My mom

This is the first and last drawing of my mom.

 

The one on the left was the warm up.  The one on the right actually caught her, I think. I drew this while she was talking to my sister at the nursing home.  I didn't want to draw her when I was alone with her. I felt like I needed to give her my full attention.

 

She broke her hip on May 13, 2015 and they discovered cancer throughout her body. She passed away on June 17.

Process Drawing Class Spring 2015

I was taking the Intermediate Drawing Class at the Drawing Studio during the spring. The basic idea is that you practice and improve and take risks and try things out.  And that will carry over to your other artwork. So, the process (practice) will help you with the ultimate end-product.

Setting up my space(s)

Well, in June 2014 we moved, We sold our house, rid ourselves of a lot of random things and found a nice rental. For various reasons, I still haven't set up my art work space.

One of the reasons, I'm embarrassed to admit, is because there is too much space!

Where do I work?

For encaustic painting, the garage is the best choice for ventilation and for being messy.  However, it's chilly there in the winter!  I'm waiting for my husband to assist by putting up shelves to hold my many supplies.

The den has space for an easel for acrylics and charcoal drawing. It has shiny wood floors, and is near the utility sink, so I think if I put down a tarp, I can keep from tracking paint around.  Maybe.

I have a table in my home office - I can swivel in my chair to work on a watercolor painting and then back to the computer.  However, the room is carpeted and I worry, of course, about the messiness of dripped paint. I've put down some area rugs on top of the carpeting, but they keep getting bunched up.

There is a view from office and den. The garage is closed in. And to top it all off, my husband and dog hang out in the living room, so I miss them if I'm working.

I do have a desk in the living room.  That's where I've been doing most of my painting - with a travel palette in sketchbooks.

My life has always had the theme of too much/not enough. Too much food, too many things, but worried about lack.

Well, I've got eight boxes to unpack downstairs, more in the garage.  I'll let you know how it ends up.  Because if I don't get my act together and find someplace to work, I'm never going to get anywhere!

Spring, trees, etc.

Gosh, I'm full of it. I shouldn't try to write much. Let's look at pictures, shall we?

We're having a very early spring in Portland this year, and it feels like the scenery is changing dramatically every day.

The hills across the river went from dark green and gray, to dark green and brown, to dark green and light green - which is now covering up a lot of the dark green.

Here's a sketch in the "perfect sketchbook". 5 1/4 inches by 3 1/2 inches.

Spring hills

Bob and I went for a walk today.  He pointed out this evergreen tree which we had also seen at the dog park.  I thought it had to be some kind of bay.  Yes, it is a California Bay Laurel, also known as an Oregon Myrtle.  Sheesh. I'm so dumb.  The southern Oregon coast smells wonderful because of these. I've often wished I could spend more time in Gold Beach and Port Orford due to these trees - even though I couldn't recognize one if I walked right into it. However, they aren't native to this area of the state.  It's growing next to a Madrona tree in the park.

 

Umbellularia californica

 

 

These are the flowers of a maple tree. I've never noticed them before. I wonder if that's because it's usually raining when they are in bloom? Or just that I'm in a new neighborhood this year?

 

Maple flowers - leaves unfurling also

 

Finally, a beautiful pear tree in bloom with lots of cheery dandelions to add to the picture.

 

 

Gratitude - series

Diana Trout points out here that we all forget, at times, to be grateful for what we have, and we could all improve the world just by remembering to be grateful.

Winter waves braved by the intrepid

I'm on vacation on the Island of Hawaii, and I feel so blessed to be in a place that is so incredibly beautiful. I feel especially lucky in February when it is dark, pouring down rain and cold in Portland.

High tide - the waves tickling our toes

My friend, Diana Byrnes, find her here, reminds us that the light begins to return in February in our part of the world. If we've made it this far, we're soon to be rewarded with Spring and new growth, new life.

Haupia (coconut pudding) pancakes at Hawaiian Style Café in Waimea

So, even though I am in one of the most gorgeous places in the world, away from ordinary life, without a care, I am struggling with feeling anxious, worried.  I am reminded that I am not my thoughts.  The thoughts and worries may come and go, but they are not who I am.

View from Sam Choy's in Keauhou area above Kona

I think being in someplace beautiful, on a break, can really highlight that awareness. When stuck in the middle of the workaday world with deadlines and projects, it's harder to see the difference. I wish everyone who is struggling could be "rich" for a little while and understand that one can be in fine surroundings but still unhappy because they are wrapped up in the voices in their head.  It's taken me a long time to realize that. We create our own prisons and our own heavens.

Lava Flow

Here's a sketch I wish were better at conveying what I saw. I need to accept that it is what I was able to do at that moment and appreciate it.

I'm hoping to carry home this feeling of awareness home with me.  I am not my thoughts, I am not my job, I am not the troubles of the world.

Sweet Aloha Dreams

2013 Autumn Post Card Swap - sent

 These are the cards that I sent out in the latest swap by iHanna. You can sign up for her newsletter if you'd like to be notified of the next post card swap: Hanna's newsletter

I was experimenting with a lot of looks this time: Using acrylic inks, eye dropper drawings, collage, stamps and stencils.

 

Some worked better than others.  But in my opinion the post card swap should promote this idea of experimentation, especially since we are exchanging with others with open minds about art!

 

Acrylic paint instead of my usual water color.

Liquid Acrylic Eye dropper drawings with stenciled dots.

2013 Autumn Post Card Swap - received

iHanna organized another post card swap for the fall this year.  Here are the ones I received:
I received cards from Sweden, Canada and the US.  A couple came from Texas - you can guess at least one!  Stitching and collage and drawing - so much fun!

Check out the retro stamps!

A great example of unified theme, value and color.

 

A subtle glitter edging - only visible when turned a certain way.