"Artfully Inspired Life," 4

For Joanne Sharpe's "Artfully Inspired Life" journal pages, I did warm and cool colored boxes. This is almost filled in with entries, now, and I am glad I have a record of this difficult month in a cheerful manner.









I used various alphabets as frames with the idea that by the end of the year, this notebook will provide me with lots of ideas for text integrated with image.

Waiting Room Sketching

While waiting in yet another doctor's office, bored silly, I started a sketch of a magazine ad...a silly hunk. 


Afterwards, we went to visit elderly relatives. It is the juxtaposition of these pages that I find interesting. 

Then again, I have some disgruntlement about all those men out there in the virtual world posting drawings of their high school fantasies of the "ideal" woman (gag!). Hmphf: A bit of your own medicine, you guys--measure up!

Rain & A Bird

In my small purse sketchbook, I painted a a rainy sky and a bird statuette (wood). Watercolors; Prismacolor pencils for background. I like the quote too.

"Artfully Inspired Life", 3

A brush alphabet and my mantra page for March for Joanne Sharpe. Not surprising that "courage" is the theme...

Stitching Weeds, 2

Stitching into the night trying to control my anxieties about the near future. Fortunately, there are sometimes unexpected creative moments that feel like high adventure. I didn't know weeds could be so exciting! I added just a touch of green, which I really like in the mix, plus a few small circles here and there to echo the shape of the pomegranates. I'm trying to catch the chaotic feel of nature, which is a pretty good metaphor for life as well--organized chaos...

Out & About, 16

I went to the wholesale market, and had to go into Tunis--lots of subject matter. People still bundled up. Ballpoint pen and Prismacolor pencils for the background.

Stitching Weeds

 





















Yeah, I'm still here, slogging along. I may have some kind of news soon, but in the meantime, I've been stitching weeds under the pomegranate tree. French knots did not seem to be enough. This is a superficial stitch (feather stitch? can't remember the name) that does not go through to the back. I tried a single thread at first, which did not show up well so I went for a double thread, which seems to be working. I'm using several browns and a maroon. I think I'll add some small circles in there as well...and probably more French knots (groan). 

The plot thickens!