Hello Springtime....

Okay, maybe not quite yet, but this drawing does make me think of spring!

I needed a cheery diversion full of bright colors and happy images after spending several months thinking about the negative effects of smoking. While working on my sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project I really thought deeply about the profound impact cigarettes have had in my life, mostly in the taking of loved ones by cancer and heart disease. Did I mention that I hate cigarettes....

Anyway, I will be back on the "Coffee Break" drawing series soon, posting for your critique. Thanks for stopping by!

In My Garden #1

The Rat Bike Lives

My family is very creative. My husbands favorite art form is motorcycle building. Just this week he finished building his 1936 HD Knucklehead and he is very happy about it. See it here, at the Love Cycles blog.

Big Horizon

After spending the last two months consumed with The Sketchbook Project, my brain needed a rest. So, after sending my book off to New York last Tuesday I took the rest of the week off from creative endeavors. I am now ready to kick off the new year! I am starting a series of drawings that will be an extension of the topic "Coffee & Cigarettes." Look for those to be posted as they are completed.

"You Light Up My Life", Sketchbook Project 2011

Way, Way, Pathetically Behind

I know, I know....I said I would post my entries to the Sketchbook Project here on the blog as I did them. What I have been doing instead, is spending every spare minute WORKING ON said entries, oh and I spent a little time this month preparing for that holiday, ya know, Christmas. So, what I have learned in the last two months is this:
1. I ALWAYS "bite off more than I can chew." I love analogies that have to do with food.
2. Planning is everything. "Failing to plan is planning to fail."
3. Focusing is a learned behavior that requires practice.
4. When estimating the amount of time a project will take, decide how long you THINK it will take then double it.
5. I really, really love to draw and hope to get better at it with time.

Now, back to the drawing table. Coffee anyone?

Sketchbook Project - Pages 1 & 3

Today I posted the first two finished pages from my sketchbook. Here they are as promised. The first page is a dedication to my best friend Laurie who passed away three years ago. Unfortunately, she smoked for a lot of years and Cancer took her at 49.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The next page is an homage to two of my favorite things...
 

Finally!!!

Today was a good day. With little ceremony, my sketchbook finally arrived for The Sketchbook Project. I have been waiting since the end of September. After one (almost two) email(s) to Arthouse, one interesting conversation with the mail carrier who delivers to my office building ("there is no box for the 16th floor, if mail is addressed to a suite on the 16th floor it gets "returned to sender") WHAT, REALLY??

So anyway, it came and I'm happy. I have been preparing reference photos for some of the drawings I am planning to include, laying out the page order and writing the text that will accompany some of my entries. This has been an exercise in planning, focusing, purging and containing my excitement. I cannot wait to put pencil to paper and loose myself in the highlights and shadows.

But for now, a treat...

He Dreams of the Open Road

Red Green likes to explore his environment...We came out to the garage to feed him the other night and there he was perched on the handlebars of Pat's bike. This doesn't look like a very comfortable place to hang out but what do I know.

I'm Not Gone

Or was that "I'm Still Here." Okay, forgive me for using a terrible Joaquin Phoenix publicity stunt to open a post. I just wanted to let you know that I haven't flown the coop. I've just been pre-occupied with numerous distractions. Mostly, I've been waiting on my sketchbook so I can participate in The Sketchbook Project . For some reason, the mailman can't seem to find me because I still don't have it...Bummed.

On a completely unrelated note, I have had a wicked sweet tooth lately. What is up with that?

Mooshoo, Personality to Spare

Remember this photo? I posted this several weeks back after I submitted it for one of The Pioneer Woman's photo assignments, the theme was "funny." Well, to my utter surprise, it was chosen for one the groups from which the winner and runners-up are later chosen. I have submitted photos for many of her assignments and never been chosen, so this was pretty cool. It wouldn't be that big a deal except that thousands of people belong to her Flickr group and submit to these assignments and some incredible talent competes. So, yeah, it's cool!

Anyway, I decided to enter this same photo in The First Annual Dandiest Dog & Cutest Cat Photo Contest being put on by The Noble Beast here in Phoenix and, again, to my utter surprise, it won for the "Cutest Cat." Yes, it kinda made my day! And the $75 gift certificate is pretty great too!

Now if you are a serious dog or cat owner, you really must check out this adorable shop. It is located in the heart of Central Phoenix and they carry many very cool one of a kind pet accessories. They also carry a nice selection of organic/natural pet foods, treats, supplements and grooming supplies. The owners Alison and Marsha seem knowledgeable about the products they sell and seem to genuinely love serving the pet community.

Noble Beast
1005 E. Camelback Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85014
602.265.4223
info@noblebeastpets.com

The Sketchbook Project

On Monday I signed up to participate in The Sketchbook Project. I am super psyched to do this, mostly because over the last few years I have become fascinated with the whole Moleskine movement and have started trying to keep an ongoing sketch journal. I am excited to be challenging myself with a theme and a time frame. I am out of my comfort zone with this gang, but I am up for it. I am also looking forward to seeing as many of the other participants sketchbooks as I can. Check out the project at http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject and join in! You can view other peoples pages at http://www.arthousecoop.com/

I will (eventually) post all of my sketchbook entrys on my Sketchbook Project page in sequence so you can see them all together and follow the theme. My chosen theme is "Coffee and Cigarettes" I will also post my pages on my home page as I do them. I can't wait to get started, just waitin on my book to come...