Where did February go?

I haven't forgotten my goal of posting art at least once a week, just haven't felt like drawing or painting. I did one watercolor in February and I've been faithfully copying the Scavenger Hunt list but still lacked motivation. I found myself at Michaels wandering around before today's dental appointment. It wasn't like I was spending real money, I've been carrying a return card/store credit for months...jumped on the sale of Canson paper 6 pads for $10. It's not great stuff but it's good enough for sketching. Now I must use it all up!

Vacation was a bust

All hopes for plein air dashed. My hands were tied all week, rather my feet were shackled. Mom wouldn't let me take the car to go hunting for a spot to paint (I don't understand her) and I couldn't lug all the stuff to the beach or to the hiking trail (a mile just to get there, I walked it with my camera) and still have energy to paint. Never got to play tennis, nobody to play with. I did get to an REI store to look for a portable, hand crank coffee grinder--they didn't have in stock. I did find a coffee shop within walking distance. I bought fresh roasted beans, but I still don't have a grinder. I might have to resort to my food chopper. I wanted a medium roasted blend. I expect the beans will be over roasted, I can smell it...even thru the cold that I caught.

A is for apple

A is for acrylic inks, too. The rubber was stuck on the bottles because it's been months since I opened them. 22 pages left in the 4x6 inch aquabee, I think I'll concentrate on this sketchbook for a while.

Eco-friendly drink cup

A page out of my Fabriano Artist's Journal. I've restarted it (again) for the Watermedia's art journal thread. It doesn't lay flat on the scanner though but I love the paper.

I got this cold drink tumbler that looks like the clear drink cups from the coffee houses. First chance I've had to use it. I also got a hot drink tumbler that looks like a white coffee cup. Cool little novelties for fun.

My latest passion

Oil pastel & acrylic in the 9x12 inch sketchbook.

Coffee from MOKA pots. It's not an addiction, not an obsession, a PASSION. I write this word more for my memory because I've been thinking about the right description.


I've had times in my life where I had no passion for anything. Unless it affected me or my life directly, I was pretty apathetic about everything. I understand this now, and only lately I understand why. But I was always searching for something to interest me, something to fire me up. I was never one of those fickle girlies who had a new boy crush or celebrity crush every week. I've always listened more to my head than my heart, so it's been a lifelong process to give myself permission to let my heart soar if it wants to.

Toasted

Toasted in 2010 with a bottle of champagne. Gouache in the 4x6 inch aquabee sketchbook. I see flaws here, they've been fixed. But, hey, it's just a sketch.

First sketch of the year

Watersoluble graphite sketch in the 9x12 inch sketchbook for scavenger hunt. They're male & female reclining baby buddhas.

2010 art goals

I wasn't too sure a couple weeks ago when I stated a couple art goals in the Watermedia forum on Wetcanvas. Hey, it's not 2010 yet! I've refined my goals.

1) Yes, I do want to finish the oil painting of Surfer's point. I got stuck on the sand. Just going to move past it and put in the rest.

2) I still want to finish Mom's acrylic portrait on Mandalay Beach with sunset.

I had stated that I wanted to post art here at least once a week, but more specifically...

3) I want to use up my acrylic paints, they're over 3 years old now. I really want to use them up this year and just keep a limited palette of Golden Opens and a limited palette of regular acrylics TBD. I'm waiting to see the new W&N artist acrylics in a store...supposed to have no shift in color when dry. I don't want slow drying paints, that's why oil paints drive me crazy.

4) I still have my acrylics sketch self-challenge that I started about a year ago.

5) I want to do more visual journal style. I'm afraid though right now (lately) my feelings are angry at a particular person and I don't know how to communicate that visually. Verbally yes, but not visually. I'll use any and all media for this.

I'm going to participate in the Watermedia sketch thread when it gets rolling. All my goals except the first will fit into this, as all my media is water-soluble.

The difficulties I had in Maui has killed my urge to paint natural landscapes. I still want to do plein air but it'll be urban landscapes and interiors then.

GGGGOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!!

From wabbitt

Tangerines, oil pastels in the 9x12 inch sketchbook. This is it! Number 100 of 100 of the oil pastel sketch challenge. It's also one of the scavenger hunt items (fruit) that I sketched between Christmas meals. I just can't get on Wetcanvas to upload my few sketches.

Basket of Goodies

A weak attempt at the finish line. A basket drawn for scavenger hunt in oil pastel, about 7 x 4 inches, the background color added digitally. This would be OP sketch #99 of 100. If I do one more, I'll make one of my 2009 art goals! Got the basket of fudge brownies and golden brownies as a Christmas present from a neighbor.

Scavenger Rose

What is it, like 6 weeks since I posted art? I've been painting, just not posting. I really should finish the OP challenge before the end of the year, only two to go!

The flower was done for scavenger hunt #157, gouache in the 9x12 inch sketchbook. Yea, had to modify the vase a little to get it to fit in the sketchbook.

Halloween

This is how I always spend Halloween, it was a full house this year. Too many kids in my neighborhood, just can't keep up with the candy so I don't even try anymore. This year Border's has free Wi-Fi but nowhere to plug in the computer. Micron pen in the 5.5x8 inch Pentalic journal, double page spread. Crossposted to artsomofo.