Eye-Og-Raphy

Love thy neighbor...

2011-11-15T07:19:00.002-07:00

My posting had been delayed due to a virus that infected my body with a tremendous vengeance. Nonetheless, I still found time to create. This piece was a birthday present for my neighbor's son. He is my son's new buddy, so I wanted to do something special for him and his parents. One can say the gift was more for the parents, but he was spoiled with gifts, so I don't feel too bad ;).

A Place to Call My Own

2011-10-25T08:03:00.004-06:00

It has been quite some time since I have made a blog posting. I do have several reasons for my absence though. Some major life events occurred over the summer. First we moved into a much larger home. I now have my own room dedicated to creating! It does get quite messy, but I can shut the door and it will not disturb my family members. I have attached a couple of photos of my new studio/workspace below.

Secondly, my husband and I found out we were "expecting" in early May with our due date being January 6th, 2012. Therefore I have been preparing and growing. We decided, as with our other two, to not find out the baby's sex. It's truly a blessing and surprises are few and far between in our hectic, modern lives.

Life has been blissfully busy to say the least. I have finally gotten acclimated to my new schedule of shuffling my daughter to preschool, finishing up my Bachelor's degree, and tending to normal mommy/wife duties. I have illustrated a lil' chubby angel below to remind me that I do still need to utilize my gift from God and keep creating no matter the time restraints. I aim to post at least once per week from here on out or until the newest addition arrives=).

Seek Love

2011-03-17T16:01:00.002-06:00

I really was missing illustrating cute lil' dolls. This is on a 7 x 14 inch canvas. An epiphany I recently had was that I really love panoramic formats when illustrating or paintings. I get bored with the normal 8x10 format, etc. I like the challenge of square and panoramic formats.

The weather is fantastic and spring is blossoming here in Colorado. I am extremely antsy to get outside and paint in the sunshine!

Celebrating Sisterhood

2011-03-10T10:32:00.003-07:00

The other day I made my weekly trip to the library and stumbled across a book by Sachiko Umoto titled Illustration School: Let's Draw Happy People. I adore this book and decided to follow her instruction on illustrating happy lil' people. I have been inspired lately by all the female companionship (sisterhood) I have in my life virtually and physically; I decided to celebrate my feelings into an illustration. I have a feeling I will be creating more "happy people" in the future. They're addicting!

Remotivation

2011-03-09T10:41:00.002-07:00

I haven't been posting lately because this horrible virus inflicted my household, so now I am playing catch-up. I got a journal spread (above) done and a large painting (bottom) done of Suzi. It feels good to motivated to create after days in bed.

The Storyteller

2011-02-13T10:26:00.003-07:00

It's my Dad's birthday today so I did a quick rendition and journal entry for him. I promised I would never quit drawing for him when he passed so I am keeping to it. I miss him every single day and miss his stories. But I am grateful I respected and cherished the moments I had when he was here. He was my best friend and there was never a doubt of the unbreakable bond we had and have. My heart is healing knowing I will meet up with him again someday.

Be Kind to Yourself

2011-02-11T11:05:00.004-07:00

As an artist, I need a constant reminder to cherish, respect, and to be kind to myself. It sound silly, but I aggravate and tear myself down constantly. This little doll is not beautiful; she's simple. I illustrated her how I feel some days; drab. But I have to remind myself it's what's inside that counts and to keep persevering.

As a side note, I have discovered the coolest group, The House of Art! Meliss and Emme have started a free (yes, I said free) group for creative artsy types. They even showcase tutorials and interviews with artists. I am seriously addicted to this group! They have just launched their site and group so check them out if you have a minute. It's my new daily dose of cyber inspiration!

Beginnings and Losses

2011-02-02T07:59:00.003-07:00

January is always a busy month for me. My new year's resolution was to "grow" and I have been in the studio producing instead of blogging. It's difficult to find a balance between school, my art, blogging, and especially school all while maintaining order in my household.

I signed up for a new workshop by Suzi Blu, "Piety and Passion". I have a serious obsession with Tudor history so I am really enjoying learning 3/4 faces. My obsession began while reading Phillippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl and many more of her novels.

This is Catherine of Aragon, King Henry's first wife of six.

This is going to be a young Queen Elizabeth. She was the daughter of Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII.

Grungy Angel is one of my egos. I would adore to have purple hair=)!

This is an entry a did for the New Year. I am not one to set New Year's Resolutions but this year I decided on "growth".

January is a bitter-sweet month for me. My birthday and Hunter's birthday fall on the same week my father passed away a year ago. There's still a gaping hole from the loss of my father and probably will always remain. Unfortunately last week I received terrible news that our beloved friend Kathleen passed away on January 11th. I received the news from Arena, Kathleen's niece. Words cannot express my gratitude and being fortunate enough to know her. She was a great mentor to me and others. I always looked forward to her comments encouraging me to keep trying. I will miss her tremendously as will her many followers and friends in the art community. My condolences and prayers go out to her family.

One of the greatest gifts Kathleen ever gave me-and it remains on my wall to this day-was a portrait of Sorra. I cherished this gift when I received it and am proud that I own an original piece of art by Kathleen.

True Love

2010-12-15T08:56:00.004-07:00

Well I am pleased to announce that I am finally on winter break from school. Hopefully I can make wonderful creations with my time off. Yesterday I finished an angel doll I had previously started a week ago.

On a side note, I am happy to announce that I have started a blog on Facebook for my Mommy friends titled, "Thrifty Crafts for Toddlers". I am deciding if I want to publish on blogger at a later time. I believe I will see how well it goes on Facebook and then venture later. For now the kids and I are having fun. I just wanted to share the projects the kids and I do together with my friends and family. I should be honest and admit I am a selfish creature having more fun making the projects than my children =). It's an excuse to create like a child and get dirty.

The first project was homemade beads using flour, cornstarch, and water.

They were quite pleased!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-07T09:56:00.002-07:00

I am definitely in the Christmas spirit this year. I believe it is because the kiddos are getting older and I can bribe good behavior by using Santa! We have our tree up with homemade decorations, made homemade advent calenders, and been baking homemade cookies. Tying to make the season as joyous and memorable as possible for the children. I am also looking forward to a two week break from school!

I wish everyone a joyous holiday season!

A Ballerina Doll

2010-11-22T09:18:00.002-07:00

Every morning I try to fit in a least an hour or two to art whether is sketching, researching, et cetera. While working I always listen to music; it is a must. Music is very powerful and I tend to listen to many eclectic genres. If I didn't I would always create the same pieces over and over. This work came about because I have been listening to classical music all week so a ballerina was in order. Plus Sorra loves ballerina dolls, so it's partial to her.

My Voice of Reason

2010-11-12T14:56:00.001-07:00

I have been conceptualizing how I was going to illustrate my hand(s). This is what I ended up with. I like the vibrancy of it. I am thankful God has given me a gift is which I can express my emotions.

A Sabbatical

2010-11-11T10:25:00.007-07:00

I have taken a nine month sabbatical from blogging. In that time I have buried my father and grandfather, traveled 10,000 miles around the Midwest and South, and took two art workshops.
Busy to say the least; but I feel I have finally found a balance between art, school, and my family.

I took SuziBlu's workshops throughout the spring and summer which opened doors I've been yearning for years. I learned a lot about mixed media and illustration. I posted a few pieces but most can be found at flickr. I didn't want to take up too much space. I am so excited to be back! I am also looking forward to the slow moving winter months where I can spend more time inside working instead of playing =)!

A piece I did for one of my nieces who needed cheering up.

This is the cover I illustrated for my latest journal.

My latest painting that did not turn out the way I wanted but I tried and that's what counts.

Lovesick Doll

One of my favorites because Sorra and I did it together. Sorra was watching me work and decided to cut up her coloring book. Sorra did the background with coloring book clippings, watercolors, and crayons. I added the lil Sorra Doll and text.

This was the first doll I did for the workshop. It's a portrait of my dearest and most inspirational friend, Schmoe.

R.I.P. Dad--2/13/50-1/16/10

2010-02-24T09:15:00.003-07:00

A picture I took of Dad at Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, in 2008.

A portrait of Dad that I drew thanking him for the 400 mile ride we went on that day.

I have not posted for awhile. I have no excuse except that my heart is truly broken. My father and best friend passed away unexpectedly on January 16, 2010. As most of you know, I drew my father often. After the funeral, while digging around through his past and all the secret treasures he stored away, I came across the bottom drawing I did when I was eight years old. So it goes to show that I started drawing him and things for him since I was young. He was and is truly an inspiration to me and many others. Many may have judged his outer exterior as being a rough and tough biker, but if you truly knew him you knew he had a gentle soul. He was a great Dad, Son, Brother, Friend, but most of all, Papa. He will truly be missed by many. But he left a little bit of himself on all that knew him. He will definitely never be forgotten. And most of all, I will never stop drawing for him.

New Year's Resolution???

2010-01-05T15:58:00.005-07:00

Over Christmas break from school, which was two weeks long, I readjusted my routine. I decided that I need to quit playing the victim and get back to my artwork. I excuse myself out of many things in my life that I should be pursuing. My most common excuse is the lack of time I have between raising two toddlers and my education. Well, over break I decided to habit myself back into my art, working out, and writing. So far I have been doing well. Today is my first day back to school and I am very excited. I am managing my time better because I am doing more homework in advance. I have found a balance. I hope this works. I am not going to get angry if I don't achieve something "perfect" everyday. As long as I get something down on paper, I will be happy. So one could say this is my New Year's resolution, even though I never create them.

Nap Time for Bevo & Hunter

2009-10-28T19:46:00.002-06:00

Hunter does not look like Hunter. Babies are Toddlers are very difficult to draw, especially in real life. My son does not sit still, even when he's sleeping. He's a boy! Bevo on the other hand is super lazy. Especially on days like today, where it snowed all day. He wouldn't dare get cold.

Harmonica & Fall (and my absence)

2009-10-24T19:58:00.004-06:00

There is really no good excuse for my absence, except time. I spend 30 hours a week on school work. But I am doing very well! I am hoping now that the summer is over that I will have more time to pursue my first passion, art! Sorra and Hunter are also keeping me very busy. Sorra is now three and Hunter is 21 months. I spend much of my time teaching them the basics of art. I also have been teaching art to my niece and nephew once per week. I thoroughly enjoy teaching, so I have now decided to pursue my Master's in Adult teaching after I complete my bachelor's.

I have missed all of my fellow EDMers!

Nap Time

2009-04-27T16:46:00.002-06:00

A quick sketch of Sorra taking a nap before I get dinner ready. I haven't used my pencils in awhile and have been missing them.

My desk

2009-04-15T19:34:00.003-06:00

I'd been staring at the laptop all day doing homework, so I decided I would sketch the scene I was looking at. I drew it too large and had to tape more paper on. I do this often. I realize that I need to continue sketches such as this because my perspective muscle is weak. I need more practice, but I am proud that I got something down on paper.

Pineapple Carcass

2009-04-14T09:33:00.004-06:00

Another quick sketch while making dinner. Trying to squeeze any minute I can between the family and school. Not perfect, but it's something on paper, which pleases me.

Sketching Chores

2009-04-08T08:09:00.002-06:00

I haven't been posting because my scanner/printer was broke. Thankfully I have a protection plan on it, because as I found out the cause of the problem on Sunday. My little monsters stuck a small candy wrapper in my printer so the paper would not feed and would become jammed. My husband and I got a great chuckle because the repair was free. Yesterday I found a minute between school and dinner to sketch this enormous pile of laundry I needed to fold. I had more fun sketching it than folding it.

Stilettos

2009-03-06T09:25:00.001-07:00

I need a pair of stilettos. It's my new years resolution for 2009. I can wear heals, but not stilletos. I think if I wear stilletos, even in my grubby-mom clothes, I will feel business-like and be motivated to get more done. We'll see;-)!

Analysis Paralysis

2009-03-05T10:17:00.003-07:00

In my business class I learned the term "Analysis Paralysis". It made perfect sense to me, but did not realize it can happen in business, as well as art. I haven't been a complete loss the last few months. I have just been writing more that I've been illustrating. This morning I created my lucky bamboo in hopes the zen aspect of it will give me energy. School is more time-consuming than I would have ever imagined, granted I am getting an A average so far. So I am trying very hard to accomplish as much as I can. I've been thinking of starting the EDM list completely over, but we'll see. As for right now, I am just glad I got something down on paper. Not exactly post worthy material considering I am a perfectionist, but it's something for now.

Bookshelf Left Handed

2009-01-09T08:46:00.003-07:00

These left handed illustrations are great fun. I guess because I'm not worried about the outcome. I attempted writing with my left hand and it looks as though I drank a bunch of wine:-). Adam is left handed, so when we eat at a restaurant he has to sit to the left of me, otherwise our elbows bump into each other. It will be interesting to see what hands Sorra and Hunter will write with. I'm rooting for left because left handers are in touch with their right brain. Or maybe they'll be ambidextrous. I am currently taking an Economics class. It's very interesting, but not a very creative subject. This is another reason I just want to have fun with my art work right now and just let loose.

Toy Basket

2009-01-07T08:32:00.002-07:00

I think Sorra could have done a better job. Again, an exercise with my left hand. I am going to keep illustrating and sketching with my left hand until I am satisfied I have tapped into my right brain. Plus it's fun and I can do it quickly before I start my school routine.

Getting the right brain back in shape

2009-01-06T07:38:00.003-07:00

Today is my first day back to school. I've had two weeks off and thought I was going to get a lot done. Nope, I literally took the two weeks off. I lost my creative mojo somewhere. I couldn't seem to find it until this morning while I was writing in my journal. I am a perfectionist and with not doing any sketching for weeks, I decided I needed to get my right brain back in gear. I am going to sketch with my left hand for however long it takes to get my right brain back in shape. And let me tell you, this was very freeing. I love it. I am a perfectionist and instead of worrying about how the drawing is going to look, I just drew for once. And I have to apologize for drawing shoes all the time. I need to find other subjects:-)!

Hunter's Baby Shoes

2008-12-10T09:36:00.002-07:00

I didn't think it was fair that I sketched Sorra's new boots, and not Hunter's new shoes. Hunter is very hard to shoe shop for. His feet are very fat, so it's hard to squeeze his feet into shoes. My dad found these shoes for Hunter over Thanksgiving weekend. It was a blessing to finally find shoes for him. I think they're pretty fashionable. See the green blob? That's Sorra's addition to my illustration. It's adds character. Let's pretend it's mud.

Colorado

2008-12-09T11:56:00.004-07:00

Even though I haven't been drawing a lot lately, I have been enjoying Colorado. The top is a photo of my sister, Summer, and I. Can you tell we're freezing. I love Colorado. There is so much to do here. Very inspiring.

Sorra's Boots

2008-12-09T11:20:00.002-07:00

It's been awhile. I have been juggling time lately while being in school. School takes up 30 hours of my time a week. I am taking online classes for my bachelor's in Accounting. Unfortunately, some things like my art have been put aside. It's been eating away at me. I did this sketch of Sorra's boots in five minutes this morning. I am going to continue to post even if it's a quick sketch such as this. I truly miss working on art and am starting to resent school, which I can not do. I am hoping this new routine works for all of us in the family. Balancing time can be such a task. I miss visiting blogs and realize how important everyone is to me. Ahhhhh, I already feel better:-)!

It's Official

2008-11-20T07:33:00.002-07:00

I have neglected to post anything in over a week. Very frustrating. I have officially started school on Tuesday. I will be spending 20-30 hours a week on school work. I am trying to develop a new routine balancing school work, the babes and my artwork. As of right now, artwork is my last priority which is very sad to say. Change is hard on anyone, so I am trying not to be too hard on myself. I am very grateful to be enrolled in school and know it's for the future of my family. Here is an illustration I did yesterday after taking personality assessments for school. If I neglect to leave comments on your blogs, it's not because I am not reading them. I am just crunched for time, so I am apologizing now.

There Was A Little Girl

2008-11-13T11:09:00.004-07:00

(click image to enlarge)

There was a little girl,

And she had a curl

Right in the middle of her forehead.

When she was good

She was very, very good.

And when she was bad she was horrid.

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I take hundreds of photos per month of my children, the good and bad. I am not a scrapbooking momma. I do not have the time nor patience. But have you ever noticed in these fabulous scrapbooks that moms spend hours of labor on that there's no ugly photos. It's all the moments like; Joey eating solids, Joey taking his first step, etc. There's never a page of; Here's Lil Joey throwing a fit because he couldn't have a cookie before dinner, Here's Joey having a tantrum in the middle of the library because we needed to leave, etc. Some might say, why remember the ugly moments? Well, I am a momma with a sense of humor inherited from my Dad. I am honest, so quite frequently I will take photos of my kids being brats. Parenting is not all glitter and gold. I guess I am just honest. I am proud to admit that my children are good most of the time and don't embarrass me in public too much:-)! So if I was going to do a scrapbook, I would definitely put in a "tantrum" page. My children will have tons of photos of themselves, but they are not going to go around for the rest of their lives thinking they were always perfect. None of us are! But my kids will know how hard Mommy & Daddy had to work to make them turn out to be descent, respectable adults. So I will continue to take pics of the good, bad and ugly. I found this poem a while back and have finally taken the perfect photo of Sorra throwing a fit. I just had to illustrate it. And I am sure there will be one of Hunter in the future too. And as a side note, my parents didn't take ugly photos of me either.

EDM-I Hate Laundry!

2008-11-11T09:21:00.002-07:00

This wasn't really an EDM. I made it up. Coloring out my frustrations:-)! This is the kids' clothes that need to be washed, dried and hung. I know I should be grateful we have clothes, but after doing 15 loads a week, I get frustrated. I do donate our clothes to charity when they are no longer of use, so that makes me feel better venting. Well, I better go and get this load done.

EDM #115-Draw a Shopping Cart

2008-11-10T07:12:00.002-07:00

A very quick illustration this morning of Sorra's shopping cart. I had to do it quickly while she is still sleeping because there is no way I could get it done while she was awake. It's one of her favorite toys and no one can play with it but her, not even Hunter who repeatedly knocks it over. I've lost a little momentum due to being in school workshops. I start school on November 18th for a bachelor's degree in accounting. Yes, total left brain. I do hope to continue to work both sides of my brain, but I might have to sacrifice some art time for homework.

Kristi

2008-11-04T08:26:00.001-07:00

This is one of those photos I saw and just had to draw. It is a photo of my friend, Kristi. I hope she likes it, even though I would have liked it to turn out better. I had to quit before I overworked it.

EDM #34-Draw A Fall Leaf & EDM #10-Draw Your Hand

2008-10-28T08:56:00.003-06:00

I took a couple of days off from EDMs to wait for my new hard drive to be installed. Yeah! I am trying to get back my momentum of doing an EDM a day. Well, this isn't very pretty and decided I can not draw leaves. Looks like all I'll be doing with leaves is raking them. Another EDM that I am not particularly proud of, but I tried and that's what counts.

EDM #55-Draw a Doorknob, plain or fancy

2008-10-23T08:40:00.004-06:00

This is the fanciest doorknob we have in our house. I like it since it is an older type of door. I skipped out on doing an EDM yesterday to get some house work done. Thrust me, I'd rather have done an EDM. I was realizing this morning that doing these EDMs in this morning is also a great stress relief in this struggling economy. Again, I am thankful I have an outlet. The perspective is not perfect on this. I love doing these EDMs because taking the simplest of objects to draw can sometimes prove to be very challenging.

EDM #31-Draw Something You Collect

2008-10-21T10:27:00.002-06:00

The EDM challenge was to "draw something you collect". I was going to draw a my bookshelves, but decided I needed a better challenge. I decided to draw my cosmetics. I honestly think I should have been a makeup artist because I love makeup and all the fabulous colors there are. This is just a slight portion in my collection:-)!

EDM #164-Draw a Camera

2008-10-20T10:38:00.003-06:00

The EDM for the day, my camera. I don't know what I would do without this camera and it's fabulous memory capturing abilities. It didn't scan in very well, oh well.

EDM #187-Draw a Fan

2008-10-19T08:30:00.005-06:00

This morning I got up and decided that I am going to start doing one EDM a day. Everyday Matters! I still write my morning pages daily because of Julia Cameron's books. I have got in the habit of doing them every morning, so I am going to create the dopamine needed to do an EDM a day. I have been in a dry spell lately. I do not transition between seasons very well. No more excuses though. If I do one EDM a day or at least try, it will get me out of my funk and my perfectionism. So Mark, you better hold me accountable:-)!

EDM #192-Draw Something That Floats

2008-10-08T18:39:00.005-06:00

This is my interpretation of something that floats. My first I thought was of a rubber duck, since we have many of them lying around the house. I loved this challenge and was so excited about it. I've been waiting for a challenge that was going to force me to use another medium other than graphite. Today I let go of all that perfectionism I am so good at and finally expressed myself. It's not a sell able piece by any means, but at least I got out of my graphite bubble. And honestly, I don't care what anyone in this world thinks, because Sorra said it was "pretty". I even wrote a little poem (something I DO NOT do): My heart is radiant like the sun, floating above my family like a shining star.

Charcoal Self Portrait

2008-10-07T20:06:00.002-06:00

The fact that I am even publishing this is embarrassing. I guess I am proving myself to cyber world that I am studying and trying to get things accomplished. This is my first portrait in charcoal and obviously have tons more to study. At least I can say I accomplished this in an hour.

My Crumpled Up To Do List

2008-09-30T09:02:00.003-06:00

This is an old project revisited, http://wistex1129.blogspot.com/2008/08/crumpled-paper-sketch.html. This morning when I got up the news reported that it is supposed to be 80 degrees today. Yippee! I have crumpled up my to-do list. The kids and I are going to the park and enjoying this fabulous Colorado weather.

"I Love Your Blog" Award

2008-09-29T20:50:00.003-06:00

I received this from kazumiwannabe today and am truly honored and thrilled considering I love everything she does. Please take the time to visit her blog, it will be a pleasant experience, I promise.

It is so hard to nominate people, because there are so many blogs I follow and cherish. I know most of the nominees have already received this award, but I couldn't help it. This is an award for arty blogs in WORDS,PICTURES,DRAWINGSand THOUGHTS...
Joyfully presented to:

http://pencil-paper-paint.blogspot.com/

Sandy

Margaret

Kazumiwannabe

Teething

2008-09-29T20:46:00.001-06:00

I took a well needed break last week. Hopefully now I can get back to work between teething and temper tantrums:).

Arte-y-Pico Reward

2008-09-22T20:55:00.003-06:00

Anetka at "progress not perfection..." has nominated for the Arte-y-Pico award. Many thanks to her, because she is my rock and inspiration. She is the one I go and cry to when I'm in a creative rut, so please take the time to check out her fabulous blog.

Here are the rules of the award:

1) Pick five (5) blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.

4) Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of “Arte y Pico” blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award which is here: "Arte y Pico".

My nominees are:

Kathleen at "My Creative Spot Blog" because she makes me smile all the time and never quits working. She's my other rock in the art community.

Stephanie at "Deliberately Creative" because I admire her creativity and imagination.

Deborah at "Silverwoman Studio" because she always fills a page with fabulous colors and lines. I admire her journaling.

Barbara at "Drawing Breath" because of her diversity in her work.

Anetka at"progress not perfection..." because I'm a cheater and feel she deserves a million awards:-)!

Two Things

2008-09-19T08:36:00.002-06:00

Two things I've never done before are drawing in public and using charcoal. Yesterday, I ventured over to Old Town in Fort Collins to get something done. There are not masterpieces and normally I would have never posted, but I am proud of myself for trying. My goal for the next couple of weeks is to have fun using charcoal.

I'm Freezing!

2008-09-14T11:06:00.002-06:00

It's 50 degrees outside and I hate it. I am not ready for winter yet. Last night it was nice enough out to sit outside, so I drew our chimney. Good news, I got my computer back! Yeah, but now I have to spend a few hours downloading a years worth of photos. Good thing I back everything up.

A Motorcycle Journey

2008-09-10T19:34:00.007-06:00

"You see things vacationing on a motorcycle in a way that is completely different from any other. In a car you're always in a compartment, and because you're used to it you don't realize that through that car window everything you see is just more TV. You're a passive observer and it is all moving by you boringly in a frame.
On a cycle the frame is gone. You're completely in contact with it all. You're in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming. That concrete whizzing by five inches below your foot is the real thing, the same stuff you walk on, it's right there, so blurred you can't focus on it, yet you can put your foot down and touch it anytime, and the whole thing, the whole experience, is never removed from immediate consciousness."--Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig

Hunter's Present for Sorra

2008-09-08T18:16:00.003-06:00

Today is Sorra's second birthday, so we celebrated with some of her new presents. We had Sorra's party over a week ago while family was in town. She received lots of wonderful presents, half of them being art supplies. Today Sorra & Hunter painted with her new paints. I thought Hunter did a wonderful job for his sister. I was too proud not to post it.

Adam's Daily View

2008-09-07T08:46:00.003-06:00

Another quick illustration I did last night. This is the view of Adam's driver seat in his semi. It's not the greatest, but it was dark out. I was hanging out with him while he was getting ready for his next trip. I am hoping this week to finally get some 'real' drawings done, but again it is nice to be able to have the confidence to sketch daily. I can't believe I waited so long to start.

EDM #158 and more

2008-09-06T19:46:00.003-06:00

These are few more sketches from my journal since everyone left. I don't particularly like Adam's head in the last sketch, but he kept moving. Drawing people from real life and having them move is a very difficult task. I posted it anyways because I tried and I will keep trying. I am now obsessed with my journal and take it with me everywhere. I love it and am thankful for the EDM group and the encouragement I received to start one.

A Family Visit

2008-09-06T19:37:00.003-06:00

These are some sketches I got done while I had family in town for ten days. It was a wonderful time spending with family and I was glad that I kept my journal around and wasn't afraid to illustrate in front of others. I also spilt pepsi on the last two and got over it and realized my journal is going to get messy.

Living without Technology

2008-09-05T19:19:00.002-06:00

Technology is great when we have it...but when we don't it is the worst thing ever. My saga starts about a couple weeks ago when I dropped my cell phone into a bowl of cereal. A couple of days later my computer crashed! No phone and no computer. Amazing that we ever lived without either. I am currently using my husband's laptop, so hoping tomorrow I can FINALLY get some artwork and sketches posted. I have missed everyone so much.

EDM #182-Draw A Truck

2008-08-16T07:43:00.002-06:00

This is the semi my husband currantly drives. He lives in this truck days at a time. Truck drivers do not get enough credit for what they go through on a daily basis. I think many people have sterotypes about truckers. My husband is a very clean guy with all of his teeth:-). I thought I'd be creative and draw the reflection in the mirror. Didn't turn out as well as I would have liked. I tried and that's what counts.

Racing Time

2008-08-14T09:22:00.003-06:00

I did a quick journal entry this morning in my new sketch book. It is a reminder to quit racing time and to slow down every once in awhile. I though it fitting to be in the beginning of my journal.

Cancer

2008-08-13T21:30:00.003-06:00

I found a sketch book today. It's a very simple canson, black sketch book that is small enough to fit in my purse, but large enough to create wonderful things. Tonight I illustrated something that has been yearning to be released from my head. The greatest thing about being an artist is that I can express emotions and feelings on paper when words no longer do justice.

30 Second Poses #1

2008-08-12T08:25:00.003-06:00

I have been sick for the last two days. I'm still feeling under the weather, but I'm forcing myself out of bed. While I've been recuperating for the past two days, I read Danny Gregory's "The Creative License". It was so good. So today I am venturing out of the house in search for the perfect journal. This morning I loosened up with posemaniac's 30 second poses. It felt good to put something on paper after several days.

EDM #103-Draw Exercise Equipment You Use

2008-08-08T09:39:00.002-06:00

I have not used my exercise equipment all week, so I decided to put them to good use with this EDM. Maybe I will use them later:-)! Or maybe drawing them got rid of some of the guilt.

Crumpled Paper Sketch

2008-08-07T09:59:00.006-06:00

One of my favorite art blogs to read is Anetka's at "Progress not Perfection". Here is her link: http://anecik-sz.blogspot.com/ . I check her blog daily. I was thinking of her this morning while I did this sketch of crumpled up paper. I wasn't going to post it, but it's progress. I am a perfectionist in everything I do and in order for me to grow I need to let go of the fear of something not being perfect. I am challenging my right brain and trying to shut down the left brain. So it's not perfection, but it's on the right path to progress. Thanks Anetka!

EDM #92-Draw a Brown Paper Bag

2008-08-06T10:30:00.002-06:00

This was a challenge. It definitely stretched my right brain muscles. We keep brown paper bags for avocados that we want to ripen for yummy guacamole.

EDM #82-Draw Your Art Space

2008-08-05T10:51:00.004-06:00

I have FINALLY got another EDM done. This is my new art space. A place where I can call my own. My dear friend gave me this desk a couple weeks ago. I have had to use it a couple times in order to get everything organized. It's not as organized as I would like it to be. I don't have anything in the fabulous drawer space because I have a 23 month old who likes to take a peek. I love it anyways. A lot of wonderful things are going to be created on this desk. It's much better than our dining room table. Now we have a place to eat:-)!

Sorra's Watercolor

2008-08-05T10:38:00.003-06:00

This is my dear daughter, Sorra. I wanted to entertain her this morning while I got an EDM done. She was very determined. She is going to be two years old in a month. I can't believe it. I have been giving her art supplies since she was six months old. Some days I wish I could think like a child. My children are helping me to learn to relax, be patient and release what's in my heart and that is priceless.

Sketch of Bevo

2008-08-05T10:31:00.003-06:00

I did this quick sketch of our Boxer, Bevo, last night before I went to bed. He's almost a year old. Still a puppy, but a good dog nonetheless. He's a very patient, well mannered dog around the kids. I try and remember this as he's chewing something up.

Warming Up

2008-07-29T20:12:00.003-06:00

I took a two week break, so I don't know how deserving I am of an award. I took the break to rearrange my house. I now have my own work space. It was a much needed break and now I am ready to get to work. I have been studying abstract paintings, so I decided to warm up with something fun.

It's The Little Things

2008-07-15T14:03:00.004-06:00

Today I decided to really let loose and take Danny Gregory's advice. I appreciated what's really important, my kids. Before lunch, the kids, dog and I hung out in the backyard. We enjoy our backyard on a daily basis. But after reading Everyday Matters, I realized that I truly wasn't seeing with an open mind. I was seeing everything as objects and was actually getting quit bored. I did this little sketch to hang on my fridge and to remind me that life truly is about the little things that we take for granted everyday.

An Award & Danny Gregory

2008-07-14T22:50:00.004-06:00

Two wonderful things happened to me today. I have been in a creative rut for over a week. So today, I decided, instead of feeling sorry for myself I was going to the library for some creative inspiration. I FINALLY found Danny Gregory's Everyday Matters and have already read the entire book. I am going to read it everyday! I was getting ready to start drawing when I decided to check out what other EDMers were up to.

I checked my blog and got this wonderful award from Delph at http://kazumiwannabe.blogspot.com/. I can not possibly thank her enough. This is the inspiration I needed. And have I mentioned, I love the EDM group. Thanks to all of you for keeping me going with your kind words of encouragement.

The rules of acceptance are:

1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. Nominate 7 other blogs.
4. Add links to those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

My Nominees!!

Marva at http://pencil-paper-paint.blogspot.com/

Susan at http://susansscribblesnscrawls.blogspot.com/

Sandy at http://myfiddlestix.blogspot.com/

Lisa at http://lisalou-graceart.blogspot.com/

John at http://john-alookin.blogspot.com/

Freebird at http://freebirddrawing.blogspot.com/

Viane at http://babysteps-viane.blogspot.com/

I know it seems like a lot of work and participation is optional. But I think it's a great way to network for creative inspiration.

Bob Marley Sketch

2008-07-01T17:13:00.005-06:00

I am starting out July with a bang. I had a mental challenge for the month to draw an African American person, seeing as I am obviously Caucasian. After drawing Bob Marley I am confident there will be many more. I did this sketch in two hours while both of my kids took a nap at the same time. I am hoping this will soon be routine in our house, but not going to get my hopes up:).

Bevo & Hunter

2008-06-30T12:52:00.003-06:00

I have not posted for several days. This portrait is my excuse. Any minute that my children and dog would allow me was working on this portrait. My son, Hunter, is going to be six months old and I feel terrible that this is the only portrait I have gotten done of him. I wanted to draw our dog and baby, so luckily I got this shot of them. I don't know who was harder to draw, the dog or the baby. I'm thinking the dog. But proud that I have finally gotten it done.

EDM #131-Spray Bottle

2008-06-21T18:17:00.002-06:00

A quick sketch before dinner. Nothing significant.

Taking it Easy

2008-06-20T09:17:00.002-06:00

Last night I wanted to take it easy and sketch. So I did both. For once I actually turned on the tube, ate a bowl of cereal and relaxed. Something I don't get to do very often.

Grungy Angel

2008-06-20T08:54:00.002-06:00

I am going to refer to Julia Cameron's Vein of Gold once again. One exercise in the book was to find my five secret selves. I do not have secret selves. I openly display each of them. My selves come out depending on the situation or social setting. Yesterday I decided to be grungy Angel. Grungy Angel is into piercings,tattoos and heavy music. In the next couple of months I will either photograph, illustrate or draw the other 4 selves. They are Nerdy Elizabeth, Classy Lita, Gypsy Moon and Country Tess.

Newest Addition

2008-06-13T07:39:00.002-06:00

My husband bought this beautiful bonsai tree for us. We have wanted one for years. I'm so in love with it that I had to do a quick illustration of it before dinner last night.

EDM 175 - Draw a basket and what it holds

2008-06-11T13:20:00.004-06:00

Don't laugh at my wrinkles:)! I stayed up late working on this EDM with the intentions of using pencil. After I started I wanted color and obviously the paper was not made for water! This is when I wish I was good at using colored pencils. I think it's fun nonetheless. I might redo it later this week. I love baskets. I have baskets in every room of my house. This basket is for my kids. It holds most of their board books. I wasn't going to post, but we all make mistakes right....

Binocular Disparity

2008-06-10T18:32:00.004-06:00

Binocular disparity occurs when you view an object with both eyes. I do not have enough discipline to keep the one eye closed, so quite frequently I will draw like this. Unless I am in public:). I did this sketch in pen and ink. I have not used pen and ink in seven years. I am very excited that I have returned to them.

Rain, Rain Go Away!

2008-06-05T22:23:00.002-06:00

Today I just let loose. This piece is going to be titled "The methods from which we drink." We meaning my family and I.

EDM #14-Draw what you see in the morning when you get up

2008-05-30T14:29:00.004-06:00

The other day, my husband made the comment to me, "Why do you shoot everything in black & white." I guess I am a gray scale kind of gal. Today I decided to try my hand at color pencils. Color pencils go along with me learning new and unfamiliar mediums. Well I tried and think I am going to redeem myself and do a sketch tonight with my trusty pencils.

Entry Reads: EDM #14-Draw what you see in the morning when you get up. MORNING PAGES & COFFEE I chose to draw the second thing I wake up to which is my cup of coffee & my notebook. My bedroom ceiling or pillow was not challenging or interesting enough. In 2006, I read Julia Cameron's "Vein of Gold". She suggest journaling 3 pages/day, EVERYDAY, the minute you get up. I now have 5 notebooks full of my entries. It's now an addiction. I highly recommend this to everyone. It is a great RELEASE from everyday life.

Going back to work

2008-05-29T09:29:00.003-06:00

I have not posted anything in over a week and I am freaking out. Then this morning I realized I shouldn't be so hard on myself. The last week has been crazy. Between entertaining friends and family for the holidays and crazy,unusual weather for Colorado (including a tornado) I am no longer going to be hard on myself and start getting back to work TODAY!

Last Friday I fortunately had to leave my house to go run errands. This is what the sky looked like when I left my house.....

This is what I came home to two hours later. We had 90 mile an hour straight line winds. The photo above is of a semi and barn that were blown over.
This photo is of my front lawn. A demonstration of the amount of work I had to put into my yard the following two days. Nonetheless, I was happy I still had a home to come home to unlike some in Windsor, the town that was hit with an F3 tornado last Thursday.

Prego Pics

2008-05-19T09:48:00.002-06:00

My beautiful, pregnant friend Sarah let me take these photos of her. We had a lot of fun doing them and glad she wasn't bashful. THANK YOU Sarah:)!

Kurt Cobain

2008-05-15T10:34:00.002-06:00

Portrait of Kurt Cobain. Finally got it done! I personally don't think it's my best. Practice makes perfect.

EDM #3-Purses, Wallets or Bags

2008-05-13T19:10:00.004-06:00

The journal entry on this drawing reads: " I don't do Gucci. I do practical. I bought this purse for $14 over 2 years ago. I've had this same style purse since college. Purse requirements: "The strap has to hang over my shoulder & hang to my butt. It has to be large enough to carry a sketchbook, compact digital & a book. This purse has 3 large compartments. The two pockets in the front hold my cigs in one & cell phone & bluetooth in the other. My girl Nicole is the only other person I know w/ these same requirements (except her items are probably different).

"The Emerging of Spring"

2008-05-09T09:07:00.002-06:00

This week's photo assignment was "The emerging of Spring". I chose the mating ritual of a peacock. I have been home since Monday night, but it is taking me some time to get back into the swing of things. Mentally my brain is still on vacation. But looking forward to getting some art accomplished this month.

Self Portrait #3

2008-04-24T12:30:00.003-06:00

I was sitting outside earlier today looking for something to sketch, so I looked down and this is what I came up with. It's my shadow while I am drawing. This will be my last post until May 6th. I will be enjoying peace and tranquility for 10 days in the Midwest.

Kinetic Energy

2008-04-23T08:59:00.002-06:00

kinetic energy n. The energy possessed by a body because of its motion, equal to one half the mass of the body times the square of its speed.

photo assignment #1

2008-04-22T08:43:00.000-06:00

Last weeks photo assignment was Textures. Have a long way to go in the photography department too.

EDM #1

2008-04-22T08:26:00.000-06:00

I just joined Everyday Matters and Daily Drawings. I am so excited about these two groups. Of course I am very nervous. But I have to get over my phobias. So I am going to throw myself out there. I'm not going to get any better being at a standstill. This is the motivation I need. It is very hard to balance two babies and my art. But I keep telling myself it will get easier when my 3 month old sleeps through the night. Then I can stay up until midnight working on my art. So I am looking forward to challenging myself as a mother and an artist. I refuse from this moment on to use my babies as an excuse for not accomplishing anything. So here's my first EDM. I know I could do better, but that's why I'm here right?