Day 283 & 284

Nudity 101

When I was 6 or 7 my dad had brought home this pink copy paper from school and gave it to my sister and me. We saved it for special. My mom caught us down in our basement playroom drawing naked people. She got after us and said we "couldn't do that, it isn't nice". Stephanie and I were laughing and having such a good time drawing parts, I will always remember that day. Now I probably have some repressed something or other that needs to come out and it is choosing to blatantly come out in the form of naked people. Not nudes, that would be too arty. And who better to draw naked than my friends, who, since they are my friends will hopefully not be offended and possible tag themselves on facebook. That is if I have the courage to post. I don't know, Chris might not be so happy to wake up this morning to see a drawing of himself with a troll over his bits, on the other hand it might make him laugh.

January 21, 2012

(drawing day 283, painted 284)

Day 282

Krazy for Kelli

Seriously, who doesn't want to wear a mini kale skirt with a lettuce leaf top? Oh, and lets not forget the high heels to finish the ensemble. Can't you just imagine yourself walking down the produce aisle in this little get-up? Making all the other fruits and vegetables jealous. Personally, I always hoped that I could make spinach jealous.

I think I have a problem.

January 19, 2012

Day 281

Queen of Herbalife

Cheers to Becky and her new business, for inspiring men and women to be the gods and goddess's they already are. To living in a well maintained, healthy body. To enjoying life and being filled with joy.

January 18, 2012

Day 279 & 280

Donna Goddess of Juice

My friend wants to keep her curves and not be a stick girl with no womanly parts, so here's to you, my friend, Salut!

I thought about this picture on day 279 but didn't actually paint it till today. My friend Tammy, who really liked the flat chested stick girl painting, here's to you my friend, Skol!

Tammy

Hey, who needs Jenny Craig when you have Kristin Camp to make you all thin and flat, or thin and curvy, no hunger, no exercise, no pain, no cravings, best diet plan around! I think I have a new calling.

January 16, 2012

Day 278

Improbable Me

AKA

Flat Chested Stick Girl

The June 1977 issue of Seventeen Magazine impacted my thoughts about my body forever. For one snapshot, one day, one moment in time, the pretty girls were flat chested (no bigger than a 32B said the magazine, and they showed a picture of Jayne Modean, who has probably had a boob job since then) and had the bodies of 12 year old boys, sans hair. That was not to be my future, no matter how desperately I wanted it. By the time I was a junior in high school I was a 32 (yay!) but the problem was I was a DD (which would be quite popular now, actually it was quite popular then, I just couldn't see it that way). So the whole stick thing was out. But it was never out of my mind, it was what I always aspired to and failed at miserably.

Of course today, I am just like the rest of the normal American woman population, and have body issues. What is wrong with all of us women that we can't just be who we are and love ourselves for it? Even Oprah, Queen of it all, can't get over the "image" we created for ourselves. Oh well, that is as deep as I go. That article shaped my view forever, end of story. But I sometimes wonder how I would have turned out if I wouldn't have started looking at magazines until Victoria's Secret became popular.

January 14, 2012

Day 277

Not Done Yet

So I moved on and almost finished, but I 'm not done yet. Even though I have done this, what feels like a thousand times, it looks so different in big. Not what I expected. It's like if someone else had done it I would like it so much better. Why is that?

Another joiner today.

And here is where I left off yesterday. Look how pretty it looks against that white wall. Good color. Oh why oh why did I have to paint it. I am suffering with my decision. I was so close and then with a stroke of a brush everything changes.....

January 12, 2012

Day 276

Paralyzed with Fear

The back round looks great. Sorry I can't do better photo's. Now after putting several more layers of paint on I am too scared to move forward.

A list of reasons not to go forward:

1. Do you know how much this canvas cost?

2. Do you know how much all the paint and medium cost?

3. What if I totally screw up? Do you know how much it costs to gesso?

Hmmmmmmm, looks like it is all about money Apparently I have time to waste, but not money.

A list of reasons to go forward:

1. This is what I have been longing for, painting on a big canvas, go for it!

2. See reason #1

3. I said I would do it.

Chicken!

January 11, 2012

(layers of paint to the 3' x 4' canvas)

Day 275

Painting Day with my Mom

She is working on bluebirds and I decided to tackle a huge painting, still not convinced on the color I should do.

Working away on her teeny tiny birds. When I was little my mom would do these tiny oil paintings that my sister and I just loved, but I swear she painted the entire canvas with a brush that had about two hairs in it. It took her forever, but then it would wouldn't it.

Then there is me, using a house brush. I like big. I was invited to dinner at this woman's house, she was some kind of clothing designer and worked for a big company, anyways, her dining room wall had a painting that was the size of her dining room wall and framed in a massive frame. It was incredible. This is minute compared to that painting. But you have to start somewhere.

I might go pink.

My dad, not an artist with paint, but definitely creative in his own way, checking out my mom's progress. (They're so cute)

Here is the canvas with one coat of pink over the ochre and burnt sienna layers. Can't hardly see it.

January 10, 2012

(finished Lucy McT, and started the "big" painting)

Day 274

Lucy McT

I rethought the color scheme of this painting and decided to do the country french colors my friend has in her kitchen. Coco (my 5 year old) let me know the dog in the photo was cuter than my painting, I am going to have to hire that girl.

I love these wood panels. I love the exposed birch edges and they are totally different to paint on. If you are a painter you should try one. The actual dragging your brush across the surface feels different. Wood is exciting to me. Plywood fascinates me, but I haven't ventured into that arena yet. CB2 (a new store owned by Crate & Barrel) does great things with plywood and duck tape, I know it sounds strange but they had great visuals in their store.

January 9, 2012 (this actually was finished on the 1oth)

Day 273

Tulips on Pink

I admit I saw something like this in Architectural Digest done in black and white. I have to use things to learn. When I was in high school, I just found pictures I really liked and tried to copy them. They usually turned out terrible, all watery and drippy. The more I practice the better I got. I slowly developed my own style.

That's what I am doing again. Practicing. Developing a new style. And when your old, it seems harder. Today was a blast. I focused on the back round and then put a super simple design on top.

January 8, 2012

Day 272

Lucy McT

I thought this would be a nice little gift for my girlfriend who is having a birthday at the end of the month. This is the paper tester version.

January 7, 2012

Day 271

Elephant on a Walk

No, Coco didn't paint this (although I'm sure she could have). I am stuck for ideas. I happened to remember a painting I saw in a magazine and it had a cool back round and somewhere in the painting there was what I identified as a non-traditional lion. I marveled at its simplicity and was drawn into its color and charm.

I took a simple elephant drawn last year by my son Jack, and added some color. Voila!

I thought it might look better framed, so I tested out my theory.

January 6,2012

Day 268, 269 & 270

Westie Calendar for 2013

I have logged 3 days (about 9 hours) working on this little guy. I have to start earlier this year on the calendar. IN the past I had it done by April, this year, I'm shooting for February.

Day 266 & 267

Foresty

(I like this. Maybe because it isn't mine, even though I thought it might be.)

I worked on this yesterday and today. I've been carrying around a little drawing in colored pencil, that I had done ages ago. It fell out of my bag down in Iowa. I thought I would paint it up when I got home. Then I found a little scrap of art I had cut out of a magazine that reminded me, "Nope, not yours". I did change it at least 10% which is the intellectual property guideline, but seriously, that is such a joke, it's still stealing. Nevertheless, I painted it anyways, please don't turn me. (I think it's okay if a person doesn't use it for profit). You will not see this on etsy.

Mini update: I refigured my days, and I am actually on day 267, I am going to start dating and clearly naming my paintings to keep myself straight. Also a HUGE point of interest, I am changing my font for awhile, just to see how I like it. (I don't think that counts as a risk).

January 2, 2012--Foresty

Day 258

New Year's Resolutions

Everyday Art 2012

I am thinking about my New Year Resolutions, and I think this year has to be about taking Glorious Risks. To live a big and glorious life, this year isn't about petty dieting, organizing, cleaning, or for that matter list making. But what exactly are Glorious Risks? Maybe it's about saying Yes way more often than I say No, and doing the Scary Thing.

I don't think you can see this very well, I will post the text. The first line is from my friend Terri's facebook post which made me rethink my plan. "Tell me, what do you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" Mary Oliver. And even though I said this year isn't about list making it's nice to have a visual reminder. If a picture is worth a thousand words then I figure I have about a 50 thousand word resolution, that I am going to frame and look at everyday.

I made my life all about art, something I can get inspired about, hence the title Everyday Art 2012. The first category is for my heart (mostly because I couldn't figure out how to draw my soul). Painting everyday it is like coffee, got to have it, got to do it. But it is not enough I want more, I want shows, I want to get published, I want to experience the full circle, stopping at the point before I cut off my ear.

The second category is for my body. Which might be strange to put in everyday art, but we are all beautiful works of art, and I for one am going to appreciate the wonderful work of art I have been given. (In the original drawing I had drawn myself with my cutely hands covering certain parts, and after I read Terri's post, I thought, no, that is not a glorious way to live, so I made myself open and joyful instead).

The third category is for my eyes. Three years ago I was going to change my red living room to pink. I ended up priming the walls and putting up swatches of color around the entire room and finally giving up and just painting it Benny Moore LInen White. Which is fine, except I have been burning to find that "look" I want. I believe that your surrounding contribute to your mood and life tremendously and you should love the space you live in. Your house, your garden, your laundry room shelves all have potential to be artful. What if I took the time to do that for myself? How would my life change? This year I am going to take a risk and hope it turns out glorious, and if it goes terribly awry, well, I will post it and we can all have a good laugh.

The last category is for my mom and dad. This area trumps every other area. Bottom line, my mom has melonoma in lungs and the doctors at Mayo Clinic

haven't given her very long. Even though we as a family are doing everything we can along with searching out

alternative

treatments. We all have this one wild and precious life, and what am I going to do with mine? I must make this the best year ever and make everyday

count. Say YES more than I say no. Take the Glorious Risks.

The end is a statement I have loved for years and kept on my desk at work. "And the day came when the risk to remain in tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." Anias Nin

Wishing you all a Gloriously Happy New Year!