A trip down Grateful Avenue.

This is my grandson, Cash, helping me celebrate St. Patrick day. We go to Target and borrow their hats to take our pictures. It seemed like a leprechaunish thing to do.

I draw almost every day now. I have a joined a site called "Drawing Tutorials On-Line" and have found it to be an endless source for learning and exploring. It also has running videos of poses of dressed and nude models for a pseudo life drawing experience and practice. I highly recommend -worth every cent.

Also, Pauline Agnew, an energetic Irish artist, over at Seedbed Studio is still encouraging me even after taking her class and is a constant source of good suggestions for great art books - (check out: "Drawing and Painting People). Her second class produced amazing art and we were invited to that event on-line. Check her out. She goes above and beyond as a teacher and gives honest and helpful critique of your work to help you move forward.

 

It's so amazing to me that a girl on a farm in rural New Mexico has access to so many amazing options that continually keep me inspired and pushing further.

You would think that Someone GOOD is looking after me and encouraging my art.

i want to make Him proud.

 I'M so G R A T E F U L

for the opportunity to do art, see art, be with artists.

Speaking of inspired- I took another art day through our museum and they were featuring New Mexican style design and art. Check out these lovelies.

Kim Wiggins - local Roswell, NM artist.

 

 

IN LOVE ...just in time

So much is happening over here! It's hard to stop and take the time to document the adventure and the PASSION I'm feeling about my art, about my life.

It waned for a while, quite a long scary while. It's hard to write when my soul is dry (sorry). The creative mind seems to take its own vacations. I still try to draw and paint through the hiatus, because it's much like the pounds I gain when I quit working out.

I lose ground if I quit the work.

I make myself draw and seek out inspiration from on-line classes. And remember.....it always comes back to me. Better.

 

It shouldn't make a difference, but it is SO VALIDATING when your art sells and my daughter sold SIX, YES SIX canvas giclee prints of the sheep painting (see last post) and sold the one above! (see me happy dance!)  I did manage to sell an 8X10 print of this one (on my own, mind ya)

 

It is so much easier, for me at least, for someone else to sell my art. Self-promotion is a tough sell for me.

She tells me to just hush and paint and she will keep them from being under my bed or replacing another painting on my wall. I LOVE IT!! I am taking the kid to Paris in September - if she keeps this up, she'll be paying her way in art sales!

I've fallen in love with charcoal and golden gesso. I've fallen in love with messy, and grungie, and scratches and hatches, and shapes and lines, and shadow and light.

Oh, it feels so good to be in love with my art again. It really feels fresh, raw and exciting like the first time- but a deeper, richer passion like what happens with Sweet Farmer and I over and over again. well maybe not just like it.. but you know what i mean..

REally, it's also like a new plane to stand on after a tough climb. REFRESHING.

I n v i g o r a t i n g.

I hope you are in love with someone, something - that makes your heart beat faster today. If not keep climbing, keep working, keep seeking- it's just up ahead... right around the corner.

30 X40 Canvas with Acrylic "Stay Curious" (prints available upon request)

 

You get your intuition back when you make space for it, when you stop the chattering of the rational mind. The rational mind doesn’t nourish you. You assume that it gives you the truth, because the rational mind is the golden calf that this culture worships, but this is not true. Rationality squeezes out much that is rich and juicy and fascinating.” -Anne Lamott