Category Archives: odds and ends

Art History (College)

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DSC_0012Apparently it was my Drawing I class that began my fascination with hands.

DSC_0010Still life in scribbles.

DSC_0018 DSC_0019Watercolor class was the most frustrating for me. I love watercolor paintings, but for the life of me I could not get things to turn out the way they looked in my head.

DSC_0016A lesson in turning an artist’s color work into a black and white piece (top) and turning a black and white work into color using homemade egg tempura (bottom). I call this “loose lips sink ships”, cause I’m clever that way. har har

DSC_0023Figure drawing. I do actually like this one, and it gave me a new way to look at the relationships in the lines of people and things.

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My first two years in college my plan was to become an interior designer. I soon realized that I was a small-town, country-bumpkin girl who had only been exposed to design via magazines. I very soon became intimidated by the big city gals (and it was mostly women) in their designer clothing who had far more exposure to “real” design than I had. In addition I completed many of these assignments at the last minute, staying up all night, and a few of them I turned in late. (Which is the perfect segue into my next post about Adult AD/HD.) At any rate I changed my major 3 times – Interior Design, Audiology, and finally getting a degree (174 college hours later) in Public Health.

 

 

 

Art History (High School)

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In the house purge for the garage sale I came across my old art portfolio.  I put all of it in the garbage. The pieces were warped, yellowed, and smelled mildewy. But I photographed it all before taking it to the curb. I am amused at the naiveté and lack of sophistication. Tomorrow  -Art History College Edition – where the level of sophistication and execution is just slightly raised. : )

catch up

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flora pinkSpring has sprung and unsprung…freezing temps still, and cold blustery days mixed in here and there with the random 70 degree day.

luminariesThe 4-H girls fantastic luminaries! It didn’t take them long at all to catch on to cutting silhouettes, and they each had their own style. I think they were pleased with the results, and I’m looking forward to working with them again.

DSC_0078b&wFinally, finally I was able to take a few pictures of the graduating boy so I can send out announcements. I would not want to be a portrait photographer in real life, but I think for an amateur I do a pretty darn good job! Now to address them all and mail them out before graduation…

Some track meets attended, a Color Run ran walked (pictures later this week), field trips taken, all the usual end of the school year madness. I’m not complaining one tiny bit – in years past it was far more crazy.

House sorted and de-stuffed, garage sale over and done with, and there were only a few items left to deal with. Brian set out the leftovers with a “FREE” sign and it disappeared. The best part was a gaggle of neighborhood kids gleefully carrying off some of the loot, each with a stuffed animal under their arm.

And I’ve been comprehensively researching adult ADD. More on this later as well.

 

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On Friday I will be presenting an art/craft project to three girls who are in 4-H. My friend, who is one of the girl’s mothers, asked if I would like to lead the girls in some occasional art projects.  I jumped at the opportunity, as it’s really fun teaching interested kids some new tricks. My boys aren’t interested in creative projects anymore, and I really miss that. This is the second project I will do with them. The last project was making prints, by carving a design into foam, inking them up and printing. They had a lot of fun with that. This time I’m going to have them make paper cut luminaries. So, I designed one of my own to make sure the idea would work. I love how it turned out, and of course my mind is off and running with more ideas for these. I’m thinking I will add a few to the shop in the next couple of weeks.

My current obsessions

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1.  Oh.My.Gosh. SERIOUSLY SUN – WHERE ARE YOU?? My #1 obsession right now is that great, big, golden ball in the sky. *sigh*

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1. sun & ring & hand, 2. Warm feeling, 3. I want to be where the Sun warms the sky, 4. Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces; Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been here; Here comes the sun, here comes the sun; and I say it’s all right (14/52), 5. Fairytales 2- Warm, 6. two seconds in the sun, 7. Today shined liked Spring. #ssevolve #shuttersisters #thecameramen, 8. Sunshine!, 9. a warm glo

2.  This video on the Art of Asking, is in two words – brave and beautiful! Asking. For me it’s a tough, tough thing to do. It involves leaping over my shame, and fear of being seen as inadequate and needy. But I think what Amanda Palmer shares so beautifully is the flip side of asking – connection and trust and seeing and being seen.

3.  Just about every project from this architecture firm.

4.  Jun Kaneko’s  everything!

5.  Lots of the recipes on this website. I just now had a left over slow cooker pork burrito for lunch. yum.

6.  Brene Brown & Oprah – Super Soul Sunday.

7.   I continue to be confused about the use of quotes in artwork and merchandise on Etsy, etc. For example the use of song lyrics or sayings on artwork. My interpretation is that unless you have permission from the author or estate you should not use them for anything you are selling. Judging by the number of items for sale I’m doubting many have done the leg work to gain the proper permission. Occasionally I consider adding quotes to my work, but don’t because of the possible legalities. Anyone have any info about this, or a legitimate reference source?

8.  Books, books and more books…what else are you gonna do when the wind chill is in the teens, and there is nothing but claustrophobic grayness. And all of your motivation for being productive has leaked out of you, phhhhhfffffffzzzeeeeeeefffftttt, like air out of a balloon, and just walking the dog makes your eyes water, and your nose run, leaking snot out of both nostrils, because of the cold, brittle wind. My mother would say, “Now honey, if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” But you are so POed at winter you can’t keep the whining, grating, complaining tone out of your voice. Not unless you want to explode in a giant fire ball of angry anyway. Sorry Mom.

A Fine Balance/Rohinton Mistry, Little Bee/Chris Cleave, Wild/Cheryl Strayed, The Great Dance/C. Baxter Kruger, Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore/Robin Sloan, Help Thanks Wow/Anne Lamott.  Some I’ve finished, some I’m in the middle of.

p.s. I have edited this post 13 times. Egad Reginald, the poor girl’s gone mad. If that sun ever shines she will be baying at it like a hound dog.