Life Book 2023 - (January, February)

I've been participating in Willowing Arts Life Book 2023 for two (only two?!?!) months.

I thought I'd share what I've created so far.

Let's look at a score on the comfort level:

My normal oil on canvas realistic paintings - 0

Mediums and subjects I'm not used to - 15 

How about a score for trying new things, learning, and having fun: - 100

So many different faces...

A couple of animals...

A still life...

A cityscape...

And some random things...

Collage, acrylic, watercolor, pen & ink, stamps, stencils, pastels...

Fruits & Vegetables under the Umbrellas

Our state has many good roadside fruit and vegetable stands, and we have a wonderful farmers' market around our city's square. The reference photo I used for this painting; however, was taken when I spent some time in Indonesia a few years ago. There were so many beautiful fruits and vegetables and many I'd never seen before and haven't seen since.

Fun fact: I think that apples were a delicacy that that they must have imported from somewhere else.  Each apple on the stack would be wearing a little "jacket" to keep it safe. Look behind the oranges. Those are yellow apples! Each one has a pink spongy wrap. (The pink spiky things to the right of the oranges... who knows what odd kind of fruit that was!)

This might look like a painting about fruits and vegetables, but it's not supposed to be. My Creative Companions topic was "Umbrellas." I really struggled to connect with that one... a lot! I'd go to bed each night thinking... Umbrellas in the rain, beach umbrellas, folded umbrellas in a stand, umbrella plants, fancy umbrella parasols, umbrella strollers... 

Ugh... days passed...

I went to YouTube and practiced drawing every umbrella they had to offer. 

Zero connection...

Then I finally noticed this painting that hangs right there beside my bed!  Umbrellas at the farmers' market!!! Yes! But, I couldn't get by with just painting that one again.  So I went to the other side of the world for inspiration!

Original Oil Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

I Like Thursday 3/23

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

I like my art space. 

I love everything in there.

I love spending time there.

Click for a 30 second tour.

I like the rug I got for my art room.

I like writing in a journal.

I like my new refrigerator so much! 
I've never had a such a fun and fancy one before!

I like the daffodils in my yard. 
They're the first to announce that spring is arriving soon!

LeeAnne gave several other prompts to think about. 
Here are a few quick answers to them:

Tell us about something you collect... or used to collect now are tired of. I feel like I'm getting to the age when I want to collect and accumulate less stuff. Collections... let's see... I suppose journals.  I started writing in a journal in 3rd grade and never stopped.  I have quite a collection. I wrote about them in these posts. Journals Pt 1 and  Journals Pt 2 and  Journals Pt 3 and Journals Pt 4.

How do you feel about the Panetone color of the year magenta?  I love magenta!  Put a little aqua or turquoise next to it, and I like it even better.

What thoughtful things does your special person do for you? I have a very thoughtful guy.  Special things? Yes... always. But, how about practical things! He does all the laundry! There's plenty more, but that's a pretty good one right there!

What do you like about your creative/sewing space ? Do you have a dedicated space that is yours alone? What works in there for you? How do you feel when you're there?  I love my art space... my Atelier. There's a section for everything crafty and artsy that I love doing. My oil painting area, my sewing machine, my Cricut, a television, sitting area, tables for painter friends, storage for my (too much / too many / need to use up) materials, paints, fabrics, and supplies.

What would you like to have in a dream studio space? Think about layout, cabinetry, tools... Have you ever seen a studio space you wished you had?    About a year and a half ago, we made my art space into that dream studio space.  We repainted, put new lighting, and installed new flooring.  If it was a dream studio, then I suppose it would have a bathroom and kitchenette... but then I might never come out... Perhaps best to keep it as it is.

Summer Landscape with Blue Flowers (Senior Citizen Painting Class)

What a treat to guide these wonderful senior citizens through an oil painting!

This was our 6th time to teach OLLI students.  Click HERE to see the others.

Everyone of them did such a good job with their landscapes!

Yes, it's a lot of work to get prepared for teaching an OLLI class, but it's all worth it when the students come in.  My teaching partner Julie and I couldn't have been prouder!

Favorite moment... One of the participants thought I looked familiar and we discovered why. I had her daughter in my 4th grade class about 30 years ago!!  Of course I remembered her!  She texted her daughter who texted back some specific happy memories she had from that year with me. Oh, happy sigh...

Oil painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas

Click Summer Landscape with Blue Flowers if you'd like to purchase my example painting.

Paint-iversary - 16 Years since that first painting - Square/Squiggle Self Portrait-ish

Years ago there was a teachers' professional development activity which involved a personality test.

We were told to imagine a circle... then a triangle... then a squiggle... then a square.  

After a time, we were instructed to focus on the one that we most naturally related to.

Then they had each group stand up in turn.

*** So many squiggles hopped up, laughing and talking about irrelevant things, pointing at friends both sitting and standing.

*** Quite a few triangles scattered across the auditorium stood up. They were working out the rules and checking out the others, making sure it was all being done correctly.
*** Lots of circles took their turn to stand. They were hugging and making sure everyone was happy, walking across aisles to greet other circles and smiling at non-circle friends.

*** Then it was time for the squares... and the weirdest, most uncomfortable thing happened. There was only a smattering of us across the room... like the superintendent, some principals, me... (Of course the circles were cooing that it was alright, the squiggles thought it was hilarious, and the triangles were working out whether it had been done right.) The few of us stood up, looked around, then sat back down.

Okay, so the point of personality tests is supposed to be that you see the value in every type, that we need all kinds, that there are positives for every one.

It doesn't matter which "test" is given - (I'm the lion in the lion-otter-golden retriever- beaver one.  I'm red in the blue-red-green-yellow one.  I'm the pointed lipstick in the lipstick one.) - I suppose we are who we are.

Not long after that, I started painting. On February 22, 2007 I painted a tree.  I couldn't believe I'd done it!  It looked like a tree!  I was so proud.

To say that art has changed my life is not and understatement.  It's simply the truth.

I know that I'll always be that "square" or "lion" or "red" or "pointy lipstick" girl.  I've tried to embrace that.  (The world needs a few of us or things would never get done!) But, I think art has caused some of those corners to round, brought some value to the squiggly.

On this 16th anniversary and my 650th painting, perhaps a self-portrait-ish painting could celebrate that.

Part of the idea for my painting came from the Willowing Arts Class I'm taking on-line this year.  The teacher (Tamara LaPorte) guided through the painting of this lovely blue haired fairy.

Tam also guided us through a wonderful playing-with-supplies exercise before beginning the blue haired girl.  

I have to admit that the "square" in me came out on this one.  The idea was to simply enjoy playing with paint and shapes and color.  (Such a squiggle thing to do.)  I know I missed the point with more of an okay- let's-get-this-done attitude. Ha ha ha

My word for the weekly-ish art challenge, by the way, was "Squares."  I'm pretty sure my work took a completely different direction than my partner expected!

Original Acrylic Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas

[NFS at this time]

A Boy & a Hen... Friends

This boy has been feeding chickens from that step since before he could walk.

My heart...

The chickens know he's the one who's very generous with treats!

"Friendship" was the topic for my weekly-ish art challenge. They're good friends, this boy and these chicks.

Original Oil Painting on 12"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

[NFS]

Buttons

"Buttons" was chosen as the February subject for a little creative group I'm working with this year. What a pleasure it was to spend time considering what buttons mean to me.

My painting came together quickly. I picked out some fabric, buttons, needle & thread. I set up a tiny still life, snapped some reference photos, and painted it.

The companion piece, however, consumed my thoughts for a few days.

I found a photo of Grandma Powell (wearing a dress with buttons down the front).

I found a photo of Grandma Tallent (wearing a dress with buttons down the front).

I found the photo of Great Granny MacReynolds (wearing a dress with buttons down the front.)

I found photos of Mom at different ages (wearing buttons).

I found a photo of Mom with her sisters (all wearing buttons).

When I get to the top of the stairs and open the door to my painting/sewing/crafting room, the first thing I see is this treasured work of art... okay... it's a stack of fishing tackle boxes. But, it's filled with those buttons.

My grandmothers were quilters.

My mother sewed everything we wore.  I think she probably sewed nearly every day of her life (...Except Sundays. She didn't sew on Sundays.) She was a Home Ec teacher for many years and taught many other girls (and boys once Title IX came to be) how to sew.

I kept most of the things in her sewing room, and I enjoy using them.

But the buttons... oh... I played with them as a little kid, sorting them, arranging them. I loved them and "knew" them. Once they were mine, I cleaned the cases, cleaned the buttons, organized them, and put them where I could enjoy seeing them every day.

Original Oil Painting on 5"x 7" Wrapped Canvas

[GIFT]

I Like Thursday 2/23

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

I like our newest granddaughter who surprised us
 and joined the family 5 weeks early!
We love her so!

I like working the log splitter.
Holding a lever is sure a far cry from swinging an ax.
(Not that I've ever swung an ax...)

I like having all the firewood we'll need...
for years it looks like!

I like the pretty little eggs my pretty little hens lay.

I like Welcome Home Retreat...
a whole weekend filled with art, friends, food, and relaxation.

I like the SIX paintings I finished during our art weekend retreat.

I like having a nice fluffy snow
and knowing I don't have to go anywhere.

I like watching the cardinals come out when the ground is white.

LeeAnne gave several other prompts to think about. 
Here are a few quick answers to them:

Do you use a calendar? digital? like it? wall? brand? diary? desk? system to remember things?

I look at my Google calendar every single day.. I've got it color coded for different types of events, appointments, or reminders. I can see it on my phone, my tablet, or my computer. If something is not on the calendar... well, it just doesn't exist.

Do you make lists? how? phone? scrap of paper? what kinds of things? does it work?
I live by my lists.  There's something so satisfying about checking something off a list. I use Google Tasks.  I have 5 different lists that I can toggle to, but there are three that I look at every single day, multiple times each day. 1st - Daily - the 9 things I want to be sure I do each day. 2nd - To Do - The things that need to be done, met, taken care of 3rd - Reminders - Things that repeat (monthly or yearly for example)

I also have checklists on Google Keep.  These keep me on track, streamlined, and organized for specific things. The top three most used would be - Grocery List. House Cleaning List. Packing for Travel List.

What are your favorite colors?
Green & Purple - my favorite color combination.  If there is some turquoise or aqua mixed in, that's even better.

What do you like about Valentine's Day?
For all the years I was a teacher, Valentine's Day was a huge deal.  The kids loved opening each little card. There was always a party with cupcakes and so much excitement.  And there were always pretty boxes of chocolates for the teacher... me!  I'd have half a dozen or more of those heart shaped chocolate boxes. I might have a confession... I may have stuck my thumb in the back of those chocolates to see what was inside and eat the good ones first.