MYSTERIES OF AIR AND WATER
New paintings by Rennie Sparks, December 2010
Scroll down to see all paintings. Click on each painting to see a hi-res photo of it.
To purchase a painting, ask a question about a painting, or inquire about shipping costs please email:
handsomefamily@mindspring.com

There are also some further details here




And the River Sent the Trout to Find the Moon
This painting was featured on the back cover of our CD, Honey Moon.
I wonder what it feels like to be a fish briefly jumping into another world.
Varnished acrylic paint on canvas with homemade wooden frame.
Frame is appliqued with garbanzo beans that have been painted in copper and brown acrylic then varnished.
Dimensions: 18" W x 22" H x 2" D
SOLD!







And the Bear Loved the Octopus
An earlier version of this painting was featured in the artwork for our CD, Honey Moon.
It's said that the octopus can hypnotize schools of fish by the graceful movement of its arms. Why not a bear?
Varnished acrylic paint on canvas with homemade wooden frame.
Frame is appliqued with mayocoba beans that have been painted with black acrylic then varnished.
This is one of the largest paintings I've done at 31.5" W x 21.5" H x 2" D
SOLD!








And the Squirrels Saw the River had Made a Bear
In the 1700s American mountain men saw hundreds of grizzly bears each day.
Nowadays it's a moment of luck, awe and fear to catch a glimpse of a bear.
Of course, I still get excited even seeing a squirrel.
Varnished acrylic paint on canvas. The frame was found by my husband Brett on the side of the road.
Although it was a sturdy wooden frame I felt the need to paint it in distressed layers of brown and gold acrylic.
Dimensions: 19" W x 23" H x 2" D
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And the Berries Called the Birds From the Mountain
I painted this piece while a beloved and aged cat was dying and it gave me a lot of comfort to escape into this world of sunshine and berries. Varnished acrylic paint on canvas with homemade wooden frame. It's hard to see in the photo, but the leaves have a sprinkling of metallic gold making them a bit glittery. Frame is appliqued with lima beans that have been painted in black acrylic then varnished.
Dimensions: 18" W x 14" H x 2" D
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And the Sparrow Told the Night of its Eggs
Sparrows are one of the most common birds around here,
but even they become miraculous in twilight when the moon is full.
Varnished acrylic paint on canvas with homemade wooden frame. Frame is appliqued with cannellini beans that have been painted in black acrylic then varnished. This frame is slightly asymetrical in the bottom left corner which Navajos say will safely let out evil spirits from the confines of a square.
Dimensions: 12" W x 10" H x 2" D
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And the Red Bird Shone Brighter Than the Stars
I found a red bird feather on the ground about fifteen years ago
and I have kept it in an envelope in a drawer ever since.
Varnished acrylic paint on canvas with homemade wooden frame. Frame is appliqued with mayocoba beans that have been painted in black acrylic then varnished.
Dimensions: 10" W x 12" H x 2" D
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And the Turtle Swallowed a Log Cabin
This is a found painting purchased at a thrift store and then added to. The original painting contained a log cabin at its center which I painted over with a giant turtle. Acrylic paint on a canvas paint board. The original painting was unsigned. On the back of the canvas board there is an abstract scribbling in pencil as well as a price tag that reads, "$3.99". The frame was originally a light wood, but I have painted it dark brown. The light wood still peaks out here and there giving it a distressed look.
Dimensions: 22" W x 18" H x 2" D
SOLD!



OTHER DETAILS YOU MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW...