Stormy weather

Pencil drawing 8X10.

The weather was so bad today, even hailed some. The rain and wind was really strong and loud. I don't like lightening and thunder because of the noise and the flashing. I did okay with it though.

My daughter's friends wanted to watch me draw something and I was planning just sketching something, although I am so not a sketch artist, but then they saw a picture in my files of this lion and instisted I draw it...so it took a little while, but I did it.

I would so love to learn the skill of being a sketch artist. That would be so cool to just sketch something really quick and have it actually look like something rather than a scribbled mess. It takes me a while to do something, although not as long as it would take others I suppose.

The weather is supposed to be more spring like tomorrow and I am looking forward to it. This is the 3rd weekend that I thought someone was coming to pick up and purchase some of my paintings, but yet again I think it is being postponed. I really need the money since i am still unemployed and it is driving me crazy. I hope she comes tomorrow.

'Last Road Home' WIP...

"Last Road Home"...not done yet, but getting there. My friend's girlfriend is a composer and one of her songs was titled "Long Road Home' and instantly this image came to my head so I started painting it the next day...So far I like it...and since I am so new to oils I have redone some things and wasted a lot of paint too...that is the part I hate. I have no clue how much paint to use so I end up using too much. One day I will get it all right.

I chose the fall trees because fall has the most beautiful colors associated with it. I love the weather and the colors of the trees and the feeling in the air. I know that spring is approaching and I love spring as well, but it is more common for people to paint spring and summer time over fall time.

Children

Pencil drawing of my nephew Tristan's feet held in his father's hands. This was on of my favorite pieces to draw.

Isn't life so precious? How fast it passes us by, how for granted we really take it.

This was done when Tristan was only a couple months old. They will never be this size again. Babies grow up so quickly and right before our eyes they grow up to be men and women that we have tried to mold into something wonderful and amazing.

My children are 16, 15 and 13 now. They are growing up so quickly. They are amazing teenagers and beautiful people with such potential for their future. I long for the day where they succeed further in life and can truly know that they have created a happiness for themselves and know that what they have done has gotten them there. They are very intelligent and athletic people and have so much to offer the world and I don't even think they realize just how much either. One day they will take the world in their hands and have children of their own to mold and teach and raise and what a blessing that will be.

We all must learn to never take our children for granted. We must always remember that we are who they learn and model from. Let them live and make choices for themselves and know and learn who THEY are as a human. We are here to guide them not control them, we are here to assist them and provide information and help to them, we are here to apply those band-aids where ever they are needed...but we must let them fall and make mistakes and bad decisions in order for them to learn and grow from this as well. Love your children and let them know everyday that you love them and mean something to you because before you know it, they will be gone.

Differences

"Differences' 8X10 oil.
Life as we see it is so different. What one sees another doesn't and how one sees things another sees it differently, much like art. These don't look like daisies are supposed to look, but how are they really supposed to look? How is anything really supposed to look..perfect? If everything was perfect then there would be nothing to strive for in life, nothing to make better, or nothing to change. Would we want life like that, I know I wouldn't. It would be too predictable, boring and monotonous.
Try to look at things in life whether they are objects or instances and try to find the imperfections in them that make them that much better. Try not to look at those imperfections as flaws rather as postive aspects in order to give us the opportunity to realize that nothing can or will be perfect which leaves the door open for change and growth.

Working with Oils

'Freedom' 16X20 oil.
I am so new to using oils but figured it was time for me to really teach myself how to use them since a friend of mine uses them so much and loves them. It is inspiring me to really try them more. This is a dark picture because it is rainy here, will have to take another one later.

I got a call this morning for a potential job. It has been since Oct that I have been out of work. Raising kids on unemployment is practically impossible so I desperately NEED this job. It is good money so it will definitely help us get back on our feet again. I am hoping hoping my skills will land me at least an interview.

Catching up

I wish it were spring time here. We had a bout of it this past weekend and it felt so wonderful outside, we were in shorts. I got a bit of spring fever and really got a lot accomplished and was proud of myself because I refinished the top of my table and it looks amazing now!

This is titled "Saturday Sunrise" used oils, tissue paper and sculpting putty to make this. It has many textures to it which make it more 3 dimentional.

I have not updated this in quite a long time and I am not really sure why. The last few months have taken me on a whirlwind of pure craziness. So much has happened in my life and now it is totally taken it's toll on me. I am trying to work through this depression that has succumbed me and being that I have suffered from depression since I was a child, this is sometimes difficult. Usually though I can overcome it, however the last 6 months have been so overwhelming that I am having a difficult time with it.
I have been painting to help me get my mind off of everything that has been going on...well it doesn't help. I will update later with some pictures as soon as I take them and download them onto my computer.