast.  These numbers have been lifted up, but not in a Righteous way, but rather in a man made way with ropes. The clock is big and looms over the people below in a dangerous way.  The ropes holding it up don't seem too strong or placed just right.  Will it come toppling down on the people below?  From the rear of the building, the destruction of the war has started and is depicted by the first plumes of smoke.  The smoke is dark and thick to show it is man made synthetic items that are burning, natural items tend to burn with a white or grey smoke plumage.  We see that  people have begun to arrive at this place, possibly for help and protection, but the doors to this building are closed and must be locked.  Overall, this painting is about a beginning of a very turbulent end of days where it may seem that all hope is lost.

But hope is not lost.  To the right of the painting there is a statue of angels with the inscription of IXOYE near the base.  These markings depict the Greek word for fish.  It was this marking that was once used by a group of people to mark secret entrances to safe houses and places of worship.  Within these places is where groups of people first came together to worship.  They were the first Christians.  The Greek word for fish was eventually replaced by a symbol in the shape of a fish that is still seen today, often on the back of people’s cars.  I wanted to express that even in the direst circumstances there is always hope and maybe if you just open you heart, lift your eyes and look around the corner you just might find it waiting for you there.
Matthew 7:13-14  "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

That's a lot to think about and to put into a painting.  I would love to here what you all think.  Did your first instincts about the painting express a note of destruction or a tinge of hope?

On  a more personal note:  I like to hide a "7" in a lot of my work.  Can you find the seven in this painting?

Prints of this painting are available here: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-time-is-coming-larry-reinhart.html  Many sizes are available and the prices start at only $17.

The Original painting can be seen in Riverside, CA.  Here is the link to the current show:  http://www.artscaperiverside.com/

Take care,

Larry

The Carrot

The Carrot            36x48    Oil on Canvas        Sold

               

      I am fascinated by all types of animals, wild and tame. Every one of them is a creation assembled with extreme care and genius. I can see in their eyes that they all have a history or story to tell and I often think about what they would say if speech between us was possible.  I find it fascinating that different species of animals can outnumber us and yet they do not try to control us.  I am amazed how some of these animals could tear us limb by limb and yet attacks by these wild beasts are rare.  In Genesis 9:2 God tells us that He has put the fear and terror of us in all beasts and explains to us that He has placed them into our care. In general, this is why most animals, big or small, run from us when we call out to them.  So why then do we kill them, leave their meat to rot and take only the trophy?  Why do we push them out of their homes and into strange lands?  Why are we so eager to conquer these animals?  In my own strange way I find these intentions similar to someone dangling a carrot in front of a grizzly's face.  Doing something like this ignoring the grizzly's personal space, showing them we do not care for them.  Do we really expect the grizzly to run from us? What do you think you would see if you looked into his eyes at this moment?  If we are so rebellious that we do not do what is asked of us, care for these animals, then should we really expect the animals to fear us?  

     This painting is a result from my fascination with animals and is actually a self portrait of me and my family.  I do not intentionally harm the animals nor do I badger them, but I do adventure out into their homes and lands.  I sketch them and photograph them while they are out doing their private family things together.  I often wonder if this is morally wrong and if it upsets the animals.  I pray I never get that question answered when I'm out sketching a bear or a moose.  I dont bring carrots with me, but if I ever did they can have em!

Does anyone recognize the statue in the painting?  Let me know who you think it is and why I chose to depict it.  The painting got it's name from the central figure in front of the bear.  This depicts me as I dangle a carrot from a fishing pole in front of the bear.  The bear is so big because when you come across them, alone, in their land this is how big they feel to me.  In most of my big paintings I place a number 7.  This paintings number is on the base of the statue.  And one last note, be careful around the animals.  Try picking a fight with a raccoon and see who wins.  Raccoons are small and bears, cats, things with horns are a lot bigger.  Buy a zoom lens, it's cheaper!

I'm an artist, a hiker, a search and rescue professional, and a lover of animals.    

-Larry

Day 29, The Artist's Muse

The Artist's Muse  6x6  Oil on Panel

She is my wife,
She is the mother of my children,
She is my best friend,
She is my sister (Sit Down! Not the Redneck type but rather my sister in Christ - just need to make sure y'all got that crystal clear. - I mean it.)
She is my muse,
She is my life.

I swear to God this girl could be picking her nose and I would still want to paint her.

Completed January 29th

Larry

Day25 Rough Waters

Rough Waters  6x6 Oil on Panel

You never know whats beneath you or why things happen.  You just have to trust that you will be lifted up.

Completed January 25th.

Larry

Day 22, Prayers Answered

Prayers Answered  6x6 Oil on Panel

I'm sure we all wish, hope, pray, in some way, for a happy ending in all that we do.  In a search and rescue operation I would imagine the people who are lost and hurt do the most aggressive hoping and praying out of everyone involved.  It's hard to say though, because there are also family members and friends of the person who is lost or hurt who want their loved one back, the rescuers who want to make it up there, find this person in need and get back safely, the family members of the SAR teams who want their loved ones to return home at the end of the night and there are the bystanders who, after witnessing such a thing, probably hope and pray to never be in the same predicament.  This creates a great mental strain on all involved.

The lady I have painted here was in tears after we went in, found her, treated her, and brought her safely back out.  She was so thankful to be able to see her family again.  Before the lady was put into the ambulance my wife noticed her crying and knelt down to see what was wrong.  The lady was so distraught that she wanted to pray for all involved and give thanks but didn't think she could do or say the right things given her present state. My wife encouraged her to try her best and that she would be right by her side so they could pray together.  This was a true celebration to an end of a hard day.

Completed (Painting) January 22nd.

Larry

Day19, The Gift

The Gift  6x6 Oil on Panel

I did it!  This is a portrait of my daughter.  This is a miracle because I do not do portraits.  I do paint people, but they do not resemble anyone in particular.  This one though, I gave myself a challenge and went for it.  It took me three times longer to paint this than the others but, TA-DA. Here it is!

Just had to get that out.  HUGE accomplishment for me.  I feel like climbing on my roof and shouting.

I love the painting, but to be honest, I never want to do it again.  It was no fun.

Completed January 19th.

Larry

Below is a close up.  It's actually larger than the original.  I painted it with the same pallet I have been kind of using for all my landscapes with the addition of the pink color.  What a range of color possibilities.

Day17, The Fishers of Men

The Fishers of Men   6x6 Oil on Panel

An abstract Sunday.  This abstract has something in it I see.  What do you see?

I'll edit my post later tonight with the the title I want it to have and I wonder if you will begin to see what I see.  Or - maybe we already see the same thing?  Turns out most people did pick up on the boat image.  After looking at it now I see I over did it.   A lot of people also saw a city or tall buildings in the background.

When I was painting it, I was thinking coastal colors and fog.  It was too pail looking so I added the brown, which to me indicated a boat.  A keel and net was indicted and I was almost done.  The red and yellow to the left some thought was a space man or alien type of figure.  This represents the divine light of Jesus as he is calling John and his brother to him.  He tells them you will no longer fish for food but you will be fishers of men to teach the Word to.

Some people, teachers, gallery owners and critics think an artwork's title is just as important as the artwork itself. I don't necessarily think so.  I can just as easily enjoy a painting entitled "painting 4" as I can one with a lavish title.  I was once at a gallery opening for a pretty well recognized abstract artist.  This artist was leading a group of us around and giving us an explanation of his work.  Afterwords, we were all free to wander, drink our wine, eat our crackers and enjoy the art.  I looked at every painting and thought "Blobs of paint.  All it is is blobs of paint."  As I was analyzing one of the paintings the artist came into the room with me.  He knew I was an artist by how closely I was analyzing his work.  (This is common with Gallery owners too.)
He asked "So, what do you see?"
I answered "Honestly?"
"Yes."
"Blobs of paint is all I see, and I don't particularly like the colors."
He said"  No, no no.  let me show you."
And he proceeded to tell me how he went about painting it, what he thought about, and all the other whats, whens and whys he painted this painting.  It was a true learning experience for me and I think about this conversation every time I paint an abstract.  When he was done explaining he asked again what I thought.
I said, "It's all good if you are hear to explain, it really makes a wonderful story.  But if you do not personally fallow this painting around to explain it to everyone, every time, then it would simply be a blob of paint."  I then asked, "What do you think all the other people in the gallery are thinking about your other painting right now?"
He called me a "little shit" and ran out of the room.

It's not the title that makes a painting, it the painting that makes the painting.  A title can actually change the way someone sees the painting so an artist really needs to be careful and purposeful in their decisions.  As far as abstracts go, there are great abstract artists out there and there are ones who make blobs of paint.  The blobs of paint generally look good over the couch.  To each their own.  This little attempt shows I can try to lead you with the slight details toward what I want you to see.  It doesn't guarantee success though.  This is how I want to work my abstracts because I love to tell a story.  But...the point of an abstract is to be abstract, void of any representation crap.  So in this sense I guess my abstracts will fail.  What do you think?

Have a great Sunday.

Completed January 17th.

Larry

Day15. Half way there

Half Way There  6x6 Oil on Panel

I am half way complete with the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.  Whoo-Hooo!

I wasn't actually thinking about this title when I was working on this painting but it sure does fit. I was still in a somber mood after yesterdays painting. Thank you all for the comments, both on the blog and on Facebook. Y'all really lifted me up. When I started painting today I said a quick prayer and asked for some guidance. In the beginning I really struggled. It started as an abstract, lead to another abstract, then a third and finally I started to see the potential.

As I was painting I was rambling in my head, (a good kind of ramble, I can control it, I promise) what it must have been like for Jesus to be tortured as he was and still know he had to walk out to be hung on the cross. He knew the journey he must take and he still took it. He took this journey for us. This was a very humbling thing to think about and I am grateful for the thoughts. The final touch to the painting was the cross.

We have a good life, hope you all agree.

Completed January 15th

Larry

Day 7, The Trumpet.

The Trumpet  6x6 Oil on Panel

This image is a study of a larger image I am thinking about creating.  I'm thinking 24x36 in size.  I like the concept but now that I have added color I am back on the fence with it.  For this study I used Thalo blue.  I really don't like Thalo blue but thought I would give it a try.  It just makes the blue too blue and the grass too green.

So what do y'all think?  Should I make this into a larger painting?  Do you like the bright greens and blues?

Completed January 7th.

Larry