dream time swirls + thoughts on paper

dream time swirls
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

thank goodness i am starting to feel more myself. and we have some lovely fall weather - for a few days anyway - a prelude to a deluge i believe. last night i came home and curled up with a cup of cocoa and worked on some drawings. this particular little painting is from last week, but i wanted to share it with you. i love using orange / fuchsia and purple together. i am using a different paper this week and i love it -ARCHES Watercolor Paper Pack, Natural White, 140lb, Hot Press. I thought I had used this exact paper before but maybe not, or maybe the blocks are a bit different than the sheets.. or maybe I was using Cold Press before, I don't know but I love this paper. It's sort of like painting on velvet - well, not REALLY like painting on velvet, not like dogs playing poker on velvet, or Elvis on velvet, but it's very velvety and lush
anyhow, the painting shown here, Dream Time Swirls, which is on some Strathmore watercolor paper, is also available on

herb woman

herb woman 1
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

I have not been feeling very well so have been quiet. I am hoping to go back to work today for part of the day and then I have a doctor's appointment, and a couple more doctor's appointments next week. Hopefully I will be feeling more myself soon.

I hope you like this drawing, It's on Etsy too. I used pitt pens, the "s" size and the brush pens. the drawing is 5 x 7"

welcome, autumn

11606ac2
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus

owl fairy

fairy
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

this is another one of my pins i made using a ceramic face from earthenwood studio. i am working on some more! i hope the headache that is fighting me will settle down so i can get some good beading and painting time in tonight. i finished the audio book i was listening to, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. I've read the book but it had been a while - such an amazing book. I am not sure what to listen to next. I checked and the selection of audio books available by Isabel Allende and Gabriel Garcia Marquez is pretty slim. I sort of feel like magical realism - but I am open to other suggestions if you have any!

Palissy Platter

Palissy Platter
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i have been doing some research on Palissy Ware. This is a form of ceramic done in a style popularized in the 17th century, though it had a revivial in the 19th century, and many intact examples are from that period.

The originator of the style was Bernard Palissy, who was born in the 1500s. Palissy Ware is used to descrive other works in this style though, some by other known artists and some anonymously done.


To create these work very realistic life sized molds were made of animals - mostly sea creatures but also reptiles and frogs and things- and they were glazed to be very life-like. they are kind of creepy and kind of cool. very high relief so i can't imagine they would have been used as actual serving ware, but more as decoration. i imagine a lot of people have never heard of this type of ceramic so I thought I would share.

image from www.wga.hu/index.html

Just BE if I can remember how.

beaded button
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i feel like i could use a recharge. i am not sure what one does anymore when one needs one of those. i am not sure our culture is set up to accommodate that or even recognize the need or reality. it came up in a meeting at work but that got me thinking about it more, as i have often lately. how hard it is to "unplug" - how unexpected it seems that anyone would want to, etc. i mean there are people who purposely take vacations in places with no cell coverage because 1) it's the only way their employers will leave them in peace and/or 2) it's the only way they themselves can disengage.

i suppose there was a time when having a quiet moment might mean taking a walk on your lunch break or sitting quietly listening to a record or something. well those days are long gone and now, while on your walk, you probably are surfing the web on your "phone" while listening to your mp3 player, maybe taking a few calls and sending out some texts, then updating your status on facebook and tweeting what you had for breakfast.

where is the unplugging in that?
and it's hard anyway because it seems that connection is addictive. maybe it's addictive because it's ultimately not usually fulfilling. i mean it does not really satisfy a longing for companionship does it - there are exceptions. i do have some friends on line who i email regularly much in the way they i used to send letters. but honestly does playing farmville feed your SOUL?

so that is the problem, or part of it, what's the solution? that's a lot harder to come up with. i have to think about that. and right now i am trying to decide what is calling me this evening - beading or painting? i hope to do some art, maybe listen to an audio book (because i find that more relaxing and rewarding that most tv) and just BE. if i can remember how.

new necklaces

new necklaces
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i am awake in the wee small hours and i am sure i am going to regret this later. however i decided to be productive, rather than just lying in bed fretting about the things i need to do. so i did the dishes, paid bills, and listed 2 new necklaces on etsy. this one is my favorite - so far! i love blue and brown together, and this necklace is almost like 2 in one, two parts each with a distinct voice. Hm, I am a twin - could there be a connection there? what i just said might only make sense at 5:50 AM. Anyhow, I was under the weather for a few days but am trying to get back into the art-swing-of-things.