Third Day supports the arts with "Art Inspired by Third Day" venue on their webpage...

Third Day has recently updated their webpage and added a section headed "Revelations" for "Third Day Inspired Artwork". Some cool stuff over there... take a look... click here.

"Salt and Light"... 6x8" Oil on Panel,

painted alla prima from life, 4-2008.

Click here to check availability of this painting.

Everyday objects painted from life is the essence of the "Painting a Day" art movement. I love painting everyday objects in such a way they tell a story. Many are inspired by scripture. This still life I set up and painted in my studio is such an example. My inspiration comes from Jesus' words in Matthew... "You are the salt of the earth" and "You are the light of the world." I think it cool the fact that one can associate salt with taste and thus the mouth and light with sight. Plainly put... our words (what comes out of our mouth) and actions (what others see us do) reveal who we really are.

To fuel my inspiration I set the CD player to repeat Third Day's "City on a Hill" while I painted away!

"You are the light of the world

A city on a hill cannot be hidden

Shine your light before all men

That they might see your works and then

Praise your Father up in Heaven"

Thanks for dropping by... would love to hear your comments...

Bernie

A sad day for me...

Just got word that my Uncle Dewey crossed the river today...

Rest in peace my friend... I thoroughly enjoyed the talks we had...

Olivia's First Commission as an Artist... WOW... a PRO at Six!

Olivia (my six year old daughter and painting buddy) recently was asked by Andrew, an art collector and friend, to paint a special painting for him of Blackwater Falls. He sent her this photo he took of the falls as her subject. Andrew told her that he had been following her earlier works and wanted her to paint this special painting to hang in his restaurant in Oakland, Maryland.



Blackwater Falls is the highest falls in West Virginia and is a beautiful site to behold.

Dad set up her easel and palette and the young artist began her work...

To be honest... I was quite shocked at how well she was doing. I explained to her how to block in certain areas and she caught on quickly.

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The impasto work of the cascading water was the part I liked the best. I showed her how to paint one tree and before I knew it she was putting Bob Ross to shame.
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The artist with her work of art!
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Click on painting to enlarge.


"Blackwater Falls"... 9x12" Oil on gallery wrapped canvas by Olivia Rosage, age six, 2008.

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Andrew sent her a letter and a generous check to put in her "Fat Cat" bank account! Needless to say... she was very excited!

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click to enlarge...

Andrew's gesture and words were so encouraging... she is STILL beaming!

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Thanks Andrew!

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Friends, Family, and Internet Surfers....

Olivia informed me that she'd love to read your comments... please leave her a few words... Thanks!

My Tribute to Christian Rock Band..."Third Day"

My Third Day tribute...

My wife, Tami, and I have been Third Day fans since we first heard "My Hope is You" on a WOW album in the 90's... in my humble opinion they are one of the best rock bands around! If you love the Lord and rock music, you will LOVE this band (if you don't already). Check out their website... Third Day.

Saturday, March 1, 2008, the stage was set for a perfect day and night... time off from work... a weekend to spend with our two older daughters and son-in-law... and.... Third Day concert tickets for the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach.





Here we are waiting in line for the (standing room only) concert. I think we were near the North Carolina state line when this photo was taken by a lady in front of us. Left to right: Mom and Dad (me), Whitney, Lyndsey and Matt. Tami and I saw Third Day in concert in 2003 in Raleigh. Lyndsey and Matt saw them on the "Come Together" tour in Fayetteville. This was Whitney's first time!

The opening acts... Revive and NeedtoBreathe were SUPERB!

Third Day took the stage... I noticed right away the absence of Brad Avery. I was hoping he was alright and that nothing had happened to him. I must admit that the first couple of songs the band seemed a bit awkward... they sounded great but something seemed a bit off. At that point Mac explained that Brad had left the band and this was only their second show in his absence. Mac mentioned that everyone in the band would give 120% and as he spoke it seemed and served as a prayer... From that point on it was as if a burden was lifted from them and they performed a show that was flawless and AWESOME! It was obvious that each of them gave more than the 120% they promised. I especially tip my hat to Mark... he stepped up and filled any guitar gaps... in fact... his guitar work was more than enough to make for a perfect show!

Photo by Mark Lee of the set list they played for the show...





Third Day's blog entry about the concert.... here...

Thanks Mark, Mac, Tai, David, and Scotty for giving so much of yourselves! Great show!

I was led to paint this small painting as a result...

Click on image to enlarge...


"The Key" (Isaiah 33:6)... 7x5" Oil on Panel, painted alla prima (all at once) from life, 3-7-2008 by Bernie Rosage Jr.
PRIVATE COLLECTION



In Faith,
Bernie

PS... Loved the new songs and can't wait till the new album comes out in July.

Archiving some paintings from 2004-2006

Buddy Miles 9/5/1947 ~ 2/26/2008

Most of my close friends know I'm a Bluesman... I love the blues so had to pass this info on...

Buddy Miles 9/5/1947 ~ 2/26/2008

Legendary Drummer Buddy Miles passed away this Tuesday, peacefully at his home in Austin, TX. He was (60) sixty years old. He suffered from congestive heart failure but the official cause of death is not known.

Buddy performed with some of the greatest names in music including Stevie Wonder,Muddy Waters, Michael Bloomfield, Wilson Pickett, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, David Crosby, Jack Bruce, Eric Burden, Peter Torque, Billy Gibbons, Prince, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmy Vaughan, Rick James, Kool and the Gang, Jr. Brown, Ike Turner,Pinetop Perkins, Jr. Wells, Koko Taylor, Johnny Taylor, Barry White, Aretha Franklin, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Carlos Santana, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Billy Cox,David Bowie and others.

Buddy Miles recorded over 70 albums and performed in numerous world tours, television commercials and videos. He is best known for his work with Jimi Hendrix and bass player Billy Cox in Band of Gypsys.

Band of Gypsys recorded one album appropriately titled "Band of Gypsys" in 1970 at Fillmore East in New York. Two of the songs on the album were written by Miles. ("We Gotta Live Together" and "Changes").

In lieu of flowers; the family has asked to please make donations to the Jazz Foundation of America specifically in Buddy Miles' name to assist with funeral, and other expenses at http://www.jazzfoundation.org/ ; The Jazz Foundation of America, at 322 West48th Street, New York, NY, 10036, Attn.: Amy Cusma.

Living History / Plein Air Demo at Fort Fisher

Bernie Rosage Jr steps back in time at Fort Fisher.
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Saturday, January 12, 2008, I had the privilege of attending the 143rd Anniversary Commemoration of the Second Battle at Fort Fisher. The Living History program included artillery and infantry demonstrations, period music, fort tours, and a living history/plein air demo by yours truly. I have migrated from soldier to civilian in my hobby of Civil War reenacting... actually I have taken on the role of a period artist. My impression is based on a combination of two artists... Alfred Waud (probably the most noted of period sketch artists) and Winslow Homer who painted scenes from the war and became one of America's most famous painters. One of his most famous works was "Sharpshooter on Picket Duty" pictured below.
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Alfred Waud


Winslow Homer


"Sharpshooter on Picket Duty" by Winslow Homer
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After a down pour the sun came out and I set up my French easel and began to paint. I positioned myself to paint Shepherd's Battery with the palisade making for an interesting composition. Shepherd's Battery was where the main brunt of the attack occurred 143 years ago. Here I am posed (seated) with my pards at Shepherd's Battery in 2004.

Fort Fisher during the war was known as the Gibraltar of the South. It was important to the southern cause because it protected the mouth of the Cape Fear River where blockade runners would travel to deliver supplies to Wilmington. From Wilmington they were distributed throughout the Confederacy. When the fort fell January 15, 1865... it only took 3 months for the Confederacy to collapse.

I spoke with several people about the history of plein air painting and how the invention of the metal paint tube in the mid 1800's made it possible for painters to go outside and paint "en plein aire" for the first time... a French term which means "in open air".

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"Shepherd's Battery"... 9x12" Oil on gallery stretched canvas, painted en plein aire at Fort Fisher, Carolina Beach, North Carolina. 1-12-2008 (Click on painting to enlarge)

I met many interesting people while painting like Carl (who restores old paintings), a nice lady from Belgium, Mrs Marshburn from the Fort Anderson site... to name a few. If you were there please sign the comment section of this post... I'd love to hear from you.
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Another GREAT day spent reenacting and plein air painting....
Bernie