ARTIST STATEMENT:
These are 22"x30'' watercolor paintings celebrating the grace, power and beauty of horse and rider. The rodeo scene is dominated, of course by youthful exuberance, and observed by grown women, children and old men. It is truly amazing how anyone survives to grow old. The bull riders, especially show complete lack of good sense. But, everyone seems to have a great time, and enjoy the thrill of surviving a very risky event.

These, as well as all of my paintings are available as Giclee Prints from www.midsouthart.com.

ARTIST'S STATEMENT
My desire for the collection of paintings is for us to look through the eyes of a child who is experiencing the drama of life without a parent to love them. Their feelings of loneliness, rejection and despair run deep, and last a lifetime. their faces don't always show this because they are children, and they are innocent. Sometimes they laugh and play and forget their loneliness, but often in a quiet moment their eyes reveal the sadness in their heart. The children in these paintings have been rescued by AGAPE child and family services. Parents have found them, and embraced them in the arms of love through foster care or adoption. Some have returned to their original family following a time of recovery and healing. all of them show us the face of Jesus, looking tenderly from across the room. And, when we see the face of Jesus, and know it is God speaking to our heart, we are convicted, we are changed forever, and we say, "WHAT NOW?"

You might see him on the corner selling Sunday papers. I painted this last week from a memory of the man my friend John and I took to church one day and introduced to members there. He is not the usual "together" kind of person we usually desire to connect with at church, and I don't wonder why no one asked him out for lunch after Sunday services. He is working to support his family and recover his identity as a productive citizen while healing and recovering from alcolol/drug addictions. He worked with "Hope Works" in Memphis several years ago. I found out recently that he is also batteling prostate cancer. He is a Christian man, his name is Kenney, and he asks for your prayers.