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Art Piece done in oil on 300 pound watercolour Strathmore paper. Size: 22"X30"

Medium: Windsor & Newton Oils & Oils Pastels

Swirls and twirls of magic on Hannah's magical wish granting tree.
There was once a weary traveler who sat down to rest in the shade of a tree. He did not know that the tree he rested upon was a magic tree. It is called " The Wish-Granting Tree." Seated on the hard ground, he thought how pleasant it would be if he can sleep in a soft bed. Instantly, a bed appeared before him. Astonished, the man immediately climbed onto the bed. Then, he thought that it would be nice if there would be a beautiful young girl beside him who would massage his sore legs. At that moment, a young girl appeared before him and began massaging him. "I'm so hungry," the man said to himself. "Having something to eat now would be a great pleasure." Instantly, a table appeared with delicious foods. The man rejoiced and began eating and drinking to his heart's content. His head spun a little and his eyelids grew heavy as the wine took effect. He stretched himself and was thinking about the wonderful events that took place on that extraordinary day. "I'll sleep for an hour or two," he thought. "The worst that could happen would be if a tiger wandered by while I'm asleep." Instantly a tiger appeared and devoured the poor man.

You have a magic tree inside you, waiting to grant your wishes. But be careful! The same tree can also make your negative thoughts and fears come true.

At the very least it will be influenced by your negative thoughts, so that the good things you wish for do not happen. That's what worrying can do. I wish with all my heart that you live a life free of worry, negative thoughts and fear, in the shade and comfort of your personal Wish-Granting Tree

- Author Unknown

Dimension: 16"X20" Gesso treated stretch bar canvas

Medium: Acrylics


Neuschwanstein Castle (German: Schloss Neuschwanstein, lit. New Swan Stone palace, is a 19th-century Bavarian palace on a rugged hill near Hohenschwangau and Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as an homage to Richard Wagner, the King's inspiring muse. Although public photography of the interior is not permitted,[1] it is the most photographed building in Germany and is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.[2] Ludwig himself named it Neue Hohenschwangau; the name Neuschwanstein was coined after his death.

The reclusive Ludwig did not allow visitors to his castles, which he intended as personal refuges, but after his death in 1886 the castle was opened to the public (in part due to the need to pay off the debts Ludwig incurred financing its construction).[citation needed] Since that time over 50 million people have visited the Neuschwanstein Castle.[3] About 1.3 million people visit annually, with up to 6,000 per day in the summer.[4] The palace has appeared in several movies, and was the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle (1955) at both Disneyland Park and Hong Kong Disneyland.

In 1923 Crown Prince Rupprecht gave the palace to the state of Bavaria, unlike nearby Hohenschwangau Castle which was transferred to the private Wittelsbach Trust (Wittelsbacher Ausgleichfonds), which is administered on behalf of the head of the house of Wittelsbach, currently Franz, Duke of Bavaria. The Free State of Bavaria has spent more than €14.5 million on Neuschwanstein's maintenance, renovation and visitor services since 1990


Poem:
Neuschwanstein
Across the ocean and above the lands
Sits a legacy for all curious eyes.
An ivory castle on a lonely peak
Where even the clouds bow down
Beneath its soaring majestic spires.
It was the dream of one king not long ago
That flustered the brow of every fair maiden.
To build for beauty, hold art above war.
Dismissing tradition and logic for lies
And following a single dream to lands end.
He sat on the banks of the river Rhine
Imagining one original palace after the next.
Maybe he shopped in the Marienplatz
For velvet loveseats and porcelain swans
To adorn the seed of his hearts content.
But now the king has been gone for years.
And Bavaria has never quite been the same
Since the death of Kind Ludwig the mad.
His castles stand proud and greet the wanderers
And journeyman, and dreamers and historians alike.
Though all are rare in craft and dripping in style
One of his lonely dreams stands above the rest.
Reaching beyond the Alpine rolling skies
Coloring heaven with a touch of human royalty.
A place any Sleeping Beauty would pray to wake.
It is here, I fell in love again, twice in the time of a year.
First with the earth, its inhabitants achievements
And the very nature that hides them in its breast.
The lakes that capture the suns final rays,
The heaving mountains with their fancy caps of snow,
The whispering cow bells carried by the gentle winds
And the serenity of the painted villages sleeping below.
The second time was with a young mate
Who accompanied me to my secret place.
To cavort once the daily bustles had calmed.
He fell for the battlements I had loved before
Understood the treasures I longed to share.
He carried me up the mountain like a princess
To her new palace on the night they were wed.
He kissed me to the whimpering of waterfalls,
Then watched on as the sun sank to bed.
Blessed be whoever may fall upon this place
Tucked into the heart of the Bavarian Alps
For this is the spot where I proudly left my heart,
And left Neuschwanstein for widened eyes to behold.


~Robyn Schwartz~ (10/17/2001)

Dimension: 18"X20" gesso prime treated Canvas

Medium: Acrylics


One of Helena's favorite paintings of mother and her first born child. A story within this painting.

As each woman is assimlated to this ideal, her individual features are transformed and on some occasions, merged with her rivals. Similarly the characteristic costume of one woman may also be found in a portrait of another.

Angel In Disguise
© Jennifer Rasmussen


The other day I met an angel
And when I looked into her eyes
I saw a love to pierce the darkness
I saw that hate she truly despised

I saw the comfort and compassion
When I was broken or would cry
She'd embrace me into her arms
And sing to me a lullaby

The words so inspirational
I'd close my eyes and dream
The melody so graceful
I was hearing Heaven sing

She taught me many lessons
About how to live my life
Pleasingly towards Jesus
Loving daughter, mother, wife

She taught me ways of wisdom
To always speak the truth
She taught me the books of the bible
Joshua, Judges, Ruth

Together we play for hours
Trains, house, and dolls
But soon the sky darkens
The sun begins to fall

I look in dismay at the night sky
Then back to my angel friend
I knew she would be leaving
It was time for goodbyes; this was the end

The angel smiled brightly
Then revealed her disguise
I stood in amazement
I gazed into her eyes

Her face brightly glowing
Her hair fell down in curls
She smiled at me so brightly
Wearing a necklace of pearls

We stood staring at each other
Then I would realize
That there stood my mother
Angel in disguise

Dimension: 11"X14" on 140 Pound Strathmore watercolor paper

Medium: Acrylics

A Summer Evening Churchyard, Lechlade, Gloucestershire


THE wind has swept from the wide atmosphere
Each vapour that obscured the sunset's ray,
And pallid Evening twines its beaming hair
In duskier braids around the languid eyes of Day:
Silence and Twilight, unbeloved of men,
Creep hand in hand from yon obscurest glen.

They breathe their spells towards the departing day,
Encompassing the earth, air, stars, and sea;
Light, sound, and motion, own the potent sway,
Responding to the charm with its own mystery.
The winds are still, or the dry church-tower grass
Knows not their gentle motions as they pass.

Thou too, aerial pile, whose pinnacles
Point from one shrine like pyramids of fire,
Obey'st I in silence their sweet solemn spells,
Clothing in hues of heaven thy dim and distant spire,
Around whose lessening and invisible height
Gather among the stars the clouds of night.

The dead are sleeping in their sepulchres:
And, mouldering as they sleep, a thrilling sound,
Half sense half thought, among the darkness stirs,
Breathed from their wormy beds all living things around,
And, mingling with the still night and mute sky,
Its awful hush is felt inaudibly.

Thus solemnized and softened, death is mild
And terrorless as this serenest night.
Here could I hope, like some enquiring child
Sporting on graves, that death did hide from human sight
Sweet secrets, or beside its breathless sleep
That loveliest dreams perpetual watch did keep.

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Dimension: 8"X10" on Canvas Board
Medium: Acrylics

Song: Under the Boardwalk

When the sun beats down and burns the tar up on the roof,
And your shoes get so hot you wish your tired feet were fireproof,
Under the boardwalk, down by the sea,
On a blanket with my baby, that's where I'll be.

From the park you hear the happy sound of the carousel,
You can almost taste the hot dogs and french fries they sell,
Under the boardwalk, down by the sea,
On a blanket with my baby, that's where I'll be.

Under the boardwalk, (Out of the sun)
Under the boardwalk, (We'll be having some fun)
Under the boardwalk, (People walking above)
Under the boardwalk, (We'll be falling in love)
Under the boardwalk, (Boardwalk!)

Oooh, la la la la la la.
Oooh, la la la la la la la la la.
Help me somebody, sing some la la's with me.
Under the night, under the stars by the raging sea.
Under the boardwalk, down by the sea,
On a blanket with my baby, that's where I'll be.

Under the boardwalk, (Out of the sun)
Under the boardwalk, (We'll be having some fun)
Under the boardwalk, (People walking above)
Under the boardwalk, (We'll be falling in love)
Under the boardwalk, (Boardwalk!)

Medium: Acrylic on Mounted Canvas

Dimension: 10"X10"


A daughter find's her old mother's hat, and captures herself appreciating the moment of her mother's era of fashion.

"Go Ahead and Bloom"--A Philosophy

"When you wear a hat, it is like medicine for the soul. The hat is the expression of who you are as a women in every moment! The hat is your dreams of who you can be. It facilitates the different parts of who you are: With the wave of the hat, voila! You are mysterious...no, you are sexy...now proper...now playful.

You cannot hide in a hat; you will be noticed, especially by men. To men, you become a lady when you don a hat--one who they rush to open doors for. To women, you become an inspiration, reminding them that they have a closet full of hats they have not had the courage to wear.

When you wear a hat, you become the dream that started when the hat was conceived. The original energy that was put into the hat doesn't die; it only changes forms and owners. The dream doesn't die; it is passed on, sometimes from generation to generation.

And when you see a women in a hat in the next car on the freeway, the dream grows. We as women acknowledge each other's growth. It is the symbol of the feminine which is so needed for us and our earth to heal. So let's share this gift with as many as we wish to share such a vision. For...this is how you will 'Go Ahead and Bloom.' "

Medium: Brushed Ink

Dimension: 11”X14” on Strathmore Watercolor 140 pd Paper

Gentle and stunning brush strokes in brushed ink. Simple yet elegant are an embraced couple cheek to cheek in the dance. Mesmerizing!

Don’t say a word, Gaze into my eyes, Take my hand, and Just Dance With Me.

Dimension: 22"X28" on Stretch Bar Gesso Treated canvas

Medium: Acrylics

Something about camels that are special. They have long thin legs, can run, and cross deserts. Beautiful eyes and long eyelashes to protect them during their long travels in the sands. The camel's name here is "Cleo,'' obviously a short-name after the Egyptian Queen, "Cleopatra."

Cleopatra's Last Cocktail Party

“Name your poison,” said the host.
“You look as if you'd seen a ghost.”
Drink up--it can't be all that bad;
I hate to see you look so sad.”
She looked at him through kohl-rimmed eye,
“Martini,” she said.
“Extra dry.

“I've missed the Mark,
I've lost my lands,
Sweet Egypt's slipping through my hands.
So now they'll march me off to Rome,
And never let me come back home.
They will parade me though the streets
With all the shame that conquerors mete
To a proud queen whom the years
Have rendered dry though reign of tears.

"Ah well,
What's past is past,
And done is done.
I've lived a lifetime in the sun;
My course was swift
And swiftly run.
Tomorrow comes without our care;
Regrets are neither here nor there.

"But now I think I'll have a smoke;
Longevity is just a joke--
Could you give me a light?
And by the way,
I'd have to say
To hell with this stupid diet!
So what if I should gain a pound--
Who knows how long I'll be around?
I may indulge in something sweet;
What does it matter what I eat?
So please don't think that I'm a pig,
I'm simply dying for a fig.”

Poet-Faith Goble

Dimension: 16"X20" Gesso treated stretch bar canvas

Medium: Acrylics


Neuschwanstein Castle (German: Schloss Neuschwanstein, lit. New Swan Stone palace, is a 19th-century Bavarian palace on a rugged hill near Hohenschwangau and Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as an homage to Richard Wagner, the King's inspiring muse. Although public photography of the interior is not permitted,[1] it is the most photographed building in Germany and is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.[2] Ludwig himself named it Neue Hohenschwangau; the name Neuschwanstein was coined after his death.

The reclusive Ludwig did not allow visitors to his castles, which he intended as personal refuges, but after his death in 1886 the castle was opened to the public (in part due to the need to pay off the debts Ludwig incurred financing its construction).[citation needed] Since that time over 50 million people have visited the Neuschwanstein Castle.[3] About 1.3 million people visit annually, with up to 6,000 per day in the summer.[4] The palace has appeared in several movies, and was the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle (1955) at both Disneyland Park and Hong Kong Disneyland.

In 1923 Crown Prince Rupprecht gave the palace to the state of Bavaria, unlike nearby Hohenschwangau Castle which was transferred to the private Wittelsbach Trust (Wittelsbacher Ausgleichfonds), which is administered on behalf of the head of the house of Wittelsbach, currently Franz, Duke of Bavaria. The Free State of Bavaria has spent more than €14.5 million on Neuschwanstein's maintenance, renovation and visitor services since 1990


Poem:
Neuschwanstein
Across the ocean and above the lands
Sits a legacy for all curious eyes.
An ivory castle on a lonely peak
Where even the clouds bow down
Beneath its soaring majestic spires.
It was the dream of one king not long ago
That flustered the brow of every fair maiden.
To build for beauty, hold art above war.
Dismissing tradition and logic for lies
And following a single dream to lands end.
He sat on the banks of the river Rhine
Imagining one original palace after the next.
Maybe he shopped in the Marienplatz
For velvet loveseats and porcelain swans
To adorn the seed of his hearts content.
But now the king has been gone for years.
And Bavaria has never quite been the same
Since the death of Kind Ludwig the mad.
His castles stand proud and greet the wanderers
And journeyman, and dreamers and historians alike.
Though all are rare in craft and dripping in style
One of his lonely dreams stands above the rest.
Reaching beyond the Alpine rolling skies
Coloring heaven with a touch of human royalty.
A place any Sleeping Beauty would pray to wake.
It is here, I fell in love again, twice in the time of a year.
First with the earth, its inhabitants achievements
And the very nature that hides them in its breast.
The lakes that capture the suns final rays,
The heaving mountains with their fancy caps of snow,
The whispering cow bells carried by the gentle winds
And the serenity of the painted villages sleeping below.
The second time was with a young mate
Who accompanied me to my secret place.
To cavort once the daily bustles had calmed.
He fell for the battlements I had loved before
Understood the treasures I longed to share.
He carried me up the mountain like a princess
To her new palace on the night they were wed.
He kissed me to the whimpering of waterfalls,
Then watched on as the sun sank to bed.
Blessed be whoever may fall upon this place
Tucked into the heart of the Bavarian Alps
For this is the spot where I proudly left my heart,
And left Neuschwanstein for widened eyes to behold.


~Robyn Schwartz~ (10/17/2001)

Christmas! That Special time of year for children of all ages. I still believe in Santa Claus, because I make Christmas a part of my life everyday. Santa Claus here in this illustration is getting Rudolph, the red nosed reindeer, ready for the best time of the year flight. What a wonderful time of the year! 'Merry Christmas To All, and To All, A Good Night"