21 Days of Gratitude

My "High Five" for this day is rolled into one. See how bad I am at following directions?! I know my instructor understands me!

I did this little ink and watercolor sketch of where I work. It's Santa Fe Dry Goods on the Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I am grateful for it for many reasons. Here are five of them:

1)It's the best place to work in Santa Fe
2)I am happy to be making money
3)I enjoy building teams
4)I love my boss
5)It's cool working on the Plaza
And, that's the way I see it!

21 Days of Gratitude

The class assignment had something to do with expressing gratitude about food. I suppose I could have been more reverent than drawing a pint of Ben and Jerry's. But, of well. Thank you God, for ice cream!

21 Days of Gratitude

So grateful for time to spread out art supplies and play on a Sunday afternoon! This is a bunch of old zentangles that I mutilated and collaged back together. Something about doodling that makes my brain happy! At least, that's the way I see it!

21 Days of Gratitude

I am enjoying the 21 days of gratitude, even though I am doing things out of order and not getting around to posting. I suppose I am not much a a linear thinker and am prone to breaking the rules. My "plan" is to enjoy all kinds of mediums in this class and not to torture myself when I miss a day. It's a fun way to express gratitude and I never stop doing that!

So here is a funky altered photo I did. The background is a mixed media background that I did sometime ago. An old photo of me and my boys layered on top of it and altered in Picnik, which is just as fun as it gets!

I am grateful to have these guys!

21 Days of Gratitude

I have signed up for a 21 day art journaling class that started today. The theme is gratitude. If you read back or know me, you know that I am a big believer in writing down what I am grateful for. And, that I set an intention long ago to express it through art. My blogging buddy, Donna, who is a creativity coach and delightful artist is leading the online course. How could I resist her talent and charm?? http://creativitymattersblog.blogspot.com/ 

So, barely unpacked in our bigger place in Santa Fe, and trying to get my legs under me in a new job, I decided why not now? Right??  I have plenty to be grateful for and want to share that. I begin with a photo I took on a recent visit to Napa (shout out to the Bads)  and plan on using paint and who knows what else in the the next 21 days to express the gratitude I feel for everyday things, people, places, feelings.... 

Sooo, here we go............and that is how I see it!

Denton, Texas- Downtown Square

Last night I "met" a new person online who had become a follower either here or on Flickr. She is a talented photographer who had taken many photos in  the North Texas Area, more specifically, Denton! Today, I stumbled upon some sketches I did around the charming downtown Denton Square. Like most small towns, some antique buildings have had a metamorphosis. Dentonites (is that the right word?) will recognize this old theater which eventually became a place of worship. I meant to go in the building while we lived nearby and never did. Shoot! What's it like inside?

I am thinking of all the people I love in the Denton area. Sketches certainly imprint fond memories!

Mais Oui, Sunflower

The previously mentioned workshop has me fully charged and I am playing with so many old sketches and turning them into new "creations". Truly, it's a blast!

So the first image is stage one that includes torn up copies of a some of my mixed media journal pages, (thanks Linka for teaching me how to do that!) and various fruits, flowers, leaves, stamps from other old paintings.

I added gesso to some Strathmore Inkjet Textured Paper. After all, the 15 minute online workshop I took was sponsored by Strathmore. Oddly, I had bought the paper before I even knew of the workshop. Then, I added some really drippy acrylics. I ran the original collage through the printer onto the newly painted paper.

I have some ideas about how to proceed. Stay tuned! Could be interesting :)

So, I did the next step according to the lesson and I had no feel for what to do with oil pastels. None. And, I haven't even decided I want to learn how to use them. I added some black. Linka always tells me "you need a little black". And, outlined some lettering, smeared some pastels around and walked away from the painting! So, I'll wait for the next lesson to see if I continue this little exercise. It's a process!

Sacred Sepia

There are so many inexpensive and even free workshops online. FREE fits right into my budget! I signed up for a cool little series of Visual Journaling workshops and took the first today.  http://www.strathmoreartist.com/vjworkshop2011.html.

It was more fun than a barrel of monkeys collaging with bits and pieces of old sketches, photos and miscellaneous ephemera!

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Step 2--added a little depth, definition and softened some edges with colored pencil

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Step 3
I think I mushed this one up trying the oil pastel route. It's either take a class or trash those suckers! Poor lady, looks like she got socked in the face. Back to the drawing board!

Last step. Hard to see the changes actually. Changed the Artist's Way to Enjoy and it's definition.There is alot of metallic added to with ink, pigment and markers that simply don't show up in this post. Per the lesson, I added some designs and doodles in the negative spaces, added some white and darkened some lines. a very fun exercise. Now, on the finish the next! (Not that I won't revisit this one at some point!)

As I said, I had to revisit this project. I am addicted to altering images in http://www.picnik.com/  It is so much fun!! This is simply "reversing" the previous image. I think it is far more interesting than the original, but I love color and these colors appeal to my senses.

House portraits

I have started to do these house portraits again and really enjoy it. They seem to make the owners really happy and that makes ME happy!

These were challenging, with so many amenities, I had to leave some of them out. Hard to get the fish ponds, pool, outdoor kitchen, putting green etc. in the small sketch. But, the home owners seemed tickled...whew!
I hope you will visit me often as I update my other site with new photos of house portraits.
http://sketchmyhome.blogspot.com/

Colors, Textures, Sacred Objects

I spent a little time photographing the interesting art, furniture, sculptural objects, surfaces and textures at my friend, Jill's house. Their place, up on the mountain is a feast for the senses! I made this little collage and think it might be cool blown up to poster size.

Not to take the mystery out of these images, but, well, I am! Top right is the latch on a gorgeous folk art armoir. Next, the handle on an enormous copper kettle followed by a wonderful statue that makes me want to drop to the floor and meditate. Second row, the blue scrolly pic is a mouth blown lamp shade. The lamp is equally fantastic! Middle photo is the design on the mug I that held my cappacinno. Far right is tiny a corner of a Chinese lacquered cabinet. The marvelous lady bottom right guards over the stove in the kitchen. The middle bottom is a decorative tile inset in the kitchen. The last photo is simply the top of a piece of furniture in the living room.

I am calling my stroll through the house my "Artist's Date" for this, our last week with Julia Cameron leading us in the "Artist's Way".

Highly Prized

This is another submission for the Sketchbook Challenge for the month of January.
The topic is "Highly Prized".
Since I have only one perfectly seeing eye, I do hold it in extremely high esteem!
I did the whole thing in 2H pencil, then decided to use a Derwent watercolor pencil to make my eye that fantasy green. They're green but not THAT green.
Left a few laugh lines out :) Hey, it's my eye and my art :)
And that's the way I SEE it!

Sketchbook Challenge

I have been encouraged by some friends to join them in the Sketchbook Challenge I recycled an old yoga sketch I did, since yoga is something I am so passionate about.

I had a mission to find THE BEST YOGA in SANTA FE! Tough job but somebody had to do it! Actually, it turned out to be quite an undertaking since there are probably twenty fantastic choices very close to home. After taking multiple classes in seven studios with many teachers, I found the most wonderful teacher Sean Tebor and now I can't break myself away to attend all the other (also excellent) classes.  classes are currently held at the Aspen Ballet Santa Fe Studio while his new studio is being completed. My friend, Jill, and I are so mesmerized by his language, his descriptions, poetry, analogies & his good looks. Oh AND his massive expertise!Yet, we are pure mush when it's all over and can't recall what he said! During my rating process of all the studios, I started writing a few suggested names for his classes....


Sean Tebor’s Magical Mystery Tour *****

Sean Tebor’s Journey to the Center of You *****

Sean Tebor’s Two Hour Thanksgiving I’d Rather Do 28 Downward Dogs Than Eat Pumpkin Pie *****

Sean Tebor’s Yoga is my Drug Of Choice *****

Sean Tebor’s You could be at home and you Chose to attempt Half Moon Pose *****

Sean Tebor’s-Yeah this is gonna get Crazy yoga *****

Sean Tebor's Learn the form, but seek the formless Yoga...*****

Sean Tebor's You are feeling drunk by now Yoga *****


I totally digressed! Back to sketching! I have a goal to gain proficiency in PhotoShop. I have owned it for years and never touched it. So, I took the little yoga sketch I did ages ago and played with her. She enters the yoga studio unaware, unenlightened and not even awake. Her Chakras beginning to show signs of life as she focuses on prana and enjoys well directed asanas. She ends with a deep Savasana and finally is alive, enlightened and aglow by the end of the practice. That's the original sketch in the lower right and she is peeking through as the background, too.  Ahhhh....Yoga, I love you so.