HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

"She is Free..."

I am enjoying drawing and painting faces again in the Moleskine. They are looking a bit younger I think which is how I always wanted them to look.  It has helped me seeing Tam from Willowing paint hers  and watching her fiddling until it works with layers upon layers. I used acrylics and Caran d' Ache and a Stabilo black Aquarelle and various other stamps and stuff. This page was already painted in my journal with the stencil outline of the bird already there so I just added the girl.

She Knows Who She Is

I haven't painted a face in a while in this Moleskine journal. I just did the first lesson of Willowing's, Art, Heart and Healing FREE workshop which started on the 18th.

I have never taken a class from her but I love her wonderful accent and the sweet faces she draws.

 She shows you how to draw and paint a face in the first week. If you have ever wanted to draw a face this is the place to start. I am really enjoying it so far.

Join up--you have nothing to lose but lots to gain.

"Organic Girl"

Yep, that me! All organic and no hives for going on 4 weeks now. I really don't think it was Bucky but still--it might be--but I really think I was poisoning myself with processed foods. This is my new credo: I won't eat it if my grandmother wouldn't recognize it and if it has too many unpronounceable ingredients. Anyway, this is what I have figured out at least so far that was causing these awful hives off and on for 6 months or so. I had a comprehensive and complete check of all autoimmune, heart, celiacs and many more and nothing was out of order there (yay!)---so it is something I am eating or  it's environmental.

So, yep. that's me--organic girl. This is from an actual photo I took of my organic fruits sitting on my counter. Actually, the tall green thing is something I got at the farmer's market and I don't plan to eat it---but it made for a good composition. And again, Dr. PH Concentrated watercolors with a little regular watercolor, some Hydrus and a little bit of Copic spray. 

Trust

Proverbs 3:5

These are drawn Neuland letterforms with Dr. Martin's Ph. Concentrated watercolors.
Love these colors. I am in a colorful mood these days.

Italian Night

YUM!

A Gaggle of Pears

  I used my favorite watercolors Dr. Ph. Martin Concentrated watercolors (which I love!) because they are so bright and pleasing to my eye. I have collected many colors now and I would even like more but they mix beautifully also so if I would just take the time to experiment with my colors then I wouldn't need any more.
There is something about these colors that make my heart flutter--really. It's a cheap thrill--well not so cheap depending on how many colors I indulge myself in.
I will be leaving tomorrow to drive up to Greenville to stay with Macaulay and Baby Marc will Daddy Marc goes on a business trip.
See y'all next week!

Dreaming of Poppies

Oh, what a comfort zone...POPPIES!

I have missed my Poppies. I was just checking what this paper was. It looked like some sort of watercolor paper so I decided to add a little red to see how it took the paint---and Poppies emerged!

Digging deep...

While I am taking a break from the acrylics and watercolor for a while I have decided to dig down into my overflowing art drawers pull out something that has the potential of improvement. Believe me, this could take a while! I vaguely remember that these poppies were almost a throw away but now with some copic spray (non-toxic I am told!) and punchanella I think it is better now. I also used some Pan Pastels.  As I grow as an artist I see that depth and contrast is very important and with this one, it just needed a little depth and fancy-ing up a bit. I love my copic air compressor sprayer. I think that it is the best way for me to punch up the color to any piece that needs it--like this one. This one is a watercolor.

Practicing...

I have had to relearn this Engrosser's Script, or just learn it because I have never really used it. I mostly use Italic or a funky variation. This hand is soothing for me to write and as I see improvement then it makes it enjoyable.  I am not criticizing my progress at all but my eye sees that I am not quite there yet. I have spacing issues between the letters and between the words. For me the spacing of calligraphy has been the hardest part. It doesn't matter how beautiful your letterform might be, if it is not spaced properly it all falls apart. I am not a meticulous person at all and I have often wondered why I have loved learning calligraphy because it is the epitome of meticulous. I think I like the rules because I always feel safe within the rules. I am off to see if I can make a green smoothie. Sounds yuck but I'm gonna try.

PS. I am working on this script for the wedding invitations I will be doing for my best friend's
daughter.  It's not until May but I have to start now because it's like getting ready for a marathon. If you don't condition yourself the hand, arm and back will cramp up.

I'm still alive...

Well, I think that Art du jour has turned into "rare art du jour". I have missed creating and posting but I have a block now I think. I have been on a pretty good roll for several years now so maybe I needed a break. My hives are better and have been for several days now. I have de-danderized eveything and if it's Bucky then the de-danderizing is helping. It could be a chemical sensitivity to processed foods and I want to say thank you to Diane for mentioning to me that it could be a Ribo Rash from an MSG-like food enhancer. These are nasty chemicals that are hidden in our tasty processed foods that seem to be causing all sorts of problems. Ok, I admit it, that Pop Tart that I have eaten every day for breakfast for 20 years  has probably poisoned me. I am eating all organic now and we will see if that helps. Now I have to cook rather than creating art. So, now you know my secret, I never cooked. Well, I can't say never, but when I did, I hated every minute of it. I better change my tune. Maybe I will grow to love it. So much for me. I love you all and thank you for your concerns and suggestions. I consider each and every one!

PS. I have been practicing my Copperplate letterforms for wedding invitations for a May wedding of my best friend's daughter. So actually, I have been doing something. I have pages and pages of practice. Maybe I will post one. It's looking better.

More quick art--and the unresolved problem...

This is on the back of the scrap paper from my last post. I am still playing with laying down some color and making quick paintings. I have this thing about instant gratification. This is why I don't think I could ever be an oil painter although I do love the oils. It's just too slow for me.  I need instant bursts of color and maybe even a place to write. It's--- Quick Art for the Slightly Neurotic and Impatient Artist! Maybe I will write a book for all of us impatient artists who need an instant fix. I will be your pusher. hee hee
 And since this is a scrap---no pressure and--> instant gratification.
 There is an art induced high in all that.
Thank you all for your sweet comments about my mystery hives. I have my game plan as how to try and live with Bucky. I woke up clear today and everyday I am symptom free it is a good day. I have to make several safe zones where he is not allowed in---mostly the bedroom and office. He will be groomed once a week and I ordered several items from National Allergy: spray that lowers dander,  anti allergy clothes detergent, bath cloths for in between baths, an air purifier that I carry around with me right now because they are quite expensive. I think there were a few more things also. It's a shot in the dark but I am bound and determined to try and live with him---that is IF he is the problem. I am going to take some days off of  creating art and blogging to tackle this problem and clean the studio (de-danderize that is.) I might have to see if it is anything at my studio---paints??? Now wouldn't that be bad?! So I do need to stay away from all the art materials for a while. :(
I will be back hopefully really soon but I will certainly visit you all and see what you are doing. I am doing a class with LK Ludwig which I love so maybe I can blog some of those journal pages--that is when I get around to doing it.
I love you all and thanks for your prayers and best wishes. I need it now.
Oh, and here is a little cutie:
I could just eat him up with a spoon!

And one more cutie below chillin' out after his bath and shave:

It's a scrap....

First of all I want to say hello to everyone and apologize for my absence in responding to all your wonderful comments. I have really been struggling with a condition called Chronic Urticaria which is chronic hives where my eyes, lips and face swells with hives with itches terribly. I have been to 4 doctors and finally my internist has ruled out everything under the sun and I have surrendered many viles of blood to find out what this might be. It cycles about every two weeks or so and ...well...so much for those details. All tests have come back negative (that a good thing) except for one....pet dander.  Unfortunately, do do fear it is Bucky but with chronic hives you never really know the cause. All you can do is take a shot in the dark. I might have to find Bucky a loving home but that would bread our hearts.  Long story short, I have been able to create a little quick art so again I apologize for not returning comments. 

So, now to the art du jour.

Each day that comes and goes I never know which way the muse will lead me... and depending on how much my face might be itching. Today I am still in a watercolor mood.  I do think that my first love is watercolor. But I love acrylics too. My very favorite watercolorist is Shirley Trevena. I am mesmerized by her paintings andI have been looking at her DVD again and drooling all over again. This is on a scrap and I was just laying some color down. It's very quick and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.  This one was fairly appealing (maybe a 61/2 out of 10) to me so therefore...

l'art de la journée est terminée.

In the studio today...

I have been doing a couple of things today. I made some backgrounds for a journal that I am thinking about putting together and also I am playing around with some abstract watercolor. I was mainly trying this Stonehenge paper that is good for the background techniques but I don't like it for the watercolor. I am trying to make random marks on the paper (this is hard for me for some reason) then lay down some watercolor. The "listen to the whisper.." one has pleasing colors but the quote and style of letterforms do not go with the bold marks and the colors. I don't really know why I wrote that one but I just grabbed the calligraphy marker and wrote something. Sometimes I really just need to slow down, take a breath and think for a minute. As a calligrapher, the best layout is one where the quote and letterforms have the same feel as the background. But, it's all about trying and learning from our less fortunate choices.