I Forgot!

I forgot to address something! Two of my very good blogging friends, Erika Nelson and Paula Villanova, tagged me on the same day, and then I realized that another wildly talented friend, Vanessa Brantley Newton,  tagged me a few days before that, and I haven't done anything about it. Well, now I will......girls, no fair!! Don't you know I'm ticklish? And here you all are tagging me at once, and, well, I'm losing my breath, it's just too much.....I can't even get up and chase you because I'm laughing so much. So this is what I'll do. I'll say thank you and send a hug your way. And then I'll say I don't participate in tagging anymore because I'm ticklish ( and I've used up everyone I can think of).

Today I got my little Moleskin notebook to participate in the Sketchbook Project, and I couldn't believe how little it is. It's about 3x5, and after giving it some thought, I guess it's about the right size to fill up before February, 

Busy, Busy

I'm so excited! I signed up for the Sketchbook Project, and I should be getting my moleskin sketchbook any day now. These things are legendary among the sketchers on the internet, the blogging sketchers, who I talked about the other day. Geez, I have to take a minute to give them credit one more time. The talent there is amazing. If you haven't visited these artists, take a look..........Andrea Joseph, France Bellville,  Carol Gillote, Julie Oakley, Joan Y, and the Urban Sketchers. Of course I've forgotten plenty of talented people. Sorry, sorry, you fantastic artists.

So this is what I've been doing. I really don't know where I'm going here, but it seems to be evolving. We'll see tomorrow. These are also some things I've had going on. None is finished, so there is along way to go. I want to work more intuitively, not so neurotically realistic. Not that I don't like realism, no....I love it. But for me, right now, I have to be looser. 

This has been haunting me for a few weeks. I thought I had the hands going ok, but now they look awkward and I don't know what to do. I've worked upside down and I'm stuck. There will be three dragon flies, and the water needs lots of work. But the green background works well, it looks really cool in person.

Some of My Musings

This after noon I tried to paint. I've had two paintings that I've worked on all week, and all I can say is that I need to take a class. Seriously. When I use colored pencils I know what to do and the work just rolls along, but paint is so difficult and that is frustrating. OK. I've vented. 

Now let me explain the work I've posted here. These are all from last year, and I don't think they have ever been posted on my blog. The one above, with the kiwis, hung in the gallery for months and didn't sell. The one below, with the pears, sold to someone in California, and the last one is hanging in my living room. Well, my point here is that I pretty much like them better than the work I've been doing. These are all on pastelbord, and done with colored pencils. The backgrounds all look so washed out in the photos, but they are dark in person. Anyway, I'm happy with these, but they don't express anything. I haven't found my voice! I've been trying to express myself better with the acrylics and it's not happening and I'm frustrated. As I said before. Well, I guess I've vented twice here.

Here, finally, is what I want to say today. The reason for this post is that I've been thinking about this......I peruse many artists' sites and see all kinds of art. It seems to me that we can be sorted into three categories. Stay with me here, I am going somewhere. OK. Let me just say that these are only my observations.

1. I see many sites that represent traditional, working artists. Some are working casually and some are supporting families with their art. 
2. Illustrators are the next group. Some of them cross the line and are selling work as traditional artists, and some do work for design companies, and some are freelance illustrators.
   
3. This is the category that I find strangely interesting; sketchers. Especially the moleskin sketchers, it seems they seek each other out more than the other two groups. The beautiful work that sits in these notebooks is unbelievable. When I look at the detailed drawings, I think of what great art these already make, and how they could be the basis for wonderful paintings.  I regularly check in on France Belleville, Andrea Joseph, Nina Johannsen  and others.  Maybe they sell work I don't know about, but the point is that they all seem to sketch for fun. Now I know I should be sketching on a daily basis to make my self a better artist, so I've just ordered my first moleskin notebook. And I hope I will be generous with my art like they are.