Enjoy my oil paintings that feature people and places. Some of these are real and some are created from my imagination.
See the art come to life in 2 minutes (time lapse video). Click and go!
And many more:
See more oil paintings (including a few people and places that better fit somewhere else) in these other categories: “Faith“, “Food, Fun & Flowers“, and “Birds & Animals“
This looks nothing like the house we’re closing on, but our house IS in Savannah. I had no idea when I painted this several years ago that I’d be living nearby. This painting seems almost prophetic or foreshadowing now.
I’m looking forward to setting up my new art space and digging my paintbrushes back out. Until then, I’ll try to keep up with my daily blog talks with you, but I don’t know how soon our Internet connection will be up and running. I may be able to hotspot with my phone. If you don’t hear from me for a few days, assume I’m not set up yet.
Today will be a very busy day of moving and closing. I’m nervous, and excited! We are going HOME! After more than a decade of temporary living, we’ll finally be home!!
My front garden is almost finished so I decided to paint it yesterday. I took some creative license with it. First of all, I wanted to show you more than one perspective that, in real life, can only be seen if standing outside and turning your head to look at different angles. The mailbox isContinue reading “New Painting – “My Home””
The painting in the 2 minute video above is a special family moment I first captured in a photograph when it happened. Then years later (in 2022) I painted this memory of my husband carving a pumpkin for our son. It’s times like these that make fathers so special. HAPPY FATHER’S DAY to all whoContinue reading “Happy Father’s Day!”
Our church had a wonderful photo op display for Mother’s Day this morning [above photo]. My two daughters posed with me (Cassie in the blue striped dress on my right, Savannah in the white and navy dress on my left). My son wasn’t there but if he were, he’d have towered over me, as he’sContinue reading “Happy Mother’s Day!”
Here’s the short (2 minute time lapse) version of my latest oil painting of Jesus called “Jesus in the Garden”. If you missed the full length video, or want to see it again, the Easter show is posted here. The lighting effects you see- where it looks like cross shapes of light or other washesContinue reading ““Jesus in the Garden””
Blessings to you on this day! Today I’m sharing things that are stripped bare and honest. No formal gowns. Nothing fancy. Just authentic sharing from the heart. First, a clip (in the video below) that I’ve shared here before of a regular day at home when my daughter agreed to sing the hymn “In ChristContinue reading “Happy Easter”
Sharing a few clips of favorite Easter shows and events from the past few years – the above was from Easter show 2021, singing beloved hymn “The Old Rugged Cross” with my two daughters. Scroll down for highlights and short clips of previous painting and singing specials. 2 minute time-lapse in the above video (movesContinue reading “The Old Rugged Cross”
My Easter show is done early this year (the video above), plenty of time for you to please share it with your family and friends. The new oil painting is called “Jesus in the Garden”. The hymns my daughter and I are singing have the lyrics on the screen and you’re invited to sing withContinue reading “EASTER SHOW 2023! New painting of Jesus”
I’ve started working on the 2023 Easter Show. The painting is planned, the music is chosen, and I’ve ordered this year’s dress. The art will be powerful. I hope you will remember to tune in. Here are my past shows: Painting Shows if you’ve not already seen them, or if you want to watch themContinue reading “Easter Painting Show”
Watch my Irish art oil paintings come to life in 2 minutes or less (time lapse videos), or watch my full St. Patrick’s Day show with live painting and surprises. Three of these paintings were inspired by living in Ireland, and one of them was painted while I was there. Click the images to seeContinue reading “Happy St. Patrick’s Day!”
When I painted this city of Savannah oil painting, I had no idea that I’d one day live not very far from this fountain square. The lyrics of this song are serendipitous! Fortunately the home I’m headed for is still here on Earth.
I spent the day packing and cleaning for the move, but also doing batch cooking so the family has homecooked meals to heat up over the next few days. The first of two moving PODS will be delivered tomorrow and I’ll likely be too busy and tired to cook. Moving is stressful, and there’s so much other stuff going on to make it a pressure cooker, but this too shall pass and by this time next year I’ll be happy that I’m settled into my new life!
I remember the day that I wandered around a park in Savannah, the one where the iconic fountain I painted is located, and took extra pictures for painting inspiration. This is a house I saw nearby. I was captivated by the way the trees obscured the view. Now when I see this, I wonder how life has changed for the people who live in that house. Do they even still live there?
That street probably looks different. I don’t want to see it. I haven’t been to the city in a long while. 2020 wasn’t a good time to go. 2021 wasn’t either. 2022 doesn’t look good so far. When I see my pre-2020 art, I feel a touch of melancholy.
This oil painting features a cameo of me- it’s an unexpected self-portrait. That’s me in the red dress with my camera, taking a picture of this fountain to paint later. I took pictures from this faraway perspective and also up close. What I didn’t know is that while I was doing this, my husband took a picture of me at the fountain that he shared with me later. This made what I thought was just a task for work into a sweet memory. So I added myself into the scene, as seen through the eyes of my husband.
I hadn’t intended on adding any people, especially not myself! But now when I see this art, I think of how my husband does spontaneous things on occasion that surprise me. This art, for me, has become more about that memory (a real life action) than the fountain (a tourist attraction that thousands of people have photographed and hundreds of artists- especially students- have painted).
I’ve been sorting through photos to choose some to frame. Photographs can be an important influence on mental health, as the careful selection of which memories to focus on can be healing, empowering, and motivating. When we have few photos or only photos from the past, it can be easy to believe that our best days are behind us, gone. And if our photographs are nearly exclusively of times when we are on vacation, at a photo studio, or at special events, we see only our social or public selves, not our “everyday” authentic selves. The message we may inadvertently send ourselves it that our true selves are not valuable, as this side of us doesn’t make the cut for displaying in our space.
It’s important to occasionally re-assess the photos we display, and update our space with current, real memories that encourage us to live in gratitude for the present and hope for the future. Our chosen photographs can be part of a private selection, displayed only in our bedrooms or other non-public areas of our homes. It’s not important to share our favorite memories with others. But it can be significant to display these photos to ourselves and those who live with us.
Who we are in our real lives is enough. Although the best-of-times photos are important to celebrate (and will likely compose the majority of our framed collections), we do not need to be our vacation selves, our special event selves, or our social selves to feel alive. Just be. Honor real, ordinary, everyday moments as highly as the days we’re “supposed” to commemorate.
More important to me than the iconic fountain and famous landscape is knowing that my husband thought the lady in the red dress was worthy of photographing. May we still be surprised by those who love us, and live in wonder that we are so blessed to live another day. While special moments are perhaps few in comparison to everyday actions, it is the average day that is uniquely ours alone, and extraordinarily special. May we create lives worthy of remembering.
Watch oil painting “City of Savannah” (city near me) come to life in 2 minutes, time lapse
I shared this painting here on the blog in June, in a post called “Timeless“. Today I want to share something else, not about the painting itself, but about the music I chose for the above video. I sang the song for you this morning and added the lyrics. It is an old hymn that may be familiar to you:
Natalie singing “Precious Lord, Take my Hand” (hymn used in painting video “City of Savannah“)
I knew most of the song by heart, but I had to peek at the words for the second verse. It helps to memorize comforting songs because during times of crisis, these familiar words may pop into our heads; playing a song that we need to hear. Has this ever happened to you?
It’s a surreal experience to be in an emergency or grief moment of extreme stress, and “feel” a song playing inside our head. Sometimes a song that is meaningful to us will literally play- perhaps in a grocery store while we’re picking up a few supplies during a very tragic day. Whatever is happening to us, when we are open to spiritual “music”, we will hear it.
By music, I do mean any sign of comfort. Music isn’t the only language that reaches us. But, it’s an important one, and I wanted to talk about that with you today. I hope that you are feeling strong and positive, despite these trying times. God bless you and your families.
Watch Natalie paint this art, and all 50 oil paintings in this collection (menu below)
“This house is near Forysth Park, the park with the iconic fountain featured in the previous artwork (Natalie at the Fountain). Most homes in the neighborhoods near the park are partially hidden by Savannah’s signature trees and Spanish moss. Many properties carry the greenery further with shrubbery, vines, and evergreens near, or even on, their homes. Window boxes contain large floral arrangements and topiaries.
Besides color and movement from the lush vegetation, the historic architecture in the area is artistic and flowing. Exterior iron spiral staircases, ornate fencing, spirals, angles, curved windows, and levels create a peaceful, yet intriguing, experience. There is a small town neighborhood feeling even in the heart of the Savannah metro area.”
House in Savannah oil painting by Natalie Buske Thomas
List of Oil Paintings in this Collection, linking to their pages here on the site, and also citing physical pages in the hardcover book:
Watch Natalie paint this art, and all 50 oil paintings in this collection (menu below)
“This first oil painting is of one of Savannah’s famous squares. The downtown area features miniature parks, inside squares, between city blocks. The roads are narrow compared to the freeway and suburban areas, so the parks are visible from one to the next. They showcase trees draped with flowing Spanish moss, flowers, fountains, statues, and memorials. One of the park squares has an astrological sun dial on top of a sculpture of turtles; another has a sculpture memorializing fallen police officers- with their names engraved.
The squares are romantic and intriguing. While some enjoy trolley or horse-drawn carriage tours, I like to explore these surprises for myself, on foot. It takes several days to thoroughly enjoy each square and its surrounding eateries, museums, and more. Each area is well landscaped and there’s always a bench nearby. One such bench, in Chippewa Square, was made famous by its appearance in the movie “Forrest Gump”. The bench was brought in just for that scene, and has since been moved to the nearby Savannah History Museum.
The actual benches are inside the squares. The squares are surrounded by coffee shops, restaurants, pubs, shops, and residences, as well as a historic cemetery and churches. Locals and tourists enjoy walking their dogs, jogging, taking baby out for a stroll, and photography. Flowers and decor change each season, but the area remains lush and photogenic all year round.”
City of Savannah oil painting by Natalie Buske Thomas
List of Oil Paintings in this Collection, linking to their pages here on the site, and also citing physical pages in the hardcover book:
