Myriad Gardens Orchids

I tried this same Orchid reference in pastel on black paper a few weeks ago this is Colored Pencil and black marker on Strathmore velum bristol - 8 x 10" I like this better - but it took a lot more time to get it to where I liked it -

La Partida

I am not a musician and never will be but, I just love to play my hammered dulcimer - it makes me happy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4_nefYvlRc (click this link or on the link below to hear me play this)

 -this is called La Partida I learned it several years ago at a dulcimer festival from Rick Thum there are lots of mistakes and unevenness in this but I love this piece - so up it goes -

I'm also practicing one called The Meeting House - It's my sister Jan's favorite piece and I always played it for her when we vacationed together over the fourth of July in the North Woods of Michigan's Upper Peninsula- aka UP NORTH - this is the second year - we won't be there - or maybe the third - I miss her and our vacations with family and friends - so watch for "The Meeting House " coming soon to a blog near you!

This month my blog is one year old - I've posted 95 times and have done a lot more art work than I would have made without the blog - I think my focus has changed and I'm going to use the blog as a sort of record - to me, for me - of the things that I am doing to support my need to be creative - but I'm trying to not spend so much time on the internet because like TV it is very easy to end up just watching and not doing - and the last thing I want to do is watch others live their lives and not have time to live my own - One of the bloggers I know calls her blog "Progress - Not Perfection" - I like that - and I believe I am learning to give up the idea that I need to be perfect or even especially good at anything before I do it or post it - It is about the journey the enjoyment, the lessons learned and the time spent being very much in the moment .

Different strokes from Different Folks Summer Vegetables

Another challenge from Karin Jurick at Different strokes from Different Folks Summer Vegetables -

I'm not sure why I did an abstract version I generally don't like abstracts--

in fact I generally dislike abstracts

but when I first saw this image I thought there would be LOTS of abstract versions

I'm surprised that there are not.

I started a realistic image and kept thinking it should be an abstract so here it is

"three tomatoes two onions and a bunch of corn on a plate"

crayon & colored pencil on vellum bristol approx 10" x 7"

Orchid

My niece Heath graduated from Medical School she is now officially a Dr. ! Congratulations Heath! We went to Oklahoma City for the Graduation - I had never been there before - What a nice city! no traffic and a great botanical garden / conservatory -it was called Myriad Gardens I took lots of pictures this orchid is based on one of my photos - working on whites and keeping it loose- 8 x 10 " pastel on black paper - very tough keeping the background black-