NaBloPoMo - Day 25 - Sneak Peek

This is all I'm allowed to show you.

I am pretty much done with the painting that I did for a friend of mine...

My first, hopefully not my only, commission.

It's pretty much done. Just a couple of touch ups

and I'll be ready to put the final coat on it

and give it to my friend.

I am very excited about it.

One of my mentors said it was "the best painting I've done to date..."

Oooh, can't wait for you all to see it...

Soon, very very soon....

NaBloPoMo - Day 20 - A Blank Canvas

There's something magical about a blank canvas...

so much potential.

I've been dabbling in oil painting for a few months now,

(having initially started in watercolor then acrylics),

and a friend of mine from work joked about buying my first painting

which was of one of the valleys in Hawaii:

I just laughed...

After all, it was my very first painting in oil...

I've done a couple more paintings since then for fun:

This one I called "Claudia's Rose Garden" for a friend's mother:

I did this one for my husband who wanted a

"Bird's Eye View" of the area in which we

live... including our home which you can kind of see

on the bottom...

Then, during my deepest grief after the death of my mother,

I started painting as a kind of therapy.

I had been going to an art class held by a local artist

and I took a bunch of my acrylic paintings and redid them

in oils... 

So this became

This...

And this...

Became this....

Soon a friend was opening a new business,

so I painted this for her... she loved it!

"Mad Haddie"

She's a beautician...

The writing on her chest is "meraki"

which describes what happens when you leave a piece of yourself

in your work or art.

Then hubby wanted something hang-gliding themed,

so I created this...

It's him hang gliding just above the Mattole River...

My friend kept commenting about wanting one of my paintings,

and a few months ago he said he wanted to commission a painting...

Just had to have me make him something...

So, now I am faced with a new blank canvas...

I have my photo for inspiration...

I've done a preliminary sketch with 

all of the themes and symbolism I want to include...

and my heart and soul are ready...

meraki

Hope I do a good job!

Promise to share my progress...

TYOFWM - Two Monthaversary

Well, at least I am no longer suicidal....

But I still cry occasionally for no apparent reason.

And, I am often overcome by waves of melancholy...

How can she be gone...?

The world is so different.

And, I have changed too...

DH says it's like I suddenly don't know what to do with myself...

I've had the last two weeks off work.

I initially spent a lot of this off time on the internet...

and, I found this image:

I don't know why I've always equated hummingbirds with my Mom.

I can't say it's her favorite bird.

I don't even know if she had a favorite bird.

But, if I bought her jewelry, or a shirt, it would have a 

hummingbird on it.

As part of my self-imposed grief therapy during this time off,

 I made myself start

sketching and drawing again...

One day, I found myself sketching that second bird in the series...

then, I added a pretty basic background of just 

shapes.

Next thing I knew, I was filling in an ocean and fields

and hills and clouds in the sky...

And this happened:

I stopped for a moment and 

looked in shock at my sketch and realized I had drawn a hummingbird

flying over the area where I live.

And, I realized it felt like my mother's soul as it left this earth;

flying high about everything, free from confines,

light as a bird...

And, it brought me some measure of peace.

So much so, that in the last week, I've been spending

less time on the internet and more time doing creative things:

like painting again...

I took some art work from a painting class in acrylics

and re-painted over them in oils...

This is one of my favorites:

 I first painted it in 2014, and I loved the fall feel it had...

Here it is in oils:

I feel like I brightened it up and gave it some more depth...

It's been a good week.

And, I've even started a new larger painting.

But, we'll keep that one under wraps for a bit...

Right now, I'm just glad to have found a little bit of joy

in the dark and gloomy new world

I've suddenly found myself in...

NaBloPoMo 2018 - Day 25

I had this commission done by a local artist.

It pretty much captures everything I love about my life right now:

we live in a beautiful environment

where you can literally walk on the beach

and may not see another person for hours,

I have 2 great dogs that we've raised and trained

who've brought us such joy,

and I have my wonderful DH with whom

I've shared the last 20 years of my life with.

This painting hangs in our bedroom and reminds me every

night of how blessed I am to have this life right now.

I hope and pray it always does.

#NaBloPoMo18

November Notes, Day 28

I did another painting class...

The beer is for inspiration for this tropical scene which I am painting

in a place far removed from the tropics.

It all begins as a blank canvas covered in red paint,

then a sketch of the dark areas

Then you add in the ocean

Starting to add the wave element

The break point is developing

Add the beach, the trees, some movement in the water

Complete!

November Notes, Day 5

"The Joy of Painting"

I have tonight off of work because I was supposed to go to a painting class.

It was cancelled.

I am very bummed.

I've been doing classes at the local gallery for over a year now.

They only hold them in the winter time, so I always look forward to them.

I think it's releasing that inner artist within me...

Or maybe it's just relaxing painting with a glass of wine...

I enjoyed the classes so much, I bought some art supplies of my own...

And, I have tried to use them from time to time...

Like my quilting fabrics,

Like my beads,

Like my scrapbooking paper...

I think I really just enjoy the creative process,

or I have a little ADD...

Today I was reminded of another inspiration for my creativity...

Bob Ross and the "Joy of Painting."

Did you ever watch this on PBS?

I remember watching this as a kid...

the "Magic Brush"

and "happy little clouds..."

He made it all seem so easy...

and to this day I remember when he

would say the paint colors...

alizarin crimson

and titanium white...

I came across this video and

remembered that joy again...

What's your creative outlet...?

Day 21 - What's Next?

I loved the TV show "The West Wing" for many reasons.

Today, one of them is for the line I posted:

"What's next?"

You see, I'm a person with a short attention span.

I need a little chaos in my life to function properly.

Some of my best studying in medical school

was in the ER.

I don't need white noise; 

I need heavy metal blasting, in your face, 

the walls are falling down around you noise.

And, I feel completely calm in the middle of it.

Going along with this, my DH comments that

I'm not myself unless I have the TV on,

with the computer on my lap, referencing my iPad

and occasionally glancing or texting on my phone,

all at the same time.

Which is probably why I have so many arts and crafts supplies

that I am planning an entire room dedicated to them.

Beading supplies will sit next to

quilting fabric which will be bordered by

scrap book papers and cutouts which will share shelf space with

paints and pencils and books about drawing alongside

sheet music and photography supplies and yarn and

and and...

I'm always looking for the "what's next...?"

and generally have several projects going on at the same time.

Now, for the first time in a while,

I actually have some free time to think about it...

What to do, what to do..?

Day 13 - A Little Dab Will Do Ya....

I've always hated this wallpaper

Watch it slowly disappear...

Voila!  Gone...!

It only took three years...

And the bathroom... gone is the obnoxious wallpaper trim...

Now a pretty peach look...

Don't even get me started on the chandelier in the mother-in-law....

sweet...!!

One Month Down...

How are your New Year's resolutions coming along?

We recently traveled up to Yosemite for a conference,

and while I was there I made several life decisions for myself.

One was to get into better shape...

which I discovered I was sorely lacking after 

trying to make this hike while in Yosemite.

While I did get to see some beautiful vistas,

I know I could have had a much better experience if

I lost some of the extra weight I put on this year

and really got into a better exercise plan.

Then, while sitting and catching my breath

while taking in the amazing scenery, I realized I really

missed writing poetry and doing more creative work

in photography and painting.

I did start going to some art classes put on by a

local artist, and have been having fun paining again.

So one of my other goals is to get my "craft room" finished

and set up, so I can get back to this relaxing part of my life...

Not bad for a first time... n'est pas?

Well, it's a start anyway....

Cheers to following that unknown trail

and seeing what the rest of the year will bring...!

Hopefully, next time without all the

huffing and puffing...