shedding / spreading

L - Nikon / T - phone pic

Maya over at Springtree Road has a new member of the family - Zasha – she's a russian blue kitty and is so adorable. Maya asked to see our kitty, Kodi. She's a russian blue also. At least that's what they told us at the Humane Society. I beleive she is because of one distinct feature that russian blues have – mauve footpads instead of slate gray. Kodi has mauve. Another thing they say about them is that they don't shed as much as most cats, but that they have shedding seasons. Spring is one of those seasons. I think it's my season for shedding too. Sure seems like I'm losing a lot of hair right now. I don't know, maybe it's age. anyway I guess it's natural. / this is a portion of my last drawing project - transformation - spreading my wings. here i am putting my wings on. i've tested them... they're pretty good. strong. freshman year is drawing to a close and i'd say i've learned a lot.

reflect / transform

L - Nikon / T- phone pic

I've been reflecting a lot lately on change, aging, love, motherhood, talent, the future, the past, etc, etc and remain wordless. Honestly, I probably never will have the words. I don't have the talent for expressing myself like so many of you do. So once again - wordless. / the theme for our final project in drawing is "transformation". this college freshman is working on "spreading her wings". i had my roommate take a photo of me and along with some reference of wings i am going to create a self portrait of myself with wings.

p.s. these words from her tonight make me sad. It's strange – the closing of her freshman year almost makes me sadder than when she first went away in the fall. Why? Has anyone else had this experience with their child?

wet day / wet paint

L - iphone / T- Nikon D40x

I have no words to speak of tonight but I'm pretty excited about the pair of photos we have. When I got to work this morning, coming in from the rain, I looked down at the chair that I had dropped my things on and realized wow that's a lot of color (and I don't usually wear bright colors) - so I took a picture. But that was all I had for today - an assortment of bright objects. Then when T sent me her photo this afternoon I said to myself, "no way!" I was thrilled to see all those bright colored inks we bought for her when she was home on break, and to see the project she has been working on too - the green circles mimicing the very inside of my raincoat. I wish you could see my full umbrella - it's the rainbow colors of her ink boxes; my purse almost like a palette of paints. It's all a very colorful part of this rainy gray day / i was glad it was raining today - i have so much work to do and if the sun had been out i would be tempted to play. i've labored long on this "illuminated manuscript" assignment and finally i'm ready to put color to my pen and ink drawing. i love getting out fresh new art supplies - new brushes, new colors, even a new palette.

dogwood / doodle

As many of you know I am taking a metalsmithing class, in an earlier post I shared with you the beginning stages of this little box with the dogwood blossom graphic. I have always liked what it represents - new life. Well the box is almost complete - Sunday I should be able to finish up the final sanding and polishing of it. I have to say I'm pretty pleased with it even though I have no idea I will use it for - it's very tiny. The instructor called it a "tooth fairy" box, but I obviously won't be needing it for that purpose. Any ideas what I could use it for? / a little doodle. "amor vincit omnia" was the theme for the painting "triumph of bacchus and ariadne".  and it means love conquers all, so i've been scribbling it everywhere (no i'm not a freshman in highschool) and drew it in my sketchbook. i scanned it and colored it in photoshop. just for fun.

colors / plaid

In the past I would have never, ever, bought anything so loud - still not sure what came over me - this and the green jacket?? - I guess I was feeling a need for color. / i like boys in plaid shirts. this is one of my best friends from atlanta.

blinds / eyes

L - iphone pic / T- phone pic

Graphic art today at work - I love the late afternoon sunlight in my office. / "the eyes are the window to the soul." i have to do 5 contour drawings for class. i'm enjoying how this is looking so i think i'll do portraits of my friends and give them to them. (this is just a portion of the drawing)

patterns / moire

L - iphone / T- phone pic
I'm a day late posting this and now it looks sort of out of place, but yesterday it was actually cold. Today, however, was warm and sunny and I'm so excited for the predictions for the weekend - highs near 70. Maybe soon I will be putting away these cold weather items. I know we're all excited for that. / "so cold I could see my breath" - that's what I named this piece. this is a study in morie effect done in colored pencil on black paper. i'm still working on it.

paints / pencils

L- Nikon D40x / T - phone pic (both posterized)

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” -Thomas Merton

I started painting on a 30 x 24" canvas today. I built a fire then set up my Julian Paris easel, that I received for Christmas, for the first time, placing it in my dining room where the light is wonderful. I kept the fire going all day so the room was cozy and bright and I was having fun, I didn't want to quit. This was my first time trying the water soluble oil paints. I bought the minimal set to make sure I liked them - clean up is so much easier and they work just like oils without the smell - I think I'm converted. / next assignment -create a moire effect with colored pencils on black paper.

cat / bird

Kodi loves to look outside Ts window in the morning - there's a tree just outside the window that has berries on it and the birds love it. She'll do anything to get a better view of the activity out there - including trying to climb the curtains. bad kitty. / our first project in drawing II is a collaborative one. the name of the assignment is "multiple headed hungry monster." we went to the library the second day of class to get inspiration and then we were put into groups the next class day. i'm in a group with two other people and we have to each create a monster head that eats something specific and then we all do the body and somehow show in the stomach what our monster has consumed. mine is a girl with feathers for hair and a bird's nest on her head and a berry necklace (to attract birds to her). so she eats birds and uses their feathers for her hair. i did it in pen and ink. this is just a portion of the her insides - the branches form her ribs. i hope it turns out like i envision it - should be pretty cool if it does.

some treats / a glimpse

I went to Trader Joes today to get some poinsettias for the mantel and found all my favorite Christmas treats. It's not Christmas without clementines, Panettone and Lebkuchen. My brother lived in Germany for several years and he bring back Lebkuchen at Christmas time. I guess that is also when I fell in love with the original Steinbach German smokers and nutcrackers. I have a pretty good collection, but my mom has a great collection. I bought my first one when I went to Germany along with something I really treasure - a 3 tiered German carousel of the Nativity. Do you collect special Christmas decorations? / here is a glimpse of the "creative" portrait i'm finishing up for drawing. sorry for all the drawing stuff - it's just pretty much all that's going on right now.

reflections in nature / reflection of self

At times it can be enlightening and empowering to take just a few moments to reflect on ourselves

I can't believe it's been a week since I last posted. I have missed you all - truly. I hope that every one had a most wonderful Thanksgiving.
As some of you know, I traveled to Maryland this Thanksgiving and visited my older brother and his family. The drive is a long one but it was a wonderful time. Frederick is a town with a lot of Civil War history and also home to many wonderful and unique specialty shops and art galleries. When I first planned this trip I thought that I would be there on their First Saturday Gallery Walk. On this day the galleries are open late and they serve up hot chocolate or mulled cider in many of the shops. But I was there for their famous Frosty Friday - a day when the shops are open late and there is a special arrival of Santa Claus at the local toy store. My niece and nephew (twins who turn 8 on Christmas Eve) look forward to this every year - they use this day to do their secret santa shopping and I got to be a part of it this year. It's so much fun to be with young children during the Christmas season - there is excitement and wonder in their eyes and voices. The Santa that arrived that night was of course not the real one, they knew that, but we saw the real one on Sunday night. I will have to tell you about it. I believe.
On Saturday I shopped by myself and walked around the park. It was such a beautiful and crisp day. I really have to say I enjoyed being along and taking my time - reflecting on what the weekend had meant to me - there had been a few ripples but overall everything went smoothly with a clear picture of love and gratitude / another self portrait. this one is for my drawing class and i'm pleased with it although i'm not sure this phone pic does it justice - i feel like i captured my eyes pretty well. do i look deep in thought?
i had such a great time at home last week being with family and friends but this week i will be very busy with finals and all - i'll do my best to help with the blog but forgive me if i miss a day.

warm indoors / cool outdoors

I think I'll have to go with a wordless Wednesday tonight. I can't think. / today we were were told to draw a pathway or sidewalk. i remembered when my uncles came to visit we walked to a beautiful garden where they grew a variety of plants and flowers (maybe medicinal herbs) - it was the pharmaceutical building where he took many classes. i looked across the way and saw some great stairs that i thought would be nice to draw. i knocked it out in one day and my teacher was very impressed.

surroundings / around me

soul aperture was given an assignment in her photography class to capture her surroundings so I thought I would do the same - photograph those special corners in my home - I have many of them. I tend to collect silly little things, or at least things that may seem silly to others. This little corner... / today we had to draw a non-human living thing. i chose an old knotted tree.

sewing / drawing

Here it still sits. I've got to get started on this project of mine. And it looks like I need to clean those windows. / i forgot to send this on friday. it rained on friday so our teacher brought in her dog for us to draw. it was the first time i had really experienced drawing a live model and i really like how it came out (even though it's near finished yet). she was so cute, she stayed in the same position the whole time. i know evee couldn't do that! haha now that you know it's a dog i'm sure you can tell what kind.

Hearts-a'burstin / still life 4

This unique plant grows naturally in our backyard. You know it's fall when the hearts start bursting with love. / don't critique it yet - i'm not finished

sanctuary / shelter

I was amazed when I saw the similarity in these images today.
"A house is a home when it shelters the body and comforts the soul." - Phillip Moffitt

fruit / labor

last of summer meal - delicious fruit tonight / working hard tonight so that i can "play" tomorrow. "Nothing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig. I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen." -Epictetus