Friday, March 20, 2009

GREAT AUNT TEE

8x16 oil on canvas panel, nfs
This is my father's aunt, a Catholic nun with the Sisters of Charity in Evansville, Indiana. Her given name was Charlita, we know her as Aunt Tee, but at the convent, she is affectionally called Charlie!

In a much earlier post, is a painting of my late grandmother, Cricket, Aunt Tee's sister. She is now in her late 80's, and is the last sibling from my Grandmother's family. Aunt Tee loves to fish and rarely misses a day of fishing at the convent. To get around the grounds of the convent, she travels by scooter with a license plate that says, "here comes trouble". Every year, Aunt Tee returns home to SW Louisiana and is honored with a family reunion and a catfish fry. One of my brothers has a large, well-stocked catfish pond and at the party, Aunt Tee spends her entire time fishing. My other brother, was able to set his camera up on a tripod on the opposite side of the pond and snapped hundreds of pictures of Aunt Tee, each photo portrays a very serious little nun, dressed in a light blue habit, fishing until sundown.

With it being Spring Break this week, I was quite the prolific painter. Most of the paintings I painted were commissions, but I managed to fit a few in just for me. This is a study for a larger painting I have planned of Aunt Tee, perhaps this summer.

18 comments:

r garriott said...

Very fun! Gotta love a fishing nun nun in tennis shoes (and on a scooter, no less)!

Unknown said...

What a wonderful painting! So full of life and vigor. I would love to have an Aunt Tee in my family and a sister like you!

Gwen Bell said...

This painting is so much fun! Aunt Tee look and sounds like a real character. From your description, I'd say you captured her vivacious spirit beautifully.

L.Holm said...

Fantastic! She sounds like such a hoot. I love the license plate. LOL. Your painting captures her character--that stance, the tennies, the motion. Looking forward to seeing the larger painting when you do it.

Angela Elledge said...

Thank you so much! When I was a little girl, Aunt Tee always wore the long black habit and I distinctly remember the giant rosary that hung down from her habit--don't think tennis shoes were part of that ensemble!

Edward Burton said...

Great portrait, Angela! Sounds like your Aunt Tee is quite the character. I love her license plate!

Angela Elledge said...

Thanks Edward! I am looking forward to seeing your figure work with the newest posting from DSFDF.

Art with Liz said...

Oh she's such a character and you've caught that perfectly.

Tom Pohlman said...

Great portrait Angela! Give a nun a catfish and she will eat for a day... :>)

Angela Elledge said...

Liz - Although she looks so serious here, she's such a happy little character; thank you!

Tom - that is so her: fish and eat, fish and eat...thank you.

simoart said...

Hi
This is a great painting. It is full of life and she looks like an active sister. Great work.

Dean H. said...

Wow...Angela! I love this painting and I love your Aunt Tee for all the great enthusiasm.

Angela Elledge said...

Simoart - thank you for visiting my blog and your kind words about Aunt Tee.

Dean - She has such a dear sweet personality, and a character she is! I have old b/w photos of her when she first entered the convent and I am hoping I can work one of those into a portrait, as well.

Jala Pfaff said...

Thanks for coming by my blog! This is awesome. I love it. :)

jsicignano2.blogspot.com said...

I love it, what spirit. Lovely work.

Angela Elledge said...

Jala & Joan - Thank you so much; I appreciate your comments, thanks for visiting.

PainterLee said...

Oh my goodness! You should do a series of her...fishing, gardening, whatever! This is fantastic!!!! What a character! And you captured so much personality! Wonderful!

Angela Elledge said...

Painterlee - Thank you so much for visiting and taking the time to comment. Isn't Turtle Creek beautiful and it really doesn't matter what time of the year you visit!? It seems I only have photos of Aunt Tee fishing and I know I have a very old photo of her when she had just entered the convent; I plan on painting that, as well and hopefully this one much larger.

I'm off to visit your blog; thank you so much for dropping by here; I really appreciate it!