One for the Sketchbook

My Boy Reading the Star Wars Encyclopedia

Hi everyone,

I don't have a heck of a lot to share with you this week. I decided to take a week off of painting and do some much needed yard work and gardening, and the weather was nice, too, so I took advantage of that to get my quota of Vitamin D. But, I did do this little sketch of Jacob last night that I thought I'd share. It's been a while since I posted any sketches since I've been painting pretty much full time. 

It's been really nice to take a break, actually. I feel creatively re-charged, and I feel like painting now instead of sitting in front of the easel every morning with that feeling of dread, wondering when the creative juices that make painting fun, if not easy, are going to start flowing. It's been a while since it hasn't just felt like work. Anyways, back to the easel on Monday. I have a commission of a particularly complicated but beautiful tree I need to finish. I'll post pictures when it's done.

Cheers!

Her Very First Day of School

Her Very First Day of School--for Sketchbook Project

It was her very first day of school, waiting for the bus.  She's clinging to her big brother's hand. 

She's only four, but here we have full time pre-school. I kind of thought four was a bit young for full time and was of a mind to only let her go a few days a week, but she won't stay home! She loves it.

Little Drummer Boy

Little Drummer Boy for Sketchbook Project

I'm finally back at it. Something about the looming deadline made it not fun for awhile! What a typical Taurus I am. Tell me I have to do something, and I run the other direction...lol! It's also been pretty hectic with Christmas and parties and all that stuff. I tend to work best under pressure though...14 pictures in 15 days...I think I can do it!

I'm also competing in the Bold Brush Competition this month, with a few of my last paintings. Go to http://canvoo.com/boldbrush/painting/15714 and http://canvoo.com/boldbrush/painting/15707 to show your support by "liking" my paintings on the facebook tab. Thanks!!

Happy New Year!!

Another Sketch of the Boy

Jacob's Art--for the Sketchbook Project

Getting there...I'm getting close to the end of the Sketchbook Project...maybe:)

At any rate, the deadline's coming up, isn't it?

Well, I drew this one from life the other morning. He was completely absorbed in drawing dragons I think, and the window light was illuminating his hair and shoulder in a beautiful way. So I drew him, of course!

Once Upon a Time

  Once Upon a Time -- for Sketchbook Project

Wow, I can't believe it's been almost a week since I last posted. That's not like me. Well, my life just got silly busy. I'm catering for the road crew that's repairing the damage after the flood, and I'm working on a large painting, and I'm designing my necklace/pendants for the Etsy shop. I didn't manage to get into the craft fair this year. I was too busy cooking for hungry pavers.

But, here are my munchkins, again:) Jacob is reading his sister a bedtime story.

Maybe I'll just dedicate the rest of this sketchbook to them. The only crappy thing is that I have to send it away!  I spent a bit of extra time on this one. I'm trying to sketch using painterly concepts, and I think this would make a great painting if I could just force myself to stay simple. I tend to get caught up in the details, and try to finish backgrounds, and I want to break myself of that habit and stay painterly. I'm really happy with this one. I wish I could keep it.

Maui Treasures

Maui Treasures -- sketcbook project

Hmmm...the scan doesn't really do this one justice, but oh well...I took the reference photo for this last winter in Maui. It was the quintessential little boy picture. They were gathering shells and mussels from the lava outcropping at Baby Beach in Paia. We love going to this beach because it's great for kids. The lava creates a natural breakwater, which shelters the little bay from the big waves, and the water is so warm. I'm also using this as a value study for my next painting.

My Little Artist

                                                     My Little Artist -- Sketchbook Project

My little darling Rhiannon, from life this morning after breakfast. As soon as she sees me sketching she jumps up to get her crafty stuff. She has to be creative if I am...I love it:) Except she cut a piece of construction paper into at least a million tiny little pieces today, which I had to clean off the floor...oh well, it's worth watching her enthusiasm, and also, it's a way to get her to sit in one place for a while, if not totally still.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt

                                          We're Going on a Bear Hunt...sketchbook project

I've been busy doing other things for the last few days and feeling a bit guilty about not posting...I'm making some jewelry for the local arts and crafts fair...I'll post some pics later. But I thought I'd better sketch today, so this is what my "crunched for time" effort turned out today...in between business emails, pizza making and such:)  The reference photo was from Amanda Cook Photography, she's a great children's photographer. Thanks Amanda! I was feeling too lazy and time challenged to sift through my own extensive photo library, and much to non-focused to sketch from life. Lol! One of those days...anyways...this image so reminded me of We're Going on a Bear Hunt, a book from Micheal Rosen, which was one of my kids' favorites. So I added the text in Photoshop...(YUP, i'm SUPER lazy today!), and thought I'd add a touch of pink, while i was at it.

Trick or Treat

                                     Trick or Treat for Sketchbook Project and EDM

Sorry about no posts for the last little while. I'm finally back home, and trying to adjust to being back in my own space. I forgot how much work it was! LOL! I feel so much busier here than at Mom and Dad's. I guess because I'm trying to catch up on cleaning and laundry and cooking, and all the mommy and wife stuff, so art's been taking second place. Sigh...well, hubby has a gig tonight. He's playing the Halloween Dance at the pub, and I can't go, so I took the silent opportunity to do my Halloween sketch.

I know, I'm shameless about painting and sketching my kids, but I can't help it! They're just so awesome:)!! They were fooling around with their costumes (well, portions of their costumes)  on the other day, and I snapped a few pictures...enjoy:) Happy Halloween!!

A Couple of Hardbodies

A Couple of Hardbodies -- Sketchbook Project

Please click on this one -- it looks way better big!

I know that all I've been showing you all lately is sketches, but I am painting, really. I sketch at night, and paint during the day, trying to get this commission done so I can finally go home!

I stayed up until 3am last night working on this one...I am addicted to sketching now! Now I'm tired, and not looking forward to painting at all...oh well.

Anyways, I was wracking my brain, trying to come up with an idea for my "boys and girls" theme, while browsing my europe photos, and I found this one, of David. The reference photo is of the bronze replica at Piazza Michelangelo. I thought, why not do a sculpture of a man and one of a woman, hence...this sketch. I've never seen Victory, but would have loved to have made it to the Louvre. I got the reference photo from Google...Enjoy!

My Darling Daddy

Sketchbook Project -- My Darling Daddy

I was feeling inspired this morning as I was looking at the newest "Strokes of Genius" collection of drawings, so I decided to draw my dad. This is just pencil in my little moley, from life while having his morning cigarette...(Hack! Hack!) The eyes look a little freaky in the scan, they're darker than in the drawing so they look a little over-exaggerated than they do for real...oh well.

new sketch

Summertime....for the Sketchbook Project

This is a new sketch I did the other night for the Sketchbook Project. The photo isn't good, but it's better than the scan. I tried to add the touch of color, but I'm not sure how I feel about it. It's kind of clashy with the yellow-toned paper, I think. But oh well! I don't have to try to worry about pleasing anyone but myself with this one. Thanks to the facebook group Happiness Yes for the photo. It made me happy to look at it, which I really need right now, considering the state of things at home.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/HappinessYes-/111871948772

My Darling Billy

Billy in my sketchbook

I've been really enjoying looking at less serious stuff lately, namely people's sketchbooks. I love the spontaneity, the freedom, and the sense of the artist in these pictures. I've been finding them on Flickr, and on art blogs, (check out Andrea Joseph's stuff...it's amazing!, and also Paul Madonna) and I realized, I don't sketch enough. I take my art way too seriously.

I guess that there's so little time in a day, being a mom and a wife, that any chance I get to paint, I paint seriously. It feels like a waste of time to sketch, when I have so little of it to begin with.  My focus has been on success so much, and recognition, and now that I'm finally getting a few shows out of town, and workshops, my art feels suddenly so joyless. I've been painting for shows, and for work, but I need to find the joy in it again, and maybe I can by sketching more. 

This is my sweet husband, Billy. We had a beautiful sunny day, about two days ago. He was home from work, and we sat on the deck, soaking up the sun. The light was great, so I grabbed my sketchbook and whipped this one off.

I also joined the "Sketchbook Project".  It's a pretty cool idea. You send them $25. They send you a moleskine sketchbook, you pick a theme, fill it up and send it back to them. Once there it becomes part of the permanent collection of the Brooklyn Art Library. You can also have them put the whole thing on line for an extra fee, where they're there for the whole world to see. 

Anyways, that's my post for the day.

Don't forget to check out my ebay listings. I have a bunch of Cat ACEO's for sale, starting at only $9.99.

New Painting in the Works, Finally!

So here it is, the sketch I promised...I'm not getting near as much painting done as I had hoped. I'm going to have to get more disciplined, I guess. There's just so much other fun stuff to do and sights to see in Hawaii. I'm taking lots of pictures for future paintings, and visiting as many art galleries as time will allow.
This has all thrown the kids for a total loop. My once almost weaned daughter is now up every two hours a night to nurse. If I don't nurse her, she won't sleep sound, so that every time I so much as sigh, she wakes up screaming, demanding "Sa Sa", (the Nuxalk word for nurse). So I'm back to total, ridiculous exhaustion. I even checked out the SuperNanny site last night to see if she had any words of wisdom that I hadn't already exhausted. Not so. Nothing works. So I give in.
My usually sweet-natured son has become a whining, demanding troll. He complains all day, and makes his sister mad or hurts her on purpose. We're in Paradise, but the kids just know that their world has been turned upside down.
Well, if I could get them back on schedule somehow, things might start to settle a bit.
For now, I'm keeping my fingers crossed, and just hoping for time to paint.
I got the underpainting done today, and it's a big one-18" x 24". It's going to be fun. I'll keep you posted.
Ciao for now.