A Cozy Place to Spend the Evening

I leave you tonight with a cozy place to spend the evening - curled up in a comfy chaise with a good book - life is good...
All we need now is a steaming cup of coffee or tea.

Learn What You Are and Be Such.

Even though I knew this truth in my head already - I experienced it in my heart and soul this evening. God is pleased with me when I am simply being me - the me that comes naturally, not the me that is constantly striving to do more for God or to do big things for God - but the me that does what God created me to do, that comes easily and naturally for me - playing the piano, singing to Him, worshipping, adoring... I sensed in my spirit that God was pleased with me. What a feeling - inexpressible joy and peace. When I paint and draw and create art - God is pleased with me. I don't have to strive and struggle and analyze and stress about what God wants me to be or do... He simply, SIMPLY (love that word) wants me to be the person He created me to be.


I mean, think about it, God didn't create fish to fly or birds to live underwater. He didn't create giraffes to be the king of the jungle or lions to eat leaves from the tops of tall trees. They can't! Because they're not made that way! Imagine a fish trying with all his might and struggling, striving to fly and perch in a tree! All His creation was planned perfectly. We all have "good works" which were "planned in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10 NIV) There is no doubt that I was prepared in advance to make art, play the piano and sing. The reason I believe this is that I am naturally BENT to do those things with ease. Not without work and practice, but with ease. My mama gave me piano lessons when I was 12 years old, but God gave me the rest. I am very grateful to my mama, but I know that the talent, the bent towards playing by ear, and the ease with which it seems to come for me now - that came from God and God alone. What a wonderful gift!

And I realized that the reason He is pleased with me - is not because of what I do or have done or will do, but because of what was done on the CROSS for me. Jesus' sacrifice and death on the cross made me "acceptable in the Beloved" (him, Jesus).

Ephesians 1:5-7 (King James Version)
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

So paint, create art, sing, teach, preach, sky-dive, leap tall buildings in a single bound... just BE WHO YOU ARE.

Learn what you are and be such. - Pindar (http://quotationsbook.com/quote/35736/)

FRIDAY at Work

Doodling - this is today's to-do list - as you can see there wasn't much on it, so I found myself playing all over the paper :-)



Above is a pic of the fabulous new pens I bought at Staples this week. On sale for $4.99 per pack - buy one get one free! So I have one pack for work and one for home. These are Zebra Sarasa retractable gel pens - 0.7 size



This is a moleskine spread from last week (8/21/09). I did this at work also - from a photo on my digital screen. The "leaves" are meant to symbolize hands cupping the flower. A bit wacky, but nice nonetheless...

Pausing for Life to Happen

Life is busy right now and I haven't had much time for posting to my blog. School beginning, hurt knees, lots of work, etc. Life... you know. I have much to post when I have the time! Please bear with me and keep checking back...

A Room of Her Own

copyright Deborah A. Lowe 8/19/09

I was in a meeting today that lasted from 8:30 to 1:00. At about 12 noon I zoned out completely and invented the room above from my imagination. This page is in my moleskine and only fills up half of the left hand page; so it's only about 3" x 4". I started with the table and then built up the entire scene piece by piece in pencil - first the table, then I added flowers and didn't like that so I erased, next the books and the coffee cup, then the chair, the rug and the window; then the plant and the curtains and lastly I decided it had to be a room full of books, so I added the bookshelves on the back wall. Once I got it all worked out in pencil I went over it in ink. Once I got back to my office I added the colored pencil. The table and curtains are actually aquamarine, but appear blue in the picture above.

I have never gotten so lost in a scene before. I literally felt detached completely from my surroundings and like I was literally in this room - when I "came out" I had no idea what had been said in the meeting and it was like I was sort of in a fog. It was a wonderful feeling, yet rather strange. It was so much fun to imagine and create this scene from nothing.

Enter my room and feel the peace and quiet and the sunlight coming in the windows... smell the cup of tea on the table. I'd like to do a series with this - A room of one's own...

Ears

I'm home from work today because my daughter hurt her knee last night tossing the football with her daddy. I'm taking her to the doctor later. She's sleeping now and I had time to work on some drawing practice. The left page is from Jack Hamm's Drawing the Head and Figure, practicing drawing ears - I much prefer drawing from life so I went over and sat next to Grace and concentrated mainly on her ear. I added watercolor in the studio. The drawing is done with Sanford Design Ebony Pencil. I used pen on a couple of the ears on the left page.

Enlarge to see detail. Below is a closeup of Grace sleeping.

New Moleskine Spreads

Handmade Books and Journals Class

My friend Karen and I took a class Tuesday night called "Handmade Books and Journals" - taught by Kathy Vincent (gallery.webfresco.com/) It was one of the greatest experiences involving art I've had in a long time. We had the most perfect day! We indulged in all my favorite things - hers too, which was really amazing. We left work at noon, went to a fun and very good restaurant for lunch, then to Borders bookstore where I bought the new issue of "Artful Blogging" by Somerset Studios with Laura Frankstone's article in it (YEAH!! Laura) (http://laurelines.typepad.com/). Karen also bought me the new issue of "Where Women Create", also by Somerset Studios, with Mary Engelbreit on the cover! What a sweet and thoughtful friend she is. She said it was to help me with gas, and I wanted to argue, I did argue a little, but I was so excited to think of getting TWO fantastic art magazines that I was quick to relent before she changed her mind - Then of course I gave her a great big hug and thanked her profusely.

After Border's we were off to our class - the class was at Iggy's Art Supply(http://iggysartsupply.com/). Boy, were we in for a treat!! I found that they carry Caran d'Ache Neocolor II watercolor crayons OPEN STOCK!!! along with a lot of different pencils, pens, etc., all available as open stock. What a great store this is! I will visit many more times. Now about our class...

My very first book - pamphlet stitch, with one section

Below is the second book I made - I'm not crazy about the size and shape, but it might be good for landscape sketches if turned sideways. I like the binding on this book very much - it's still a pamphlet stitch, but with 4 sections and slits cut into the spine.

Thank you Kathy Vincent for a fun and worthwhile class! I enjoyed it so much! Please visit Kathy's website and take a look at her beautiful art.

I have so much more to share - I hope you aren't tired of reading - I've been busy with art lately and I can't wait to tell you all about it...

Above are some new supplies I bought at Iggy's:

new Caran d'Ache crayons to add to my collection, 2 Design Ebony Pencils, Titanium White Maimeri Gouache, an eraser, and last but not least my first Faber Castell Albrecht Durer watercolor pencils. I went back to Iggy's today because I liked it so much Tuesday! Lookout pocketbook - I've got it bad.

I don't know if you remember, but I made this pact/rule for myself in May that I would not buy any more art supplies or books for one year. Well, I cannot keep that rule - it was made to be broken - life without new books or art supplies I find quite dull. I am trying...but...who can resist a new art supply store with open stock supplies - who I ask you???? And who can resist a used book sale, or a 40% off coupon to Borders - not me, not me, my friend. I am not that strong. In the words of Henry Ward Beecher, "Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?" That also applies to art supply stores I believe.

Speaking of books: I found this one in a used book sale last week

The copyright date is 1964. It's a little pocket size "golden handbook" and the price is $1.00. With 160 pages, it's a really good reference on the "techniques of handling oil, watercolor and casein. It's in very good condition - I could not resist.

I will have to post more tomorrow - it's way past my bedtime and I have to work tomorrow. Until then dear friends...

Live Out Loud!

5" x 7" Winsor & Newton watercolor paper 140lb.

The results of today's labors... A very busy little piece of artwork!
I'd like to make notecards from this.

(Enlarge to see detail.)

Moleskine pages - quick sketches

Practicing people, and always leaning toward flowers and bottles, vases, teacups, etc.
Must be simply that still life objects with their color and form are simply what I am inspired by...
People are work - yet work I must...