Poses

Still working on hands...in different poses.

All smiles....

Drawing a face with a wide smile - teeth showing - it's difficult...

Linking to:

Friday Photo Journal
Photo Friday

Loosening Up...

Working on a still life - something I rarely do.

light wash of gesso and burnt umber

loose gesture drawing of an imagined still life

now the fun begins - paint this baby!

Offerings...

Drawing done and painting begun....it's warm in my studio today and paints are drying quickly on my palette!

something is off with the perspective of the gift box :-( !!

I need to step away for a day or so before I pick this up again

Linking to:

Katherine's Corner

Little Things Thursday

Friday Photo Journal

Photo Friday

Too Tall...

My third and final drawing in the series.  I wrote my second short story to go along with it.

Too Tall

I think I was born tall!  I have a twin brother and until we were about 16 years old I was taller than him.  We went to a Catholic grammar school.  At our 8th grade graduation the students had to process down the church aisle in pairs boys on the right, girls on the left.  Myself and two other eighth grade girls marched in last, three abreast, because there were no boys as tall as we.  I was the tallest, walking between the other two.  At 14, that was embarrassing.  I felt like a gawky giraffe.

I remember my mother constantly nagged me “to stand up straight - shoulders back - head up”.  This annoyed me to no end.  She threatened to make me wear a shoulder brace.  Thankfully, that never happened.  She just didn’t get it - I was too tall!

I remember going to the local pizza parlor when I was supposed to be at the library studying.  This is where the cool kids hung out, drank cokes, joked with each other and danced to the music on the juke box.  The few times I was asked to dance, I would take off my shoes and slouch so that I wouldn’t be taller than the unwitting boy who invited me onto the tiny dance floor.  It’s a memory I wish I could forget.

Trying on dresses one day at a local department store in the mall - I had already graduated high school by that time - I looked at myself in the full length mirror.  Really looked at myself and was appalled.  In my head I could hear my mother telling me to “stand up straight - shoulders back - head up”. So I did.  What an eye opener - the dress looked so much better.  I actually felt pretty.  I didn’t feel gawky at all.  

Somewhere along the way, the men I dated grew up.  No more reasons for me to slouch.  My mother was so wise.  I wished I had listened to her sooner. 

Oddly, now that I’m approaching 70, I find that I’m not as tall as I once was.  I’m not too happy about it either.  I continue to try and stand up straight - shoulders back - head up AND hold my stomach in!  

Now I preach this mantra to my granddaughters and they just roll their eyes...

Linking to:

Friday Photo Journal

Photo Friday

Friends Meet Friends

working in a series

I'm working on a series of small paintings to hang in our newly remodeled bathroom.  I haven't decided whether these will be hang worthy yet - that decision will come later.

drawing and start of underpainting

Linking to:

Friday Photo Journal
Photo Friday
Friends Meet Friends

Betrayed...

My first short story using my handmade card prompts.  This story was swirling around in my head for days and I couldn't shake it.  It seemed best to just paint it out. (I had originally thought I would write an amusing story - not a "grim" fairy tale!)

Cry of a Wounded Heart

She was once a beautiful woman open to love and happiness.  Over time she had her heart broken more than once.  She was never able to let go of the pain.

The betrayed woman no longer beautiful, her face ugly with hatred, fell down dead with a cry of a wounded heart.

How I did it

 

Linking to:

Our World Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday

Katherine's Corner
Little Things Thursday

blue eyes...

I'm working on a series of mixed media portraits on canvas.  This is a large piece (for me) 18x24.  I've been fussing with her for days and need to step back and take a break.  (Thank goodness for gesso that's all I can say!)

Surprisingly, taking a photo of the work makes it easier for me to find her flaws rather than just looking at the original work.  I'm not sure why that is...

Linking to:

Inspire Me Monday

Our World Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday

Katherine's Corner
Little Things Thursday

  

Invisible...

Being a woman of a certain age, somewhere along the line I became invisible.  At least it often seems that way.  Sometimes I look in the mirror and I don't recognize myself - I see my mother - the years are creeping up I guess...or maybe I'm just having a bad day.

Doing the Zentangle...

No, Zentangle is NOT a Argentine tango...  If you want to know what Zentangle is, go here.  I'm quite new to the art.  My first steps are not very sophisticated.  (This art form takes a lot more time than one would think.  People always tell me I must have a lot of patience to quilt - zentangle takes a lot more patience IMO.)

Linking to:

Katherine's Corner

Little Things Thursday

Background check...

having fun with acrylic paint, inks, pencils...creating backgrounds for a small journal.

Linking to:

Inspire Me Monday

Woman Unleashed - Day 14

This is the last day of Woman Unleashed 2016 retreat.  It was a blast.  Thank you to all the generous women who guided us through the retreat and a special thank you to Amber Kuileimailani Bonnici for putting this all together.  I loved every minute of it!

Woman Unleashed - Day 13

Here is it, New's Years Day 2016 - it's hard to believe how quickly time is flying by.  Today's guide, Rhonda Britten, was a hoot.  She mentioned a "love tooter" and I was off and running - not sure if I heard anything else she had to say.  I plan to go back and listen again.

I had so much fun creating my love tooter!

Woman Unleashed - Day 12

Day 11 guide, Tulasi Adeva, talked about yoga as well as "Return to Center - a Rhythmic Homecoming Ritual."  Something Tulasi said made me think "heart in hand".

Woman Unleashed - Day 10

Day 10 brings us two guides.  Karen Rauch Carter - "How to Create Spaces to Restore, Revive, Rejuvenate and Rest "(that's a lot of Rs!!) your basic everyday Feng Shui, which I know little about and Mellissa Bottalli - "Heal Anything with the Power of Re-Nature-Ing" - more Rs!!

I incorporated the five elements of Feng Shui - earth (yellow squares), fire (red triangles), metal (gold/brass circles), water (dark tones free flow shapes), wood (green rectangles).

As far as healing myself, I need to learn to let go of the things that keep me awake at night!

Woman Unleashed - Day 9

One of today's guides was Whitney Freya - founder of The Creatively Fit Coaching Certification. Whitney suggested we close our eyes and draw a line with any tool.  Once the line has been drawn, see what can be made of it.

The green marker line was my starting point...it was fun to just let my imagination run wild.

Woman Unleashed - Day 8

Two guides led Day 8 - Alexandra Pope (A woman's inner retreat - an exploration of menstruation as a woman's natural time of rest, renewal and visioning) and Laurie Wagner (Wild Writing).

I must admit, I've never considered menstruation  as a special time - I'm so happy, at my age, NOT to have to deal with that now...Alexandra had many positive and thoughtful things to say about it.

Woman Unleashed - Day 7

Day 7's guide is Tamara Laporte.  Her theme is self empathy.

I purposely did not finish this piece as I consider myself a work in progress...

Linking to:

Inspire Me Monday

Woman Unleashed - Day 6

Christmas Day - We had a wonderful day.  Early morning walk, Mass, breakfast, phone conversations with our family, a movie (Trumbo), relaxing dinner of turkey sandwiches.   I'm ready for a nap!

I did find time to work on my WU journal during our busy day.  Day 6 guide was Giovanna Silvestre.  Giovanna spoke of yoga and creating a gratitude journal.

Woman Unleashed - Day 5

It's Christmas Eve.  Day 5 guide is Chris Zydel - her theme is "Sacred Power of Self Forgiveness."  I needed to hear Chris' message.  I'm giving myself the gift of Self Forgiveness for Christmas.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!