since i have embraced the fact that

i love painting faces, i have been drawing 

and painting so much more.

this is one of my quick daily  starbucks drawings

with black and brown stabilo pencils and water added.  

when his pencil hits water, it becomes like very 

pigmented ink or watercolor.   i love using it! in many ways!

i was drawn to this hostess at a restaurant, 

vera.  when leaving, i gathered up the nerve

i told her i was an artist.  my friend suggested

i show her my drawings. i showed her a few 

in my sketchbook.  i asked if i could take her 

photo so that i might draw her.  

this is a painting that i did in 2016

i  liked but didn't love it.

i reworked it, adding two more faces.

now i love it.  

and i painted this starting from a reference

image of four of my friends.  then the 

painting became its own version.

both are acrylic, stabile and gesso. 

when i look back at a week's worth of photos

in my iphoto library,  it feels like i have done a lot 

but on a day to day basis,  it's just a moment at a time.

next week i am heading to whidbey island to participate

in a 3 day workshop led by john arbuckle and brian kasstle.

i went last year and had a ball.  I am looking forward 

to the same this year.  i will  probably not post friday 

unless i figure out how to post when i am not at my

computer.    hopefully  i will saturday.  

thank you for visiting me today! 

i post  my art daily on instaagram.  

i find it a simple and compelling 

site with a supportive community of artists. 

posting with paint party friday hosted 

weekly by kristen and eva. 

portrait on my easel as it evolves

i missed taking  photos of a few steps but 

you can get an idea.

eyes were wonky so i had to move them

last  saturday  i joined a make and take at 

 the south bay botanic garden

in palos verdes.  we painted a parasol

in the gardens  under a lovely trellis.  there 

was a steady stream of people of all ages coming to 

enjoy this activity.  i took an image of a geisha 

to collage on my pink parasol then painted blossoms. 

i received my new italian acrylics this week!! yay!   

they were not easy to find.  i love the buttery consistency.

i will be showing new work using them soon.

southern california is at its best 

here at the palos verdes beach club.

i never tire of the view walking down the stairs.

i brought this book and joined my husband.  

my local library is hosting an interesting series.  

i missed most of them but will join in on the 

august session when  we discuss the art forger by b.a. shapiro 

and then  make art based on influences of the book.

clever, right?

posting with the lovely eva and kristen's

paint party friday.

this week found me continuing with the daily

sketching.  i pop in to starbucks, use a reference 

image from a fashion magazine or make up a face.

i have been using a micron 02 pen.  this is a face

is  from my head.  graphite was added afterwards.

here's how she looks with watercolors.  both give

a different effect.  i think i ike the first a wee bit better.

these two are works in progress that i started 

at a painting workshop with jeanne marie.  what an indulgence 

to paint for two days in a small group of lovely women. 

after having recently attended jacki long's mixed media 

classes last month, and having so much fun, i am  looking to

schedule more group classes to scatter into the mix of my daily

art practice.   not only are they fun but there is a wonderful energy 

that comes with  creating in a group and i often learn something new.

i am fortunate that there are workshops accessible near me.   do you 

attend classes?  what is your experience? this weekend 

i saw a flier at the local botanic garden  for a make and take 

to paint a parasol!!! right up my alley!

i will show you what i create next week!

until then, have a lovely weekend!

posting today with eva and kristen at

paint party friday

this week i pulled out various 

inks and drew faces using a stick

and snuck in a few starbucks drawings

my garden is bountiful!

X O X O 

thank you for visiting today!

linking with paint party friday friends!