BRRRRrrrrrrr!

Getting ready for the next winter blast coming this way! This pic is from the last one, I was facinated with all the critter foot prints in my yard!!!
Wishing everyone a warm and cozy weekend.

Glimpses of My Studio

The angel sits on architectural salvaged pieces and looks over me as I work. The shades are lovely and beaded, I found these and added them to the lamps that are crystal with crystals hanging around the upper portion of the lamp base, which doesn't show here. I am in love with all things vintage, tattered and worn, things with a story to tell. I have the most fun finding "treasures" and changing or repurposing them for my own use!

Oil Painting Update

Oil painting from my painting class, still in progress, my unexpected hospital stay has put me a bit behind with all my classes! Ugh! I mean, OHMMmmmmmmmmmmm!!! Must stay calm...I will be working on this along with 2 others...a good process, when I can't go further on one, I can move on to another. I have changed the fabric in the front, yet again!!! I am now living with it. The bottle is no where near completed, but thought I'd share this.

"You Say Tomato..."

This is the actual set up in the classroom. I had to take a picture, since it all spoiled and was dismantled after a week.

Finally...FINI!!! This is a colored pencil study for Drawing II class. It measures 14 1/2" x 14 1/2" square on cold press illustration board. Talk about tedious, well we weren't talking about it, but now that I brought it up...wow, this took forever...I immediately decided I didn't like this medium too much. It requires that pencils be super sharp, so I was always having to stop to sharpen and also colors are created by layering...lots and lots...and did I say "lots" of layering.

I changed the background, my own artistic direction...I wanted to concentrate on the tomatoes...and guess what??? As this slowly progressed, I was hooked...what a fantastic medium!!! I am happy with the final result...and it just goes to show, never judge a medium by your first impression! Give it a try, an honest try,and you may surprise yourself...now I can continue to say, "I never met a medium I didn't like".

Angel for Renee

I am posting this angel for our dear friend Renee, who is in her final days after a long hard battle. She has touched so many of us with her words and brought together a whole community, what a truly lovely woman, whose time with us is fading. God Bless you, Renee and your family. You have endured the unimaginable yet touched so many lives, your legacy will live beyond and continue to touch others.

Title: Going Green

Finally got this one finished and photographed! The pics are not great, bad lighting, but you can tell I used a lot of colors. This is colored pencil on charcoal paper. I do enjoy using myself as a model for some of my pieces. Rather convenient!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Sassy and Tigrrr, I call them the twins, a brother and sister from the same litter, are totally in love with each other. They are huge farm cats...when they were babies, I rescued them from going to a shelter. They are so loving and take up all the room in my bed at night! Tigrrr snores and they both want to hold my hand with their paw. Their loud purring is like one of those sound machines people use to help them fall asleep.

Insomnia...Again!

It is now going on 4am...and I am up... again, repeat of last night! But, last night I could blame that for watching the movie, "Pulp Fiction"...it was on TV and I got sucked in. Tonight...the usual "can't sleep" so I sit up all night reading, watching TV and buying stuff I don't need from those home shopping shows...I could make art, but that gets me wired for sound and avoid it thinking it will keep me from feeling tired enough to sleep...Crazy, huh? Just think of all the stuff I could be making in these lost hours...maybe I need to re-think that.

I really thought I was headed for a lovely night of slumber...I was at the school all day and stood at my easel and painted with fellow students, trying to get some extra painting time in. I had a blast with everyone who was there, shared great music and art tips. Met some other art students from other classes...a great day. Felt wonderful mentally, but physically I am a train wreck...so out of shape. I know this because I was stuck at my Mom's in the snow and ice on Tues and had to shovel a lot of snow, break up ice and do a lot of lifting...then yesterday, I noticed I ached all over and thought I was getting sick again...well, today I realized it was my bones and muscles screaming at me, yelling...get your little butt to the gym!!! It is time...it should help with the insomnia, too! Now... where are my workout bras???? And Ibuprofin??? It sucks getting old...ugh.

Colored Pencil ...in Progress

Yeah, it's me ...I find that if I take enough pictures of myself, I can use the images and be my own model....that way I do not bother anyone with taking their pics...

This is already titled "Going Green"...very politically correct, it is my face...with a goofy expression...like, "what the hell" kind of thing...I mean, if you were turning into a plant wouldn't you be thinking the same thing??? I have it almost completed and will post it tomorrow! This was for my Drawing Class, using colored pencil and drawing the image in white and under "painting" with the white pencil and then blending with lots of colors over top...a prep for pastel...which is next week's assignment! Yippeeee!

Scooter Boy

This is Scooter, my Mom's little boy...that would make him my brother????? Anyway...he is such a great subject, I have used him before. This was a Drawing Class assignment in colored pencil...the background had a gesso layer and colored over for a textured look.

I had taken a photo of him, well he is always getting his picture taken, and used it for my source.

Me...In Black and White

" The only people for me

are the mad ones,

the ones who are mad to live,

mad to talk, mad to be saved,

desirous of everything at the same time,

the ones who never yawn

or say a commonplace thing,

but burn, burn, burn,

like fabulous roman candles

exploding like spiders

across the stars..."

~Jack Kerouac

Still Life Progress...

Today I was able to spend some time in the painting studio at school and get more layers of paint applied to my canvas...OMG! there is so much work yet to be done...but I just keep taking deep breaths...not trying to hyperventilate, (pass-out, which I have been known to do...too much info, I know!!!!)...and move forward!

Something To Ponder...

Work and play are the same.

When you're following

your energy

and doing what you want

all the time,

the distinction between

work and play dissolves.

~Shakti Gawain