Life Book 2023 (September, October, November) Part 2

Yes, I know I'm a year and a half late, but I finished! I completed every lesson from my Willowing Arts Life Book 2023!

In THIS POST, I wrote: And, I'm determined to finish those other 2023 lessons I never got to. I'm writing it here, so hold me to it! Give me a few weeks, but stay tuned for the last batch of 2023 lessons!

Here they are! The biggest difference that I felt while working on them is that using these different media materials was so hard and frustrating when I started a couple of year ago.  Now, working on these... it was just fun.

I Like... (3/25)

  Thank you to Leeanne of Not Afraid of Color for reminding me to notice things I like. 

I like zucchini bread...
because it's good,
and because I have soooo much zucchini still in my freezer.

I like my new e-reader.
I feel guilty that I'm not loyal to turning the paper pages,
but I do love reading on a Kindle.
 (hover over a word to get the meaning...
reading in bed with no light on... search... choose font size...)
And it gave a good excuse to make a new bag case for it.

I like seeing a great idea on blog-friend's post.  I saw this two days before Valentine's Day at Lining Up My Stitches and knew I had to make one... well... 6 the next day!
Using up scraps! Making something cute! Seeing grandkids happy!
Win! Win! Win!

I like a big bowl of Chex mix.

I like watching the snow from my front porch...
at 9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30

I like turning dabs of paint into something recognizable.

LeeAnne's  get-to-know-you writing topics this month:

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I always wanted to be an elementary teacher.  As you got older, how did it change? Nope. From the time I was about 8, I wanted to teach kids and never waivered from that. I loved being a student. I loved being in the classroom. I loved learning.

In honor of St Patrick's Day, what is your favorite shade of green? Green is my favorite color. I like true greens and bluish greens better than olive greens. Do you have any clothes in that color? Accents for the home like pillows, duvets, etc? I sure do.  My car is green. I have a couple of green chairs. My carpet is green. My dishes have a green border.

What was it like being the oldest/youngest/middle/only child of the family? I'm #5, the youngest.  My siblings are 7,9,11,12 years older than me. My oldest niece is 13 years younger than me.  So, I could sometimes fit in with my siblings, sometimes fit in with my nieces and nephews, and sometimes didn't quite fit in with either. It's all good though.  I wouldn't trade or change my place in the family.

What was growing up in your hometown like? I grew up in a small (population about 5,000) town in the Ouachita Mountains of western Arkansas. [If you watched the based-on-real-events movie American Made with Tom Cruise, that's my hometown... but do not believe half of that movie... and, yeah... the other half is true. And, those events took place while I was in high school.] I loved my hometown and my growing-up years.  I went to school with the same kids from 1st - 12th grade. We lived on a dirt road, road the bus home from school, and got 2 channels on the television.  We all cheered for the Bearcats on Friday nights, had a drive in during the summer, and a theater during the winter.  In elementary school we had bunking parties with friend. In high school we spent time at the Cone n Cue or dragging Main Street. Good times.

The Sound of New Orleans

How do you put sound on canvas?

My WordSpark challenge of the month was "Spectacular." Hmmm... That's a pretty open-ended topic.  What's spectacular? The Northern Lights? The fireworks at Disney World? A rose-colored sunset? A whale breeching from the surface of the ocean? When was the last time I had actually used the word spectacular?

I know exactly when it was.  

It was in November when we were in New Orleans.  We'd taken the trolley up to City Park.  It was the most beautiful park we'd ever walked through.  It was... spectacular. 

The giant trees hung with Spanish moss were spectacular.

The clear blue sky was spectacular.

The reflections in the water were spectacular.

And, there was a guy sitting on a stool playing a saxophone. His music wafted through the entire park.  It was spectacular. 

Original Acrylic Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas

Click The Sound of New Orleans if you'd like to purchase this painting.

Willowing Arts: A Year of Light (February)

 Another month, another batch of lessons.

Seven different teachers from all around the world with their lovely accents and their techniques and skills to share. I completed of the February lessons and am ready for the next round!

Watercolor, pen & ink, acrylics, paint pens, colored pencils, masking fluid, stencils...

I read this (on the internet, so it must be true):

Studies have shown

that people who have a ridiculous amount of art supplies 

live longer than those who point it out.

 

City Park, New Orleans

Is it just a little too pretty?

Sky too clear? Reflections too perfect? Trees too green? Path too clean?

That's because it WAS a little too pretty!

Original Oil Painting on 12"x 16" Wrapped Canvas

Click City Park, New Orleans if you'd like to purchase this painting.

Wise Old Owl

How about that attitude!

I love him... although I don't think he'd give a "hoot" about me...

I posted YESTERDAY that it was my 18th paint-iversary.  Since my first painting done from my own photo (twice) was an owl.  I though I'd honor that by painting another owl (or two).

It's amazing how quickly 18 years goes by. 

It's amazing to think I've done over 700 paintings in that time.

It's amazing that I still have so much to learn!!

It's amazing how a few dabs of color can turn into something worth looking at.

   My whole palette for this owl.    

Thanks Pexels for having great photos available for artists to use as references.

Original Oil Painting on 7"x 9" Canvas Board
Click Wise Old Owl if you'd like to purchase this painting.