Not Yet 40

But getting closer. Yay me! It's my birthday, but I'm still not 40. Edging precariously close, now - but not there yet. One more year to hang on to the 30s...I think it's going to be a good one.


Yes, I really was that cute...

And, 4 more doggie ATCs to mark the occasion. Only 11 more to go.

Long Live the King

I woke up this morning remembering the news of a morning 30 years ago. I still remember hearing the news, crying, watching my mother and my grandmother cry. It was tragic. I was a child, but I knew Elvis. I mean, I didn't know him personally, but his voice had sung lullabies to me over the record player and the radio. My brother tried to copy his lip stylings, with limited success and much to the delight of all the relatives. It was a sad, sad morning. It is the first time that tragedy had stretched out it's hand and touched my life, really. Even as remote as it was from me personally, it was the first time I remember crying over a news story. It would be the first of many of those, unfortunately. Crying for a light snuffed out too soon, a lost boy in need of saving, a nation oppressed and in bondage. I guess it represents to me the loss of the self-indulgent childhood that only sees the things that directly impact one's own life.

One week short of 12 years later, another light was extinguished way too soon. Brian Ray Johnson, 9/5/65-8/9/89. He left behind a whole lot of people who were better off having known him. And, even if he never got those Elvis lip-stylings quite right...I still thought he was an amazing brother. He was in his (very) early twenties when he wrote and recorded this song - he was, as Mo said "...a wonderful, intelligent lyricist. A poet with an old soul."

School is back in session

...and I have mixed emotions about it. On the one hand, it's nice to have a few mornings a week to call my own, but on the other hand, it's awfully early to start school, in my opinion. I remember, back in the day, not starting until the day after Labor Day. I realize that kind of dates me, but it's true. I firmly believe that the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day sacred summer time. Alas, the school board did not choose to consult me on this, so I guess we'll just go with the flow.

Linda and I had an art-excursion type morning. We first headed over to the McClung Museum on the university campus and poked around their exhibits. I got a chance to draw skeletal figures, rather than the fleshy ones I've been concentrating on recently. Wonderful place, the McClung. It's going on my list of places to visit weekly , I think. Chock FULL of wonderful things to draw, benches on which to sit, non-intrusive docents...VERY nice.

Derwent drawing pencils in large Moleskine sketchbook.

We also went over the the art museum and checked out the Rembrandt exhibit. I must say, it was breathtaking. Honestly - his faces are just remarkable. Some of the etchings are no more than 2 inches across, and yet he somehow manages to portray them with intense emotion and wonderful character. I'm going to be sharpening my pencils to a needle-like point and seeing what I can do in reducing the figure to this size. I was honestly moved by them - if you have a chance to see them, here or elsewhere, please do. I'll be going back and taking my kids before it goes away.

So that's the plus of school starting. I had an entire morning devoted to art and friendship and not once did I have to tell Linda to stop daydreaming and finish her homework. sigh.

ATC Fun

This time with a theme - - -

I'm behind on this exchange, but trying to catch up...It's all doggies this time 'round. My own Oscar had to have a toe amputated on his left front paw last week. The vet thinks it was cancer, but the report is not back yet. He's doing fine, but looks a bit Yoda-like with just the three toes...I always thought he was a wise one...

Click the pic to see them over at flickr...(I'm almost halfway done...)

Lend a Hand

Not really. I've just been stressing over hands in my drawing class, but I decided to practice some this week and things went much better today. Please note that all poses actually HAVE hands this time...I was using my new Derwent Drawing Pencils today in Brown Ochre, Terracotta, Venetian Red and Chocolate. The Brown Ochre is the lightest and is a really nice color for gestures, especially when trying to locate where major body parts ought to be...

A 30 minute pose...

and a couple of 1 hour poses...

Forgive the quality of these - they're too large to fit the scanner, and my camera really doesn't like to take photos of drawings...

¡Deja las gansadas!

I know I should, but I can't stop...(oh - go get a Spanish-English dictionary...it's not that hard!!)

Still fooling around with photos and faux encaustic (for info on the real stuff - look here.)

I've been thinking alot about art marketing, lately, and it seems to really put a crimp in my ability to create. I don't want to think about it, but if I want to make any headway in the art business, I have to. It's a conundrum, I know (not a corundum, which is an entirely different thing). My apologies for that last sentence. I've been thinking alot about geology lately, and the entirely different life I used to lead ... and how one led to another ... and ... oh good grief - stop. Sheesh.

The point is - I have a tendency to think too much, rather than to act. Anyone with any clues on how to change that, please feel free to chime in. Thinking is a great thing, but I set up entirely baseless expectations of myself and others when I sit around rearranging things in my mind all day long. See - usually I don't have a free minute to think, but with the boys away, it's just so darn (DANG) quiet around here. How's a girl supposed to get anything done with all this SILENCE???? iTunes...take me away...

Before anyone calls the docs - I'm sure this is just a hormonal imbalance brought on by lack of chocolate. Pay no attention to the crazy lady behind the easel...