Passionfruit Tea Watercolor

Passionfruit Tea, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

This is a painting from a new series --Tea Steam Dreams -- I am working on, inspired by tea! I'd like to find a teashop to show them at. Actually I will be showing some paintings at Miro in Ballard in October, but I'd like to find something else before then as well. This painting is:
Passionfruit Tea
5 x 7"
available on Etsy.

I am feeling a fair bit better. I had another doctor's appointment yesterday. I don't think I have left the house other than trips to doctor and pharmacy in I don't know how many weeks but hoping to change that today or tomorrow.

I like to listen to audio books while I knit and paint. Right now I am listening to Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress. It's very interesting. It's about a future where genetic enhancements are common and one of the enhancements is sleeplessness. But it leads to class warfare between the sleepers and the sleepless. I like books that make you think a little. It sort or reminds me of some of Kate Wilhelm's science fiction.

Dragon Mural + Tea Paintings

dragon mural, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

In honor of the year of the dragon, This is a photo I took in SF in 2008. It was someplace in Chinatown. I have only been to SF once but my favorite parts that I saw were Chinatown and the Mission District. There was so much to see that I hope to go back one of these days.

This weekend I have been working on a new little series of tea themed paintings. I'd like to find some tea houses to show them in. I do have one scheduled for October, but that's a ways away. These paintings are 5 x 7" so would be easy to ship even framed. If you know of any place that might welcome a show of Tea themed art, let me know! And we'll see - maybe I will have one as the February give-away.

I have been feeling quite under the weather but yesterday was nice. My friends Janusz and Alex came over and brought me gluten free bread and pho. I have barely left the house other than the pharmacy and doctor's appointments and had not actually done anything social in weeks so it was nice to have some company.

Today I've painted some, knitted a bit, and then when I felt anxious and needed something to do with my hands I wound two 440 yard skeins of yarn into balls. I don't have a swift or a ball winder, I just do it the old fashioned way, which depending on how you look at it is either inefficient or meditative.

I think it will soon be reading in bed time. I know the excitement in my life is nearly breathtaking.

Soul Mate Dolls / Orange and Purple

dollbook10, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I am at the moment particularly enjoying purple and orange together, also hot pink, magenta, or fuchsia and orange together.

In the early days of my beading, when i was just out of my teens, I did a lot of monochromatic bead embroidery. It was very pretty and subtle and I still do like using white and ivory together.

In the mid 90s, when i started working for Dale Chihuly, taking care of and tracking his artwork, I was surrounded by amazing color every day. You can't see that sort of thing every day for 15 years and walk away untouched. The basic aesthetic of my work has not changed but somewhere along the line my use of color did. I am now quite comfortable using unexpected color combinations and contrasting colors together.

I can't remember exactly when I created this doll - I'd have to go back and find my notes - but it must have been late 90s to early 2000s. If you look closely you can see the dolls represent Yin and Yang and the colors flow from one doll to the next. Both dolls can be removed from their velvet lined box and are beaded on the top and the bottom.

And I am also working on some watercolors now that feature orange and purple together which is what made me think of this doll.

Soul Mates
4" diameter
beads, charms, Ultrasuede, paper mache craft box, acrylic paints, and velvet

Visit Dale Chihuly's website!.

Another Dragon

063007art1, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

Here we have another dragon that I painted a few years ago. It is 6.5 x 3.5 inches, watercolor and ink. I think for this one I did the ink 1st, then the watercolor -- lately I've been doing it the other way around. Also this must not be the same paper I am using now. This is probably some relatively inexpensive paper, maybe some Strathmore 140 lb. The Arches really drinks in the pigment, allowing for more intense colors.

I am feeling a bit better than I have in a week actually. The medication I added is helping. I do still feel completely wrung out and exhausted, though. I tried to tidy up a bit but you can barely tell. And I sent out some resumes. I think it is time for a nap now.

A friend sent me this link. I am not one for posting LOLcats every second or anything like that, but this cheers me up: Dormouse napping.

True Blue Valentine

True Blue, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I've listed a couple of small Valentine paintings in my Etsy Shop. I think they would make nice gifts, and of course sometimes you need to buy yourself a gift.

I went to the doctor today and was given a new RX and told to increase the dose of another RX I already have, and told what guidelines to use to decide if I need to go to the ER this weekend so I guess I am set. And I do feel slightly better. I've not done anything social in over 2 weeks between snow and feeling so poorly. Doesn't January just seem to last forever sometimes?

Happy Chinese New Year, Teen Prismacolors

dragonprisma, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

Ok. I am a little late. This is an example of the sort of artwork I did in my teen years. Between the ages of 16 and 19 (or so) I drew just about every day, going through a steady supply of Prismacolor pencils.

Speaking of Prismacolor Pencils, would any of you be interested in my re-presenting a Prismacolor tutorial that I wrote a number of years ago? I could do that if there is interest.

Happy Year of the Dragon!
I still feel awful but am off to the doctor in a few minutes.

Palace of Dreams

Palace of Dreams, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I have been taking my minaret series into more of a fairy tale land. Actually, I may end up assigning these newest works to a new series, once I figure out where I am going with it. The onion domes and minarets are still present, but as for the rest it's gone into a more fantastical land.

Speaking of which, I could swear that when I was growing up I read a fairy tale about a castle build of ice cream. Does this sound familiar to anyone? I'd love to know if this is a real story or just something I dreamed up.

Still not feeling well but I am going to the doctor tomorrow. Actually I think I will make another doctor's appoint as well, I probably need to see both of them.

I am going to take it easy today but If I feel well enough I will finish 2 little watercolors I am working on. Art keeps me going somehow.

Palace of Dreams
8 x 10 inches
Watercolor and ink on paper.
Available on Etsy.