Evelyn Claire

This little one was painted for her mother on her birthday, commissioned by her grandmother. It's a joy to see the treasure she is and the delight she brings to the entire family!

The painting is 4" x 4" and completed in watercolor. Then coated in a wax varnish. It's really difficult to give the smallness of these little miniatures justice in digital images. But this one is so cute!

Happy Birthday Becca! I hope you enjoy the finished piece as much as I enjoyed painting it for you!

Uschi Jeffcoat 10/19/16 Uschi Jeffcoat 10/19/16

Vainglory

It began as I painted the beautiful plumage patterns. The shapes and markings oddly matched the sun spots I have. We women of 40 years old have been taught they are our enemies. And I thought of the money, time and tangle of emotions we western culture ladies spend on battling aging.

Then I went to visit my grandmother in Germany and I saw the pain of arthritis on a daily basis. And it broke my heart.

Pause. Reset.

When in our society did aging lose its beautiful honor & wisdom? Why would we try to hide and fight against that? Perhaps because it frightens us?

So I am trying to live beyond myself. Learning to recognize which things in our lives give and which take.

Vainglory, I believe you are a thief.

watercolor

19" x 24"

(background hand drawn and painted, ... took FOREVER!)

Uschi Jeffcoat 10/16/16 Uschi Jeffcoat 10/16/16

From Across the Pond...And Looking Back

I recently had the privilege of painting a set of grandchildren for a special friend.

Three of the four happened to be British...The morning I went to photograph the three British children, they had arrived the night before from that long flight.

And it made me think of how excited I always was - as I child to go see my family in Germany. And how that was my normal ! Flying to another country to see family.

I now recognize that as an incredible gift and also how very difficult it is to be SO FAR from family.

So for my friend Jennifer, I hope these little paintings make all four of these sweet grands of yours feel close when miles may make it seem and feel otherwise.

All four have such distinct personalities but I can tell each one of these little ones adore you to the moon and back!

Uschi Jeffcoat 9/29/16 Uschi Jeffcoat 9/29/16

Cleaning up the Desktop

I've been determined to streamline and clean up my personal computer's desktop. I'm also sorting through old pictures and images. And boy, the memories.

Here's a few.

Sophmore year of High School. 1992 Ms. Plaxco's Class. Katherine Hudson sat behind me. And I loved this acrylic painting assignment. Image was taken out of some torn out magazine ad, I think... But seeing it takes me back. I remember lipstick colors, AP European History, some of the best of friends and the sense of independence only a driver's license can provide. (Side note: Katherine and I went to see U2 in Concert in Birmingham, AL on a SCHOOL NIGHT! - Now as a parent, I think twice about that. But an interesting fact: my now husband was also at that concert.)

Friendship. I have some of the greatest of friends. And this was painted in celebration of that.

And then this one. I painted this for a friend based off of Psalm 23. This one makes my heart still for a moment. She showed me goodness, strength and love when I most needed to see that.

Psalm 23, watercolor, pencil and ink, 2007

And this one is so strange to me. It's bright and colorful but it was painted as I waited for some of my mother's test results to come back during her battle with cancer. I felt as if my family was navigating through uncharted waters without a map or destination that could be seen nor understood.