Oooh Pretty New Camera

For the winter holidays this year I got a very big present: a new camera.  A Nikon D3100 to be precise.  A big thank-you to my parents for this much needed and also very fun gift!

Somehow I got through the craziness that was last week.  It went straight from over-worked stress to non-stop celebrations!  December 24th was Madeline's (my step-daughter) birthday, complete with cake, presents, and a dance party!  The next day was spent in Wewahitchka with Mat's (my boyfriend/ life-partner/ I need a better name for this) parents.  My favorite moment was when Betsy (Madeline's Grandmother) opened the present I got her.  I made her a drawing of Madeline:

Then Sunday I flew out first thing to see my parents in Virginia.  Luckily, some of my other family was able to stay until Sunday to see me for a few hours.  I was very grateful and happy to see everyone!

Once I got my new camera I played around with it plenty.  Here are some shots of around my parents' house.

Here is one of the portraits I was commissioned to do that I finished last week:

And as if I haven't already posted enough images, here are a few sketches from last week's figure drawing class:

gestures- 1 or 2 minutes

I suppose that's enough for now.  Happy New Year everyone!

I'm Too Busy To Even Be Posting This

And yet here we are...

I haven't made any posts recently because I have been busy busy busy!  With deadlines for Christmas along with my own preparations for the holidays, it's getting a little crazy.  I have been working on a logo design as well as a few portrait commissions as well as plenty of other things.  I will post pics of the portraits soon.

I have been teaching private kids art lessons at CityArts Cooperative.  I love it.  Yesterday with my student we made lots of ornaments for her Christmas tree.  We had a blast and never even took a break!  Then I went home and did the same project with Madeline, my step-daughter.  We hung the new decorations on our Winter Solstice Tree.

I am announcing group kids art lessons that I will teach on Tuesdays.  Here is the flier with all the info:

The day after Christmas I will go up to Virginia for a few days to visit my parents.

Happy Winter Solstice Everyone!

Back in the Figure Groove

My figure drawing mojo had been low the last few months, but it's rising again!  Perhaps I just worked in pen too much, and I needed to switch mediums.  Last night's session at Studio B was invigorating.  We had three new students.  Last week's kick-off of figure drawing at CityArts Cooperative went well, too.  I've got the second class tonight and I am looking forward to it!  Yay pencil!

I've started teaching private children's art lessons at the co-op.  I only have a little bit of experience teaching children, but I do enjoy it.  It's very rewarding when they are proud that they have learned new words.  I taught a lesson on one of the elements of art: line.  Every class I want to introduce new art vocabulary words.  I taught horizontal, vertical, and diagonal - complete with full body movements!  Arms straight up - vertical!  Arms straight out to the sides - horizontal!  Tilt your whole body so your arms are... diagonal!  I can't wait for all the fun projects we get to do!  (Yes, we!)

Here are a few drawings from last night:  (click any to see larger)

4 minutes

8 minutes

18 minutes

I've been doing more small ink drawings like the ones in the previous post.  Here is a 5"x7" self portrait in ink:

Posting a blog in a cafe.... how modern of me.

Don't worry, it's not because I'm cool and trendy.  It's because we don't have internet until Monday.  That's not an interesting story, though.

Last night was Figure Drawing at Studio B.  The class was geared towards beginners so I spent an extra amount of time preparing and actually "instructing."  A few new faces, a great model, and a lot of positive energy made last night another great night at the B.  I drew in pencil last night instead of my usual pen.  The pen is for the confident "I can't make a mistake!" attitude, which in spite of continuously using the pen, I haven't felt in a little while.  It was good using the pencil again, it allowed me to lightly gesture in marks before change and commitment.  Here are a couple sketches:

4 or 6 minutes

10 minutes

15-20 minutes

Aside from promoting my figure drawing classes I have been making small ink drawings on watercolor paper. I'm framing them in little box-frames or stand-up frames and selling them for just $12-$22.  Here are some...

And tonight is the first figure drawing class at CityArts Cooperative.  I think there will be good attendance.  I can't wait!

Home is Where the Art is

I know, cheesy title, huh?  But for me it's true.  I don't feel at home unless there's art on the walls.  That's also why there's nice layering in drawing places in a home.

A couple days ago I returned from visiting my friend in Pennsylvania.  I am happy to report that she is fantastic.  She looks great, and in spite of her first chemo treatment was able to go out and have a good time.  Upon first seeing her I said, "You look amazing!  You don't look at all like you have cancer!"  I admire her positive attitude soooo much.  Last night I had a dream that I had cancer.  I was dying and the self-pity was so overwhelming that all I could do was cry.  This is not the case with Steph.  Not only is she going to live a long and happy life, but she isn't letting cancer change who she is.  She's still funny with a great sense of humor about her situation.  Fuck cancer.

Somehow this relates back to the beginning of this post about homes.  Steph and her family made us feel very at home there so here is a drawing of a piece of their studio art/music room.

No, I didn't finish drawing the pattern on the rug.  It was confusing and messing with my brain.  And as I wrote a few pages earlier in what a friend called 'a conversation with myself,' "Shut up.  It's a sketchbook.  I can be lazy if I want."

And here is a drawing from some months ago of a piece of my happy little home in the Cove.

(a detail)

In Pennsylvania with Friends

Right now I am in Pennsylvania visiting my good friend.  She is my age, 25, and was recently diagnosed with cancer.  Therefore a super-fun visit was in order!  Thus far the visit is living up to that name.

I'll post more about the visit when I return next week.  Right now I'll just give a sketchbook page from before I left:

From left to right: Charlie, Mat, Frankie

And oh yeah, the pen bled a lot so Mat's face turned into a Zombie.  This is extra funny because he is EXTREMELY afraid of Zombies.  No joke, we have to keep a claw-hammer by the bed.

And here is the sign I painted that will go outside of the co-op door to represent me!

The Figure at the B

Every Wednesday is Figure Drawing at Studio B in Alys Beach.  I have the honor of being the regular instructor.  The gallery is beautiful with amazing art, and the classes are full of energy.  Last night was no exception.  And yet, I feel my figure drawings have gone downhill in the past few months.  I cannot pinpoint why, but I have no doubt that it will pick up again.  My regular students, on the other hand, seem to continually improve.  (Check out Joan Vienot's art!)  I can only hope that in addition to practice, my instructions might have a little something to do with that.

Some people are a little surprised to walk in and find out that I am the instructor.  I'm almost always younger than everyone, sometimes by quite a few decades, and I look even younger than I am.  They do seem to warm up to the idea and accept my instructions.  I think!  I admit I am not the most experienced instructor and I am still learning how to become a better teacher.  I sometimes have to remind even myself that I may be 25 but I've been hard-core drawing all my life, went to one of the best art schools possible, and have now been teaching art for three years.  In spite of that it is a bit disheartening to overhear someone looking at my art (not at Studio B, I won't say where) and saying, "Isn't that that young girl who took a couple art classes and now she's teaching??"  But alas, I know that old man had no idea who I am or what my abilities are.

I really am constantly fighting the battle of 'Yes, I'm young, but I'm competent, dammit!"  Of course I know that can't be a life-long battle because someday I will actually be and look older!

Blahblahblah, here's a couple from last night:

I believe this one was 6 minutes

About 20 minutes

And here is the flier featuring one of my drawings:

Commissioned Portraits of Little Ones

I really do enjoy doing commissioned portraits.  There is so much to a face, especially the face of a loved one.  Just a glance at a familiar face not only flushes the mind with memories of good times and personality quarks, but there can be such a strong emotional reaction instantly as well.  I love capturing someone in a work of art, so that their loved ones can forever remember that person at that specific time and age.  I think a true portrait artist can also capture something a camera cannot.  They can pick up on the essence of the person, and can hopefully represent that in a work of art.

SO, here are a couple that I finished today.  These were fun because the woman commissioning them had seen my site and loved the idea of words about the person in the background.  She had her grandchildren write these short paragraphs about themselves for me to include with the portraits.

Now you know YOU want one, too!  Makes a great Christmas present!  Or birthday present!  Or get one for yourself!  Let me know if you are interested.

Teaching Figure Drawing at CityArts Cooperative

Starting December 2nd, I will be teaching Figure Drawing every Thursday at CityArts Cooperative, located in Downtown Panama City.  I'm stoked!  I have been teaching every Wednesday at Studio B in Alys Beach for over a year now.  For some crazy reason, though, it's hard getting people from Panama City all the way out to Alys Beach to take a class.  Well now there's one so much closer to home for the PC people!  I also suspect once people get into the figure drawing groove they will get addicted and start going to both locations.  Figure drawing is the best drawing practice there is, and is quite addictive.  I LOVE teaching it!

I will also be teaching Kids Art Classes and possibly Portrait Drawing.  I am waiting to get feedback on a good day/time, so please let me know if you are interested by sending me an email.

Computer Woes Upon Returning to the Panhandle

I'm now back in Panama City.  Before I left my computer crashed.  We took it to a place to get it fixed and they had to wipe everything.  They saved the files, but all programs went bye-bye.  They gave me an older version of Photoshop which suuuuuucks.  They say they'll get Dreamweaver for me soon.  Even though they called my computer a dinosaur, it has now gone back quite a few years into the past.  I can't even figure out how to scan!  I'm ridiculously frustrated because I rely on my computer a lot for work.  That includes documenting my art, photo/image editing, updating my website and blog, graphic design, general art promotions, and much more.

Computer help, please?

After being sick for a week, and in Virginia for 5 days, it's time to get back to art-life!  Here are a couple sketches from the past few days.  (Warning: quality is lower because as I said my scanning abilities are on hiatus and my camera is also a "dinosaur.")

From the morning after my Grandma passed.

My Dad playing music in his studio.

At BWI Airport.

Your comments are very welcomed and greatly appreciated!

In Virginia in Memory...

My grandmother passed Tuesday night.  She was 96, almost 97.  She was really an inspirational woman in her warmth, humor and kindness.  She really almost always had a smile on her face.  While she will be greatly missed, it was her time, that she and her family both accepted.

I flew up to Virginia yesterday morning for her funeral which is today.  While I was here I decided to draw her portrait to give to my father.

Here it is:

On another note, here are a couple drawings from earlier this week.  They are in 4"x6" box frames:

Bloggerific

Here it is 2010, and I'm finally creating an art blog.  Blog #1, here goes...

Just a few months ago I left my day job to become primarily a freelance artist.  So far, so good.  I show and sell my personal art, I do commissioned portraits, graphic design, and any other commissioned art project that may come along.  I also teach a lot of art classes, which I will talk more about in later blogs.  I guess I am currently "making it" as an artist, and I can't believe it!  I've always been an artist, from the moment I picked up my first crayon, but now I am making a living at it.

That means it's blog time.  I want to keep people up-to-date on what I am up to.  I will post photos, images of my art, and sketchbook pages.  I welcome feedback and ideas, so let me know what you think!

Here are a couple of recent sketchbook moments:

Click on any image to see a larger version... I think.