Crazy Consuela

No. 17 She Speaks For Herself

 I'm still working on the final portraits (gallery showing in February) and on the Day of the Dead gallery showing on October 22nd. My daughter needed an image for her business cards and this one seemed perfect for Crazy Consuela.

5X5 gallery canvas
I'm lovin this little darlin too. It's been so fun and creative to add some sass and beauty and make these harsh and macabre skulls fun.
In New Mexico, Day of the Dead is a great celebration and remembrance of dead loved ones. They remember the favorite foods, favorite jokes and favorite things of the loved one that's passed over. I think it's a good thing to visit graveyards and think about the dead.
I for one, am not afraid of being dead - it will be my ultimate travel destination.

You can't really tell, but this has tiny little seed beads added for drama.

Slightly Twisted, Ever So Fun Stuff



We don't call me Odd Chick for nothin'. And this new passion has hit me like a chun~kin pumpkin.

Glad I'm Crazy...sometimes.
I have a method to my madness. Nearly everyone of my portrait drawing books, and many art students I've talked to say you must start with the skeleton, with the skull to draw a good portrait. It has been excellent practice for me to stare at skulls and skeletons to understand bone structure underneath.

 


No. 16 She Speaks For Herself
This Day of the Dead stuff came right at the perfect time because I was losing momentum on my 20 faces. And I love this fantasy face work with a twist. Everyone knows I have a few kinks in me. I channel (slightly kidding) my favorite muse, the Crazy Consuela, my daughter's free and wild and lovely spirit. 

 

I am loving these 5X5 gallery wrapped canvases. I had heard other art bloggers bragging about them, but I just now got it! They are so fun.

Live Like You're Dyin'
check out this 3-D stuff I tried.



right side of canvas



Who said "Everyone should retain a little madness"? It's so freeing to let that twisted sister out to paint.

IT CAME TRUE!!!!



Day of Dead Pendants

I have been having some great fun over here making Day of Dead necklaces - so fun to create. I have a good reason for making them! EXCITING STUFF!!


I took a car load of Pumpkins to my favorite little boutique/gourmet lunch place (you know the one that I had a secret wish to have my own solo art show with my girl faces?). Well, anyway, I take them pumpkins every year for display-but this year I came with my new prints, my matted originals, and all my girls (15 so far) in a nice box and after I unloaded the pumpkins, I asked the owner for a minute of his time. When I showed him my art and asked for a show- HE NEVER BATTED AN EYE! HE SAID, "OF COURSE, HOW ABOUT VALENTINES' for a "groovy girl's show"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" 

I about kissed him!

I scared myself to death really by asking, but it was time and the free pumpkins gave me a perfect opportunity. I laughed and said, "Beware of bearers of good gifts"!.

He not only offered me that, he told me that they were having a Day of Dead Art Day and that I could bring anything I could get made by October.

AND, AND- that I could have a wall in November for my other art- watercolors!!! My name will be on the postcards they send out in October and in November to 100s of customers. Their events are always well attended because there is delicious food involved.



Art I did for my daughter but hope to try again.



I had to let you know. So many of you have commented on almost everyone of my girls and I just wanted you to know if you have a secret wish- put it out there, write it down and then get to work!! SOMEONE out there is listening and wants your dreams to come true. After all, HE plants those dreams in our hearts, gives us the desire, passion and the motivation to accomplish them.

I also mailed off my first sale on one of my FINE ART prints!

I'm just letting myself soak up this sunshine.

Know Thy Purpose and Be willing to Work your Pa-tu-Tey off!

No. 15 She Speaks For Herself

   It was a good thing we got away for a day because since then we have been working our pa-tu-tees off. This time of year we still have hay to bale and now, we have fields to prepare for planting, and then the actual planting, plus we sell seed to other farmers. Super busy time. I am chief PLANTER because I like it so much and because I sleep with the boss. I use the new tractor with the GPS (the tractor drives itself- no kidding)and even though it's slow and monotonous for most, for me - it's heaven because I can listen to a book all day and daydream about painting while I work and planting makes big bucks for the farm. Art supplies don't grow on trees and neither do trips to Italy!!
   I had this painting in mind where I could make a hoodie and build the texture up and use some of my doodles and bright orange and anyway.. today I got to bring her to life. I wish you could see the original - I think all the textures and colors are scrumptious.

AND GUESS WHAT's IN THis BOX???

MY FIRST PRINTS!! real prints photographed by a professional photographer and printed on archival paper with archival inks!!!

Kelly Rae Roberts also did me (I'm sure not just me) a huge favor and put her e-book on sale for 24 hours and I grabbed it up and have been devouring the generous information she shares about how to go about this whole confusing art business.

This is not an easy course to navigate. People invest big bucks and lots of years to learn these things in art school and I'm learning that I have to earn my way into this world and do the work if I'm going to be a success (in my 70s! remember).

Even though I love learning new things- I do get whiny about the HARD work of it sometimes. I WANT TO GO TO MY GRAVE and not be a lazy thinker and letting everyone else do my thinking for me. But I get that it gets harder. And we give up our power slowly but surely if we don't fight like CRAZY WARRIOR WOMEN to be strong and brave, and forever learners. If you're in your 50s or beyond, can I hear an AMEN?

Joy, Hope, A Little Wonder and a Lot of Magic

Photo by Carolyn Graham

It's no surprise to my regular followers that I'm crazy about my Sweet Farmer and that we got a new Harley around the first of the Spring this year.

We finished our 5th cutting of hay, and had a day to escape and that's just what we did. Lucky for us to run into our favorite photographer!

I feel like I'm on a magic carpet ride when I'm snuggled on the back of my Sweet Farmer gliding down the rode in the open air.

You can smell things, see things and feel things that's just not possible in a closed vehicle.

I know it's more dangerous, but even that aspect makes you feel more alive and more attentive to the moment and to everything that's happening around you.

AND it makes you really hungry, thirsty and sleepy! Too bad it doesn't make you skinny!

So far, most of the time, we head down the same road, up the mountain to Ruidoso, New Mexico. I whispered in Sweet Farmer's ear this time "the road we always choose seems like married sex - familiar, but exciting every time we go there".

Maybe that's more information than you wanted. I suppose I'm gloating about my extreme happiness. But in this day and age- you need to know there are really happy couples, happy people out there. I know there was a long, sad period in my life that I really wanted and needed to believe that.

I don't just want it for myself, I want it for the whole world - a love and a life that brings you joy, hope, wonder and magic! No matter what your circumstances are - chase those things down like they're the last bus for the night!

No 14. She Speaks For Herself

Fall feelings on the Farm.

You might be tired of seeing portraits and drawings over here although you have been such great friends to stay with me through my commitment of making 20. I have a good drawing in the works, (no. 14) so I hope to show it soon. In the meantime, I wanted to show you what Fall is looking like on Krantz Farms.
We are already having some cool fronts come through and AND we have a big, glorious pumpkin patch right outside my front windows so FALL is right here in my face already!
They are cutting our field corn down as I type. And we have had many, many friends come and pick their share of sweet corn. ( Sweet Farmer and I put up 50 freezer quart bags!).
I wish, wish you were here to pick yourself some pumpkins for your own front porch.

Sweet Farmer plants plenty for all our friends and even groups, like next week a team of physically challenged people will come and pick their own pumpkin and some small children from a Sunday school group are coming out too! That's the best part about living on a farm and sharing what we grow and nurture until it's ripe and ready for harvest.

my favorite candle stiks

I'm glad you stopped by to visit. I can't wait to see what you will do with your front porch for Fall.

I needed a friend today.

No. 13 of series: She Speaks For Herself

I was glad to get this one done. I wanted to draw a zebra but I am committed to 20 of these faces so I just combined my ambitions today.
She came so far short of what I envisioned. I can't blend like I would like with these acrylics and it is very frustrating. (I softened her edges with Picnik).
I'm trying to learn Photo Elements on my own and that is very frustrating.
I had to re-rake the hay that I raked yesterday (so much humidity that it won't dry) in my John Deere with some other farm help that I had to watch screw up time after time- and that was very frustrating.
My laser printer quit for lack of a yellow toner, and I can't buy it anywhere in this town- so I have to wait on it to come by UPS and today was bill paying day! I'm not going to use the word FRUSTRATING again....
I've had very little patience with myself . I think I need to go to bed and get some rest and be thankful that that is all I have to be anxious about today.
At least, I could comfort my alter-ego with a sweet zebra.