Newspaper column for April 2009

The Cure for Sea Fever

Sea-Fever by John Masefield

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea’s face and a gray dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again to the vagrant gypsy life.
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

I had a nagging case of sea fever; possibly caused by the confinement of winter months, or perhaps by the siren song of spring that beckoned me to like a child begging an adult to "come and see what I made". And so, ignoring the disapproval of chores that needed to be done, errands that waited to be run and a dozen other "should-do’s" that snatched greedily at my time, I turned a deaf ear and listened instead to the call of the sea.

A light picnic was packed to suffice as an evening meal and mid-afternoon the hubby and I took off for the beach. It was the right decision. A lovely spring day awaited us with storybook blue skies and scudding white clouds. On the ride down, I turned my head from side to side, looking, unwilling to miss anything. Dogwoods, tulip trees, early azaleas, late narcissus and clusters of little wildflowers all bloomed exuberantly and I silently applauded their show.

Arriving at the beach, we climbed steps that rose over a dune, and at the top, stood still. After winter's pale stillness, there’s magic in that first glance at the lilting sea, resplendent in myriad shades of blue and green and capped with white at the shoreline. I took a deep, slow breath, reveling in the salty air and the sound of the sea. My eyes followed the waves that curled, crested and then, relaxed, rolled gently onto the beach. Time fell away, the "should-do’s" ceased to exist, and a peaceful feeling of belonging seeped in.

There were few beach-goers this early in April. I was glad. Glad to listen only to the lulling waves and cries of the gulls. Life at the shore is reduced to simpler elements, and simpler felt good, felt lighter. Like losing ten pounds; not in body, but in spirit.

I had brought a heavy jacket, expecting a cold and cutting wind. But the day was benevolent and I was comfortable wearing jeans and a shirt. Spring’s gentle sun dropped sparkling highlights on the waves and shimmered on the wet sand. Along the tideline the sand was studded with shells; mostly broken, but still beautiful in their variety and color. Wet, they glistened, jewels against a velvet cloth, and I picked up the gems I thought beautiful and dropped them safely into a bag. A good subject for a painting, perhaps.

The hubby loves to feed the sea gulls, so we came prepared with a whole loaf of bread. After the quiet months of winter the gulls were cautious. As the season wore on they would once again accustom themselves to the beach crowds that annually invade their realm. But at the moment they were skittish. The small bread chunks thrown out to them rolled to a standstill where they lay untouched as the gulls, tempted, stared, started forward, then thought better of it and stepped back. So the hubby threw the bread farther out and finally the boldest among them claimed his prize. Then another stepped forward, and another, until soon we were surrounded by a gaggle of gulls all vying for the morsels flying across the sand. They were comical, reminding me of children squabbling and scuffling for the best piece of candy. When one grabbed a piece of bread, another one close by would squawk loudly in protest. Sometimes two or three gulls dived after the same bit of bread and when one caught it, the unsuccessful gulls set off a clamorous chorus of disgruntled and envious complaining. We spent several minutes watching and enjoying the gulls while they enjoyed the food. Eventually, the bread was gone and we expected them to leave immediately. Instead they stood around, looking at us expectantly as if to say, "We’re waiting". They were quiet now, and their fears allayed by the food, had come within a few feet of us. They stood regarding us with an open and patient gaze. We started walking back to the steps over the dune and for a few feet we had company. Then, realizing that meal time was over, one by one the gulls left, circling out over the sea in search of more food.

It was a good evening. There was time to be quiet, time to talk, time to rest. We wondered why we didn’t do this more often. There wasn’t any reason not to. It didn’t require a week, or even a whole day. Just a couple of hours at the beach had gone a long way to curing sea fever. The wind and waves had done their work - as I knew they would. And that night I slept the quiet sleep with the sweet dreams of those who go down to the seas.

New Paints! ... Artisan Oils

(2.5 x 3.5 on gesso primed canvas paper)

I spent about an hour and a half trying out my new Artisan Oil Paints. They're made by Winsor & Newton and are water mixable. I was curious to see if the fumes bothered me, as traditional oils do. So far, no fume problems!

The subject is a Roundhouse in Cornwall, England - and it was LOTS of fun to paint! I think I'll like these paints (I'm hoping that fume problems won't develop later down the line) and plan to work with them again.

Have a good weekend!

Flowergirl WIP 4

More work done on the little flowergirl. I think I've finished the dress (will have to let it sit a while to find out for sure) and started on the background.

As always, constructive criticism welcome!

Updates on Flowergirl

The fates have conspired against me in trying to post this week! I was caregiver for an invalid parent (MIL) on Monday, and Tuesday we had severe thunderstorms on and off most of the day... and I usually unplug my computer just to be on the safe side. So today we have two WIPs! Lighting on photos not too good - sorry - natural lighting was low yesterday due to the storms and I didn't want to use a flash and blow out the details.

I'm fairly pleased with how the flowergirl is coming along, although I guess I'm never really satisfied. Not too many re-do's- thanks mostly to keeping a light touch and deciding ahead of time what I'm trying to accomplish BEFORE I put color down! I once read that Sargeant would dip his brush in paint and then hold it above his canvas, hovering, while he considered the effect the next brush stroke would have. If Sargeant hovered, then I'm quite sure I need to get into the habit of hovering too!

Flowergirl - A New Work

Where do the days fly away to? Seems like there's never enough hours in the day or days in the week to get everything accomplished!

Ah well, today is not the day for such serious musings as the brevity of our days. I've started a new project that I'm really excited about. I'm excited because I think some of my experimenting and ongoing study of art is beginning to pay off, and because I have a vision in my head of where I want to go with this portrait - and I hope that I can keep that vision fresh and constant until I'm finished. (Reference from Wet Canvas RIL - thank you to the generous person who posted this gorgeous photo).

I decided to start with the face first this time. In the past I've waited to do the face until last. Not really sure why - possibly because I'm impatient to jump in with all those yummy colors and like to get warmed up on the less important parts of a picture. But this time I wanted to get the face in first and see how that affected the work process.

I'm working lighter, both in terms of pencil pressure and color. I'm using lighter colors and darkening ever-so-gradually to avoid re-do's. I'm trying to abdicate the throne as The Queen of Re-do. One title up for grabs... any takers? ;-)

I'm posting a couple of WIP's - sorry, not great pics. The first one is the pencil sketch and it's so light that, except for the face, it may not show up on the monitor. On the second WIP I've started on the face, getting the basics in and working gradually on modeling the features. I've found two things that have helped me a lot: first is to work as far away from the paper as is comfortable. Since cp is done on a desk (as opposed to an oil painter standing in front of an easel) it's all too easy to pore over the piece, working very close to it. For me this is not good - I tend to bog down in minor detail and lose sight of the big picture. It works better for me to get up close for critical features such as eyes, mouth and nose; and then sit back and put a little distance between me and the paper. The distance helps me to more clearly see the masses, shapes and tonal ranges and when working on the face it's easier to keep in mind the entire facial expression, not just one feature. The second thing that helps a lot is..... walk away! Take a coffee break, put a load of laundry in the washer, go for a walk, catch up on your blogging (I'm on a painting break to do this post). It's amazing how the errors jump out at you when you've been away for a little while, and it's nice to catch problems early... before there are several layers of color to remove in order to correct something.

As an aside, after being gently but persistently nudged by Jeanne and Jo's dedicated sketching habits I decided if you can't beat 'em, join 'em! So, I purchased a sketchbook (a size that's easy to carry - I had several of the large sketchbooks but they're too big to carry around) and have started sketching somewhat regularly. I have also purchased (credit for this purchase also goes to Jo - see her posts here using this medium) a beginner set of the Winsor & Newton Artisan water mixable oil paints. It's little box of five tubes of paint... but enough for me to find out if I can tolerate these oils. I hope I can - I love oil paint but can't stand the nauseating fumes. So - this should be interesting!

Why Colored Pencil?

Laure of Painted Thoughts Blog left a comment and a question in response to my last blog post detailing some cp experiments. Laure's question was:

"Not being a CP girl, I guess I'm a little confused. It seems from your conclusions that you are leaning towards the results that look the least like CP . . . . If this is the case, why not just use the acrylics to paint the skin tones? What am I missing?"

Good question! After letting the question sit in my subconscious for a few days, here's the surprisingly simple answer: It feels good! It really feels more like cp picked me, than I picked cp. For some time I'd seen really great cp work on various blogs and though I liked the artwork, frankly, the idea of painting with painstakingly slow pencils that have a point about as big as the end of a toothpick did not appeal to me at all. I think in the end curiosity got the better of me. I just had to give it a try, and when I did I was really quite surprised to find out that I loved the medium. Of course there are times I wish it wasn't such slow going, but most of the time I find the slowness almost meditative and when I settle into a cp piece the world goes away and I'm doing what I was made to do.

I like the fact that with cp the color goes directly onto the support. There's no mixing, no selecting a particular brush, no dipping in water.... just pick up a yummy color that's conveniently housed in a handy pencil and go to it! There's no mess to clean up (I love the look of pastels but dislike the dust and the mess), no fumes that make me queasy (oils), and no brushes to wash up. You don't have to wait for it to dry, nor worry about your painting becoming too dry while you're making up your mind. Plus, if you're afflicted with the "detail bug", cp excels in that area.

Having said all that, even though I love using cp, I don't want to be limited in the finishes and effects that I can achieve. I love an expanse of rich smooth color. I also don't want people to look at my art and say (usually in a dismissive way), "Oh, that's colored pencil"- as if it's somehow inferior to other mediums. I'm convinced that cp is as capable as any other medium of delivering art that can make a viewer's eyes pop and their emotions stir.

If you'd like to see some really great cp art, here's a link to Ann Kullberg's website where you can find a cp art gallery guaranteed to wow you:

http://www.annkullberg.com/gallery.php


Well, that was fun! Thanks, Laure, for asking - I've enjoyed thinking it over and now I'm even more excited about my next cp piece!

Colored Pencils: In search of smooth skin...

Top color swatches: Colorfix

Bottom swatches: Arches, underpainted on left, plain on right

After taking some time to play around with my new Chroma Atelier Acrylics (the results of which ended up in the trash can - guess I need to play some more) I decided to do some colored pencil experiments to try and come up with a better technique for skin. Specifically, achieving a smooth blend between skin's lights, darks and halftones, and getting smooth even coverage. Though I don't always want a smooth look, when I do want it I want to know how to get it.

To that end, I made some tiny little color samples on two different supports: Colorfix and Arches Hot Press watercolor paper. I didn't include Stonehenge because I've already experimented with it quite a bit and though I like it, there are times it doesn't fit the bill.

I also wanted to see how underpainting affected the appearance of colored pencil on Arches, so I painted a light peach colored swatch on Arches (I used the Chroma Acrylic paint but diluted it to the point that it looked like watercolor). I then made three color samples on the plain Arches, the painted Arches and the Colorfix.

In each swatch group pictured above...
- The top squares are simply layers of colored pencil.
- On the middle squares a solvent was used in between every color.
- On the bottom squares, the color was burnished in between each layer.

The results were interesting...

1. The two swatches that looked the most promising for smooth skin tones were the simple layers swatch (no solvent, no burnish) on the Colorfix paper, and the simple layers swatch (again, no solvent, no burnish) on the Arches that was underpainted.
2. I was surprised to see the layered swatch on Arches that was underpainted was substantially smoother and softer in appearance than the layered swatch on the plain Arches. The underpainting made a difference.
3. Burnishing significantly inhibits the application of additional color layers. On the top sample swatch pictured, note the difference in saturation between the top two color squares and the bottom square which was burnished. I didn't try doing all the layers and then burnishing once after the last application because when I'm working I never know which application will be my last!
4. For the purposes of smooth color, my two least favorites were the burnished swatches on the Arches without the underpainting and the Colorfix.
5. All three swatches on the underpainted Arches were significantly smoother than the three swatches on the plain Arches.

6. The swatch that showed the least amount of pencil strokes was the layered swatch on the Colorfix (and the way it was eating my pencils it SHOULD be smooth!)

Conclusion: If we take time to play and experiment with our chosen medium(s), we acquire valuable information that can be used when painting a real project.... when time counts and you want predictable results.

Gracie

Gracie ..... finished?

Possibly. I'm going to let it sit for a day or two and see. The scan makes her skin look kind of grainy, but it's actually much smoother than it appears onscreen.

As usual, comments and constructive criticism welcome!

I'm 6:49 a.m.

Rosie over at Corners of My Mind had a link to a little quiz that tells you what time of day you are based on your personality. Turns out I'm 6:49 am (as was Rosie) even though most mornings I'm usually up between 5:00 - 6:00 am. Yes, I'm one of those disgustingly cheerful morning persons! Below, in italics, is how I was summarized by the quiz. It's surprisingly accurate.

You're the time of day right around sunrise, when the sky is still a pale bluish gray. The streets are empty, and the grass and leaves are a little bit sparkly with dew. You are the sound of a few chirpy birds outside the window. You are quiet, peaceful, and contemplative. If you move slowly, it's not because you're lazy, it's because you know there's no reason to rush. You move like a relaxed cat, pausing for deep stretches that make your muscles feel alive. You are long sips of tea or coffee (out of a mug that's held with both hands) that slowly warm your insides just as the sun is brightening the sky.

I wonder what time of day you are?

Shapes, Teresa, SHAPES!

A quick post for the day. I'm working on the portrait of Gracie and another artsy light bulb has gone on. (Amazing that the more I paint, the more I learn - fancy that!).

I've almost completed Gracie's mouth, and when I stepped back to view the entire portrait I realized I had some overall tweaking to do. As mentioned in an earlier post, I knew the eyes needed adjusting and I've taken my time doing that because I want to get good results with as little re-doing as possible. As I carefully studied what was in front of me and what I wanted to see in front of me, I wanted to know why I didn't get it exactly right the first time. I looked from the ref photo to my painting a dozen times, analyzing the differences. I looked again at my previous blog post where the problem showed up clearly after I posted the fourth WIP. Then it hit me. I had painted what I thought I saw and not what I actually saw. How many times have I been warned of that very thing in art books? There are tips to keep a painter from doing that. Things like... turning your painting upside down so you see it as shapes, rather than as a person; squinting to see basic shapes without detail distracting you; thinking in terms of colors and shapes. Shapes, shapes, shapes. Not eyes, but shapes.

Ah ha! I needed to get the stereotypical appearance of an eye out of my head and simply paint what I saw. I needed to remember that I'm not painting an eye, I'm painting a shape. And that holds true for whatever I'm painting.

So now I'm trying to subdue into silence the analytical, logical side of me and let the artist rule the roost. I'm happy that this light bulb came on- forewarned is forearmed!

Newspaper column for March 2009

Wisdom of the ages: ancient advice on an age-old obstacle

When I find myself waiting for inspiration before writing or painting I think of a favorite quote: "The muse comes to the moving pen."

In other words, don’t wait for inspiration; begin, and inspiration will follow. A guarantee of sorts... action brings inspiration.

In practice, the quote appears to hit the mark. I’ve noticed more times than one, as I sit expectantly at my computer staring at an empty white page, a kernel of an article does indeed present itself to me. Then, as I make a tentative beginning, somehow, from somewhere, the first few words are joined by others until, to my surprise, a full article appears.

This makes me wonder: how many articles have I not written, and how many pictures have I not painted because logic would seem to dictate that inspiration must come first and the beginning second. And why did I have to grow as old as I am now for this to sink in? (I hope I’m not the only one who’s taken their sweet time assimilating this little gem of truth). So now, after following the advice of this quote, I not only have a subject for my column (which Gary, my always time-conscious editor, will surely appreciate) but also a new truth to ponder.

Of course this is not, by a long shot, the first time I’ve heard this principle. Taped to my monitor is an impressive quote that reads, " Boldness has genius, power and magic. Engage, and the mind grows heated. Begin, and the work will be completed." This comes from a gentleman named Goethe who lived from 1749 to 1832. If Mr. Goethe knew this truth a couple of centuries ago, why do I, and apparently many others, still wrestle with its implementation today? Continuing on the same subject comes another quote: "The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step." (Chinese philosopher, around 531 B.C.).

So, here we have Mr. Goethe, from a couple of hundred years ago, and an ancient Chinese philosopher from a couple of thousand years ago telling us the same thing: Don’t wait for inspiration! Get off your butt and get started! Do something! Modern day psychologists and those in the success coaching industry agree that if there is one universal human failing it’s procrastination. And procrastinate we do, on the stuff of our dreams, the implementing of our goals, because, at least in part, in the back of our minds many of us still think we don’t have the green light until we get that heady rush of inspiration.

Part and package of the begin now, don’t procrastinate doctrine is the underlying idea of a deadline. A literal deadline. At some point we will be exactly that: dead. Dust, kaput, finished, done for, pushing up daisies, kicked the bucket (whether we finished The List or not), curled up our toes, bought the farm, and all of the other euphemisms that tell us the deadline has arrived, we have run out of time. Not the most enjoyable or pleasant of subjects, but realistic and potentially motivating: Time is limited! Get started!

Think of the Biblical parable of the landowner who, before leaving for a long journey, gave out talents (money) to his servants, various amounts according to their ability. Each man used his money differently, and each made a profit, except one, who, afraid, buried it. Today we’d say that he let fear of failure keep him from taking the first step. So the talent remained unused. A sad waste. Better a failed attempt than no attempt.

A can-do approach, like that of past president Theodore Roosevelt (someone well worth reading about) could be our most valuable asset.

Among the quotes Roosevelt left us is this jewel:

"Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell ‘em, ‘certainly I can!’ - and get busy and find out how to do it."

This no-procrastinate, get-started-now approach is also backed up by the renowned philosopher Aristotle who said, "For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them."

That’s all the green light we need.


Copyright Teresa Houston, March 2009.

Gracie: WIP #4 - A Book Review - Top Five Art Books List

Okay, here's the fourth WIP of Gracie. Making progress on the face, but since posting this WIP I see some changes necessary in the shape of the eyes. Wonder why it is that when you post your work onscreen, errors jump out with wild screaming abandon? While working on this portrait I'm trying to keep in mind things that I've learned from previous portraits, tips and techniques generously shared by other bloggers and valuable pointers gleaned from art books.... that's a lot to keep in mind! I've also been mulling over the background while working. This was a night time shot so I'm considering a medium to dark blue sky... but not a heavy, saturated blue. I'd like something that is light in saturation... something almost dreamy (like a watercolor effect)? As always, comments and constructive criticism welcome! (I'm also posting the original reference photo for comparison).

The biggest thing I'm trying to do with this portrait is to not re-do! I'm squinting a lot to check the masses and basic shapes and help keep me away from details. I want a fresher look - a touch of alla prima if you will. So, I'm working and spending time figuring out... how to be spontaneous! :-) I have a feeling it takes a lot of knowledge and many hours of practice to achieve that kind of spontaneity and still turn out a great portrait..... so I know I have many hours of studying, drawing and painting ahead of me... which is not a bad thing at all... in fact, it sounds very satisfying.

Over breakfast (Honey Nut Cheerios and 1% milk!) I read back over part of a book I bought a year or two ago. When I first read it, I read it thoroughly, highlighting the things I felt were important. I was amazed this morning to re-read over some of the text and it was as if I'd never read the book! Some things that didn't click the first time did click this time. There were things I'd read that I knew were important, but at that point it was theory, not practical knowledge. After struggling with that very thing and then reading some timely advice on how to correct it, the knowledge moved from theoretical to practical..... where I could use it.

I then realized that, by no means, did I fully appreciate the value of this book until I had struggled for some time by myself. The book is "Portraits from Life" by John Howard Sanden. I noticed before I bought the book that a couple of reviewers on Amazon had taken issue with the fact that Sanden promotes his own line of portrait oil paints in the book - but he does so tastefully and offers equivalents for those working with other brands of oils. The fact that he uses his own line of paints does not in any way detract from the wonderful advice written for the portrait painter. I'm using colored pencils for my portraits. His advice transcends medium; the basics are still the basics regardless of what type of binder you choose to carry your pigment.

In the section on drawing he begins by saying,

"I don't differentiate between drawing and painting. To me, these are part of the same process. Each time I place a brushstroke I am in fact painting and drawing. The preliminary marks I use to begin a painting of the head are like a map rather than a full-scale drawing. I advise against a full-scale drawing in preparing a portrait not only because it's quickly obliterated, but also because it's too confining." (page 22)

I like that. I guess everybody has to find their own way, but I never understood the need for a detailed drawing showing every shape of every shadow on the face when it will all be covered by the first couple of layers of color that I put down for the skin. All that careful drawing and now it's covered up and of no use to me whatsoever! I like idea of starting with a basic outline and going from there.

For the portrait painter, this book is a treasure trove of wisdom. The book is arranged as follows:

Part One: Studio Essentials and Supplies
Part Two: The Elements of Painting (Drawing, Values and Color)
Part Three: Premier Coup Techniques (Premier Coup is the same as Alla Prima) and his Nine Principles of Premier Coup are:

1. Start with a white, untoned canvas

2. Establish Your Goal

3. Make Every Stroke Count

4. Be Deliberate and Decisive

5. Focus on the Larger Masses

6. Maintain the Drawing

7. Work with Speed

8.Treat Your Edges Softly

9. Overcome the Fear of Failure

Part Four: Two full step by step demos accompanied by lots of photos of the work in progress to illustrate the particular technique he's explaining.
Part Five: A Gallery of Commissioned Portraits

For me, Parts Two and Three are especially helpful.

While writing this review I thought of another must-have, can't-do-without book.... "Eternal Truths for Every Artist" by Harley Brown. Then I thought of a couple of others that are becoming dog-eared and have Post-It notes on various pages to denote important info; the books that don't seem to make it back to the bookshelf because I regularly refer to them and keep them handy. So I thought I'd list my Top Five Most Helpful Art Books, and I'd love it if you would do the same. Would be fun to compare lists and see what everybody's reading that's impacting their art. Do join in!

Here's my Top Five Art Books (in random order)

1. Eternal Truths for Every Artist by Harley Brown
2. Drawing People by Barbara Bradley
3. Drawing with Your Artist's Brain by Carl Purcell
4. Colored Pencil Portraits by Ann Kullberg
5. Portraits from Life by John Howard Sanden

There are lots more books I have that I love, but these are the ones that have the most influence on my art.

Tomorrow morning I'll be back into Portraits from Life to glean more advice - over a bowl of Cheerios of course!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

And I did!

Did a quick ATC using mostly colored pencils with a touch of pastel. I wanted to try out a different support for cp's so, having various colors of Mi Teintes on hand (left over from last year's experimental sessions with pastels) I selected a blue and went for it.

The only thing I drew was a quick horizon line, then got out the cp's and played with color. Was quite relaxing, I learned a few things, and, got an ATC out of it too!

Here's what I learned:

1. I don't care for Mi Teintes as a support for cp's. The paper texture is too difficult to cover.

2. Next time I use a colored support, I'll choose the color based on what would work best for emphasizing the focal point of the piece, not the overall tone. In this piece the focal point was the setting sun and the glorious yellow-orange-red haze it created in the sky. Problem was, with a blue/grey background it was difficult to get a vivid yellow for the sun (that's where I caved and pulled out the pastels). I had hoped that a white cp base for the sun would give enough opaque coverage that I could get the intensity I was looking for, but that was not the case. Knowing cp's are translucent (evidently my brain was on hiatus at that point) I should have known better. Lesson learned!

3. Occasionally it's good for me to set aside a demanding piece (i.e. a portrait) and let my inner kid just "color"! Sometimes this girl just wants to have fun.... and if I learn a couple of things in the process that's even better.

Gracie: WIP #3

A quick update on Gracie. I did a little more shading and experimenting with solvent and liked the results. I like the painterly look you get when the solvent dissolves the pigment and you don't see the pencil strokes any more. This was not the first time I've tried solvent, but I've been busy trying new techniques and hadn't used it lately.

I'm trying to do something with this portrait that I'm not good at: Get it done right the first time and don't redo it. Easier said than done! I tend to fuss over details too much. This time, instead of jumping right in to do the face, I spent some time really studying Gracie's features. I noted things like the angles on her mouth, the way her facial shadows start and end gradually, the fact that one eye looks slightly larger than the other (due to the slight turn of the head) and made a note to resist the impulse to make the eyes exactly alike. In other words, I'm trying to capture what it is that makes Gracie Gracie. What does Gracie's expression say and how do I translate that into paint (pencil)? When I felt comfortable, I drew the features. I'm going to let it sit a little and see where adjustments are needed. Then, onto the color!

WIP #2 and Why I've Been AWOL...

Posting another WIP of Gracie wearing her first Halloween costume. Really should have taken more photos as I was going along, but got carried away playing with color and here we are!

About being AWOL: In a nutshell, health problems and unpleasant side effects from medication to resolve the health problems (what's the old adage about the cure being worse than the ailment? Bingo!). It's nothing life threatening, but does interfere with daily activities from time to time.

I'll be trying to catch up on my blog reading for the next few days. Because I live in a very rural area, high speed internet is not available (except for a couple of satellite providers whose set up and monthly fees are ridiculous) so I'm still on dial up (I hear and appreciate your groans of sympathy), so please be patient with me 'cos it takes forever for pages to load on turtle speed dial up. If I haven't visited your blog lately, know that I've missed reading your posts and I'm getting there as fast as I can! :-)

Woo Hoo.... a blog award!

I've been awarded this snazzy award by the very gracious Martina at My Little Chamber of Art blog. Thank you, Martina! Do visit Martina's blog - she's got some nice art, mischievous kitties and links to video tutorials.... you'll enjoy visiting her!

Now to pass this nifty award on to five other bloggers. It's a no-strings attached award... just pass it on to five others if you 'd like to... there's not even any lists to make! Enjoy!

It's always hard to choose, but here goes:

Lin

Cathy

Valerie

Jo

Weaver

Jeanne

Teresa (the other Teresa!)

That's more than five. Oh well. Math never was my strong point. ;-)

New Project!

Okay... new project underway. Woo Hoo! I love a new painting! Wish I had thought to take photos while in the very beginning stages, but was excited about getting started and jumped right in with both feet.

Meet Gracie, the granddaughter of a friend. This photo was taken while she was in a butterfly costume for her very first Halloween at 7 months old. Bet she got a lot of candy!

I'm posting the original reference, a black and white version of what I've done so far, and the color version as it is now. I posted the black and white because in the actual art work my pencil lines are so faint in some areas that they're not even visible onscreen. The b/w looks awful, but it's only to show the drawing where Gracie is being held by her Grandma. Grandma will be in the painting.... I love the way you see her peeking from behind Gracie.

I've really worked at my cp technique recently and I think (hope!) it's starting to show. A big thank you to Felicity over at Sketches by Fiz who has been a lot of help and has generously shared her expertise, answering every question I asked and even posting WIP's in response to my questions (thank you so much Felicity!). I admired her light touch in her art and really wanted to lighten up my own art. I think I'm looking for a combination of light touch and rich tones in my paintings. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for, but I'll know it when I find it and until then... it sure is fun! I LOVE ART!! :-)

A Lovely Award....

A big "Thank You" to the very sweet and extremely talented watercolorist Laure (I'm only a little bit jealous... honest!) over at Painted Thoughts Blog who graced me with this pretty award. Laure has some simply gorgeous watercolors... and an Etsy site where some of them are for sale. Visit Laure here.

Along with the award comes a request to list seven things I love. Although I've already listed seven things for an award earlier in the month, there are so many things in life I enjoy that it's easy to think of seven more. In no particular order here they are:

1. A day at the ocean to beachcomb

2. Quiet vacations on Ocracoke Island

3. Blueberry pie, blueberry cobbler, blueberry jam, blueberry yogurt, blueberry . . . . . (hence the blog header!)

4. Reading

5. Christmas scented candles

6. The sound of my husband's laughter

7. Spending a day with one or both of my grown sons (an all too rare event when they grow up and leave home).

Since I just tagged seven people earlier this month, if you're reading this consider yourself tagged and do join in on the fun!

February Newspaper Column

No new art to post yet. Had a couple of things in the works that didn't work out.... but they were good practice! Starting a couple of new pieces and hopefully will have something to post before too much longer.

In the meantime, here's this month's newspaper column.

A Tale from the Family Tree: Ed, Jim and the Still in the Woods

I can tell this tale because those involved live only in the memories of the people who knew them, or knew of them. I cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, having never met the participants, nor was I witness to the events I am about to relate, but the basic facts are as I tell them to you today. The names have been changed to protect the innocent... and the otherwise.

Those of you who are acquainted with my husband know that he is a great story teller and loves nothing more than an entertaining tale that captivates an audience. This follows a custom thousands of years old. In days of old, when the average person could neither read nor write, family traditions and legends were passed on to younger generations through the art of storytelling. At some point, as literacy became the norm, a family member usually committed the stories to paper to preserve them and to make them more widely available. Which brings us back to the hubby and his stories. After several years of hearing all kinds of colorful tales, I thought I should follow custom and ink the tales before they disappeared like a wisp of smoke on the breeze. 'Course, some stories remain better unpublished, and those we allow to settle into quiet obscurity. But others, like today’s story, is one that could never happen in our day and time because things have changed so much, and if for no other reason than that, this tale merits preservation.

The "gentleman" in our story today is a few generations back in the family tree. I enclosed the word gentleman in quotes because, since it’s my hubby’s family I’m making an effort to be polite. Truth is, "rascal", "scoundrel" or "scalawag" would be much more suitable, both for the family member and the employee he hires. But on to the story.

As you know, country folk are generally a hardy, independent and resourceful lot. In days gone by, folks purchased far less "store bought" goods than they do today, especially during the Great Depression, which is when our story begins. Money and goods were scarce. Most families either made it themselves, grew it themselves, or did without. This self-sufficiency not only saw them through tough times, but was also a point of pride. Folks were satisfied, even smug, in their knowledge that homemade was tastier, more tender, or stronger, than store bought. This held true for everything from sausage and hams from the smokehouse to mustard greens and corn from the garden to. . . stump hole liquor from the still in the woods. Yessir, buddy. Nothing like that old timey shine. Store bought stuff wouldn’t touch it... folks with good sense wouldn’t either. Like a lot of homemade products it was versatile- you could drink it, or you could run your car or tractor off it.

Making moonshine ("shine") was at one time an activity engaged in by a surprising number of people. Bootleg liquor has been the basis for more than one family fortune. The profits from such a venture were substantial enough to tempt a lot of folks, both city dwellers and rural.

Which brings us back to the family member in our story (who we'll call "Ed"). Ed and some kinfolk decided to get in on the liquor business. Make a little money and manufacture a supply of liquid encouragement for Saturday night get togethers. Ed, his brothers, and a couple of cousins, soon became quite proficient at the distilling process, enough so that a delivery person was needed so they could concentrate on production. They already had a man picked out... one Jim Riverton of Jaspersonville who had a reputation as fast thinker and nobody’s fool. Times were lean and dollars were scarce so Jim was enthusiastic about his new job. ‘Course no one could know of his employment, being illegal and all, but Jim wasn’t worried, he’d easily outwit the local law.

Jim arrived to pick up his first batch of shine in his new investment: a used ambulance he’d acquired just for the job. It was in decent shape, and since at that time there were not nearly as many rules and regulations for folks to abide by as there are today, the previous owners had kindly left all the goodies on the ambulance including the paint job denoting it as a medical vehicle, the lights, and the siren.

Well, this was no doubt one of the most perfect setups there has ever been. Once a week or so, Jim would gently ferry his patients (‘bout 100 gallons of them in recycled glass pickle jars, canning jars, and the like) right through the main street of Jaspersonville. Whenever he chanced to see the local lawman, Jim would offer a polite wave. When the patients were safely delivered to their destination, Jim collected his pay and everybody was happy.

We really don’t know how long this little setup went on, but it was long enough that Jim began to get more comfortable and less cautious. Not only was he transporting shine, he was sipping it. Just a little at first, but you know how that down hill slide goes. One night Jim slid quite a way, until, with a too generous helping of stump hole under his belt he left for a run and decided to try out some of the goodies on the ambulance. Heck, with a siren and lights a man could ignore the speed limit, couldn’t he? After all... this was an ambulance.

He scooted through Jaspersonville on his way to Bayson, well above the speed limit with lights flashing and siren loudly wailing. He didn’t even make it out of the city limits before he was joined by another set of lights and a siren. Yep, it was the law.

Jim rolled down the window as the lawman walked up.

"Jim, you sure been hauling a lot of sick folk lately." "Mind if I take a look back there?

Well, with all those "patients" tightly packed in the back of the ambulance, the lawman’s find spelled the end of Jim’s delivery days. It was also the end of Ed’s production days; and, it is the end of our tale. But, no doubt we'll climb the family tree again and see if there's another story there waiting to be told in another column.

Art Blog Award!

I was very kindly given an Art Blog Award by James Parker (thank you, James!) who requests that I write seven things that I love and pass it on to seven other bloggers.

Hmmmm... sounds like fun.

Preface: It goes without saying that most of all I love God, family and friends, but as for life's other joys......

Seven Things I Love:

1. The feeling I get when I finish a piece of art, I learned something new... and hopefully the art came out halfway decently.

2. Cold blustery/snowy/rainy days when I can stay home and snuggle in a blanket with my furry soulmate (Bailey, my cat) and watch Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility, or read a good book.

3. Cooking for my family and friends

4. Walking and seeing the beauty of nature, hearing the birds singing and feeling the breeze on my face.

5. Memories. I cherish the memories of people I love, places I love, funny things, touching things, beautiful things.

6. Creativity. Whether through art or writing, I feel more alive, aware and complete when I'm creating.

7. Chocolate. Coffee. Chocolate. Coffee. Hmmm..... a tie?

It's hard to choose seven folks to pass this award on to, but here goes:

1. Jeanne

2. Laure

3. Rosie

4. Lynne

5. Felicity

6. Jan

7. Grahame

Note to the "seven"... if time doesn't permit you to participate in passing on this award... just post the award on your blog and enjoy!

Mini Mural - Complete!

Unless I do some last minute tweaking, the mural is finished. Sorry the photo isn't very good... it has a pinkish cast to it... probably because I took the photo this evening as the sun was going down. It's actually not pink. I do have to put a protective coat of sealant on it, but I'll let it sit overnight to make sure it's completely dry.

Some observations along the mural way:

1. I love acrylic paint because it dries so fast.

2. I hate acrylic paint because it dries so fast.

3. It's nice that it dries fast because you can move on quickly without extended periods of drying time. It's a pain that it dries so fast because if you've painted something and then later on decide you want to go back and softly blend an area .... well..... good luck!

4. I'm looking forward to using my new set of Chroma Acrylics (a surprise gift I received) - which perform like oils but don't have the yucky scent. They can dry as fast as acrylics... or as slow as oils - the artist's choice. Plus, if days later - after your painting is thoroughly dry - you decide to want to blend an area, or even change a color - you can. Included with the set is a type of "rewetting" medium that allows you to go back and make changes to previously dry paint.

5. I sorely missed my colored pencils and my regular "art space". I've used mostly colored pencil for months now and didn't realize how much I'd adapted to using this clean, convenient, dry media. Oh, the fine detail you can achieve with pencils! And, no brushes to wash, no paint that dries up in the tube. Plus, it's as dry as it will ever be the moment you apply it.... yet at the same time it's as blendable two days later as it was when first applied.

Woo Hoo for colored pencils! :-)

Mini Mural WIP #3

Here's the third WIP. I can see the home stretch now!

Update on mini mural

Acrylic on wood. 19.75" x 35.75"

A quick update on the mini mural. I've been languishing in the "sick bay" for most of this past week, hence the lack of activity on my blog (if you've left a comment - thanks! - and I'm catching up with replies as fast as a dial up connection will permit!). Thank goodness I'm back up to speed and happy to be working (which feels more like playing when making art).

I did manage to get a little more work done on the mural at the end of the week, so I'm posting WIP #2. This is a commission piece. The pattern comes from a wallpaper border and I'm matching fairly closely the design, colors and style of painting (which is what I'd call decorative painting).

A New Project

Started on a new project today. This is one that I've been putting off for sometime. I was enchanted with colored pencils and loathe to leave my new love? Or, perhaps I was just procrastinating? :-)

Anyway, as usually happens when I finally jump into a project that I've been postponing, once I got into it I immediately started having fun. Didn't get nearly as much done today as I wanted to, but at least I made a good start. The project is a mini mural, acrylic on wood. It's a custom built cover for an electrical box and my daughter, Hollie, (actually, she's my step-daughter but I prefer to leave off the "step" and claim her fully) requested a design on it that matched the wallpaper border that she'd chosen. It will hang in her laundry room, and the wallpaper border pattern is country style art with old fashioned things like a washboard, cakes of soap, bunches of lavendar, pitchers and the like. Since the border pattern is only about 10 inches high and the cover is 19.75" x 35.75" and vertically oriented, I selected some of the objects and drew them in what I hope is a pleasing design. I sealed the bare wood with a couple of coats of Kilz and drew the image using a beige watercolor pencil. This worked great because the water based pencil erased easily if I needed to make any changes. So that's where I am at the moment. Today was "think day" in which I worked out design and got the drawing done. Next session will be painting. Yum.... my favorite part..... color!

I'm posting a WIP of today's work. It's not a good image, but the beige pencil on the white background did not show up well at all. To make it easier to see I converted the image to black and white in Photoshop, and tweaked it using Levels and Unsharp Mask. Because it's too large and heavy for my drawing desk I'm working on the kitchen table... which means no blueberry pancakes for breakfast in the morning. Sigh.... the sacrifices one makes for art!

On another note, not too long ago I met Laure Ferlita through her blog and found some really beautiful artwork..... and a fun, generous art friend. She's been quick to offer encouragement and share her expertise. Because her blog (built into her web site) offered very little in the way of bells and whistles she has just made the transition to Blogger. If you'd like to pop over and see what she's up to I'm sure she'd welcome the company. Her new blog is here.

Oh, one last thing......... the snowy pic above is the road I live on. 4-8" of snow was forecast for this past Tuesday, but I was SO disappointed that we didn't even get enough to cover the ground :-( If you look down the road you can see two buildings. The second one - the one farther back in the woods - is an old fashioned two story tobacco barn...... the kind that's becoming a rarity as more of them decay and collapse. Lots of stories and history in those old wooden tobacco barns. But that's another post for another day.

A Mini Adventure in Colorfix

Cattails in the Moonlight

A mini painting on white Colorfix. This is the first time I've used a sanded support. This painting (2 1/4" x 3 1/2") is really only big enough to just get my feet wet with Colorfix. It was interesting. I used a limited palette (which I am liking more every time I use it) and a mix of Prismacolor, Polychromos and Lyra pencils. I made the palette selection based only on color.

To begin with it sure was weird to feel the pencil scraping over that gritty surface. I did a few tests to see if I could get smooth even coverage just using the pencil and I couldn't. Guess if I'd persisted and put lots of heavy layers on I would eventually have filled in the ridges and achieved a smooth look, but I don't want to have to work that way so I tried a few other methods. I first used a short stubby stencil brush and that helped push the color down into the grooves, but I lost my fine lines. Next I tried a Kleenex (okay, it wasn't a Kleenex... I ran out and used bathroom tissue.... Mr. Whipple would be proud) and that smoothed some of the pigment ....... and ground the tissue to a pulp! Next up was The Q-Tip, which performed decently but again, I lost the fine lines (and the Q-tip looked like it had had a really bad hair day by the time I finished with it). Last resort was solvent. Ann at Blue Bird Hill blog had mentioned some time ago that she liked Eco House Citrus Solvent for dissolving cp (thanks for the tip, Ann!) so I ordered some and thought now was a good time to try it out. I liked the scent and it did a good job of give the cp a painterly look. I found out that it doesn't take much - I almost used a dry brush technique - and it does work the pigment down into the crevices. In this project I limited its use to the dark brown grasses in the foreground. Using solvent holds some promise but it's something I need more practice with.

So how do I like the Colorfix? Not sure. It's a very tough surface, erases quite easily (at least for light marks) and seems to strengthen the colors. But unless I use solvent, it still looks grainy. I was looking for something smoother- I'm after a painterly look that I can achieve using just a few layers of cp. Anyone have any ideas?

Tuscan Villa - refined

Heeding the advice of Laure (maybe a few "well placed" darks) and Jeanne ("don't over think it") I did a little more work on the Tuscan villa. After I read Laure's comment on the first posting I let it sit for a few hours and then looked at it. She was right. It did need some "pop". But before I put color to card I thought of Jeanne's advice and knew that she was telling me not to go hog wild with the darks. I tried to keep both goals in mind.

I do like the revised version much better.... thank you both for your advice... so appreciated!

Tuscan Villa ATC

I approached this ATC in much the same way as the Crocus ATC (limited palette, keep it light, etc.) except that I departed even more from the original photo (I know, I'm getting to be a regular rebel). I like leaving the photo! Too long have I been a slave to The Original Reference (declaring my independence here!).

One thing I did differently. As suggested to me by Laure, I did this ATC on Arches Hot Press watercolor paper. It does have more tooth than the slick-as-glass Smooth Bristol. Color went on fairly smoothly, and overall I liked this surface. But I'm still experimenting. Next surface up for trial is the Colourfix sanded paper. I've never worked on a sanded support so I'm really looking forward to this and expecting good things. Hope I'm not disappointed.

Hubby's band is playing again this weekend so it will be busy. Stay warm and have a good weekend in your neck of the woods!

Crocus ATC - with goals!

Posting a series of WIP's for an ATC (Artist Trading Card). Sorry the lighting isn't too good. With the flash turned off it was a little dark; with the flash turned on it washed all of the color out, so I opted for no flash (the glare you see is from my desk lamp. Oh..... in the photo just above you can partly see Bailey- Studio Supervisor, Resident Muse and Faithful Studio Companion!

I did this ATC with several definite goals in mind:

1. Keep it light! In other words, don't saturate or darken too quickly.
2. Try out a new surface

3. Don't be a slave to the ref photo

4. Use a limited palette

5. Have fun!

How did I do? Not too bad.

- I applied color very consciously, instead of rushing in and having to remove color later. I kept a light hand and enjoyed not having to lift any color from the image. I also liked getting it to a certain point before I started adding deeper values... made it easier to see where to put those values.

- I did this ATC (2.5 x 3.5) on 300 Series Bristol - Smooth Finish. And they're not kidding about the Smooth Finish either! I usually work on Stonehenge, which is great but has tiny surface irregularities that are sometimes undesirable. I'm looking for something smoother than Stonehenge. I like the way the CP goes on with this paper, but it won't take nearly as many layers as I'm used to. This is probably too smooth, but I'm glad I tried it. Since I bought a little packet of these (and I have 19 left) there no doubt be a few more!

- Though I stuck pretty much to the photo while sketching and getting started, when I got the basics in I covered up the photo, analyzed the value patterns and placed deeper values where I wanted them. It felt good to toss the photo and work as I liked.

- Limited palette. This was much more helpful than I realized it would be. I'm in the habit of pulling whatever color I want, when I want. Sometimes that may be too many colors and too busy. I stuck with just nine colors for this project (a minimalist record for me!). I used Imperial Violet, Violet, Mulberry, Blue Slate, Canary Yellow, Spanish Orange, Pumpkin Orange, Sap Green and Limepeel (all Prismas except for the Lyra Sap Green). I selected the pencils based only on color. I enjoyed having a limited palette - somehow felt freer than pulling untold numbers of colors at random. With color selection out of the way, I could concentrate on other things.

- Have fun? Oh, Yes!

January Newspaper Column

A Lesson from the TV

At twelve years old his face was the essence of youth’s beauty. He slept, dark lashes fanned out in a delicate half circle against the lightly tanned perfection of his smooth skin. Only the blood, a jolting stain of cruel red on the white sheet gave any indication that he would not awaken. His brother, shoulders bowed, bent to scoop up the youth. To the older brother fell the task of returning the child to their mother.

The news segment caught my attention, and I had stood, not wanting to see but unable to turn away, as I watched two doctors in a poorly equipped hospital work frantically to save the boy. There was no reponse.

"He’s dead." said one doctor. The resignation in his voice revealed a soul-weariness from making that pronunciation too many times. The other doctor wordlessly pulled up the sheet.

The brother cradled the boy against his chest and carried him to his mother. She was waiting. Tears fell as her child was placed into her arms. The same arms that held him as a baby; arms that had loved him, fed him, clothed him and cuddled him. A mother's arms the boy no longer felt, nor would again.

I gazed, heartsick, at the screen. One of the world’s many war casualties had a face. A sweet innocent face. The face of a child loved by his mother, and one that was the the same age my own children once had been, and not that long ago it seemed. I tried to imagine myself in her position. It was an uncomfortable feeling and I quickly retreated from my imaginings.

Today is Monday. I had had an off weekend. An incident took place that had left me wrestling with feelings of anger and irritation. Someone I didn’t even know had made a couple of comments to me... comments that I considered rude and out of line, and my temper had immediately flared. I told myself I should be sensible and handle the matter rationally and with a good dose of common sense- even graciousness. But it’s difficult to be gracious when you’re angry.

I thought back to the images I had seen. They would not leave me. I thought of the young child’s death, of his mother’s wrenching grief... and of my petty grievance. Ashamed, I suddenly realized that’s exactly what it was: petty. Not even worth five minutes of my time.

Sometimes life has a way of snapping you to reality, rearranging your priorities and giving you new eyes to see with. Deep inside me a prayer formed for the mother who had lost so much. My heart went out to her.

Television had made one family’s private moment of grief very public. And it was by sheer chance that I had been witness to it. A chance viewing, lasting maybe two or three minutes, and yet its effect was powerful. I was no longer angry. I realized I had much to be thankful for, and little to complain about.

Copyright 2009, Teresa Houston. No part of this may be reproduced in any form without prior written consent of the author.

Back to the drawing board with Levi.... literally!

Top image: WIP #5, Bottom image: WIP #4

I finished up some fine tuning on the shading of Levi's face and hair, and was happy with that but just couldn't live with the background - in particular the dark areas between the steps. Too bold, too overpowering and too greeny-brown. I've had the portrait lying on my drawing desk for a couple of days and kept going back and looking at it. I had to decide whether reworking part of the background was justifiable or if it was just nitpicking and overworking. I tried to be objective. Could I live with it like it is? If I attempted to rework it and made an awful mess, thereby ruining the rest of the portrait could I live with that? I finally decided that although I was pleased with how Levi came out I just wasn't happy with the background and never would be. I decided to go for it and if it was irrevocably ruined, so be it.

Out came the acrylics. Wonderful paints acrylics. Very opaque for great coverage, and fast drying. Just what I needed. I started by applying a very light wash of cadmium yellow over the steps to bring a unifying layer of golden warmth to the wood. Then I put an almost full strength layer of Titanium White over the dark spaces in between the steps. This is how it looks at present. I'm going to let it sit for the rest of today... I want to make sure the acrylic paint is thoroughly dry before I go back with CP. My intention is to redo the previously dark areas as light areas of greenery - sort of a scumbled effect. Keep your fingers crossed!

Meantime, I have a newspaper article to complete (due in Friday), and a mini mural to start on. Mural is acrylic on wood... been a few years since I've worked on wood so this will be a nice change of pace.

Portrait of Levi - Almost Finished

Here's WIP #4 on Levi's portrait. I was hoping to finish up today, but when I scanned it I noticed a few areas that need tweaking. Something about scanning.... seems to emphasize any problem areas. I've really enjoyed doing this portrait and have learned a lot. As usual, comments and any suggestions you'd like to offer are welcome!

What I learned on this painting:

- I bought a dozen or so Polychromos pencils and a half dozen more Lyra's to add to my cp stash. I've got a large collection of Prismas and love the color range, but I think the Polychromos and Lyra's may become my favorites because they're so smooth. I used all three three brands on this portrait.

- I've been working really hard on developing a lighter touch, particularly in areas where there's a color or value transition. It's easier to add color than it is to remove it, so I tried to stay aware of how much color I was laying down and not go too dark or too saturated too fast. I think I've made some progress.

- Still working on keeping the big picture in mind as I go... that is, not getting caught up in one little section and working it to death before I realize I've emphasized that area more than I wanted.

Things to try on future paintings:

- An underpainting in either acrylic or watercolor. I want a smoother finished look, but for children's skin I don't want to burnish or use solvents. When painting skin I prefer a few fairly light layers to many layers that build up thickness.

- Using a hotpress wc paper.... I'm curious to see what effects I'll get using cp on a very smooth paper. Since it's wc it will take the underpainting without a problem. I know the look I'm after, so I'm going to experiment and see what works best.

AND..... for 2009:

I was reading Laure's blog (Painted Thoughts) and found an idea that made perfect sense to me. Laure mentioned that instead of making New Year's resolutions she had chosen a word for 2009. Her word is "Intent". She referenced another blog (Christine Kane) who explains the concept. Check it out. I thought it was a great idea, much more doable for me than a "to do" list. There is even a list of possible words on Kane's blog if you're not sure. As soon as I read Laure's post I knew what my guiding word for 2009 would be: ACTION!! I've read a lot of art books, browsed a lot of blogs, weighed and considered color theory, done all kinds of arty experiments with various media.... and now it's time to get down to business and be productive! Even if I make a mess, it's okay.... as long as I'm doing something! This year is going to be my year to do, not just to think about doing. I have a quote taped to my computer. It's a reminder/warning to myself. It reads, "I have spent my days stringing and unstringing my instrument, while the song I came to sing remains unsung." (Tagore). I don't want to die with my song unsung. So this year I will do more than think about it.... I will do it.

Visiting some wonderful new blogs...

In responding to comments left on my blog I've recently found some wonderful new art blogs that, if you haven't visited yet, I think you'll find very interesting and helpful.

1. http://sketchesbyfiz.blogspot.com/ is a blog by Felicity Grace. I found it recently and immediately fell in love with her colored pencil technique. She is an awesome artist, and when I asked a couple of questions about her portraiture technique she was kind enough to do a mini tutorial and posted a series of WIPs with lots of great information. The two portrait images above (posted here courtesy of Felicity) are the first and the last WIPs. To see the complete series, here's the post:

http://sketchesbyfiz.blogspot.com/2008/12/forbidden-city-faces-work-in-progress.html

2. Teresa Mallen left a comment on my blog and I'm so glad I followed the link to her blog and website! Not only does she have some gorgeous art on display (the beautiful crocuses above is one example from the gallery on her website - posted courtesy of Teresa), she also has lots of information for colored pencil artists such as tips, tricks, resources...... AND...... a free e-zine you can sign up for to share tips and techniques, and receive critiques on your work! Thank you, Teresa for graciously sharing your knowledge! Here's the link for Teresa's blog: http://www.teresamallenstudio.blogspot.com/ and here's the link for her website: http://www.teresamallenstudio.com/

3. The United Kingdom Colored Pencil Society (UKCPS) has a great site, some informative step by step demos, and other tips and hints. I particularly like Graham Brace's colored pencil landscapes so I was thrilled to find a demo by him. Don't miss 'em! UKCPS website: http://www.ukcps.co.uk/Welcome.htm, and the step by step demos: http://www.ukcps.co.uk/steps.htm

Have fun browsing........... and Happy New Year!

Guess what I got for Christmas?!?!

A daughter!

Just before Christmas, my son, Philip, and his girlfriend, Rhonda, became engaged! I'm thrilled! Rhonda is a lovely girl, both inside and out. She's kind, sweet, loving, generous, and even has a great sense of humor. Philip... you made a great choice! Rhonda... we've loved you almost since the first time we met you. We hope you enjoy being part of our family as much as we enjoy having you in it. Congratulations to both of you!

You know, it occurs to me that this engagement has other benefits too... as the mother of two sons and wife to the hubby, I've been the lone female in my family for almost three decades. Finally, I have some serious backup during holidays in this male dominated home! Yes! LOL!

Today is recovery day from the holidays. I'm pleasantly tired - even a bit lethargic - but it's okay. The holidays were wonderful, and as usual, I cooked too much, stayed up too late and just generally wore myself out. But I don't regret a minute of it. There are few blessings greater than a loving family all together for the holidays.

Posting a couple of pics. The top pic is Philip and Rhonda. The bottom pic is two of our five nephews who love to come over and snuggle up on the sofa with blankets to watch a movie. Little Eric (Eric on the left, Ellis on the right), has difficulty pronouncing some letters and calls it "watching a woobie"! Sometimes I wish my boys were little again - instead we just borrow the nephews for a while.

Wishing You and Yours A Very Merry Christmas!