hello!  this week i attended a two day portrait charcoal 

workshop with robert kelly at kara bullock studio.

this was the second time i used charcoal.  both times 

i really loved the medium but tried to talk myself out of it.

why?  because it is not the free, spontaneous type of 

creating i often do.  still, what i loved won out and   

i plan to explore a lot more with charcoal!  once again,

i realize that the heart and mind often conflict.  i am 

trying to go with my heart.

this is the final drawing and the following 

are the steps she went through.  

all participants were asked to bring their own 

reference image.  i used the same image for two  

drawings, one on 18 x 24 newsprint, one on 

the same size drawing paper.

 some people chose to try another image. 

there is a lot of push and pull with charcoal.  

charcoal drawing was definitely my creative 

highlight of this week!   what was yours?

posting with eva and kristen's who have been hosting 

paint party friday for seven years.

a week in the life...

a daily starbuck sketche.  done quickly, in

stealth so no one feels uncomfortable.  my goal is to

capture the character with as few lines as possible.

a sketch while watching the godfather.  thus, the quote

'get rid of the bodies'

life drawing drop in. one day i hope to draw 

so the body does not look so stiff!

homework from life drawing class at 

otis college---one page of seven 

and lastly, are a few images from this quirky exhibit at 

the el segundo museum of art

los ángeles is experiencing rain!!  it is such a rare occurrence, 

that i want to sand outside, look up at the sky and thank

mother nature.

i am linking with paint party friday as i do (almost) weekly.

thank you for visiting today.

wishing you a lovely weekend.

tgif!!!

without realizing it, 

i have found myself in a holding pattern,

like an airplane circling a landing strip

waiting for the tower to ok the next step.

now, this is not necessarily a bad thing.

but for someone who is as active and productive as i am, 

it is unusual.  at first, i considered it a natural

progression after a big push to  finish work for 

 several art shows.  that's understandable.  but now,

i look at it as equivalent to the fall growing season for 

flowers.  you don't see much above ground but there is 

much going on under the surface.  roots are developing 

a strong network to support the growing plant,  nutrients

feed  and strengthen the stalk and the flower bud absorb

what it needs for the next step.  

if i were to describe this 'holding pattern,' i would 

say that i don't have a particular goal,  i am experimenting

with some new (to me) techniques, i am not working on a project

and i haven't been painting daily.  what i have been doing daily

is sketching, doodling, collaging, watercolor, journaling.   

and loving it all.  even here today, on my blog,  i am meandering.

and i think that's just fine!

i wonder if others have these periods of wandering?

a happy mother's day to mothers and a lovely

weekend.

posting with friends at paint party friday.  

grateful to kristin and eva for generously hosting this group.  

a teabag lady of the week 

i gathered together all of my journals from various

corners of the house.  i thought this was it, 89, but 

found even more afterwards.  what am i doing with them?

for now, i have stored them by years, some are on display,

and  try using copies in my art.  i am curious what you do with your

completed journals.  do you read them?  do you display them?

do you share them in any way?

i am also trying to keep a daily drawing practice.  

when i use pencil i get too persnickety and that

is not my point.  it is just practice.   

thank you for visiting today.  i appreciate your comments.

leave your address and i will visit you!

this post is linked to paint party friday 

where creatives share their work.  for a treat,

visit the site!

day 2

30 paintings in 30 days

29 faces

daily sketch

acrylic, pencil on canvas board

black gesso, white chalk on teabag

happy friday everyone!

today i am linking with folks paint party friday. ppt is a 

weekly link up hosted by kristen and eva where

other creatives post their work.  on this long weekend 

won't you stop by clicking the link and see some beautiful work?

also, consider joining in the daily paint challenges this month!

i like how it not only pushes my daily art practice but also connects

me to other new and familiar artists.  

mixed media journal spread

and then the day came

when the risk to remain

tight in a bud

was greater than

the risk it took

to bloom.

anis nin

pencil sketch

sketch, sketch, sketch

from time to time i remember 

sketching from tv

how important it is to practice sketching

micron pen

so in a flurry, i sketch for a while.

until i forget again.

how about you?  do you sketch or draw on

a regular basis?  

in my world recently

hello to paint party friday friends

and other visitors today.  just a note~~

i will be attending a weekend workshop 

and reply to your comments on monday.

thank you for stopping by today!

...may a flock of colors,

indigo, red, green 

and azure blule

come to awaken in you

a meadow of delight...

john o'donohue

beannacht

i discovered that i never posted 

this  sampling of faces 

created for daily challenges.

i used paint, collage, encaustic, pencil, pastel, ink

and any combination of the above

i am in sketchbook skool, trying to come with 

beginner's mind and to leave the critic behind.

i did these one minute pen sketches.  

it was suggested in the klass 

that i add a bit of ink to a water pen so i am 

not overwhelmed with color choices.

these are the results.  i like it.

just a note that 

there is one more spot to receive 

a piece of art by me 

by paying it forward  here.  

photo courtesy of the internet, photographer unknown

just thought i'd show you some of the sights i see.

this is a sky view of palos verdes where i live.

it is a community about 9 miles south of the los angeles airport.

these  photos were taken on a recent walk.

volunteer whale watchers counting the whales passing by

so fortunate to have san vicente lighthouse in the neighborhood.

i love lighthouses!

as always, i am posting along with friends at 
paint party friday.  please click on the site to 
see more art work done this week.