Travel
Painting en Plein Air: Creating in Community
I can’t fully explain it, but creating near other creatives is ten times better than creating alone. Picture this: you’re painting en Plein air, in a cute little harbor district, containing restaurants, boutiques, and a coffee shop! There is a lighthouse next to the docks you decide to paint. As you paint, you watch children…
Read MorePainting En Plein Air: Finding Peace with Paint
I painted en Plein air with oil paints for the SECOND time ever! In this episode, I painted at Rockledge Park in Grapevine. This location was absolutely beautiful! We met my cousin at the park and she and my dad and I painted together! For this painting, I used oils on a gessoed panel (links…
Read MorePainting En Plein Air: Focusing on God’s Beauty
Hi! I’m Alyssa, the middle child of the Strauss family! I’m so glad you are here! Welcome back to my Art and Faith series! If you are new here, I’ve been beginning a journey learning how to paint en Plein air, which is the French way to say “painting outside.” Beholding the beauty of God’s…
Read MoreThe Beartooth Highway – A Drive with Incredible Beauty
I love planning trips, and at this time of year, I’m dreaming about them! Last year Andy wanted to go to Yellowstone National Park for his Senior family trip. When I made the plan, I mapped our route to stop at Mount Rushmore, and then stop for a couple of days at a remote cabin…
Read MoreDallas Holocaust Museum: An Upstander for Human Rights
As I read through Corrie ten Boom’s The Hiding Place again with my thirteen year old daughter, the incredible suffering many experienced during the holocaust of World War II humbled me once more. Sometimes it can be challenging in our comfortable worlds to remember how blessed we are. Visiting the Dallas Holocaust Museum is a…
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