Mary Jo Leisure

Diary of a Painter

Painting is an expression of ones feelings. It can take you to another place at another time. Art comes from your heart, mind and soul. I hope you will enjoy reading My Diary of a Painter. I write periodically so I hope you will visit often. My desire is for you to feel and experience the inspiration that is all around you.

Please notice the dates as you read my renderings. You may notice that some of the dates may be from another time or year and I wanted to use them regardless of the date because I thought they each had something to say about our emotions and feelings, what we see and how we react, particularly as creative people. These segments will be kept in My Diary Archives in case you would like to return to them for reference when I move on to new thoughts.

Where Is The Moon?

There is a full moon out there somewhere.
Tonight...
the clouds rolled in and I lost the moon.
As I kept looking
the clouds broke up.
There was the moon, moving in and out
of the broken clouds.
It was beautiful, just beautiful.
The sky holds so much beauty
day and night.
Tonight...
dramatic colors and contrasts
as the full moon lights up the puffy clouds.
Tonight...
my mind tried to capture all that beauty.
Tonight...
I was filled with memories of all the beautiful sky's
from the top of our Cedar Crest Hill.
The pameramic beauty
of a lightening storm,
the colorful sunrises and sunsets,
the rainbow at the end of the storm.
Tonight...
as I watch the full moon
I remember.
My heart is full
and my mind's eye is working overtime.
If only my paint brush could capture it all.

Mary Jo Leisure, February 28, 2010

Winter, White, Cold and Beautiful

It's winter.
It came again, snow that is,
cold and white.
This time it came
cold, white, beautiful, and peaceful.
Gradually the ground was
covered with a white carpet.
More than that,
the trees were full and beautiful.
The roofs were the color of the sky.
Everyting outside was touched with this
beautiful white soft texture.
It snowed about 30 hours.
At one point all most a whiteout.
It leaves you in awe, surrounded by God's beauty.
It makes me want to paint something white.
To paint white on white,
is a challenge and one I like.
There are so many shades of white.
Shadows and reflections
showing off shapes and dimensions.
My dear dear friend, Aileen,
would say,
" We are painting one of those white flowers again
that's not white".
I would smile and add another color
and the bright white highlight
would show off.
What do you see and what do you feel,
when you look at white?
Maybe we need to look more closely
to see the many subtle colors in white.
It's winter,
It's white,
It's cold,
It's beautiful,
and my brushes are ready.

Mary Jo Leisurer, January 30, 2010

Sky No. 2

I became so excited that they (the paintings) came fast.
Nos. 3,4,5,6,
and they continue.

(This is sky No. 2)

Mary Jo Leisure, January 22, 2010

Capturing The Sky

After missing some magnificent skies,
I keep my camera close by.
As the sun is coming up
and
as the sun is going down,
Its' beauty changes rapidly.
There are many pictures during a
sunrise and sunset.
The colors, the shapes of the clouds,
the intensities, the softness,
the shadows, and the reflections.
I seem to always be saying
WOW!
This past year my collection
of photographs of the heavens grew extensively.
I had talked long enough
about painting these beautiful gifts of God.
My paints and brushes were waiting
for this moment.
I love capturing the sky with my paints.
My eyes are drawn to the heavens
to see what God has given us this day.
Every morning is a new sky, a new gift,
a new painting.

(This is sky No. 1)

Mary Jo Leisure, January 22, 2010

The Sun, The Snow and the Shadows

What a beautiful bright day it is.
The sun, the snow and the shadows.
It is so cold it probably won't melt,
not for awhile anyway.
The sky is a beautiful clear blue.
It is so still,
barely a breeze.
Outside is a winter garden.
The shadows are so bold.
When it is so still
the shadows are sharp and clean.
Depending on where the sun is
makes a difference where the shadows are.
They can change pretty fast.
Life is trying to get back to normal
after the blizzard of 2009.
I will keep watching all day,
inside and outside,
storing up what I see in my mind,
saving it for a painting some other day.
Who knows what it will be.
My mind is on overload.
The sun, the snow and the shadows are so beautiful.

Mary Jo Leisure, December 28, 2009

Today, I Remember

Today is a day of remembering,
remembering many things.
First it is the anniversary
of losing my husband of 57 years.
My children's Dad,
my grandchildren and great grandchildren's Papa
His most known and precious name is Papa.
We all know where he is...home in heaven,
free of pain, tears
and joyously singing praises
to our Heavenly Father.
Bittersweet...
sadness and joy bound together.
Sadness is for our void and loneliness.
Joy is his wholeness and happiness.
He was my encourager
and many times my inspiration.
Remembering we are encouraged and inspired
by what is around us.
That is, only if we see it.
I remember...
calling him in 1993 from St. Louis.
I needed him
to come and take me home,
to shield me from the pain and the hurt.
He came...he took me home.
He was my protector.
I remember...
the joys we shared at Cedar Crest,
with students from all over the world.
He loved them, visited with them
and encouraged them,
lovingly telling them
their apples looked like tomatoes,
taking them to feed the fish
and on hayrides,
on picnics in the pecan grove,
popping them popcorn, carrying their bags,
making them comfortable.
I remember...
How very much he loved family,
especially the children,
never complaining about babysetting
or changing diapers.
He loved being with them
going fishing, and golfing with them.
Teaching them
the importance of God and family.
I remember...
He traveled all week
and on week-ends he cut wood for my students,
AND
we all went to church together on Sunday.
I remember...
The months and the years
we traveled often to the doctors and hospital.
We spent much time in the car,
visiting and times setting quietly together.
But we also enjoyed the opportunity for a lunch date
and taking the long way home.
Those times were special.
I remember...
Many Christmases together,
getting up early,
always Harold reading the account of Jesus birth
from the Bible,
playing the new games,
just enjoying the day together
as a family.
The tears and smiles come easy for each of us.
The memories are treasures.
I will paint tomorrow
knowing Harold would be encouraging me.

Thank you dear friends for remembering with me.

Mary Jo Leisure, December 22, 2009

Have I Soaked Up Enough?

Today was a beautiful fall day.
The sky was a clean beautiful blue with soft white clouds.
The sound of the wind brought back many memories.
It was blowing so strong.
Leaves were falling like rain.
The grass was still a beautiful green.
Color everywhere was exceptional.
I drove to the country to take pictures.
Every direction I looked
was another picture,
or two or three.
The rains are supposed to come in
the next couple of days.
The wind and the rain will gradually
take away the beautiful color.
Have I soaked up enough
to last for a full year?
I want to paint everthing I saw today.
I wonder if I could.
I really don't paint landscapes
BUT
I want to.
Maybe it's time to strike out.
The feeling...the desire is there.
Just give it a try.
I never plan to give up my flowers
BUT
I need to stretch.
As I walked through my garden today
I saw,
mums, deep violet and yellow mums,
marigolds,
and even some petunias.
Zinnias, geraniums, cosmos,
periwinkle, ageratums,
sweet potato vines,
blue salvia,
they all have a different look in the fall,
but still beautiful,
reminding us that winter is just around the corner.
Have I soaked up enough
to last another year?

Mary Jo Leisure, October 20, 2009

Petal by Petal

Petal by petal,
as yellow as the sun.
Driving for miles I found myself watching them sway
in their beautiful way.
I was anxious to find a brush and capture them that way.
September in Kansas they are top of the line.
They fill my heart with memories
of days long gone by.
As they return in years to come
they will still be
petal by petal
as yellow as the sun.

Mary Jo Leisure, September 28, 2009

And The Movement

Seeing The Line Work

Enjoying The Challenge

I have been looking at this frame for months now.
I loved it when I bought it
and I still love it.
Today, I am ready to put a painting in it
June 15, 2009
I got my paints and brushes out
and have prepared the background
I plan to use.
The original color of the frame
was my guide.
I liked the background I just finished,
until I put them together.
The temperature was wrong.
They fought one another.
I knew it.
I felt it.
I rubbed some warm green into my background,
but it wasn't enough.
I put the frame away for now
concentrating on my design.
My plan was roses and something else.
As I worked my subject grew.
Now it was Roses, Hydrangeas, Grapes, Limes
and Leaves.
After the first stage of the painting was done
it still didn't work
with the color of the frame.
Easy enough...
I will change the color of the frame.
I decided to wait another day and look at it again.
The next day I liked the frame just as it was.
I love adding the details.
Everything comes alive,
a touch here and another there,
add, take away,
don't be afraid to change,
listen to your feelings,
and
enjoy the journey.
It may even change again.
Another Day...
I have added more to the design,
a better balance.
It is getting better.
It helps to put it down and
come back with a fresh look,
particularly on this large of a painting.
You see more.
You feel more.
It is still a wonderful challenge.
August 24, 2009
It has been a while now since I have worked on this piece.
The wedding was coming closer
and I needed to work more hours in my gardens.
Amber's reception was to be in my yard.
The wedding is over.
Everything was beautiful,
and now
it is back to my painting.
I finished the quilt block
I promised to Hoot.
Now, again,
it is back to my frame,
the one I set aside.
Today was a great day.
I finished the detail
and with another long look
I decided on something different.
I love the touch of realism..
so, do I set my painting on a surface?
I also love the decorative look...
How do I make it unique and decorative?
The line work and movement I love so much
was the answer.
Take a look and you will see what I mean.
The movement and shape continue to be stronger
with each decorative line,
with each touch of the brush.
I will take another look tomorrow.
It may change again
when I take a fresh look.

Mary Jo Leisure, June 15,....August 24, 2009

Here She Is

Here she is
Her Majesty,
Queen Ann's Lace,
blowin in the wind.
Isn't she beautiful?
How could you not be inspired?

Mary Jo Leisure, June 11, 2009

Back Looking Out the Window on the 4th Floor

I was in the middle of a snow storm.
It was a white out.
Beautiful but frightening,
my knuckles were white,
still with many miles to go,
probably another hour and a half.
that is if nothing happened.

The roads in town were better.
I came upon "my tree",
leaves gone, white bark, standing tall and strong.
Like a bright light,
beautifully surrounded with the pure white snow.
It was a beautiful sight to behold
on this treacherous day.

I parked and hurried to ICCU No. 3.
We waited to return to 4604.
It was a quiet and sad time.
The pain was great,
the night was long,
the snow was falling.
I could see the Plaza Christmas lights on the buildings
outside his 4th floor room.

My mind went back to when I was 16,
when we first met.
Our wedding day;
our trip to England on the USS Darby,
and our wild ride on the Atlantic Ocean.
Our first born in London
so many miles from home.
Special walks together in the fog,
to Golders Green
for corn beef sandwiches.

Excited and planning our future together,
not knowing all the hurts
that were waiting for us in the background,
our first purchased home,
in Shawnee, Kansas,
making Grandview Christian our church home for the 6 of us.

Joys and more joys we shared together,
camping trips, baseball games, and school plays,
our trip to Maine
when the car roof caved in.
We were a family and we still are a family,
moving from Kansas to Oklahoma, to Texas.

Dr. Pombo
his first cardiologist,
shocking us with the IHSS diagnosis.
Dr. Denton Cooley performing open heart surgery in 1979
in Houston, Texas.

Returning home to Kansas in 1984
to Cedar Crest, our dream home
high on a hill
with an awesome
panoramic view of sunrises, sunsets and rainbows.

After 17 years high on that hill
life began to change.
God had different plans for us.
We moved into our beautiful little home in town,
sitting on the porch
in our white rocking chairs,
watching the world go by.

Many trips to the doctor's offices and hospital rooms.
Now I am back looking out the wondow
on the 4th floor,
looking at the full moon
and snow on the ground
reminiscing our life of 57 years together.

(Harold died at home, where he wanted to be On December 22, 2008)

Mary Jo Leisure, December 10, 2008

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