An Apple for the Last Day of May

I drew first with an almost-dried-up black Prismacolor marker, then added layers of watercolor, letting each layer dry before adding the next. Gives it a very "Cezanne-like" look.  If you're not familiar, google Cezanne's watercolors. They are so brilliant and inspiring! He is my favorite Master artist!

Sunday's Sketching Trip

Armed with my bag filled with watercolors, a jar of water, brushes, a sketchbook, colored pencils, paint rags, a small spray bottle filled with water, a hat, pens, pencils ... (you get the picture) ... I sat forth on a mission to paint and sketch from nature.  What a beautiful day; although quite hot for the end of May.  The destination was Mabry Mill along the Blue Ridge Parkway; but on this trip, what caught my eye more than the oft sketched mill was the bridge alongside it where the Parkway goes over a stream that flows into the Mabry Mill Pond. It being Memorial Day Weekend, the place was teeming with people out enjoying the beautiful day.  I crossed the fence and sat with bugs, sun, sweat, curious onlookers, and all; but I was oblivious for a few moments so intent on the job joy of capturing the opening in this bridge and the way the light shone through. The scene had me transfixed.  I labored and sweated and swatted bugs and below is the result.  But it's much more than the sketch, the final outcome. You see, I did it. I accomplished my mission. I captured the scene and made a memory. And in the process I enjoyed the day, deeply engrossed in doing something that brought me a sense of accomplishment and great joy!

Evening watercolor practice session.

Retirement Gift for a friend who has 30+ years of service to intellectually disabled state facility.

Something very different and thoughts on art and procrastination...

Not my usual subject matter and not something I would choose to do, I drew this from a photo at the request of my daughter's ag teacher for a fundraiser for the FFA.  I do love the watersoluble graphite and it worked so well for this subject. This deer was photographed behind the school.

Is it obvious that I have no enthusiasm for this piece? Yet I thought I would share because I do think it turned out well and I'm celebrating finally having this project behind me.  Grace's teacher asked me to do it back in the fall of last year.  The fundraiser is this week, May 10 or 11.  Procrastination is obviously something I struggle with.  It would have been so much better to have taken care of this right away and not dreaded it for almost a year.  It only took me about an hour once I started.  A year's worth of dreading for an hour's worth of work.  Do you find that you work better under pressure with a deadline looming?  I do not accept commissions anymore because I found that I dread it up until the very last minute until I almost make myself sick with dread.  I don't believe I could ever create art as a profession because I hate knowing I must create something, especially something I feel must be labored over and not something I enjoy creating.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you struggle with procrastination in any area of your life or art? Do you like doing work on commission?  Do you make art for enjoyment or do you sell your artwork?

Lately I've fallen deeply in love with the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen! So deeply in fact that I found them on sale at Michael's a week ago and bought three (3!) extras with refills.  I bought my first one at Dick Blick and have already used up the first ink cartridge.  They do go fast; so stock up!  It takes a few sketches to really get the hang of this pen, but oh --- once you do, you can't stop!!!

The variation in the line that you can achieve almost effortlessly is just so much fun!

Below are some sketches I've done with this pen lately.

(This year I noticed the apple blossoms on a tree at the back of my property for the first time.  I don't know if it was this gorgeous spring we're having that made them bloom bigger and better or just that I finally "LOOKED", but wow!  I set up this little still life at work of them in a cobalt blue Carter's ink bottle! Luscious! )

The Pentel Pocket Brush Pen is so much fun to work quickly and capture the main lines, the essence of the subject; then add watercolor - and voila!  A gorgeous, fun sketch; and you've made a memory!

An after-prom dress-shopping-sketch - what a fantastic memory.  And this lamp post outside at O'Charlie's was worth enduring the cold breeze that was blowing in the late afternoon as we ate.  I think it was this sketch that made me fall deeply in love with the Pentel Pocket Brush pen :-)

The following sketch was done quickly with Tombow Dual Tip Markers. They're watersoluble!

It's like a marker full of rich, briliant watercolor!!  I love using these markers; it gives you a watercolor effect, but you can get the lines in too for more definition.  I always want to put lines with watercolor.  Watercolor (when I do it) just doesn't seem to me to stand on its own.  Or maybe I just love lines.

Joanne Sharp introduced me to these wonderful markers in her lettering classes I'm taking - check them out; you will be so happy that you did!

I'm Back!

Me; not blog?  No, I can't stand it. I miss you all too much.  Besides my creativity is in overdrive lately. No matter what I'm doing, my mind is on what I WANT to be doing - creating.  It's an obsession! I'm driven to distraction! Does anyone else have this "problem"?  Color! Design! Pattern! Texture!  - pure bliss... And I can't get enough - sewing, making art quilts, free style embroidery, sketching, watercolor, lettering - doesn't matter, I just want to be doing it!  Constantly.  Oh if only I didn't need so much sleep!  Oh if only I didn't have to work all day at my "real" job! 

So, yes, I'm back and thanks for your patience while I took a little break. I learned that while life gets really crazy and hectic sometimes - it's art, blogging, and connecting with all of you that keeps me sane, whatever's going on in my life.  It's part of treating myself well.  And as the quote above states, "Your real influence is measured by your treatment of yourself." 

Treat yourself well friends, and go make some art - splash some color on a page - draw some doodles - because as Picasso said, "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."