Clean Studio

This may not happen again for quite some time - but I got my studio in order - It does not look this neat today as I played in it yesterday ---and so it is now lived in - this is my favorite room in the house -

I had wanted to paint the walls and ceilings when we moved here but it was one of the better rooms in the house and now it has been close to three years and there are still MANY projects ahead of this one - we might even get to do the kitchen this winter !!! Yahoo!!!!! my kitchen is vintage 1970 it can use a lot of updating - at this rate maybe in 3 or 4 years I will get my studio painted, replace the old patio doors and get rid of the carpet which has some pastel dust stains - but I still like this room - it is my first room totally devoted to art and music -no computer -no TV -no guest bed (but it has been slept in a couple of time using blow up bed)

balancing my life

Little 4x6 pastel on a scrap of velour mat board - my studio is a wreck - I got sidetracked while organizing and worked on this instead - I need to finish organizing it so I can work in it - after all it is the most important room in the house!
It is so hard to find a balance - when you have four hours per week day and 16 hours each Saturday and Sunday to do all the things you want to do - but as I write 52 hours seems like a lot of time -

9 hours blogastinating & other computer related stuff

8 hours doing art

6 hours house work + laundry

6 hours TV

6 hours reading

4 hours playing hammered dulcimer

4 hours shopping

9 hours for everything else-

time with Gunnar- visiting with the neighbors- talking on the phone- daydreaming-going out to eat- motorcycle riding - etc.

Well after thinking about it I guess I don't waste as much time as I thought I think this is a realistic list (except maybe I spend less time on house work) I get a huge amount of enjoyment blogging and visiting blogs so to me it is not wasted time -

A work in progess - it's all about ME!

I'm working on this little sketch of Arena her left eye is wrong & I'm not sure what about it is off or how to fix it-

but mostly the work in progress is ME -

I am working and learning at many levels. Here are some things I've learned so far -

Making Art is Hard Work

I like to work horizontally

I want to use sketchier looser lines-

Artistic styles and subject matter I admire are not necessarily styles or subject matter I like to use

I like working on landscapes and portraits of things and/or people

I don't enjoy doing still life arrangements or abstractions
I am easily distracted and like to try new things

I like to work in pastel and colored pencil

I want to take more workshops

I want to learn to use water colors

I'm not interested in selling my art work

I am interested in and enjoy the creative process

I love to buy art supplies and art books

Blogging is time consuming

I learn a lot when I try new things

I love interacting with artist's and creative people on line

I need to practice sketching people more

I don't want to make a cool journal

I do want to make good sketches

I am glad I joined everyday matters

I am still searching for my style

I need to improve my drawing skills

I want to be more aware of composition in my larger pieces

I need to get off the computer and clean house or make art!

post card swap

Post cards for the swap - I am working on learning to use watercolors for sketches - I like how fast they are but you do need to practice techniques - and learn some control - I meant to get this to the post office today but I was blogastinating and so they will be mailed on Monday -

Dusty the Hen (originally posted as "Liz's Rooster or maybe its a Chicken)

I can't find the original link to this critter that I used as a reference but here is the blog where it came from- I did it a couple of weeks ago 3x5 watercolor in accordian fold sketch book --I didn't like it at first but now I do and oh well it is what it is (making chicken sounds for myself as I type .. bawk bwahck bwa bwa bawk)

I love the Sunrise

This was a hazy morning with a mist over the lake sometime in the last week of October

This Sunrise was taken on Thursday November 6th as our ship came back to Galveston and our cruise came to an end.

Getting ready for work in the fall this is my morning view of the lake and the sunrise - Here is another new day-

I am happy every day because I get to see this beautiful view - I have to remember how fortunate I am to be living in this time and this place-

I love the sunrise at this time of year because the sunrises in the sky where it is not hidden behind the mountain and I can see it and take pictures of it - Sometimes I take pictures every day of the week it is just so beautiful - Last year the best sunrise was on my sisters birthday - January 11th here is what I saw that morning -