Shutter Art

My thirteen year old brother Josiah recently launched his new photography blog:  www.jsmithephotography.blogspot.com

 He is very talented, and has a wonderful way of capturing the detail and beauty of God's stunning creation.  

Please take a moment to go over to his blog and leave a comment on one of his posts!!!

Remembering the Days of Old...

We live in a youth driven culture that largely devalues the past.  It is so important that we work against this trend and take heed to"Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee."  Deuteronomy 32:7  However, we must not only remember, but also be grateful for the extraordinary sacrifices they made on our behalf.

My friends at Vision Form have done just this through their newest project, "A Final Farewell" (www.afinalfarewell.org). Just last month they journeyed to the beaches of Normandy on the anniversary of D-Day along with several of the last remaining survivors of the D-Day invasion.  Their mission:  To tell the stories of these heroic men, honor their bravery, and pass their legacy on to the next generation of warriors for Christ's kingdom.

I recently wrote a poem in honor of our WWII veterans and the "A Final Farewell" team entitled "Never Forget" (click here to read the poem). I am now offering this poem for sale complete with illustrations (pictured below)!  It will come in the form of a scroll, printed on antique parchment paper with burnt edges, and tied with a piece of leather.  

If you order a scroll before August 1st, you will also receive a FREE set of my "Remembering WWII" thank you notes (pictured below)!!!!

The Scroll

"Remembering WWII" Notes

Another Form of Art

Along with art, I also have a passion for writing.  It is a powerful medium which must be utilized for the glory of Christ.  

Below is a poem that I recently wrote in commemoration of the anniversary of D-Day, and in honor of the last remaining WWII veterans who so nobly fought to secure our freedom.  We owe these men a debt of gratitude.

This poem is also a tribute to my friends at Vision Forum who recently traveled to Normandy to honor these men, tell their stories, and pass their legacy on to the next generation.

Never Forget
by Sophia Smithe


Mighty and manly
Was the fearless young soldier
As he ran into battle
His gun on his shoulder


Though bullets flew thickly
And smoke filled the air
Though his comrades were fallen
Yet he did not despair


Forward he marched
And into the fight
And there he remained
Though day turned to night


He must not give ground
He must not surrender
He must never give up
Never, no never

In the strength of the Lord
With brave perseverance
With courage undying
And noble resistance


The struggle was ended
The battle was won
And the blessings of freedom
Were only begun


A well honored hero
Our soldier came home
His valiant deeds famed
Through film, song, and poem


And the young man was proud
To be part of the band
That sacrificed all
For the sake of his homeland



Time moved along
The years sped away
The soldier’s eyes dimmed
and his hair turned to gray


His name was forgotten
His story suppressed
That story of manhood
Through which we are blessed


The children did not
Revere and give thanks
For the now aged veteran
Who stood in the ranks


Yet out of the darkness
There arises a light
A remnant of faithful
Who shine through the night


They grasp the importance
And they cast a vision
They rally together
A noble division


They rise up and honor
Our soldier courageous
Their passion infectious
Their spirit contagious


Thanks to their efforts
His fame is revived
And his noble legacy
Is sure to survive

If we would see blessing
And peace in our land
We must remember our fathers
In whose line we stand



Their legacy lives
And must live on yet
Lest we forget
Lest we forget

Father's Day Photo Frame

After a two month vacation (not for the purposes of rest and relaxation mind you), I am now returning to my art endeavors.  However, I am finding that even in this relatively short amount of time I have grown a little rusty!  I need some practice...

Below is a pencil drawn greeting card that I made for my Grandfather for Father's Day.  Up to this point I have not done much with pencil sketching/shading, but I hope to do more in future days.  I really enjoy the detail you can produce with pencils as opposed to the watercolor paints.

Goodbye for a Season

The Smithe Home

Due to the fact that we recently sold our home (and consequently will be moving in less than a month), Sophia will not be doing any sketching for a while!  :-)

However, please don't forget about me here...I will be back (probably sometime in June)!!!

Blessings to you all as you seek to honor Christ in every area of life.

Semper Reformanda,

Sophia

Pencil and Ink

Today I had the privilege of taking a sketching/shading class from a very experienced artist.  It is amazing how the ability you thought you possessed seems to disappear in the light of true talent!  Mr. Austin Flower's drawings were so realistic it was almost startling. 

About the class...first of all we were given a photograph of a woman's face.  Then we received a sheet of paper with the basic facial  proportions already sketched for us (sure made things easy) which we proceeded to fill in with shading.  The shading technique, although by no means easy, was achievable.  

Next up was sketching.  I labored over my outline and produced a semi-decent face, but hard as I tried, my woman's features did not quite resemble the ones in the photograph!     

Up until this point I have spent most of my time trying to master my paintbrush, but this class has inspired me to turn my attention to my pencil for a while!

We also received a glimpse into how to create stunning drawings using an ordinary ballpoint pen.  Those drawings are truly amazing...in my opinion even more realistic than the pencil sketches!  I can't wait to experiment...

A Wave of the Future!

Great was my surprise this morning when my parents gave me this incredible gift ("an early birthday present" they said).  

The benefits of this "Digital Sketch Pad" are more significant than I realized.  

I spent the afternoon playing around with it, and if I can get accustomed to using the pen I think it will prove an invaluable tool.

Stay tuned...digital sketches coming soon!!