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About the artist

acadianangel22-1.jpg picture by thebarefootcajun

I’m often asked why I paint angels. I’ve always painted as a hobby and for family and friends. My mom was an amazing artist who could take a blank canvas and bring it to life with her brushes. I never had that vision…to see what was supposed to go on that canvas. My art back then wasn’t a part of my soul. It was something I enjoyed doing.

I even majored in art in college but found it unfulfilling. We were told what was good art and all the important names, but it didn’t grab me.

All that changed in November 2005 when our Mom was suddenly killed. My earth shattered beyond belief. Never had I experienced such pain. I know for a fact that only God and the Angels saw me through that grief. It was because of the angels that I could walk or breath or care for my children. I survived the day to day tasks of being a Mom and turned to my brushes for comfort.

On the trip home from South Louisiana after burying mom, I got hubby to stop for a canvas and brushes. I had to paint the stories that my grandfather told of Mom as a little girl. Only painting eased my mind. There was so much ugliness in her death and an investigation of a year and a half. There were images in my head that I never wanted to see. Sleep was rare, especially in the beginning, but after that first angel one night, I looked forward to dreaming.

I saw her one night, there at the foot of my bed. She was radiating light and holding a little baby. She never spoke but left me speechless and feeling an overwhelming love. I went to my computer and painted her with my paint program. I had to get her like I saw her…and I was still up at dawn with her. She was my first angel of hundreds now and will always be very special to me.

Other angels have visited and so many just seem to appear as I’m painting. I believe I am supposed to paint these angels.

About JDPeek

My name is Jerri. I was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1968. I was raised down a gravel dead-end road on the beautiful Lake Verret. I awoke every morning to the sunrise over the lake. I fell asleep at night to the gentle soothing tunes of the lapping water and the singing frogs. It was my Heaven.

Life was difficult down that long lonely road, but with Mom being so strong and loving, we didn't realize things were hard. Mom supported us with her art. She painted the most beautiful Louisiana swamp scenes and wildlife I have ever seen. I learned so much from secretly watching her.

After a flood in 1995, I decided to look up my dad in Texas. I paid him a visit since I had nowhere to go. Shortly after coming to Texas, I met the most wonderful man and I married him. With my marriage came his two beautiful children, a girl and a boy. Nine months later we had our son. I was going on 30 years old at the time and had been alone all those years, then suddenly had this beautiful family.

Life was good, even through our struggles and even a tornado, life was good. Four years later, we added a little girl to our family. Fast forward 12 years and now we are grandparents.

Reject Ranch

We call our little ranch here Reject Ranch and people often ask about the name. It started when we took in a few unwanted animals. They were beautiful animals that we loved, but to their previous owners, they weren't good enough.

We had a colt that had an infection after birth that stunted his growth. He was well bred and registered but he wasn't good enough. We called him Junior and we took him in.

Our son got a Pygmy goat that we named Gertrude. Those two were quite a pair. Both were so tiny. We had a pretty old horse that was family to us. Her name was Ellie May. We also took in another colt, this time the colt was an orphan. Her name is Diesel and she still rules the ranch.

Some of these critters are in Heaven now or have found permanent homes. ALOT of animals come through here and some will NEVER leave.

As of today, we have three quarterhorses...Diesel, Bird, and Macho.

I have a donkey named Potat. He is my angel.

We have working cow dogs, chickens, Baaaxster the mini goat, barn kitties and a few fiddler crabs.

Oh I love Reject Ranch!