Oh goodness, I wish I had something wise and uplifting to say, but the truth is I am feeling under the weather, my back hurts, and I really am better with pictures than I am with words, so for today I shall leave you with this page in my sketch journal.
Happy Memorial Day! Especially if you are a veteran or related to one!
Isn't Memorial Day the start of BBQ season? I don't smell anything burning..
Well, anyhow. Yesterday I was very tired and lazy and did not do much. But I did finish this painting:
In The Depths of the Forest
8 x 10 inches
watercolor and ink on paper
available on Etsy.
Yesterday was gorgeous! I spent some time indoors sewing, and some time outdoors drawing and reading! I finished this sketch journal page. That thing in the upper left corner is a sea urchin though I am not sure it looks like one without advanced knowledge of sea urchins, which i love, by he way. I recently made a treasury list on Etsy of Sea Urchins.
I really hope the sun comes out today. I am not sure what I will do today. I am so tired. I am working on a painting of fish swimming through trees, maybe I will work on that. I probably should not wait until noon to have breakfast, I don't think it helps with the energy levels!
I had a really good day yesterday. I went out to Vashon Island to see a girlfriend. We puttered about town a bit, and then we went to Valise Gallery to see the current show, "The Elephant in the Room, the Snake in the Suitcase… or… What is Censorship?" We both have a piece in the show. I should have told you sooner! But it's up a few more days, till the end of the month, so if you find yourself on Vashon you should go check it out!
This painting is:
Fossil Flowers
5 x 7"
2010
on Etsy
I had such a good day yesterday that I felt spoiled. I met up with a former coworker for tea, we sat in the park and soaked up some sun. I am starting to be able to detach myself emotionally from my old job. I knew it would take a while because I was there so long but I am glad to see I am making some progress. And I am glad to be able to keep in touch with a few people there who I am quite fond of.
Then I went out to dinner with 2 of my oldest friends and a dear new friend. It is just so good to see people who have known you forever and still like you! A good time was had by all, and next time we go out Peter's wife and kids will also be there so that will be even better.
Today I'm off to Vashon Island!
In the meantime, enjoy this painting:
Blue Deer
5 x 7"
watercolor and ink on paper
on Etsy
After taking a little break from watercolor (in pursuit of: a job, reading, and pen and ink) It felt very good to get back to it with this piece. It's only 5 x 7" but i included a lot of detail thanks to my trusty size 1 round brush. I love all these colors I've used, from the Daniel Smith Quinacridone set.
I've had a quiet weekend. I had dinner with my family on Sunday -- including my step sister who I rarely see. That was nice. Yesterday I went on a long walk and discovered 2 tiny parks I did not know about with amazing views of Salmon Bay. It is so nice to sit and look at the water, hear the waves lap the shore, the seagulls cry and the song birds in the trees chirping away. You can easily forget you are actually in a city.
This painting is on etsy
I wanted to share some awesome beadwork by another artist. This is by Andrea Stern. I just love her work! Andrea collected the beads that she used in this necklace for years. It's a real treasure!
Yesterday I went on a 3 mile walk, along the ship canal, along the Shilshole marina, and down to Golden Gardens Beach. There was a race on so there were lots of sailboats out. Also since it was the warmest day in Seattle in 6 months there were lots of people on the beach. (Really, people, is 70* bikini weather? not in my book!) Then I walked up the stairs that lead up to 32nd street. I was too tired to count but the internet assures me there are 258 steps and my legs agree! Today will be a lazy day in.
This is another page in my sketch journal, a variation on the theme of the previous page.
another page in my sketch journal. It is 10 x 7". Hm, people are hard to draw. This might be something that worked better in my mind than it did on paper - but if one is going to every blaze new art territory, one must try things that may not succeed as well as one hopes. actually some of them might not succeed at all. one must be willing to make bad art to every be able to make good art.
it was another gorgeous day yesterday. i sat in the sun and read and drew. today, however, i need to try to instill some order into the rat's nest of fabric, beads, yarn, pens, and brushes that is my abode. send help if you don't hear from me soon! maybe lassie.
this is another page from my sketch journal, again using pitt pens in S and B.
Note to self: do not think after dark, there's no profit to it.
Well! that was a crappy night's sleep! but now it is daylight, or as I like to call it, art making time. My bedside lamp recently expired, to my great sadness as it was an antique. Actually it broke in 3 different ways and only 2 of them are fixable. So I decided it was time to buy an OTT lamp. Not the OTT lamp of my dreams, that one was more than I wanted to spend right now, so I got the basic floor lamp. (Sort of wanted the one w/ the magnifier but it was quite a bit more. Anyway I am excited about it since this will make sketching in bed easier and more enjoyable. I assume everyone sketches in bed? Well and I also read and sometimes distribute toast crumbs.
This is another art journal page, once again using my favorite Pitt Pens. I mostly use size S and B. Here I used sanguine and Black. And I think a little Burnt Sienna.
These are two necklaces I made for myself. The one on the left features a semi-precious stone -- jasper I think, but don't quote me on that because I may be wrong. Of course I could just call it agate, which is a good guess if you don't know what something is. The bird charm on the left is from Earthenwood Studio, which is one of my favorite places to get special beads and charms to use as focal points.
The necklace on the right features a vintage finding that I got from Fusion Beads. I made these 2 necklaces for myself.
I went out and got some sun (I had on sunblock). It's amazing to have some good weather after what felt like an extra long and rainy winter. Time to break out my summer hats!
I've been laid up with a cold for a couple days. It's nice out today so I am going to try to venture out into the world. Also it's Norwegian Independence Day, which means a big festival in my neighborhood. I can't decide if I feel well enough to partake or if I want to avoid it. I'll probably end up avoiding it...
This is my latest watercolor:
Russet Bowery
9 x 12 inches
on etsy.
this is a new page in my sketch journal. i used several colors of pitt pens in size "s" and "b". i don't have any tattoos myself but i sort of like this idea.
goodness, what a crazy busy weekend for me. i left the house twice yesterday, which is just about insane i guess. jesse and i went out to breakfast, watched some dr. who, and he helped me w/ my computer. later i got together with 3 people i worked with .. uh, i guess at least 12 years ago. that was rather surreal!
so today i am planning on a quiet day, maybe painting, maybe reading, we'll see.
i've listed 3 new necklaces on etsy this morning.
I have been taking some of my hoarded treasures out of their nests and working them up into jewelry, some for myself, and some i will be adding to my etsy shop soon. i wear necklaces just about every day, more than other jewelry. i did end up using a lot of autumn colors here, my favorites. i suppose i should do more a variety but, see, i still had autumn colors left! i guess in the end it is good to follow your heart even if it is not well-rounded.
Red Haired Maiden
4 x 7 inches
watercolor and ink on paper,
2003
available on etsy.
I've been holed up inside today, avoiding the rain and watching Jonathan Creek. If you've never seen that, it is a rather charming British mystery series. The main character, Jonathan Creek, is a sort of antisocial genius who lives in a windmill when he isn't designing illusions for a flashy magician's stage show. I've only got one more dvd left, alas.
I've listed 2 paintings from 2003 on etsy. I think I must have been listening to a lot of Tori Amos in those days.
Red Tree
8 x 10 inches
watercolor on paper
available on etsy.
I spent the morning finishing this painting and then I headed downtown for an interview with a head hunter who had contacted me. I am afraid it was a little discouraging due to what I am told is my "odd background". So I felt a little blue after that. I came back to Ballard, picked up some groceries and an iced tea, and sat in the park reading for a while. Then I came home to put my groceries away and have continued reading. I am reading Isabel Allende's first autobiography, Paula. It's a beautiful book and I think this is the 3rd time I have read it.
Today seemed a bit quiet and wrapped in solitude.
8 x 10 inches
watercolor and ink on paper
on Etsy.
This is my latest painting! I was quite happy with how it came out. Most of the colors are from Daniel Smith's Quinacridone Set. A bright and cheerful painting was a good thing to work on, on a gloomy Seattle day.
I think to exist in Seattle in Spring you have to be of sturdy stock. Because for every one gorgeous day there is a week of gloom. Well, today is one of the gloomy days!
I took advantage of yesterday though to head over to the bead store in Fremont, and to get a gluten free cinnamon roll at the Flying Apron. It certainly was a beautiful day to be out. Today I am probably going to hole up, continue my job search, and maybe read a bit. I am having problems with my left shoulder which do not preclude painting and drawing - thank goodness i am right handed - but do, i think, preclude any knitting. I sometimes get a pinched nerve in that shoulder and it takes a long time to mend up.
I finished rereading The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende am working on The Grand Tour by by Caroline Stevermer and Patricia C. Wrede. Also in my pile are 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and The Mislaid Magician by by Caroline Stevermer and Patricia C. Wrede.
My mind seems to be going 2 directions at once but that's not so unusual...
the moon face is from Rama, a wonderful bead company that does not exist any more. I've been hoarding all the Rama beads I still have, but decided it was time to start using them. I made this necklace for myself. But there is another new one on Etsy.
We had a beautiful day in Seattle for May Day. I took advantage of the good weather and walked down to the Fremont Sunday Market. The one in my neighborhood is more of a farmer's market, and the one in Fremont is more of a craft / flea / random thing market. I lived in Fremont for 6 years so I always feel at home there. It was a 5 mile round trip, though, and I was pretty tired afterwards!
Yesterday I went out to Vashon Island, where I grew up. I got pretty drenched getting there but the weather cleared up for my ferry ride home. It's so quiet and peaceful on Vashon. I had a good day. Though today I am tired and may actually take a little nap now...
Happy May Day!
I have many fond memories of picking flowers with my sister on May Day to give to neighbors and family. This was when we lived on a farm on Vashon Island. There was always a wide assortment of flowers in our yard and garden and wild flowers growing nearby.
Yesterday I took advantage of the good weather to go on a 6-park trek. It was about 4 miles according to google maps. One of the parks I went to is a park I had not been to in years - Sunset Hill Park, but it has the most sublime view of Puget Sound and the Olympic mountains in the distance.
Today I am thinking of going to the Sunday Market in the next neighborhood over , as a change from going to the market in my own little neighborhood!
