JOCELYN'S CURRENT PROJECTS AND COMMISSIONS

UGH

2009-06-15T06:07:00.000-07:00

Still having quite the painting dilemma :-( I wonder where it went and how long it'll be gone :-(
The 2nd attempt to restart the portrait of my sitter resulted in another tossed out painting. At this point, I cannot justify the expense of wasted material. I went back to an old painting of my son, to see what happens. If it becomes a mess, I will take a break, possibly just keep up my drawing for a few months and see how painting goes in the Fall. It's definitely psychosomatic. I didn't forget how to paint, it's just not going from my brain to my hands right now :-( My son recommended taking a break. He said that I couldn't have forgotten how to paint but that maybe am stressed out and it's just not working right now. So, after trying this week to see if there is any difference, I will take his advice. If painting is gone form my life for good, I don't know what will happen, or how I'd deal with that.
Well, there are plenty of things around our house that have been neglected for years and maybe this is the time to catch up on them.
Had a busy weekend. I was out a lot of it. Got to relax on the Go Train and read Saturday on a trip downtown. I always like that. It was however, more crowded than usual this Saturday. Kind of little disappointing as I look forward to a relaxing ride home, eating a quick snack while I wait for the train, especially since it is Not rush hour, like on a weekday afternoon. But, it was still fine.
This week is also very busy as is our weekend. There is always so much running around to do and so many plans. It is going to be difficult this Summer to get anywhere on the weekends since Sat and Sunday late afternoons are filled with soccer practices. It leaves it difficult to fit family visiting in. I feel it is important to see my Dad, siblings and my inlaws and sister and brother in law, so we'll have to try to find some time, some sort of solution to it.

Belladonna

2009-06-11T17:08:00.000-07:00

In about 2001/2002, I first kind of entered that (good and bad) online world of associating with other artists. There are 2 great reasons, important and life long reasons, why it was good, versus many reasons why it was probably bad. However, separate from that, is one woman and artist who has stuck in my mind, at different times, that I had the honour of meeting. Her ID name and that on her site, was Belladonna.
Most of my life, I have not chosen to surround myself with other artists. Never was there a conscious reason that I can pinpoint. I think it was because I always have functioned on differences, contrating compliments, not coinciding or similar veins. I needed that break from what was a very inner part of me, with the refreshing and interesting differences of others. I now see that I am not so different than "non artists". People are so surprising when you find out more deeper parts of their personalities, and everyone possesses that "special thing" which makes them unique. Artists are not the only ones. Everyone has there deep dark side too, if you want to see it.

Anyway, not to intentionally defer from my intention of bringing this artist to anyone's attention, I'll get back on point.
I am sad to say, I cannot recall the exact date she passed away. However, it was far too early. She, by my calculations (and I love making calcualtions) she would have been mid to late 40s when she passed away. I don't know what she died from, and I am unsure 100% when I heard but I believe it was Jan 2008 or 2009. At that time, I had not seen her online for a couple years.
I never even knew her first name. She lived in Kingston, Ontario. I don't think she ever reached any artist notoriety, and like many artists, her work as Good and Bad. However, she had something and she was one of the first fellow woman artists I discovered and admired, in the new open world of the Net.
She was tough, bold, opinionated, smart, a free spirit, unafraid, aggressive, not to mention had gorgeous hair lol! Though we did not always see eye to eye, she reached out and invited me to take part in some sort of women's art show in Kingston, years ago, and I will always remember that, and my brief contact with her.
Her site is an old Geocities free site and it is still up although I don't know if it always will be.

http://www.geocities.com/belladonna_s/

This painting, I've always loved, because we had blue glass goblets like this, and I've always loved that Edwardian, corset age, Medievil type look to things, like this ruby red goblet she painting. The drama and sexiness of that goblet really made me love this painting.

I don't want her to be just forgotten.

New Work Plans

2009-06-11T04:03:00.000-07:00

For a couple years now, I've been trying to arrange a meeting up with a person from our pool league who I feel would make a great subject for a portrait. He was fine with posing for some shots for the reference so I hope to be able to get to that next week. He has a neat look, with long thick hair and neat features and darkish tanned skin from his working outdoors, plus one of those arm band tattoos. His business is extremely busy, so it is hard to get him pinned to a time to meet. I can imagine if I had to paint him totally from life lol! I better have a perfect memory then lol! So, hopefully, he'll have a few spare moments next week. I have the location picked out where I want to take the photos, which is right near where we play pool anyway, so close to home. This portrait will be one that also has a background environment. I feel that this portrait would be a good one to do, plus it moves away from all the woman I tend to paint all the time.

There won't be much painting time this weekend for me since I and we have a busy one, but I hope to atleast begin something new; atleast to get the canvas toned in and the drawing began. I have not decided as of yet, as to whether I want to re begin the portrait of my sitter that I was doing for a demo. I will use the original drawing, if this is the case, and get it onto the surface somehow. It's too small to project and it's difficult to project onto a toned surface as well. It's much easier to draw it freehand, but I want to use my original drawing due to it havign been so accurate, which I have saved on my computer from the demo still. I need to figure out how to get it on the canvas. Toning or washing over the drawing makes a mess but that could maybe be a solution if done carefully.

Mid Week

2009-06-10T13:09:00.000-07:00

So far, this week has been ok but still very busy and loaded. My days off still get sort of too crammed with thigns that deter me from really getting into a longish painting day. But, compared to most woman/mom artists, I am pretty lucky and I've managed to be able to keep up art in my life. I actually am pretty spoiled that way so should be grateful no doubt. Although, it's been sort of not so organized and on an erratic path for a lot of it. Lots of times, there was the necessity to make a good enough income from it so I Could keep it up and avoid doing something else for a living that would entirely wipe out my energy and motivation for Any art. However, having a part time job allows me to be less concerned with a Steady income From art and should (operative word "should") just allow me to paint. However, I think my main error is not putting enough forethought into What I am painting, deciding too fast, not enough focus. That is something I need to really find a solution to and attend to, if I am going to continue to put time or money into art.
Another thing that really needs to be avoided, is spending time doing for others, and focusing more on My artwork and my own development. My time is so limited at this point in my life, that I need to be more choosey with what I spend it on, art related wise. I may never be one of the top notch 1% but I should be far better than I am, at this point in my life. Above all, I need to be happy with what I am producing, whether it fits anyone else's idea of "real art" or "good art" or not.
I am real behind in taking care of the house and the garden and lawn this week too and that always will bug me enough to distract me from producing anything I like either, art wise. Some of that needs to be caught up on for my mood or focus to be restored. This is the first time in all my life that I have lost focus, concentration and ability to work on my artwork so it is very disconcerting and needs to be solved. If it cannot, I will not even have my art to look forward to.
Life drawing was ok this week. I wish I could go next week but cannot. However, maybe the break will be good. Maybe I am getting too saturated. That happens to me.
This Summer, I hope, will be a good one. I am remaining optimistic :-) It's always nice to have the kids' routines broken as everyone needs a break from the school day routine, even parents.

A Funny Week

2009-06-05T06:19:00.001-07:00

This week was sort of a catalyst week for me. My mind became a bit clearer and a little more focused again, after mid week. I began a drawing, just to warm back up to painting again. I think I needed to go back to some basics just to exercize my artist side but not to be working on anything that had any reason to turn out, work out, etc. I'm not mourning the loss of the portrait I had begun, though I should be I guess, but I want to move on and not cry about split milk anymore. I will begin it again, from my original drawing that was so good and so accurate. That girl I was painting is on her way to Italy, lucky girl!, to train as a chef through her school program. It would have been so great to have been able to do something like that in my 20s, I am happy for her.
Today, I look forward to going again to the AGO, with an artist friend. I had been near my birthday, with my Dad, and I enjoyed it but missed a lot of the gallery as I was tired that day and we left before doing the European section. I can skip the Group of Seven stuff if we run out of time, since it is my least favourite, except for their little loose studies and Thompson's stuff. There is so much more to Canadian art than that group, in my personal and maybe not so popular opinion. Lilias Torrence Newton's work thrills me more than those guys ever could.
My work is teaching me accounting, Quickbooks, so there is another new skill I will learn! I am so excited. I always loved working with numbers and figures and debits, credits, balancing, etc. My head works like that as well as being an artist. That is a field I could have pursued too. Having a great memory helps with it a lot too.
Lately, my drives to work have been rather icky lol! I've now seen those large black birds haulign away chunks of dead road kill on may separate occasions. However, I have also seen other weird bird stuff this year. I see red winged black birds attacking those larger black birds, all over. I saw a baby robin that was larger than it's parents but still a baby, in our yard and I see the parents feeding it often. We saw birds flyign in an odd line while driving and instead of crossing us, they were ahead of us so it was an odd sensation as they seemed to be moving but staying still. My son and I watched them as we sat in slow traffic on the way home from his guitar.
I also had the occassion to actually have a good chat with my kids and be the Mom figure more than usual this week, helping my kids deal with a couple social issues and attitude issues, that were occurring with them. Friendships can be as hard as couple relationships in many ways, and very difficult when you've got kids that are friends but maturing at different intervals, socially. I see my daughter be tough on the soccer field, getting a yellow card and body checking kids lol! but I see her being too timid to deal with friends who are not treating her properly. It was nice to actually feel like I may have helped my kids a bit, with my words and their words. Usually it's their Dad being the "Good Mother" Most of all, I think communication is the key to everything, although it can be a hard habit to get into for some.

Piss or Get Off the Pot

2009-05-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

Today, this is the decision I have made. I have a part time job to enable me to have time to paint. So, it's either I bring my painting up to par and out of it's recent rut, or I pack it in and alter my life completely :-) Too much is keeping me, or I'm letting things keep me, from using this time I have made for myself, at the sacrifice of havign a decent full time career in some field I'd excel in, to pursue this passion, despite where it leads to. Thsi needs to become forefront. I need to begin completing a good and decent body of work, and I need to have the time to actually concentrate and not physically wreck my paintings so the surfaces become unworkable any longer and it has to be begun again. I certainly will not be touching again, the canvas I was given, the oil painting planned, until this is all straightened out and I can trust myself and my work again. However, I suspect oil is easier since I could remove it easier as compared to acrylic.

Unfortunately, it cannot be helped that outside things sometimes pop up and I have to abandon my painting day, as well as the part of the housework and yardwork that I am responsible for also needs to be done, but I need to really use those painting hours I do have, constructively. Otherwise, there is no justification for me only having a part time income and days off if it is all going to be wasted.

Looking forward to getting back on track :-) I've set an ultimatum for myself.

A Beautiful Band-City and Colour

2009-05-27T13:31:00.001-07:00

They must be Canadian, because it is spelled "colour" I love when the U is there as the word always seems more rich visually, so I am happy to see that we Canadians, which was British based, get to spell many words with the U.
In any event, I want to mention an amazing music group called City and Colour. I had forgotten about their songs but was reminded when I saw them on my son's Ipod. I was happy to see his tastes are broader than just the typical junk pop that is out nowadays and everyone is listening to. Not to say I don't like some of that mass appeal junk pop myself lol! I suspect, although my son can be lazy with practicing his guitar, that he is truly a "music person". He also enjoys radio programs on the history behind bands, new music history show he lately listens to, etc. I can see he appreciates a greater variety and variance in music, then my daughter, as well as knows a bit about past musicians, etc. That is kind of nice.

Good Weekend

2009-05-25T14:53:00.000-07:00

This weekend was good. It had its fun moments and some tough moments. The weather was terrific, not too hot for the soccer team and comfortable for the parents. My son was upset that his Xbox could not be hooked up to the TV in the hotel. My husband was glad actually, as he ended up having fun at the fields. He did the lines a few times and practiced his own soccer footwork stuff lol! So, after a little tantrum and self pity about his Xbox and why couldn't he stay home, etc., he ended up making the best of his "ordeal" and actually had fun lol!

Ottawa is a great town, I really like it. I am sure I'll see it many times in the future too, especially since I have a good friend there. This time, I spent the one day with her, as opposed to the 3 and a bit days we got last year. But, both of us were busier this year, at this time. We went to the National Gallery and it's a lovely gallery. I saw the Lilias Torrence self portrait I really like. We visited a lot of small local galleries but I find a lot of the work in them is all sort of naive, abstract type work, which can become sort of depressing in a way, to see over and over, after long periods of time. There was one gallery that had gorgeous glass work, ink stain type organic shapes trapped in glass, which was large and hung and created beautiful shadows and reflections on the walls. It was stunning. The artist's name is Rui Pimenta. The name reminded me of pimentos, in olives lol. Which, in turn, kind of matched the work for some reason. His work had a sort of medical feel to it, like slides with blood or bodily fluids trapped for observatin in a microscope. But, it was not gross in any way, very milifori kind of looking and beautiful.

As for the tournament, the girls played awesome again this year. They took silver as 2nd, in a shootout last year, but won gold this year, coming in first! One girl, she scored 7 goals over the weekend. My daughter, excitingly enough, scored the final game winning goal in the last 45 secs, which kept them from going to a shoot out, to win the tournament! She did it with assistance from a team mate passing to her, and the girls were so ecstatic to realize they just won!

I got ribbed a bit for taking off during the Saturday, by other parents, since I am "team photographer" lol! However, I still got over 375 photos just from Sunday. Luckily, my battery held out. The last 3 or so photos, I had to keep turning the camera off and back on, between photos, so it would still have a bit of power left for the team photo.

My friend's garden and her yard are so cool and I got some photos of that too. It's so wildish and Unanally kept and that is so refreshing. It seems so alive and real.

Today, I had my latest acrylic portrait so "perfect" and I should have stopped when I knew I should have, but continued to work on it. My husband had opened the window to do something, and my light was way too strong and bounced off my surface way too much. It took a matter of 5 mins to wreck 4 hrs of work :-( I was so upset with myself. I did manage to correct it but now feel rushed and stressed so am not sure if I'll get any of the progress up today. I still have a ton of stuff to do from our trip away this year. We did not get the kids from Wales at all, in our home, but my son wishes now that we had as they are fun he says lol! They are taking a bunch of them to the mall tomorrow and playing street hockey with them. They did not know what soccer was lol! They call it football, of course, but some did not even know what was being asked of them when asked if they like Soccer lol! Their response was "what the $#@^ is soccer?!" lol! I think this is all quite a cool experience for the 2 groups of kids, meeting others from a different country. They are a year younger too, but in the same grade, the kids from Wales. Next year, my son's rugby team has the chance to go there, and live in other kids' homes, like these kids are. It's the 5th year for it apparently, and it's been really successful.

Looking Forward!

2009-05-20T05:36:00.001-07:00

This weekend is lookin' good. The weather looks so far to be also great. I am so looking forward to seeing my artist friend too, who lives in Ottawa. Our daughter again has a soccer tournament there this year. Last year it was awesome and the girls were amazing. They could almost do no wrong. They ended up taking 2nd, in a shootout, for the final game.
Last year, I got to go early, on Via Rail, and visit my friend for 3 days, doing all kinds of art related stuff and chatting and such. But this year, it was not workable. So, we are going to do the Saturday together then I'll meet back up with my family and the team, for dinner. We may draw, we'll definitely have some nice lunch and a glass of wine. She is a joy to be friends with.
We still don't know if we are taking in 2 kids from England. We'll find out by the weekend I'm sure. I managed to get all I had to do, done, in order to be able to fit them here. We really have a very very small house. But, I like it that way. I don't want a large house, ever. Not unless we are rich enough to have it looked after lol!

Unfortunately, I won't be doing any painting or drawing, unless in Ottawa, till life drawing next week. There is just no free time.

Later, I will post one or 2 things from life drawing this week. Maybe I need a break because I'm going backwards instead of forewards with my life drawing lol! I don't know. Sometimes, when too much is going on and too much is on my mind all the time, it's too hard to concentrate fully on anything.

The New Star Trek Film

2009-05-17T06:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we went to see the new Star Trek film. I was prepared to not like it originally, since I am such a die hard fan of the original characters. OMG, it was awesome!!! They were younger chronologically, in it, so it was fine. The most amazingly close to how the person maybe would have actually looked, was Spock. He was my favourite character in the old series.
I looked into Leonard Nimoy's biography and I was pleasantly surprised about many aspects of his life. One being that he is an accomplished photographer. I linked his bio below. What an interesting man he seems to be, with such a varied and full life. I was reading all the things he's done over his life and my husband said he sounds like a lost soul, someone who does not know what the hell they want to do ever, but that he is probably highly intelligent. I am not sure I'd agree though. It's probably just the path his life often took him in sometimes.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000559/bio

This weekend has been good so far. However, a little dilemma has arisen, and as usual, with very little notice. This seems to be the way it is around here lol! I had heard rumours about this but our son never brought us home the literature. He plays rugby at school and each year, they switch back and forth with a Brit high school, for the kids to go over there and come here, and play games against each other. This year, it's our team's turn. Therefore, we are now possibly going to be putting up 2 students from England, for 4 nights. Problem is, we aren't here for the first night due to being away for a soccer tournament. So, my son needs to mention this to his coach and we won't know for sure if we are or are not going to get two kids. I have No idea where we are going to put them. Most likely, they'll have to take my son's room and he'll have to sleep downstairs. The rec room is a disaster from renovations my husband has not completed and the rest of it is my kids' entertainment area. Not to mention my old work area down there which needs definite cleaning out. So, now all my spare time this week and that includes as soon as I get home form work mostly, is filled preparing for this. I will probably be packing for our tournament trip 1 hr before we are to go lol! Ah well, I am not a fussy girly girl type packer anyway. Thrown limited stuff in a gym bag will do. It means absolutely No artwork this week though, and maybe not til after next week. I then have our pool playoffs the following weekend.
The work I do may be of no use but alteast it'll organize stuff around here, and de-clutter, which needs to be done anyway. Clutter in one's home has been linked to frustration, depression and even marriage problems so if anything, it'll be a good preventative measure even if those kids never end up staying here anyway. We cannot guarantee when we'll be home so unless they still are desperate for volunteers, we won't be getting any kids to our house, which is very small as well. However, this could affect my son's ability to go to England next year since preference is being first given to those who were co0operative and put up members of their team while here.
So, the next 2 weeks could be a whirlwind and a bit of a rush and stress filled time. I have set my mind state to Deal With It and not let it get me worried and stressed. It'll be past history soon enough. lol!

Long Weekend!!!

2009-05-15T05:06:00.000-07:00

I am very happy to realize that I have Monday off! I did not get as much done on the Thursday I had off the other day, due to so many unexpected trips in my car for my daughter's school lacrosse team. I had hoped for a full day at home alone, with music, and working on art. It did not turn out like that.

This weekend, we are going to see the new Star Trek film. I used to love the series, and the one movie, with the whales, from the 80s, but those new series never really interested me. It was the characters I liked so the newer stuff lost me.

From last weekend: my sister's dog and a cool building on the main street near her place, in Toronto west/south.

A "so far no art" Week

2009-05-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

Well, this week has proven to be very occupied with many little things. I've had to attend to the lawn, front and back, Monday night. I've run my kids around plus an unexpected appt. for my daughter. I had life drawing and pool, both go fairly late, which I don't mind but that wipes out 2 nights right away. I am working an extra day a week now. There have been a lot of little invites and plans, 1 from a person I only see once in a while when he gets into this area, from up north. He was my old pool coach.

This weekend, I am hoping to get in some artwork. Namely, I need to get up the classroom demo thingy I was slotted to do on acrylics, on an art forum site. I have atleast gotten that partly started.

There is also an upcoming show I enter every Spring, which I do sometimes and don't other times, get one or both pieces that I enter, accepted. I need to decide what I am entering and get that organized.

I had wanted to begin my oil painting but I may have to put that on further hold till late Spring. We'll see. I was looking forward to just diving in to that.

This past weekend, I was in the garage, getting the lawn mower and such, when I noticed my husband's bunker stuff from work. He rarely has it here, it usually stays at the hall. However, sometimes he is sent to another hall as acting captain, or when he is off, he brings it home. I liked the way it was sitting so I photographed it. I have one of his coat and stuff hanging off the mirror of a fire truck from years ago, and I do want to one day do a fire dept. themed painting. This one here is a bit more boring colour wise though. The other one is way more interesting, with the reds and golds and all, but I only have it in hard copy photo printing, from way back, when I had an old Nikon SLR only. I also shot a shot with all the crap on my poor baby Mazda :-( I usually try to avoid looking at it when I go in to the garage lol! One day, it'll come back out. My husband wants to paint it a light copper some time in the future. It's in great shape but needs a heat shield replaced and a little teeney bit of body work on the front underneath piece, where it connects by bolts. My son wants it when he drives but I doubt That'll happen lol!

For some reason, this week, I've also been in a little bit of one of my "I am a bit irritated and sick of people" mode. I get impatient and crabby like that 2-3 times a year, mostly with strangers, but it can very rarely be frineds or family. Hopefully, it'll clear by the weekend! Usually, mainly through constant advice coming from my husband, who hates negativity, my positive attitude sometimes needs conscious boosting. My husband feels negativity, whining, and complaining are often very pointless uses of energy.

A Good Weekend

2009-05-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful weekend here; a bit windy and a bit chilly at times, and some rain, but very lovely still. I really had forgotten Sunday was Mother's Day. My husband's parents were in Toronto to help build my brother in law's deck and they stopped by for a breakfast on their way back up north. So lucky, they get to live in Arizona for 4 months in the winter. They are so young as well, only in their very early 60s, so they really get to enjoy so much so early, having been already retired 5-6 years. They golf, work out, and they do lots with friends. They are great inlaws, fantastic grandparents, and my mother in law is like a Mom to me :-)

We had a good time visiting my husband's long time friend and his long time girlfriend. They had her neice and nephew over for the weekend. We had originally asked them here but they had to look after the kids so we went there. Cute little kids, with strawberry blonde red hair. They were 4 and 10. The little girl was a bit bored so we took her bakc to our house to pick out some old things my daughter had just purged her room of. There was a baby doll with all the accessories, and an art kit. She was so happy to have them and was better then. I helped her make a card for her Mom for Mother's Day, for the next day when she picked them up. My husband was laughing because usually He is the one kids gravitate to lol! not me. But, I was very good with the little kids when I was a school photographer too.

On Sunday, after our breakfast, and my inlaws wanted to get on their way, my son and I went to visit my sister, her boyfriend, and see their dog and go for a small lunch at a pub near them, along with my Dad too. They live in a beautful older home area near Highpark, off Roncesvales. They rent the second floor of an old house. Their sweet dog is an English Bulldog. It's so sweet and loveable. It kept going after my feet lol! Nasty, lol!

I did manage to progress on the portrait to be used as a demo later this week, in acrylics. I worked Friday on it and Saturday morning. Then, the running around started and I had to clear off the dining room table anyway. I got some of the text part started too, on Word. It is really hard to write it all out in text because there is so much when painting that cannot be organized in black and white text, so much that is just instinctual and really, not in any set order of occurrance. Also, as a painter, I am not real anal and formulamatic driven. IE: I don't plan my palette, I don't premix pigments and keep them all there and draw paint individually from those, I don't use greys to neutralize my colours, etc. I find that that type of method does not jive with how I am, therefore I cannot make it work for me. Maybe that is why I have not become as good as I wish to be, but in any event, most of those methods could never happen with me as a painter, so be it.

A couple stages here, of the beginning of the demo portrait.

This Week

2009-05-08T09:01:00.000-07:00

This week was a pretty busy one. The bird is also gone now. It's sad a bit to see the empty remnants of the nest. I guess the baby can fly now.

Since Tuesday night, I have passed a police blocked off road along my route to work and life drawing. I had guessed that there was a movie filming. Now, I realize, it was the CSI police trailer I was seeing and the flood lights were the police investigating the scene at night, not filming lights lol! I am used to seeing a similar scene down town Toronto all the time I spent down there over my life time, whenever they are filmign something, so just assumed that is what I was seeing. There were 2 bodies found in a trunk of an abandoned rental car. I have seen nothing myself though, on the news, nor had I heard about it, then or since. I barely ever listen to or watch the news though, nor have I lately listened to radio music, but have had a CD on in my car more often than not. Someone at work, who takes the same route, mentioned it to me.

Today, I am beginning a portrait that will be used in the next week or so, for an acrylic portrait classroom thing that the Acrylics forum on an art site I participate on, decided to run this year. I signed up to take on the 2 weeks Portraits one. However, at the time, I had anticipated being off from my school photography job and would have all day every day free. No longer the case since I am in a new job. But, I have begun early, and am documenting the stages in advance, as well as writing up the text part on Word, so I can more easily fit it in. I chose to do a pretty easy portrait of my ex sitter, who is a lovely subject.

Today, I am going to work on this, in between catching up on much needed, neglected housework, as well as try to get more done on the lawn. I cannot imagine, if I did work full time, how any of this stuff would ever get done around here lol! We are maybe having friends over this weekend so I'd like to atleast feel comfortable with my home, even if it is nto perfect lol! They are easy going so they wouldn't care if there was crap everywhere anyway, but I would. I will do enough, have a glass of Pino with them and then it won't bug me anymore anyway lol!

It's a beautiful looking day so I hope this carrys over through the whole weekend.

Those Scamming Birds

2009-05-03T15:08:00.000-07:00

Well today, after looking at the mourning dove and hoping the day would be soon that I'd get to see the babies, I was on my way out and got quite the surprise. The friggin' thing was born atleast a week ago lol! No wonder the parent bird looked funny last week, sitting on the nest. She appeared all puffed up and I could see a slight rim of whitish baby looking feathers all under her like the skirt of a duvet on a bed. I had an inkling then that maybe she was sitting on already born chicks but I dismissed it as her just puffing up or it being the other parent bird, which happened to maybe be bigger.

Today, I went out after mid day and lo and behold, there was a freaky, darker feathered, no tailed bird in the nest! The nest looked quite beaten up and there was bird crap all over the front of it and on the branch. The little thing is Not new born that is for sure lol! That sneaky parent bird was sitting on its young baby then, all this past week.

I went in and got my camera to take some shots of it and it got a bit scared. It started lifting itself up, puffing up, and lifting it's wings. I left it before it were to have a heart attack. After I got back, 3 hours later, I saw the parent and babe sitting together. It was so cute. The parent bird was not scared and this time, the baby wasn't either.

I guess they only have one baby ?

Beautiful Sunday

2009-05-03T08:30:00.000-07:00

It is such a lovely, uplifting day today. I had my husband start our mower as I have this paranoia of being the first to start the thing each Spring. It started, so now I can do the lawn when I get home. There are already dandelions! I usually spend a couple hours pulling them by hand. But, this weekend I'll mow them before they go to seed and next time, I will have time to pull them. My husband will do the weed and feed sometimes, but I tend to prefer to pull weeds by hand. I used to have more time though, since I was off all Summer with my previous job. This Summer, we'll see.

I have a small committment today, which I kind of wish I did not accept, as I'd love to just draw a bit and be outside a bit today. But, it's ok, I can do some lawn stuff when I get back. I hope we can BBQ later but I doubt it since my son and daughter both have a couple sports related things to go to later.

Today, I began a small portrait on a canvas, that will be for a demo in acrylic at the end of May. It will be one of my old babysitter, from some references I shot of her by a window a couple years ago. She is in Italy working now, as a chef, to gain some experience and learn a new language. She is a very adventurous person. My kids loved her, and her sister, who was there original sitter till she became too busy with school and a new job. Now, my kids are the same age that these girls were when I first met them and they babysat my kids.

The mourning dove outside our front door is still sitting on it's nest. I cannot wait to see the babies.

Last night, it was funny. I watched the 1986 Star Trek film, about the humpback whales that Kirk and his crew had to go back in time to the 90s, from the 23rd century, to get. I hated the new Star Trek films as they just "weren't the same" as the 1960s series ones. This one was, it had that same flavour. It had the way they interact, and the sarcasm and endearing qualities of the characters the series had. This one I liked when it came out. The funny part comes in when I look at that 23 year old film now and recall how Old we thought they all looked at the time that film came out, compared to the old series lol! Now, I looked at it and I thought "look how Young Shatner looks there, and Spock, and McCoy! lol!" Look at how 80s 90s it looks too lol! The same stuff I thought about the first series, in a way, how it appears so dated and "60s" when I see it now. Funny how things like that happen. I always had a huge crush on Mr Spock as a teen lol! It's too funny, all that nostalgic stuff.

The New Canvas

2009-05-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I did get in some drawing on my new painting, which will be in oil as opposed to acrylic. I cannot use acrylic on this linen canvas' surface because of how my friend prepared it. It's scary using oil, especially if I add in the factor that I don't want under any circumstances to Wreck this canvas.
I got a bit bored and unfocused yesterday, drawing the patterns on the comforter. But, I've done watercolours with this same comforter in it and I found that going directly to the painting stage for the patterning and folds works better. So, I stopped doing the drawing and have the shape of the comforter in and the major folds which is fine. I will go right to the underpainting and use that to block in pattern and folds.
I had to stop also, doing a shaded drawing, which I don't even do anyway normally, so I won't have too much charcoal pencil residue on the surface. Funny thing was that this drawing time, I had trouble getting the charcoal pencil to go on the surface. It was odd and I did not figure out why. I am pretty sure I was using the same pencil.
Hubby went golfing this morn and I actually got up later than I normally do. No one really is feeling up to par around our house, me included, so everyone is kind of sluggish and not getting anything much done. I find myself particularly unfocused lately and I normally have great self discipline to keep up the things I plan and have to attend to every week. Last few weeks I've not felt up to doing much at all. Being lax with my exercize is also adding to that I'm sure. But, I am going to wait it out as things tend to come up full circle and never remain the same for long anyway. I have these more "lazy" times off and on the odd time during the year. I always bounce back out of them often without any work on my part.

I watched a bio on Kate Winslet, one if not my Most favourite actresses. I've always loved the fact that she was an actress with curves. She has always struck me as someone who stays true to herself, is concerned with health, and also makes good choices for herself and seems to be a good Mom from what little a "fan" can be privy to anyway. I realized I had missed seeing "Little Children" one of her movies in the last few years. I watched it online and I did very much like it. It was done sort of in an odd style, almost like one of those old 60s school documentary type things at times. It was interesting though. I felt it was very real.

Life Drawing

2009-04-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

Lately, at life drawing, I have really fallen back some notches. Maybe I am saturated with it, or maybe my mind is not focused. Maybe I am too far back (12-15 ft), or working differently. I feel I've regressed in any case. I have only one half decent drawing of this interesting man whose face I really enjoy drawing, and although it does capture his essence, it is not perfectly what I see. He is off a bit because I probably was drawing it from his slightly different head angles that may have occurred during the pose. We have him the next 2 weeks so I am going to buckle down, sit in a closer spot (get there earlier) and really try to get a good drawing. I think this man is in his mid 40s to very early 50s, but I am not sure. It's hard to tell with him. Funny enough, I recall about 2 yrs ago receiving an email from a man by the same name, around that age, asking me to do a full figure life painting of him but it fell thorugh when I repsonded that my husband would need to accompany me to his place to take the reference images I'd need ( I declined working from life at his place). I highly doubt it was him, that'd be a huge coincidence, but it came to my mind anyway yesterday, on the way home. The reason I thought there was a chance is the person lived north of TO and they were also an artist, which this model is.

This weekend, I hope to get yard work in, and some work on my commission as well as some drawing done on my latest canvas. I need to get my butt in gear.

We have our billiards playoffs soon too so I want to get in some extra practice and I need to run the weekend by our team so I can find out everyone's tentative availability. If we get in to first, however, we'll get a by to the Regionals and it won't matter :-) We have 4 more weeks to do that.

Decision

2009-04-27T16:01:00.000-07:00

On my way to work today, I decided not to bother entering the Kingston Prize. For one thing, i mis-recalled the entry date by 5 days, or it was altered from a while back, and therefore, after the last couple of weeks, I am now behind on completing this portrait. I don't have time to make the correction to the parts I don't like in time to get the entry there by Friday. On top of that, I really feel the portrait is not up to par anyway, not to where I wanted it for this , therefore I'd be out the money it costs me to get CDs for the image, the entry fee and the overnight shipping cost to get the entry there in time. My decision is "No".

Here is where I'm at and the image here is not accurate as well. The texture of the canvas picks up, the value blends are too harsh and the colours are not quite right. The greens, blues and ambers are off and the reds are too intrusive and orangey. But, it's not bad. I will complete this at my leisure, in time for the June/July Oshawa juried show.

Monday-Start of the Week

2009-04-27T05:46:00.000-07:00

Well, today is the day I need to decide if I am entering the Kingston Prize. I am on the fence, I have a tiny bit to still do, on her hand and a spot on the face, below her eye on our left. As well, to purchase CDs and to send Expresspost the entry by Friday, will mean that my entry could cost over $60. I am not sure it is worth it as I feel my portrait is not up to par. I will need to say Yay or Nay by tonight. As well, we have an extremely busy week.

I wish yesterday were the games I had gotten to see for my daughter's Regional soccer team. She scored the winning goal in the first game and set up goals in the second game. She had a great day! She got an invite to attend a training camp in the summer which can help her reach her goal of making the Ontario, then the National team by 17, if she decides to pursue that. 50 out of the 170 girls from all the Regional teams are later on chosen to train for the Ontario team and for a chance to make the National team eventually. They take 30 from that 50. She has work to do but she has been explained to that it is within her grasp and she needs to decide if she wants to commit. If she does, it will mean heavy duty committment from us too. Her practices, 4 times a week, would be an hr drive there and back.

Later on, I'll post the painting of my friend, whether or not I choose to enter the painting.

Crazy Weather

2009-04-26T04:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, at the last game of Shauna's, in Vaughn, we sat and watched the dark clouds slowly roll in. Others were on their cells listening to relatives way west of us talking about how hail and high winds and such had just hit them and were moving on. Just as her game was done, you could physically see this white whispy curls bottomed strong wind blowing mist real fast, towards us. Then, came 100 mph winds and fast coming rain. The game that just began had to be called and everyone ran for the huge indoor facility there. People ran to close car windows and were drenched. We got grit in our eyes and mouths. Grit was Still in my mouth for an hour past the event, on the way home in the car. The last game used the indoor field. On the way home, we saw huge signs on tops of buildings down and smashed. My Dad was there and had seen a huge sign come down and crush a parked car on his way home. It was quite the sight yesterday.
It was a logn day, with 4 1/2 hours in between her games. During the break, we went to Fortinos supermarket and bought meats for the buns and such that my husband had packed, along with all the fruit for my daughter. Fortinos is an amazing grocery store! I wish we had it out here. Later in the day, for the last game, my Dad drove out to watch her with us. Her coach used to play soccer for Cameroon and he has a thick accent but the girls now can follow his words well. He is a good coach.

She has games today too but it is supposed to be raining. I won't be there which is just as well lol!

Today, I was up at 6am to finish my taxes so that my husband and his business partner can complete theirs. This year, I used Excel to make all my lists of commissions, sales, expenses, etc. and just totalled them on there. Then I can just print it all out and give it to them.
My husband is a procrastinator. We just got back our taxes from Last year, having done them in Feb. - 10 months late lol! I had My stuff added up last April but he never did them. This year, his partner rode his butt to do it on time lol!

Hopefully, today, I can fit in a bit of art. I am starting to feel almost guilty I've not done much lately.

Friday :-)

2009-04-24T14:15:00.000-07:00

Today, was a beautiful day. I had lots to do so did not get any art in. My job is adding a day to my work schedule for a while too so I will have more work hours, which is good in a way. I'd have preferred my job to be a bit more hours anyway, than it was when I accepted it. But, I wanted a job, needed a new small job and liked the one I applied for and ended up getting, so took it as is. It's now sort of full circle back to how I used to have it back in my 20s, one day off a week to do art etc. My self discipline needs a bit of a boost though lately. Its always been pretty good but lately, I've neglected stuff in lieu of baths, reading, the hot tub, going out too much for stuff like invites, my birthday weekend, etc. Atleast I attend life drawing weekly so I don't feel too bad about doing No art. However, I do have a commission to work on and I should be working on a personal piece atleast once a week. But, you know, only so much can be fit in every week when there are lots of other responsibilities to live up to.

Last week at life drawing, we drew each other and a couple of the drawings I felt I did not do too badly on. As well, we talked about that to do a portrait, one really needs to be closer to the subject so in reality, these are done from a good 16-20 feet away and that is more difficult. I'll post them as I don't think the persons would mind as they aren't highly detailed and recognizeable. I like the kraft paper I bought, even though it is quite cheap, because I can use darks and whites on it.
I also feel that I am getting a bit too "loud" at life drawing and need to tone it down. I get more funny and loud as I get comfortable with people and groups. It's fine with pool as it's a whole different atmosphere, lots of baudy joking and people more from a similar age group (on our team anyway) and backgrounds, but still a mix of women and men. It's so much fun some nights but I have to remember that pool and life drawing is Not the same type of outting. As a teen and young woman, I was very introverted, quiet and very proper in so many ways and I sometimes feel I wish I could go back to being like that at certain times. It just is so far in the past and so much not who I am anymore, although I still am a very helpful , caring and reliable person; just more out going and confident. Anyway, both things I attend are great and I look so forward to them. I do wish my husband played pool on our team with us this Summer as he did last Summer, while off hockey, but our team is full this year :-( It also is fine having the captain's role now, I have grown used to it and I will keep it.

This weekend, my daughter plays her first tournament with her Regional soccer team. I will make some of it but have plans with my brother to meet and talk on one of the days. As well, I missed some to be at my son's rugby game and take him home from it.

I am taking this weekend also to re-determine my decision to skip entering the Kingston Prize. I will look again at my friend's portrait and I will work further possibly, if I can, and decide by Monday. If I decide No, I will do something for 2011. I also will work harder to give some meaning to my work and not just paint someone because I am drawn to how they appear to me or only due to their physical selves. It's difficult though as really, I don't have all kinds of time, resources and influence in order to get people to pose for those majorly planned out concept type epic paintings. I have to often be happy with just getting in what I can to satisfy my artistic needs. One cannot do everything in life and circumstances and life sometimes make it more difficult for some over others to be able to accomplish exactly what they wish they could over their lifetime. Sometimes, one just needs to be satisfied with what they manage to accomplish and be grateful for it.

This Week

2009-04-22T05:46:00.000-07:00

So far, my week has been sort of weird and like I am going along in it but not really here. It began like that about Sunday afternoon. It did get better Tuesday night but still, it is like this.

Life drawing, our model did not arrive so we drew each other. I like doing that but I was disppointed that it was not a week that I was myself and did well. I'd have liked the drawings of my fellow group members to have been better. I did one that I do really like, and I'll post it later, when I have time.

I also decided this weekend that I really am not good enough and my piece I had intended for the Kingston Prize entry, fell short and is not good enough to enter. I need to work harder since this is the path I chose so long ago.

My birthday weekend was very nice. I enjoyed the company of my husband's family and my husband and kids, and even the day at the AGO with my Dad as well as the great lunch we had. I will go again later with my friend the muralist and we'll do the Mexican restaurant on Baldwin too. I realized that I left without going to the European section of paintings. I wish now I had not done that. I should have done that one section too. I did not think about it till later, that that was silly to do and that I had missed a lot of great paintings.

I did see a wonderful painting I don't recall seeing before there, of a woman in a bluey dress reclining on a walkway and entrance to a building, holding flowers or somethign, with long dark hair. Her skin tones were gorgeous and the shadows in the face were beautiful. I need to try and recall the artist's name now. It was a very large painting. I also got to see my old favourite, by Tissot, the woman in the sewing shop painting.

Beautiful Spring Surprise!

2009-04-19T06:14:00.000-07:00

This little creature is nesting right outside our front door. It's so sweet. We walk by the nest many times a day and she just sits there and looks. These birds are so lovely. She has metallic pink little markings on the side of her neck. It's going to be exciting to see the babies!

This Weekend

2009-04-18T12:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I did get out with my spouse, for lunch. I guess because of the recession, the billiards section is not open during the day anymore so we could only have lunch, no playing pool. That was ok as we got a chance to talk anyway. We sat out on the patio it was so nice out. This place has a really pretty patio and just as we were to leave, in the mail came a 10% off certificate, for my birthday. So that was a bonus. We signed up for that a couple years ago because we go there off and on and I play there every week, in our pool league.

I had wanted to enjoy a movie later, while my daughter was at her practice and my son at his tryout, but I began to feel ill. I had a fever and I had no energy. It is still there today, and I went back to bed earlier but forced myself to get up. I went out, got Ibuprofin, some new makeup and a haircut. I feel crap but I should be ok for tonight with Chuck's family. It just makes me feel bad that if I am contagious, someone else may get it.
I was hoping to get some drawing in on my new painting but I just cannot do it, I don't feel well enough. There is plenty of time for that all Summer anyway.

My day at the AGO tomorrow may be out but I hope not. It's dwindling who is coming down to it but that is ok. It's disappointing but what can I do. Atleast I'll see my Dad and sister. I heard from my artist friend, who is in Calgary on a mural, and him and I are going to go as well when he gets back in a week or 2. I miss that and I look forward to it. There is so much to see there that 2 days there would be good anyway. I am debating buying a membership but I am not sure I'd get there more than 2 times a year now anymore.

Friday April 17th

2009-04-17T06:45:00.000-07:00

The day outside is beautiful. It's such a wonderful feeling to see Spring really here. No more boots and socks; capris, shorts, bathing suits and sandles from today lol! I hate winter. I hate the bulky clothes, the cold, the wind, the yucky crappy roads, the static, my dry skin, all of it. I love Canada but I hate winter. My one friend from grade school lives in Fort McMurray so really, I should not complain about our piddly Southern Ontario winters lol!

Last night, we watched August Rush, my daughter and I. It was very good, quite odd and surreal but excellent. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Irish actor from Bend It Like Beckham in it. Then, I watched Ben Kingsley and Penelope Cruz in Elegy. It was good, very good, but a tear jerker.
On the weekend, we watched 7 Pounds. I did very much like that movie. It was again, another real soapy one, but done well.

Today, I really truly Need to get some housework done. I used to be very anal before my kids about doing it and keeping everything so perfect. Now, I guess I just don't care lol! I do keep it clean but I used to be very obsessive with it. Once my Grandparents passed away, I began to look at the rituals such as weekly housework as sort of pathetically wasteful. Their house was disassembled, most things auctioned off, a new family bought it and had to rebuild one wall in the basement. No one cares after you are gone, how perfect your house was. No one remembers. So now, I keep mine confortable for me to be able to handle mentally, and only become a bit obsessive when guests are arriving lol! Which definitely rules me out as one of those people who enjoys "unannounced drop in guests last second" I need a glass of wine for that lol!
So, today, I am going to draw a bit on my latest piece, and I'm going to clean up in here. Then, I am going to enjoy a nice lunch with my husband and play some pool.

The client received the portrait of the pianist and he was very happy with it in person too. I am so very relieved. I enjoyed the commission and I hope that the musician loves it when it is presented to them on their birthday.

One picture I'll post is a really cute one of my cat. Her claws were out and looked rather menacing. This is her on our computer chair. She has been keeping me up a lot lately so her days may be short lived lol! Joking :-)

Thursday

2009-04-16T14:32:00.000-07:00

Today, I was so tired and did not really want to go to work. Wed nights can be late and sometimes they are loads of fun but other times they can be filled with drama lol! Last night, it was fun and drama, so it can be sort of energy sapping lol! But, I love pool so I don't mind being tired the next day.

When I was a teen, 14-18, I worked at a hairdressing salon. I loved it there, very wacky, lots of really interesting and fun experiences and crazy stuff. The one hairdresser, a Muslim woman, very smart, I've known since I was age 11 because my Mom's sister also worked there decades ago. She lives very near where I work and I've not seen her for several years. I got to stop in there and she had gotten me these Allan's Pastries Jamaican style patties, from the small plaza called The Peanut Plaza lol!, but they are more with a filo type pastry. Man, I love them! I could not wait to come home and make one! Lately, so much nostalgia seems to be coming into my life. It is so great, it gives you almost like a high. I am glad that I kept in touch with her. She is now in her 60s. She had wanted to set me up with her son years and years ago, before my boyfriend/husband but I'd "have to convert" Hah, no way lol! I am too ecentric, stubborn and independant for strict religions. I'd have driven him mad and I'd be kicked out for sure lol! But, he was a very handsome and a kind person. Both him and his sister take care of my friend, their Mom, and never married.

Pool was good this week. I finally sat out. Being a mid level player, I tend to be playing every week but I preferred to sit it out this week and did. We were in 5th form 2 bad weeks but were in a tie for 2nd this week. However, technically, since 3 teams are tied for 1st, 2 pts ahead of us and the other one who are tied for 2nd, we are really more like in 4th. Captains and co-captains can play in a tournament for a spot in Vegas this weekend, and I was asked to play with a partner, but I'll get shot dead if I go play pool all weekend lol! I get to go to lunch and play some leisure pool with my husband tomorrow afternoon so am looking so forward to that. I so love pool! I also don't need to adhere to such a dress code concern as when I play in league so that is nice. I am so very cautious what I wear on league night. As league members, I can use the table for half as well, which is nice. The bar we play out of is a real nice place, very Zen like. It has a restaurant upstairs and a small bar billiards area downstairs. The food is amazing. They also have live jazz on Wed nights. I took my Dad one time, on a Sat, during our own little jazz festival time out here in our area and he was so thrilled to get to hear jazz at our dinner as I was not aware there'd be any that night.

This weekend I am so excited to have a day to go with my Dad and siblings to the AGO as well as another night down on the Danforth for my brother in law's and my Bdays. I so love downtown and I look so forward to getting down there. When my husband and I lived down south west in Scarborough, we visited the Danforth and Beaches area often, just to walk and people watch and eat.

I have not had a chance much to work on art but hope to get more in this week. The religious commission is waiting on me to begin and I also want to continue on the drawing of my daughter on the canvas I was given. I want to make sure I take my time on that. Plus, with oil, I am basically forced to anyway lol! I am an A type personality who is always doing too much and too fast so I need this forced discipline. It feels nice to have a change for a bit. I was a meticulous painter more when I was younger, and since looser is not really self satisfying to me , and probably never will be (ah well, so what), I look forward to a more meticulous piece again. Even though I was more meticulous earlier though, does not mean I was great at it skill wise. I think now, as a more mature painter, I will know when to use the soft/hard edges even though this piece won't be loose persay.

One other thing I am so excited about is my CDs that are coming, from eBay, to increase my French. I am so ashamed that my family is half French, from northern Quebec, and my Grandfather was totally bilingual, that I never became totally bilingual. My French has decreased from no use and I want to get it back up and better. Many of the calls I take at work are from French speaking people. I am embarrassed and ashamed I cannot speak to them. I can read it and generally understand when it is spoken slow but I want to be as fluent as possible. I hope to listen to these CDs as much as possible, and maybe work on my French on drives and throughout the spring and summer. I managed ok when we were in France in 2003 but I am not even as good as I was then anymore, and I was not great then. We managed but I'd love to be fluent.

This here is the progress I've reached on the new painting.

Happy Spring!!!

Funny Old Comedy Bit

2009-04-15T05:18:00.000-07:00

Years ago, when I was a teen, my brother and sister and I used to really love comedy. As kids, we'd set our alarm to get up if Monty Python's Holy Grail was on, or any number of comedy movies, like Young Frankenstein, etc. We were avid watchers of Second City TV with John Candy, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Katherine O'Hara, etc. We also used to get to see comedy videos like Eddie Murphy's Delirious, Sam Kineson, etc. One of my favourites from the past is Greg Morton's Star Wars skit. I finally found it on Youtube. I rarely use Youtube, but recently have found it great for finding old movies, and things like this skit I saw on TV in my 20s.

Here is the URL for Greg Morton and the Star Wars bit, as well as the funniest part of Eddie Murphy's Delirious show from the early 80s. His red leather outfit is also quite comical lol!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCgQIh4Ppiw Greg Morton-Star Wars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JfMCBh1sJQ Eddie Murphy-Icecream Truck

All in All, Great Weekend!

2009-04-13T06:04:00.000-07:00

This weekend was for a nice change, very relaxing and Not filled with running. The taxi light on our car and on our truck was turned Off this weekend :-)

My husband watched the Masters. I lost interest once Immelman was done and the TV coverage therefore off him, until the very end. I love watching their chips and putts though, and it gets suspenseful near the end. It is so disparaging to see a prop golfer miss a shorter putt by millimeters. It's hard not to laugh too lol! I'd not make a great spectator.

We had our friends over for dinner Sat night, on the spur, which was nice. We were all tired though so it was an early night.

My husband made a beautiful dinner Sat and Sun nights. They were fantastic. I am a terrible cook, especially in the timing area. He and his brother both are amazing cooks. His brother got an award in the 80s, from the Keg, for a night service with 512 steaks perfectly cooked and not one steak sent back to the kitchen the whole service. Both brothers easily could run a restaurant no problem. His brother has an interest in that later in his life but mine never did. He says it is one of the easiest fields to go under in, opening a restaurant.

My friend and her husband stopped by Sunday morn. It was a really nice visit. Luckily I was the only one who tasted My crap coffee as the first batch got used when theirs and my husband's mug were filled. They got the good batch lol! I look forward to going to Ottawa this Summer, to visit her and probably go camping/drawing together. Me, camping on my own, that'll be a test lol! I am used to sitting with my wine and reading my book while my husband cooks lol! I can help put up tents but I'm not great at it. My kids can even do it better. It's mostly my height. I tend to be the unpacking and packing back up, fetch water and cleanup person when camping.

The kids did some chilling with friends, we watched movies, had fun and laughed and spent lazy time as a family together.

I also decided, that was it, I would begin on the canvas that a friend had passed along to me. He does not work on canvas any longer, only panel, and had this one that he had prepared a few years back. I had been reluctant to begin as I really have not worked in oils for about 4 years and also because I was nervous to ruin the canvas. But, I decided to overcome this silly fear of touching it and just start. I chose to do a painting of my daughter, a familiar subject to me, from a reference shot I took one morning, of her sleeping in in my room. The reds and apple green and golds of the thick blanket, that comes over her shoulder and around her, made beautiful reflections on her cheek, etc. The colour and her sweet little sleeping pose caused me to run and get my camera quick. I got one shot and she moved. Luckily the lighting and everything in the shot was fine.
I have begun drawing it on, in charcoal pencil. I hope this is ok. I have workable fixitive but I am unsure if I can use it before I begin the underpainting. I'll investigate this possibly. I am doing a bit too much in the drawing maybe, for a clean surface, but I really wanted to do a good drawing first and establish some of the shadows before the painting part.
It is Spring so I can open windows while I work on this. One reason I did not work in oil much is because everyone here in the house complains about it. The oils alone themselves even have a smell. I am also not used to oil on canvas, having myself, used it mostly on primed Masonite or on illustration board.
I will continue today, some of the drawing. I am going to take a longer time on the drawing for this. Years ago, this friend had recommended that I spend more time on my work so I am going to try hard with this piece to do that. Oil in itself should maybe prove to promote that naturally for me, whereas acrylic by it's very nature, allows one to work very fast.

I also need to go pick up my paintings from the Latcham Gallery this morn. The earlier the better, by noon, as I also want my day free.

My Friend's Portrait

2009-04-10T14:15:00.000-07:00

I worked today, on my friend's portrait. I feel it may be done. But, I will let it sit for a week or so then look at it.
It is a pretty accurate image of it but it always seems to look better in person.

Well, I decided to call my Dad, sister and brother and arrange for a next weekend visit to the AGO and a lunch at a cool Mexican restaurant near there that my friend and I used to like to go to after the AGO. It's sometimes my birthday on Easter weekend but this year, it's a week later. I like when Easter is in April. I look forward to next weekend and I hope most of my family can get together.

Happy Easter Weekend!!!

2009-04-10T07:54:00.000-07:00

It is so far, lookin' to be a nice weekend. I hope to get outdoors some of it, maybe to begin the yard cleanup, clean my car, or maybe go out and take some photos. It is Spring and the deer may be out in the marsh area near where we live.

Our weekend started with a night out, on invite, with our friends we met almost 10 years ago now, the woman I am painting too. Their daughter's hockey team has a few parents who are into music, play in bands, and one who sings professionally. The one parent, his band was playing at the Tap and Tankard in Whitby so they asked us if we wanted to go too. The band was great but we had seats too far from the area where they were playing. We did not stay late as they needed to get up early for their daughter's hockey, and my husband for golfing. Crowds like that are not my thing but I love live music, especially if we kind of know or have a connection to the band or a member. It was a fun night. At one point, my back was so itchy and I hoped no one saw when I had to try and reach the itch with a butter knife lol! All of the sudden, I felt this hand scratch the spot. It was perfect, it stopped the itch! lol! I thought it was my husband but it was one of the other Dads lol! I said to him that I'd hoped no one would notice that, me using a butter knife! It was funny, everyone was killing themselves laughing. I'd have asked my husband, who was sitting next to me, but he was immersed in conversation. We also watched a bit of the golf that was on the TVs around the pub. My fav is Immelman, quite a handsome guy too, but he was doing not so well last night. The light on the course was beautiful and it backlit the players often, in the shots, so it was actually a beautiful time of day there and made for gorgeous camera shots on the course, of the players. One thing that killed me when I found out though, is that the bird sounds are piped in for the TV during a golf tournament. I thought that was quite funny! We came to the subject, that golf is very similar to pool actually, with the angles and the weight and the English on the ball, etc. I am good at pool but my hands and arms just don't hold up to golf, especially the initial off the tee shot. I am good when it comes to putting and more precision oriented shots. So, mini golf is my game lol!
Pool was so fun last week. We had real suspense filled games. I won my game, by the seat of my pants. He scratched on his black on the second game, which gave me a game, then I won the next game for the match. I hate winnign like that, but hey, it happens to us all... My opponent, a guy I have not played against for over a year atleast, came up to me at the end of the night and vowed we'd have a rematch at some point lol!!! It was all in fun. Our team was happy, we won 4-1 and everyone was up and had a great time. We were tied for 2nd, but had a bad 2 weeks and were in 5th. We should be back up tied for 3rd or in third, depending how the other teams made out this week too. I never paid any attention to the math before, but as the captain, I have an interest in sitting and doing the math trying to figure out what has to happen, and if it can be done, in our remaining 6 weeks, to come out as first or tied for first. First bypasses the playoffs and puts that team into a Regional spot, which then leads to a Vegas spot and trip :-)

I am so excited to get a call from my friend in Ottawa, who is down for the weekend with her husband, to visit the AGO and get to Aboveground for art materials she cannot get in Ottawa, and for a little vacation. My husband has not met her husband and it was nice to hear she decided they will stop by on their way home to Ottawa. I so much Wish we lived closer! My main artist friends near me are guys, which can sometimes not be so easy, and it'd be nice to have a serious woman artist friend to share art time and chats and such with, as her and I did on my visit to Ottawa last year. We went to 5 open life things and we saw local galleries, plus....ate, ate, ate, and had Pino lol! It's not the same going to galleries with non art persons as they just don't think the same and can't relate often, or have conversations about the art. Plus, I learn from my artist friends, in areas that I myself maybe are not so well versed on or strong in.

The painting of the musician I managed to finally get shipped. Every time I took it out, over a period of a week, usually trying to kill two birds with one stone, backfired on me. I'd go to an outlet I thought was Fedex, and it'd be UPS, or my son would text and I'd need to get him from school rugby, etc. etc. I was in one of those bad planning, doing things on the fly, things becoming disorganized-Rut lol! Plus, I think I was unconciously scared and sad to see it go. I was having separation anxiety I think! lol! It is gone however, and should reach Cali by Wed or so. The US does not have the Easter Monday apparently, like we do here in Canada. I actually found a wonderful shipping place, by recommendation of a little Fedex outlet that I first went to, who could not do it as they did not take debit cards. They sent me to a business who offered all types of shipping options and he spent a lot of time with me, going over things and his experiences too. He was very anal about my taping job, was going to correct it, and said he'd take great care of the painting, not to worry. He was very happy that I used builders' thick foam insulation board to pack it. He was also very cute :-) Looked like the sandy haired cop who switched over from Fire Investigation to Police, from the old show Homicide Life on the Street. In any event, his professionalism, organization and his personal concern definitely eased my mind about letting the painting go on it's journey to the client.

Today, I hope to get in some art and some exercize. I have begun a more serious exercize program again. I had stopped for a bit, except for my abs, but needed to get back to the eliptical machine since we actually Have one now too. We got it so my son and daughter could use it to help them keep fit for their sports. My son refuses to use it though lol!

I also realize that I need to go pick up my paintings from the Latcham Gallery in Stouffville, I think. I almost forgot. That show ends today or tomorrow. I had hoped too to get to the AGO this weekend but I think I'll see if my Dad and Sister, or whoever, wants to go next weekend. I used to go a lot with my friend, an airbrush muralist, and probably still will, btu I want to get there in the next couple of weeks. A month or so back, he was too busy with a mural to be able to meet up. I prefer to go with an artist friend, as it's enjoyable and it is really nice to get some art talk in, especially since I am very low on the totem pole compared to my artist friends when it comes to art history stuff. My friend, the muralist, is a history fanatic. My friend in Ottawa, she lives too far or we'd do lots of art related stuff together. She also has great knowledge in art history, the different movements and groups like the pre Raphaelites, etc. I am often embarrassed at how little I know or recall from college. I was just so busy and tired and often fell asleep during my art history class. I guess also I wanted to use what little spare time I had to paint and draw, not immerse myself in studying all that. I am not a history lover anyway. It is my least favourite topic and subject.

Life Drawing Continued

2009-04-09T05:41:00.000-07:00

I was happy to be back at life drawing again. I was a bit rusty that day, and a bit stressed too, dealing with an unusual amount of calls from my kids at work that continued into the evening, after leaving the house: "where is my this or that" "can you pick me up from rugby practice", etc. It was just one of those days lol! I do take my phone with me there as I drive on some pretty backwoods roads to get there and back, at night. Me, a person who hated cell phones till I had to finally get one for my old job, and still does lol!, seems to now be joining the rest of the human race who finds it becomes "essential" to have one. Anyway, we had a model who I like to draw and surprisingly enough, can manage to get her features pretty correct despite that she is a model who likes to converse with the artists while posing. You can even see in my top drawing, her eye direction and that it is a point where she was listening to one of the artists from the group. I treat it as a challenge now and it seems to work out. I may have aged her a bit though, in these drawings.

Still Plugging Away

2009-04-07T05:34:00.000-07:00

Well, I found again that I was not happy with the face on my recent personal portrait. I should stop being attracted to difficult lighting conditions on people's faces, that'd help lol!

It is a bit off from the original here, but it's not bad. Mostly, the shadowed side of her face always looks too harsh on the screen. I have to touch a couple spots on the eyelid in the shadowed side, but other than that, I am happy with it now. The beginning stages I always seem to like better.

It's first night of life drawing new session this week but unless I can change around some appt times, I'll be getting there late. There is just always so much evening stuff to do and it's hard for even both of us to do it together. We have our own things as well as the kids' things that they are involved in. It's enough to make anyone crazy.

Sunday-Painting

2009-04-05T11:32:00.001-07:00

Today, I worked further on my portrait. I am almost complete. I am going to use a large brush to drybrush in some more shadows on the sweater, and tone out a bit of the detail of the knit.

It looks a little harsher on the screen, less nice subtle gradation between darks to lights, but it is pretty close.

I will come back in a bit to work further on it and hopefully finish it today.

Saturday-A Day to Myself

2009-04-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Well, Saturday arrived and I decided to stay in. I have most of the day to myself so I have decided to get stuff done that has been being neglected. Lately, I've been out and about, working an extra day, and putting aside cleaning up to just do nothing instead lol!

Today, I will work further on my friend's portrait and most likely I will complete it. There is only her sweater and some of the background left, and maybe a bit of work on her hand. I hope I can complete her. Then, I can let it sit for a bit before looking at it and before I submit it to a competition that is coming up. The chances of it getting short listed are very slim I'm sure but I'll give it a shot anyway. Don't know if I don't try.

It was a bit of a funny week. I was a spaz for a lot of it. I go through those error making domino effect periods off and on throughout the year. They go away but they also seem to be not always easy to get a handle on. Our pool team also is bringing me to the point where I know I have got to step up as the captain and have a convo regarding some stuff that is happening, etc. Never fun but I need to do it. All I know is, recreational things are supposed to be fun, not stressful. Everyone is great so I'm sure that it'll all work out.

I progressed slightly on the sweater of my friend, and hope to complete this today while here with not many distractions. I've learned to work with many distractions but sometimes I love those times when I can just do 3-5 hrs continuously on a piece, play CDs loud, and just paint. Usually, I paint among TV being on, kids using the computer, my husband cooking, all kinds of stuff going on around me, having to jump up and down from my painting to get something, taxi someone somewhere, etc., and I can do it. It's probably a great thing that I can because otherwise I'd never get much painting in lol!

Windsor Newton-New Line of Acrylics

2009-04-02T05:48:00.000-07:00

My favourite brand of artists' pigments and materials, has a new line of acrylics out. I was very excited to find this out! I have posted a link to the information from WN, below.

Their artist grade watercolour pigments have always been my favourites. I have used 3-4 other brands over the last 25 years. Recently, I was bought Holbein wc as a gift, recommended by a person at the art supply store where they were bought, as being the best. I found them dull, chalky, did not look the way I wanted them to when dry (fresh, crisp and vibrant), and generally not what I was used to with WN. This affected a commission I was working on at the time. As well, I have always preferred the oil as well. However, there are many great oil pigments of various brands to pick from that are excellent, so it is more the watercolours that I would never buy anything but WN.

Last summer, slower drying acrylics came onto the market. Depending on humidity and other conditions in the environment of the painter, I have been told they can remain moist on the palette for almost a week, by an artist who I met at a juried show opening, who uses them. I had planned on trying out a 3 colour range but I began to realize that I had adapted so well to fast drying acrylics, that I did not want to fool with my methods that much. The WN acrylics have a slightly longer drying time so this would not hugely hamper their natural tendencies to dry quickly, but give just that bit extra time that could allow for things like the "wipe back" technique, etc. to maybe work with them now. This is one technique possible in oil, that I miss being able to do in acrylic. It is somewaht possible, on a very smooth, less porous surface like smooth and sanded gessoed hardboard, but on canvas it is almost impossible unless done immediately and even then, does not have the same consistent, soft edged look a wiped back oil area has.

I have not read far enough to know if and when they are available in Canada. I will look further into it once I have some more free time this weekend. I actually would like to read into the whole information available about them.

I have always been the type of artist that once I am happy with a certain brand or material, I rarely look into alternatives. It was a teacher in high school, a somewhat semi successful Canadian realist wildlife/bird painter, who introduced us to acrylics in the art program. It was Liquitex he recommended. I had no idea WN even had an artist grade acrylic pigment before this. I can recollect that I looked into it at some point, or maybe our art supply store did not carry their acrylics and that is why I never knew. Although I do recall Galeria and Finity, I cannot recall Why I always walked passed them with the info in my mind that they were student grade and not artist grade. I cannot explain why I never knew, or forgot, they were WN or why this impression was there. My mind often stores way too much info for it's own good. It was either an instructor or some other source of info that it came from, but it is too old to recall exactly. Often, as a student and young artist out of college, working part time, etc. I really never had much time to discover, investigate, look into, etc. alternatives to old favourites. I also never socialized with other artists, due to time as well as opportunity, so never was in the loop with info that naturally travels through like interests groups of individuals. I now have opportunity to do this more often, as a middle aged more matured artist/person. I find it is never good to be too set in one's ways.

http://acrylics.winsornewton.com/

Crazy Week!

2009-04-01T05:38:00.000-07:00

This week I thought would be a good one lol! Not so! I must be having one of my ditzy times this week. Part of it was due to the fact that Monday I had to work, which threw me off right away. Tuesday, I was saying happy belated birthday to a friend whose birthday is on the 31st and I thought I missed telling her Happy Bday. Then, I called another person whom I've known since age 11, to say Happy Birthday on what I Thought was April 1st, her birthday-Yesterday on the 31st lol! OMG! I messed up a computer file yesterday, at work, saving it in error, so that the whole system had to be put back to the previous night, which in turn took a program off the computer that it should Not have, and fouled up the original file after it was reopened on my comp there. I caused hours of work for them :-( I took work home that I was behind due to my error, because of that. I also burned my throat with vinegar, being silly lol! I had several near miss accidents yesterday while driving too and it was in general, so far, a Bad start to this week lol! I was just doing everything so ass backwards.

Today, I hope that things go back to normal.

On a better note, there is a really interesting show coming to the Joseph D. Carrier Gallery at the Columbus Center, which is on Lawrence Ave. W. in Toronto, near Dufferin. It's called Praxis I believe. I saw the Ken Danby show there a few years back. It is a beautiful gallery. The show consists of realist art and begins in early April. I hope to get to it. A friend of a friend's work is in the show as well. She is a wonderful painter who lives in Ottawa and has made the top finalists for the Kingston Prize 2 years ago.

Decided to Rework Portrait a Bit

2009-03-27T09:01:00.001-07:00

The portrait of my husband's workmate I decided to rework a bit. I did not care for the mouth that much, nor the shadowed eye nor the shape of the cheek on our left. I reworked it and now am happy with it enough to leave it for good. Although maybe it's not a a traditional portrait, I very much like looking at it. I like the subtle pinks and greens and the warm/cool contrast in the shadowed and lit sides. I do like how this turned out. I think it is interesting to look at.

Tonight, I am going to draw on part of my other commission, the religious painting, and begin the painting process on that one next week at some point.

I also am going to tone in a new canvas for a portrait of my friend who lives in our country's capital. I really love the photos I took of her on my trip to visit her last Summer. It'll be a relatively small portrait but I like the 9"x12" area for a portrait.

I am watching Fargo on the computer, in pieces here and there. It's one of my favourite movies.

This Week

2009-03-27T06:18:00.000-07:00

I had a realtively good week, it was ok, although I have been a bit more tired than usual. It must be the fact that I don't need to be up at 5am anymore, for my old work, and am getting too lazy getting used to being up at 7:30 am instead now. I used to love listening to the morning birds. Once my husband did our windows a few years ago though, they are harder to hear. As the weather warms up, I may try to get up early again, around 6:30ish, so I can enjoy that solitude and the birds.

Today, I have some running to do, for a basketball tournament my daughter is in, that I just found out about, plus some later stuff. I don't mind some days, running around 6-8 times in my car, but other days I can barely stand it lol!

This weekend, I look forward to going to the Niagara Region, first to participate in a pool tournament as partners with my pool teams' old captain and coach, then to stay with my aunt and ex step Dad, who have a house down there. I look forward to getting away for a bit, even if it is not really anything real majorly exciting or to some warm destination lol! It's a bit of a drive but I've always enjoyed long drives. 2 1/2 hrs is not a long drive to me really.

My drive to work is actually a really nice drive. I am on a lot of farm type roads and I see lots of interesting things, as well as beautiful morning scenery. I often see this marmalade tabby sitting in a barn window, up above my eye level, on a barn that sits on a bit of a hill near the road. I hope to rent an 80-300 zoom lense one week and weekend, and get some shots of it one of the days I spot it in the morning. I also see hawks and I once saw an owl. I see this very large hawk often, along one part of my drive, in the same tree when I spot it. It's huge. It's amazing. I love that drive.

Portrait Complete

2009-03-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

Well, this went fast. Sometimes I don't feel that it should, but it was smaller, loose and just worked. Sometimes, I feel like working in this less blended and detailed manner. I feel again, that it works for this subject. My husband will most likely tell him I did this and show him, but I am unsure they will like this style. It's for me really anyway, and I'll hang on to it a bit, and then I'll eventually let them have the portrait. I feel I may do a nice monochrome, in a more traditional manner, on grey paper at some point as well.

The colour turned out not bad here in the photograph of the painting. The hints of greens and odd stroke of more vibrant blue are a slight bit lost and some of the value changes are a bit harsh but all in all it's pretty accurate. I like the unfinished way the shirt is.

The painting of the musician is now complete and ready to be shipped. It's scary shipping it but I have to get over it. It'll be going Fedex. Once it is gone a week or so, I can post the finished piece.

This weekend was so nice. We spent time together as a family, some time doing our own thing, it was relaxing, my husband got to watch some golf, the kids had some visiting time with friends, and I watched a few movies too. I watched a fantastic movie called The Pianist, watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind again, The Secret Garden, We watched The Wrestler (so fantastic), and started Moonstruck (man Nick Cage is young there).

My husband made a turkey dinner, with stuffing and all, and even cooked me the turkey liver; I'd been craving liver so that was great! He also made amazing hummus, from scratch, and it is amazing! I have to go out and get some flat breads for it now. It's scrumptious! My kids were whining because the roasted garlic smell was through the whole house. I didn't mind though :-)

Hopefully, Spring is here.

Urge to Start a New Portrait

2009-03-21T15:32:00.001-07:00

Today, I just had to begin a new portrait. Tomorrow, I can go back to my commission. I just needed to really have a fresh painting day.

For 4 years, I have been wanting to paint a friend of my husband, another Toronto firefighter. He is in his later 50s now, and he had such great character and a sparkle to his eyes, never mind a great personality. He is a very handsome man, in my opinion. His nose has been broken a few times, in his younger years, and if I recall, it was due to some amateur boxing. However, I'd need to check with my husband again as to whether that is a correct recollection. His wife is a great person too, and a fantastic golfer. I hope we get to visit them this summer. They live near Blue Mountain. We had fun golfing with them last summer, at a course where his wife works.

This portrait, I drew on with a 2B pencil, on a canvas I had already toned in about 3 months ago. It's 8"x10". I then began just blocking in, with a chisel brush about 1/4". I am using it's corners for detail. This portrait was working so well so quickly that I really am happy with it. There is probbaly about 4-5 hours in this at this stage. I felt I'd not do a good job on him, overwork his face, but this is working well. I hope the loose spontanious feel stays till the end, and the base tone peeks through well, as it does now, when this is complete too. I think with him, the loose painting works well for his somewhat craggy features.

I shot this ref, with some of the training I had as a school photographer. We strove for depth in our portraits, by never facing the subject straight on, having the shoulders go back in space, shooting slightly at forehead level, and tilting the head slightly. I drew his head tilt a bit more than I shot the ref at, and I feel for him it works. He is a big guy, in pretty good shape, but he has such a kind and jovial side that the tilt does not read as too feminine on him, as it could in some cases.

His cheek on our left is a bit pudgey there so that will need work, as does the mouth. I'll maybe work on this a bit more next week.

Almost Complete Portrait

2009-03-20T10:42:00.000-07:00

I have been very gung ho about hitting this portrait whenever I can. I have her almost complete. The face is done and it won't be touched again. The hair is done, the hand is probably done. The drapery I need to just look briefly at, and her top is 75% done. I may get this one professionally framed. My framer does not charge an arm and a leg and they do great work. My husband could do it but has no time, and cannot do the finishing part on back anyway.

This portrait is so much how I see my friend. It has the cute little indents around her mouth, her sort of innocent, hopeful gaze and her beauty and soft gentle personality comes through. She has that type of aura that just lights up a room and men and women alike are drawn to her. Her skin is so youthful, creamy and so baby like, in her mid 40s, that it is almost odd as well as awestriking. It gives her that fresh innocence of a youth, coupled with insight that comes with age.

I have my commission complete, and am almost done this, and it feels so uplifting to be ahead a bit on my goals. I am going to draw up part of the religious painting over the weekend and begin that next week. I will begin in the sky, with the clouds and angels that blend with the sky somewhat.

Last day of March break, we are going to do a family thing today, maybe bowling or indoor mini putt. I wish we could go out for dinner too as I am craving liver and onions but the kids have sports practices.

Looking Forward to a Nice Weekend

2009-03-19T05:57:00.000-07:00

Well, I really truly believe that winter is gone. I cannot wait to put on shorts and capris. The birds are around again and it sounds really great :-)

Our pool team is great this session. We are tied for 2nd and after this week, maybe even for first. Everyone is so excited and the prospect of playing in the Regionals and maybe even having a shot at the Vegas trip and tournament has everyone's moral and excitement up. I'm hoping to move my handicap up a level. I also have a Burlington tournament I am playing in end of March, and I am looking forward to that. My old coach and another past team mate will be at it, so it'll be fun. I am then going to visit my aunt and step Dad in the Niagara Region.

I look forward to completing my commission Friday and working on my friend's portrait further. I am hoping too to get out Sunday and maybe do some photo taking at a marsh near here.

It should be a nice weekend.

Art Lately

2009-03-18T05:03:00.000-07:00

It has felt good to get back to doing some artwork again. I had a week or so where I did not work on anything. That is rare for me. Now, I am excited to be at it again!

I have almost completed the portrait of the musician. I sent the client a jpg image to view and give thoughts. I always worry and get a bit filled with anxiety awaiting a client's thoughts. Well, in this case, I was so relieved to receive an email that said how much he loved it, and not to change one thing. Once the painting has been sent, and the surprise no longer a necessity for the receiving subject, I can post an image here, and on my site. I have just a very small thing to complete and I need to pack it for shipping, by the weekend, I can then begin painting the religious commission.

I have made a lot of progress on my friend's portrait. There are a couple of juried shows I'd like to enter this into. Both very good opportunities.

I found that the detail was getting too tight and too linear on her face, so while I was working with the large scraggy brush in the background and drapery, I used remnants some of the mid and darks to go over the face and her arm too, with that brush. It's always precarious doing this because this brush is large and has little squiggly pieces that could very well put a big mark where it isn't wanted, when try to use it subtley in a small area. But, it worked, it softened some of the hard edges and blended the shapes more softly.

I have begun the main suggestion of knit on the sweater, and will indicate some of the knit more detailed, but I want to keep the sweater unfinished and not focal or up to the level of detail in her face. I need her face to remain the focal point, and the rest to not be in the most focal range. The trick is to know when to stop with the sweater, yet still have it be part of the whole harmonious composition, and not look as if it is in a totally different style.

This image here is failry accurate, although there is some haze on our right, where light has reflected somewaht, off the surface.

I look forward to completing this as I itch to begin a new portrait of someone else. My husbnad's friend and another friend of mine are my 2 choices.

Discovered Curtis Stiger

2009-03-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we visited my Dad in Toronto, and went out for a late lunch for my son's past 15th Bday. It was fun. I always enjoy seeing my Dad. he had lent me some CDs of different musician's he likes. One was a Lenny Braugh, a great guitar player who died very young of alcoholism. One was Shirley Horne, who I thought I'd like but found way too slow and tedious. I returned the other ones and he gave me one by Curtis Stiger. It is ok, I do appreciate that he is good but I just cannot get into that slow jazz type singer. I wish I could but it just never seems to do anything for me. However, the instruments are wonderful, the piano and such. Geez, what a very very handsome man though. I will give it a chance again though and listen to it in my car when I drive. It was funny because about 1 month ago, my husband left my car unlocked and it was rifled through. My M&Ms gift card was stolen but all my Dad's jazz CDs were left littered on the floor lol!!! That tells me it's teens who broke into the car lol! Thank God though as I'd have had to try to replace all thsoe CDs my Dad lent me.

Curtis Stiger's bio link: http://www.curtisstigers.com/bio.php

The weekend was good. I used our hot tub after not having used it for almost 6 months. We went out to dinner with our friends and another couple they know. We had dinner at the Keg. It was good. Then, we went back and played pool at my friend's house, in teams. Their friend, the husband, was a good player. I played crappish until the last game. We won after I got a long bank, then my partner, my friend's husband, got in the black ball. It was so fun! I love playing pool. I had to leave pool league early this week due to being ill so I missed it this week. It was lucky as I later heard their was a bit of arguing and cursing going on, between ours and the other team, after I left lol! When that kind of thing happens, and it's rare, I don't like that.

Today, I am finishing off the musician's portrait, and getting the image emailed to the client for thoughts.

New Page on Website and.....

2009-03-14T05:33:00.000-07:00

I decided to add a page to my website. It is for my from life work. In the last 3-4 years, I've been back at life drawing, almost weekly, with some weeks in between when it has ended.
When I was at OCAD, I had it 2 to 3 times a week, in my courses, mainly because I chose to. I also had it in high school, as I was in the vocational art dept. in the high school I switched to in grade 11. Once I was done art college, I didn't really seek out, or actually, I did not realize there were open life sessions I could have attended on my own. It would have been harder anyway, since I took transit everywhere. I worked and did portrait commissions when off work. However, there may have been one near where we lived but I just never did my own thing as often in my 20s.

Now, I attend life drawing pretty regularly. I feel it is important, to have imposed time limits on my observation and drawings. I feel it makes me a better artist, thinking wise and producing wise. I do work from reference most often, for my clients as well as when I have asked someone I know or semi-know, if I can paint them. No one I know has time to do regular sittings, not even for an hour. The ones who do, if I could find them, I'd probably not want to paint lol! To be able to make a living, I need to have the ability to work from reference.

My life drawing group is great. I was introduced to it through a friend. It is north of where I live by a 1/2 hr. Before that, I was attending one at my old college down town Toronto, at OCAD. I love down town but I decided I'd rather go to the one where my friend goes. The people are a good bunch and quite full of good sense of humours and such. It's quite a varied group. Most are older than I. Many are very good artists. I do still need to try to get used to the classical music station though lol! At times, it is hard. Wearing my walkman would be very antisocial lol!

I drive there and I drive almost the same route to my new job. It's neat to see it in day, evening and night. There are many beautiful scenic areas, old farms, a Menonite village, etc. and I vow to do a photographing trek one time through the route. Right now, up oen of the roads, they were shooting "Happytown". I need to look that up. I am unsure if it is a current series or if it is a movie. In any event, it's up a road that I'd guess looks the same as it probably also did in the 50s.

So, I now have a From Life page on my website. I may add a few more or update it off and on, with new work.

http://www.aportraitbyjocelyn.com/Lifedrawings.html

One of my favourite painters, who I discovered at the museum in Ottawa a few years ago, at the National Gallery I believe it was, is Lilias Torrance Newton. I kept going back to the one portrait of the woman in the black dress. I so love her shapes and the way the shapes overlap where straps meet skin, etc. Her chiseled style I really love. I also love the way she handles the surrounding background shapes in relation to her figures.
When I was in college, I was too tired and over taxed to really get into my art history class. I tended to fall asleep as they turned out the lights and ran slides. I worked 20 hrs a week at a bank as well as went to school full time and lived on my own. I had little time to get too educated, self or through school, on other painters, museum pieces, influencial painters from the past, etc. Therefore, my art history is very very lacking. I developed mostly with no strong influences. However, I do enjoy more now that I am a somewhat more developed painter, and have more time as well as have a couple art friends who Are very versed in other artists and art history, discovering (or unknowingly Re-discovering as is probably more likely with all the classes I slept through lol!) artists from the past or even present, whose work really attracts me. Lilias Torrance Newton was one of the strongest ones. If possible, her work is best viewed in person. However, here is a sample below.

The 1st link is to my favourite one, shot by someone else, and put up on Flickr.

The second link is to the National Gallery in Ottawa collection.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/likalia/2733677407/

http://cy bermuse.gallery.ca/cybermuse/search/artist_work_e.jsp?iartistid=3986

Haven't Posted Much Lately

2009-03-09T15:30:00.000-07:00

I have not had anything much to post on my Blog lately. Today, I worked on one of my commissions and on my portrait of my friend. I got a not bad photo of it, a little tightish, but pretty close. I will need to get brave and begin the top soon. I tend to normally love patterns and knits so once I begin, it should go well. It's just beginning where I seem to stall and be reluctant.

This Week

2009-03-04T04:43:00.000-08:00

Had a relatively good weekend. Enjoyed our visit to the Danforth with my brother in law, his girlfriend, and my family, for my son's Bday. It's so nice to get down there, I love going into the city. They have an old house off Greenwood Ave. and I just love it. The character and details and old materials in the house, I always have loved it, even with all it's age and imperfections, compared to a new house. I love the smaller sizes too. The kitchen and bathroom had updates so it sort of added to it, modern glazed glass and chrome cabinets and a stand up stone shower. These new elements added with the old details and wood work really are neat together.

This week is a bit busy as is the next, and I am feeling a bit stressed from not getting to my commissions much. Monday I was out of town visiting my aunt, in the Niagara Region and lost a work on art day. Friday I need to get a lot done. I've also been out almost every night for some reason. Next week is no different. I miss the last session of life drawing, for an (old bank) work dinner with all my old co-workers from the original branch before we amalgamated in 2001. I was contemplating leaving early to go to life drawing too but I've decided not to. It isn't going to be possible to do both so I had to choose one. After these few weeks of being out too much at things, I need to really try to eliminate some things, as I was supposed to have done. But, some invites have to be accepted at times.

Hopefully, next week, I can fit in some time to work on my personal portrait of my friend as well.

Latcham Gallery Juried Show Opening

2009-03-01T08:41:00.001-08:00

I attended this yesterday. There was some great work in the show. I was surprised to find out that my "Fat Cat on Antique Rug" received and honourable mention.

We wore name tags so people could know which artist was who, etc. This I am not used to but did comply lol! I ended up speaking with another artist there, for quite a while, and enjoyed our conversation. I had a few people ask me about my techniques with acrylic, how long I've been painting, for a business card, etc. I had to go and run so I had nothing with me, not even my purse lol!

I enjoyed it and am glad I decided on the fly, to submit.

3 Dogs Rescued in Fire in Toronto

2009-02-28T06:53:00.000-08:00

Last night, on the news, the kids and I got to see their Dad on TV at a fire in old North York, now Toronto. No one was hurt but they rescued the family's 3 dogs from the home :-)

http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_32489.aspx

Some Little News-Juried Show

2009-02-25T04:44:00.000-08:00

This weekend, on the spur of the moment, I decided to enter 2 pieces into the Latcham Gallery in Stouffville, their juried exhibition. I was surprised to find that both my pieces were accepted.

I entered Sara and Fat Cat on an Antique Rug.

So, the opening reception is on Saturday afternoon. I'll go to it and I was asked to bring a small bio for the Gallery. Then, I have to scoot. We are going down to the Danforth, Greek Town, to see my brother in law and his girlfriend's recently purchased house and go out for my son's birthday. We have had no chance to get together with them or see it since they bought it, which I think was August. I love East York and the small war time houses there. I'd love to live there too. I had wanted to move there when my husband's parents bought a house there in 1994 but my husband did not want to raise kids in TO.

I have gotten a lot done on my musician portrait commission and hope to complete that in the next 2 weeks. The canvas for the religious painting I have bought, toned a light grey blue and am ready to get my drawing transferred onto the surface. I will begin painting probably in the sky area, the angels, to warm up to it. It is going to be a weird project as I have only other paintings and illustrations to go by as reference and a lot will need to be done from just my head and past experience painting the figure, faces, drapery, landscape, etc. I don't enjoy working from already illustrated or painted pieces. However, I am excited to take on this different sort of commission.

Below are the paintings that got accepted.

Painting Today

2009-02-16T10:25:00.001-08:00

I did decide to work further on my friend's portrait this morning. I have now put it away and am going to resume working on a commission. I am very happy with how her shadowed side of the hair works now. I used my large brush to work further on the background and I brought remnants of the dark purpley brown pigments I was working with, over the hair in areas, to recede it and diminish some of the details so it receded into value masses better. I find that if I do detail work, and it becomes too patterney or detailed, drybrushing large strokes of a value blending tone works wonders to add realism to the overly detailed areas. That is why I tend to work all areas at the same time instead of my old method, which entailed working from one area totally into the final details and moving to do the same in the next area. Working all areas together, liek backgrounds, hair, clothing, face, etc. I can often make use of the pigments I have still on my large brush (ie: when doing bg work) to soften edges, blend overly detailed areas into masses where needed, and basically harmonize the overall palette of the piece.

Little did my friend realize, that when we are in conversation, my eyes and mind are busy making mental notes of the shadows in her eyelid creases, the cast shadows of her lashes, the tone of her brows, the lid edges around her eyeball, her dimple creases around her mouth, the reflected light in her sea green eyes, the taupey warm light yellows and peaches in her skin, etc. lol! I did all this to be able to bring it to this portrait. She is a difficult subject as there are so many tiny subtleties that make up her uniqueness, many of which are harder to capture in photos, never mind paint. She is one of the most difficult subjects, even with knowing her as well as I do, that I've ever taken on in painting portraits. Maybe it's more that I need to paint exactly what I see about her and make it so accurate, because she is so visually drawing, that make her hard to paint. One doesn't want to get anything wrong, it seems, when painting her.

I am 95% happy with this portrait, which is pretty good to me and I'll take that lol!

Today, the kids are snow boarding with friends so it's pretty quiet around here. The boys won their hockey game last night, scoring 5 goals in a period and a half. My son let in 2 goals and played a great game. It was a good game for them, they were all so happy to be this far in the playoffs.

International Society of Acrylic Painters

2009-02-16T07:48:00.001-08:00

In November, I was asked to do a small article covering my process for my portraits in acrylic. I did it, over a period of about 2-3 weeks, during times like waiting at my daughter's soccer practices, etc. The below link is a link to the Jan 09 volume that contains it. It is page 15-17, so scrolling down brings you to it.

I now use a blender by Liquitex, a glazing medium. This was a switch from blending fluid by Golden. I find that this medium brings the acrylics closer to the feel of using oils. I like how they blend and I can also get that nice transparent thing happening, when needed.

I will most likely join this society once I get settled in my new job and can again keep track of these memberships. I need also to renew a couple other memberships I had to leave for a bit, this new year. I dropped the Federation of Canadian Artists, sadly, because it is so very inconvenient to enter any of the member shows, with the shipping of the actual painting to B.C. being way too costly as well as the catch 22 situation of payign for shipping only to sell the piece and being out the return shipping for the pieces after the show ends and the gallery needs to send them back. It's too costly and too up in the air for me to be convenient.

http://www.isap-online.com/documents/isap_newsletters/2009_isap_4-2.pdf

Last Bit of Painting Today

2009-02-15T13:53:00.000-08:00

Been painting, in between being a taxi service, most of my day. I've called it now as the light is going and I want to get some stuff done before going to the hockey game.

Looks fine and pretty accurate, but it always looks a bit harsher on the screen, and a little tighter. I feel now that her face is pretty well done and I am into her hair and arm now. Her top is more taupe but I want to make it a bit more sage green as that colour really suits her and I feel will work here, with the greens in her skin.

All Changed Plans

2009-02-15T10:02:00.000-08:00

It was another one of those days and evenings where all the plans changed. First off, my son was not playing in the game my Dad wanted to drive up with us and see, so that all fell through. I felt so bad as his brother John was also going to go and watch the game as he lives in Belleville. I have not seen him much since I was 12 or 13, only 1 or 2 times at funerals. He was a funny man, loads of laughs, hysterical, sort of like Bill Murray. A lifelong bachelor as well. Out of my Dad's 8 brothers, him and my Dad look most alike. So, I felt very bad when I had to tell my Dad last minute, that his grandson wasn't playing that game. He decided not to make the 2+ hr drive and he had to let his brother know we would not be coming.

I ended up staying home too and my friend, the one I am painting, her daughter and my daughter, all got together. We made pizzas and had wine and played some pool in her rec room. We later watched a movie. We watched Nights in Rodenthal. I am not usually a big girly movie fan. It was a bit boring and I find Gere very non masculine. I'd have preferred Law and Order SVU's actor, Christopher Meloni (who played Diane Lane's husband), as the lead, and Gere as the hardly seen husband lol! That guy I like. He has a strong beautiful face, large features and a nice large build and presence. But, I did not mind the movie though I felt more could have been done with it.

All in all, it's so nice to get to spend time with a good friend. We are going to tonight's game though, which is a home game, and probably out to the sponsor pub later. I feel like some suicide wings actually lol!

I am just working on my friend's portrait today a bit. I'll go back to working on the musician tomorrow. As well, I need to haul out my projector so I can project the religious painting drawing onto the canvas. I need to begin that. I will most likely start with the sky and the angels in the sky.

I started out my day in one of those "I cannot believe what sells well" funks and thought "I might as well just do stuff like that too", after running across something on the vast net, but, as I often don't allow those wasteful feelings to intrude, I abolished them and went to work on my painting. I don't want to change what I produce, just to sell well. As well, it's not something I Could sell and not run into problems along the line. I don't have that kind of luck shine down on me lol! Someone would call me on it lol! But, I think as artists, everyone has those odd days and moments of pissyness. It's only natural.

Today's Progress

2009-02-14T11:17:00.000-08:00

I got up fairly early this morn and I got to painting around 8:30. I also had to pack the 2 little boys' portraits so I can ship them this aft. I was to have done that this week already, but my son used my cardboard I had saved, for a school project. I had to wait and find some more. Luckily, I got home yesterday from downtown, to find my daughter had snowboarding boots and a board! My husband had taken her out to buy them as she is beginning to go with friends. So, I used the box for her boots and constructed a new box for my paintings.

This is today's progress on my friend. It did not photograph perfectly here as I am getting some glare off the dark area, from the satin finish. The tones in the face are fairly accurate, a little harsh in value change.

Further work on the face today.

Busy Week

2009-02-14T04:33:00.000-08:00

Well, the dreaded first week is done! I have not done it often, but starting a new job is always a stressful thing. However, I don't think I did badly, I feel confident I will fit in and do well there. I enjoy the place and the people. Through this organization, you can find different privately owned parks to camp in. It was interesting to see a few of them while I was testing their links. A few I've been to. One was a family naturist park, a what is known as a "nudist" camp in the US, but is called Naturist in Canada I guess. It was interesting to see that there were half seasonal occupant sites and half overnight available sites. There is a camp up on Georgian Bay, on Sable Beach, that is more for young people and singles and large groups of kids. There are no strict rules about music, noise, curfews, etc. Gotta make sure our kids don't find out about That one as they get a bit older lol! There are some pretty far ones, above Lake Superior. I also reminisced about the one in Tobermory, that we used to go to as kids, while at my stepdad's cottage up there. They had a water slide and we could just go for the day and pay to use it. It was loads of fun.

I did not get much art done this week as every day after work, I had things to do and places to be at as well. My pool league team is going well and our new addition has really added to our team and is a great young man. He is very good, very positive and gung ho and he loves to be aware of what is happening and be part of the decisions about who goes up, etc. I am contemplating asking him if he would want to take over the captaincy in a month or so.

Today, I hope to get some painting done before we go to my son's game.

Some Progress Yesterday

2009-02-10T03:55:00.000-08:00

I did get in about an hour yesterday, before I had to leave to go to my daughter's basketball game for school. I enjoy watching her play sports. With this new job, I can again be there more.

This time, I am finding that everything is flowing correctly. I left the face for a bit to begin some of the surround so that I can keep the values all balanced. I feel that my depth of value in the surface tint is what is helping this painting work better this 3rd time.

This week, I have to go back to my commissions again, though. I can indulge in this portrait once a week or so.

Last Day Off

2009-02-09T08:46:00.000-08:00

Today, is my last day off since Nov. I am still sick but I bought lots of symptom suppressing meds on the weekend, along with 2 new pairs of casual dress pants, and some other small items. So, I am ready to go in on my first day tomorrow. Today, I may not get to my painting. I am trying to go over Excel again, to make sure I am totally familiar with it. However, untill I see the sheets that they are imputting their client info into, I won't be comfortable that I will be fine. As well, I think they use 03 and I am familiar with 07. But, it's ok, I adapt very fast to new things.

There is a mini basketball tournament for my daughter's school team so I'll be driving kids there as well as watching. So, I really doubt I'll get to any of my paintings or commissions till later in the week, but I'll see. I may get 1 hr in.

I did a bit more on my friend's portrait late yesterday, and I am very happy with how it is going.

Beginning

2009-02-08T14:10:00.000-08:00

Now, That is my friend Lori. Her birthday is just around the corner, and she will be 44. She is so stunning and such an inspiring classical model. She has large deep set green eyes, the perfect skin of a young girl and such a gentle, loving disposition. This I feel captures her aura of seeming innocence, which belies her age.

I took my time doing this drawing, more so than any of the others, making sure the shadow shapes were exact, therefore distance and proportions followed. One mistake I kept making, was drawing her nose too long. She is taller than I so when I shot the photo, my eye level was a bit under hers. I had kept changeing that in my earlier drawings. Drawing it 3 times I guess, helped eliminate the earlier errors. Her hand here is a bit large but I tend to end up making them smaller when I paint so I don't mind that.

I don't think I will be beginning this again, this time around.

Yet Again - 3rd Try

2009-02-08T09:29:00.000-08:00

Well, needless to say, I was not happy with my progress on my friend's portrait. #1, I felt that she was too small in the space. #2, the face again, was getting too thick with all the reworking. #3, I never was too happy with losing the slight tilt to her head the second time I drew it up. So, I tossed it and I toned in a new 12"x16" canvas. This is the last time I'll do this. I had her face at one point, the way I liked it, but I just was never really satisfied with the size anyway. This time, she is larger in the picture plane.

Here is where I ended with the second one and here is the drawing up of the third one. I used charcoal pencil so will need to dab back excess again.

The third attempt is more like the drawing of the first one, size wise and head tilt wise.

Still quite sick today but I will begin this until I get tired out. This needs to be done for May, really, or I miss the every 2 year deadline for The Kingston Prize.

Sick in Time For New Job

2009-02-07T07:07:00.000-08:00

It figures lol! Ah well, I'll manage. I am brushing up on Excel more this weekend, while trying to take it a bit easy. I have a small sporadic side job income, aside from my portraits, so I will practice by making a schedule to keep track of it for 2009, on Excel. I'll be mostly imputting information on already done sheets, at my new job, but I can kill two birds with one stone doing an info sheet of my own while getting practice at the same time.

They also asked me if I know how to use Photoshop as they have only one person in the company that knows how to work on the website and graphics side of things. I do not own PS but in about 1992-93, I worked briefly for a photographer as a photo retoucher, on damaged old photos, on a prototype of PS that he was given to test as well. It was awkward using computer airbrush tools. It just wasn't the same and the result, once a new negative was produced and a photo developed for the client, never matched my work on the screen on the damaged photo. I'm sure PS has changed a lot since then but I have no interest in it really. I'm a manual person, I love using my hands and traditional tools. I enjoy the manual camera more than auto settings, I loved my manual steering and brakes Mazda, etc. I would not even play around on it with my ref photos, from clients, as I tend to like to do it on a whim, instinctually, as I paint. If I want to change background, or choose background, or alter colour, etc., I prefer to do it once I am in to the painting. I work from the ref photos, beside me, and so I can pick them up and hold them too at times, while I paint. I need to be able to do that.

One thing I did get is a little light table, basically just a little white opaquish plastic stand with a little light in it. My friend, who is an airbrush artist, told me that sometimes it is easier to see things in shadowed or dark areas of photos, if I put them over a lit surface. A bit more of what is there can then be seen, over a light source. It is good but I find I need to put 2 or 3 pieces of paper under the photo first, so it is not too illuminated and also so the logos, that tend to be on the back of photographs, don't show through and make it hard to view the image in the photo. So, I use that sometimes.

So, I told them I don't really have much experience with PS, especially in the graphic arts application sense.

It also very much figures, and seems to be following my bad luck vein lately, that I caught my daughter and son's bad throat infection andccold, just before beginning a new job lol! But, I am also very excited to begin so I hope that overrides me being sick lol!

Today, I am also going to get some more painting in on my personal piece of my friend.

Yay!

2009-02-06T12:27:00.000-08:00

Well, job situation solved. Now I can get back to some normalcy.

I worked on my friend's portrait again for a change today. After the way things have been the last few weeks, I needed to indulge some time on myself with painting. I solved all the issues on her face and I feel her face is done. Her hair also went well and I will work further once a week or so on her portrait. I also am going along well on the commissions and need to get the canvas ready for the religious themed one. I'll buy a regular canvas stretcher but I'll need to remove the painting when it is done and stretch it on a thinner one. My husband does not have time to make it right now and I think working on a thicker one for the painting process is better anyway.

I lost my spot in life drawing as I really was never registered, it turns out, as I sent it so late. I showed up to it but found out it was full afterwards. So, I will have to wait till Spring again and make sure I send in early. I am disappointed but I like warmer weather to go out in anyway, at night and on not well lit roads to get there. I will most likely drop in to the ones at my old college again, till I start the Spring one.

Tomorrow, I'll post up an image of my leisure portrait.

Looking forward to less stressful times again.

Corrected Little Blonde Boy

2009-02-05T06:27:00.001-08:00

The client was so thrilled with her portrait. I had corrected it slightly since I posted it below, in an earlier post here. So, this is the final version here. There is some slight differences on the mouth and chin area.

Today, I am very exhausted from running around all week to job interviews, etc. I also received a $60 parking ticket while at an interview, because it was so late and I ended up 1/2 hr past the time I could park on the street. Ugh, atleast my husband said it can be claimed at tax time as it was received in the process of procurring work, business, etc. Geez though, $60? Man. Just what I needed right now lol!

Tonight, I am going to a women only seminar for Toronto Fire, re: fire prevention dept. positions. It is a day job, as opposed to a fire fighter, which is a shift. Plus, there is no way I'd be qualified as a fire fighter. If I did begin the process of taking the required course, etc., it'd be atleast a 2-3 yr process before I could apply. You don't need the course to be accepted and trained but it helps, my husband informed me. So, I am so looking forward to the next year or 2, finally. I have a probable part time position, flexible, 3 days a week, I can continue my art and I can take some sort of training or upgrading of skills. This has been a very rough time for me and I am very surprised I can put it aside mentally and continue my portraits. However, I have always been an artist who seems to be able to separate work and stuff, a portrait that needs to be done is no different than a job that needs to be done. I cannot indulge in emotional distraction, there is no "I have to be in the mood" to paint nonsense. I do my job and I do my best, no matter what is happening around me.

Of Interest to Photographers

2009-02-04T06:21:00.000-08:00

A wonderful foundation was brought to my attention by a past co-worker at the school photography company I worked for previously. She was accepted as an official photographer with this organization, Called "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep" It is so fabulous. I reviewed the site and the story behind the birth of this organization. Wow, is all I could say.

I am not a set up on my own pro photographer. I use photography in conjunction with my art, as reference for portraits, but I don't have an artistic photographer's portfolio nor major equipment. Therefore, it is not something I could consider doing any time soon. I'd need to change my art focus and I'm not sure that is wise. However, the woman who showed it to me has asked if I'd be willing to accompany her on any shoots. I said that that is something I'd consider. As well, the training seminars would be something I'd love to take at some point. This is a volunteer thing that I could consider a few years in the future, possibly once we move, in our 50s, to a more northern town, like my husband is planning to.

Here is the link. It is just wonderful to view this site.

http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/

Back At It

2009-02-04T05:00:00.001-08:00

Back to life drawing, and loving it!
Last night I got there late as I had to drop a child off at their soccer practice, while the other one was at their playoff hockey game with my husband. So, I was an hour late. I was shocked when I walked in, there was a lot more people this time around. There were no spaces so I sat on a backwards facing chair and propped my board up in front of me. If I have to do that every week, ah well. I can handle it. I don't mind because you can sit straight easily as you have to reach forward. But, since it was only an hr and a bit then maybe 2 1/2 or 3 hrs may make a difference. I kind of feel like I'd rather do that then take a table spot away from an older person. There are a couple elderly people in the group.

I had 1 1/4 hrs in drawing time, by the time I was set up and with 2 small breaks. We had the young oriental girl and she wore a sort of costume this time. I tend to like that as I want to concentrate more on a portrait most often anyway. As well, it's nice to have those contrasts like a black string top or a scarf, instead of continuous similar texture and value wide open space like the nude body, for a change. I enjoy drawing the dark straps where they intersect with tops of shoulders, the folds and bumps the material makes on the side, etc. So, it's nice to have a clothed model. Sometimes I sit and think what is the point of always drawing a nude figure, for drawing from life sessions. I'd prefer interesting people in clothing sometimes.

I managed to get her prettiness through better here, then the last few times I've drawn her. She's a very lovely girl.

One thing I will try to do in the next few weeks is create a From Life page on my website.
I also Still have not gotten to the Art Gallery of Ontario, with my friend, the airbrush artist. We were supposed to go but I've not been up to going out so I unfortunately had to cancel on him. After life drawing last night, I am beginning to feel more myself again. Things feel as if they are looking up again, that in the next week or so, things will all get settled for me, job wise, etc.

Today, I have a second interview for a job I interviewed for on Monday. It's not full time but the flexible schedule, basically my choice when I come in to do my hours, really suits our lifestyle and my artwork jobs as well. I may also take an online course to become certified as a medical assistant or medical secretary. That way, in the future, I have another skill, incase my job situation were to change on me again. I also have a job interview in a physio and rehab center but it is a bit far, on the Danforth, and I'm unsure if it is worth the travel yet. The Go train goes right there however, which is much easier then driving all the time. I'd be assisting patients, running a 1 hr patient excersize group, and doing reception stuff. It pays better than the other job but it is much farther and not as flexible by a mile. We'll see.

Finished Second Boy

2009-02-03T06:39:00.001-08:00

I completed the second boy in the 2 portrait commission and am presently waiting on the client's thoughts.

Today, I am working on the musician portrait again. It is going well, since the week break I took on it.

Waiting to hear back from a nice little job I interviewed for, to see if I am going to the 2nd interview stage. It is a lovely job in a small company and it would allow me the flexibility to continue my portrait business quite easily, as well as be there for my kids and paint for myself too.

Found This and Don't Know What It Is

2009-02-01T06:02:00.000-08:00

I found this weird link, to a publication regarding portrait artists, and my name appears. I am trying to find out what this publication is and how I can see a copy of it. I know there are 2 portrait artists with my name and I now just recalled an incident that clued me in on this fact.

The other one was an adult in the 1960s so maybe this publication talks about her. The reason I know is that I recall receiving an email about 6 months ago, by a woman who as a child, had a portrait done by this artist, through her parents commissioning the artist in the 60s. She was searching the name, hoping to find info on the artist of her past portrait, and ran across my site and emailed me asking if I was related to this artist. I am not, as my first name comes from my Dad choosing; Marlon Brando's half sister was named Jocelyn, is where he got it. I am assuming that is who is referred to in this publication that is at the Smithsonian Library. Curious.

http://siris-libraries.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=1X33496U67537.84518&profile=liball&uri=link=3100009~!1615093~!3100001~!3100002&aspect=subtab103&menu=search&ri=2&source=~!silibraries&term=Ball%2C+Jocelyn&index=#focus

Blah Blah Day

2009-01-30T11:03:00.000-08:00

Another kind of blah feeling day. I have attempted to work on the other little boy's portrait but I am distracted today. Not feeling too great is probably the reason.
Continued some Excel learning and I feel that it is not so hard and I'll know it well very shortly. My son saw me using it and he said that he uses it in school and said "it's so easy Mom".

My daughter read a book at school for history called "No One Must Know". It is about a young girl growing up in the early 1960s, but her parents hid the fact from her that they were escaped Jewish people, and were masquerading as Catholic in Canada. I was kind of interested in it, being that the Jewish religion and Jewish people have always been a strong interest of mine as well as human interest type books. It was written for a young audience but I really enjoyed it. I had to complete it quickly as her teacher needed it back, and in perfect condition, which is a hard thing to maintain for me, with books lol!

Second Boy's Portrait Began

2009-01-29T12:42:00.000-08:00

Today, a niceish day, though very snowy out. I was to go out for lunch today, with a girl friend, and I had to move my husband's truck out of the base of our driveway so I could get my car out. My old car is alos parked in the drive, so one car has to park across the base piece of our driveway. Well, I got his truck stuck in a little rut it created, when I pulled out. The plow leaves piles of snow at the base of our drive a lot. He had to come out and rescue his truck lol! My lunch was good though, very nice. It was nice to get out.

When I got home, I began to work on the other little boy commissioned portrait. I am happy to say that it seems to also be going well. I also discovered that I had a whole huge jar of the glazing medium, left from the summer and the mural I did. I did not even realize that it was the same stuff I had bought. It works better on canvas then on the primed rough wood of the cabana wall I painted on for the mural. Since it is a bit pricey, I was not happy that I had not recalled I had a whole huge thing of it left but since I am going through it at a good pace, atleast I won't need to replace my small bottle, I can just refill it.

Referral Commission!

2009-01-28T12:31:00.000-08:00

The client said that the portrait of her son was incredible, and she showed it around the office. It lead to a possible new commission, of another child, a neice of a co-worker. That tends to be the best way I receive commissions and I love when that happens.
The funniest thing about these 2 little boy portraits is that I had applied to a position within the company the client works for, and the next day had these portrait commissions. The work email of the client was from the same company I had submitted my resume to for a corporate part time job. So, that was kind of funny. I am pretty sure it was just a coincidence. I know it is because she had been looking at another artist's work earlier then finding me, and included a sample of that artist's work. It is so very very similar to my style too. The portrait sample she sent me an image of, is oen I've seen before too, and like a lot.
It is kind of funny and it makes you think, when little weird things like that happen though.

It is so very snowy tonight but I still need to go to my pool league. I enjoy pool but I think I'll sit this one out. Last week, I played a great game but lost anyway. Really, I should have won. I was clearing the table then missing on my second last ball, before the 8, allowing the other player to get ahead and be on the black. I think sometimes I suffer from blackballitis lol!

One Portrait Done

2009-01-28T11:40:00.000-08:00

On this snowy day, I have worked almost all day on the one little boy's portrait. I have completed him and I am awaiting the client's thoughts. Tomorrow, I'll begin the second boy. All in all, this took about 12 to 15 hrs.

Good Start to My Day

2009-01-26T08:14:00.000-08:00

Well, I am happy to say that so far, I am thrilled that my work seems to be progressing not bad. I am using a fairly large brush on him so that the areas get done quickly and nice and loosely blended with some texture marks from the brush working For the skin and hair, etc. I don't want to lose the freshness of this portrait to too much overpainted work. I hope I can keep it's original spontaniety, which works so well in children's portraiture, yet have some detail.

The client wanted non smiling portraits as she wanted them to be more traditional, classical realism type portraits. I am totally enjoying this portrait :-) The portrait is 12"x16", in heavy body acrylics, with a 1/4" chisel and 1/2" long chisel, with the vehicle for blending the pigment being Golden glazing medium.

I have to get out today so I am going out to do some errands. I have been lounging in lounge pants and Ts too long and am beginning to feel housebound lol!

Yesterday's Work

2009-01-26T04:36:00.000-08:00

I got a lot done on the musician's portrait, as well, I began one of the little boy's portraits. I had emailed jpgs of the drawings to the client, but I really was itching to begin so I began the red head without hearing back. It ended up that she answered me in the evening, and liked the drawings anyway. I am going to continue him today.

Catch Lights

2009-01-25T04:59:00.000-08:00

As of late, this topic has come up a couple times, when discussing portraiture.
I looked into it yesterday, instead of relying on my recall which usually is good, for clarification.

Catch lights are reflected pin points of light in the eye, of a nearby light source. They are on the same side as the light source. So, if the light source is coming from the subjects left, the catch light will be on the left or to the left, on the eye. If there are 2 sources, one on each side, their will be 2 catch lights.

Whether they occur and where, also depends on the height, angle and distance of the lights, as well as the lense to the subject.

My Daughter's One Piece of Art

2009-01-24T11:50:00.001-08:00

When my daughter was about 3 1/2, I remember giving her some of my watercolours and a scrap piece of 300lb wc paper. I told her that artists usually draw on the paper then they paint. I forget the whole jist of the conversation and even how it came about. I was working at the dining room table, as usual, and she wanted to paint too. So, I set her up.

This is what she did. I loved it so I framed it, but in an old frame that the glass was missing from. I should reframe it with glass so it won't get wrecked ever. My son was jealous so I also framed one of his paintings, a stick figure and a house. I don't know what happened to that. He actually became good at drawing and takes it in school but she has no interest anymore. When she has to do something for school, it never comes close to this little thing she did. I guess it was a fluke lol!

I had forgotten about this piece it was almost 10 yrs ago, but I spot it in our living room every once in a while and I recall that day.

Productive Day

2009-01-24T07:55:00.000-08:00

I decided today, that I'd get the 2 newest commissions drawn up onto the canvases that I prepared last night. I tinted them with a mix of raw umber, a mid grey and some white. I find that skin tones sing on a tinted ground and I can get those lovely unfinished areas near the bottom of clothing, etc. On white, it is all too stark. But, it depends on the look one wants too. Little natural shapes of dropped down watercolour or inks look great on white.

I have images of the 2 portraits below.

Funny Cat Video

2009-01-24T05:40:00.001-08:00

Oh man. This site funnyjunk, we used to watch silly homemade videos years ago. There was one called End of Z World that was hysterical, but slightly offensive.
I'll put a link I was able to find for it. It's gone from Funny Junk's Top 10.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=nZMwKPmsbWE

This one I linked to is a very fat cat playing with a box. It looks like my sister's cat Blaze lol! Cats are nuts.

http://www.funnyjunk.com/movies/1634/Yogurt+Box+Kitty/

Nearing the Weekend

2009-01-23T07:02:00.000-08:00

Well, today, I was up early appying for jobs. I found a few that I'd love to do but who knows if I'll hear back. One is an assistant to a dentist office, sterilizing and helping the dental hygenists, etc. I'd love to work in a health related field and a lot of jobs I apply to are in that area. I am applying to jobs even though I have not heard back as of yet, regarding my interview with the museum. I don't want to wait, incase I am not going to receive that position.

My life feels so very much in limbo which makes it a bit difficult to concentrate on my artwork, but I am forging ahead and still doing the best job possible on my commissions, which I also enjoy. I have realized that despite a lot of things in my life that distract and make it very difficult to conitune my artwork and actually handle commissiosn, etc. I manage to do alright. I can paint pretty well and I should be proud that I have managed to develop to the stage I am at despite many hard hurdles in my childhood, teens and even in my adult years. It is not easy being a Mom, wife, part time employee, house keeper, grounds keeper, friend, etc. and continue to develop as an artist and painter. I am lucky in that my husband has always been very positive about my art and me needing to maintain that side of myself. My kids also are very good about helping with things, when asked. A lot of our life is spent on them, which is good, but it can be very very chaotic and even expensive at times. It is good for my daughter to be in sports and very healthy and athletic, with a good self esteem. Many young girls lack that and it can really lead them into a future life of dependancy on a partner, financially and emotionally, instead of being self sufficient and confident. So, both her Dad and I love that she is an athlete and has future education and work goals, goals besides only being a girlfriend, partner and mother. As well, we encourage my son to continue to love the arts, specifically music, and not just concentrate on hockey and playing video games. So, even though it is hard to fit in, his guitar is important. So many teen boys drop it when they get on competative sports teams. We also encourage his cooking love and skills as that is what he loves, even if maybe it is not such a financially amazing career choice. People need to be happy most importantly, within reason though I guess.

If I could do full time school, I'd go back and get the EMS dispatch diploma. I would love to be an emergency services dispatcher, 911, etc. However, it is 2 full years and costs about $6-$7000. Been there and done that and with all the responsibilities I now have as an adult, mom and wife, plus I'd need to work weekends, it would be a strain to the point that it could be impossible on our family.

Sometimes, I wish very much that I'd never had any art talent or desire as a kid and maybe I'd have chosen a different path and I'd be much better off. My first desire was the health field, research or biology, medical in some way, but circumstances in my teen and young adult life did not allow me to be able to financially handle such a career choice as I'd need to have remained at home or live on campus. OSAP turned me down for various reasons and I could not afford it on my own.

Today, I am going to further work on my portraits. I was hoping to get to the Art Gallery in Toronto this weekend, as I've yet to see the new addition, but I am not sure yet.

This year has begun very rough for me, but it promises to be a year of change and I look forward to it, despite it's very disappointing beginning.

A One Line Thought

2009-01-22T07:27:00.000-08:00

My thoughts are that one does not pursue an art education to Aquire that skill, but to Further it.

My Son's Cookie

2009-01-21T11:04:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, my son had his culinary exam at school. The instructor demoed making gourmet chocolate chip cookies from scratch, and the kids had to watch and take notes themselves, of the ingredience, as the guy taught. Their exam consisted of them having to make the cookies themselves, from their notes, following his demo. When my son came home, I asked how it went, what did they make. etc. He said, "cookies". My next question was, "did you bring any home!?" lol! He said no, then later, showed me them. They were huge. He wanted to wait to tell his Dad because he said Dad would eat them all lol! So, he let me have one and then he put the 2 bags in his knapsack and hid them up in his room.

These cookies are the best cookies I've ever had, professional or home baked. I asked him his mark and he said 10/10. I shot a photo of one, before they are all gone. I hope he can make them one day again.

My interview for the museum job went pretty good I think. My main duty would be to research and prepare the exhibit for a collection of old cameras they received. I think I would enjoy it. I will know in the next few days. Meanwhile, my portrait commissions are keeping me busy.

My Week So Far

2009-01-20T10:03:00.000-08:00

This week has been pretty good, as weeks go, especially for me lately. Things have settled down re looking for a permanent part or full time job, so that my art income remains a secondary income again. The fact that I was not included in the return to work at my job this new year is fading into the past and I am not as upset about it. I have an interview tomorrow for an assistant curator at a small museum. I am anxious yet excited!

Despite the impending interview, I have been managing to concentrate on my commissions. The musician is going extremely well and I am so thrilled. The blending glazing medium I bought is working the paint so much better than I have ever experienced. I have absolutely no reason to ever use oils in the future, not if I use this fluid with my acrylics. I have denied that acrylic can ever look like oil completely but this product has proved me a liar. My acrylics are feeling like oil and the strokes have that light reflecting luminosity and depth to the strokes, the minor transparency as well as opaque spots, that oils are known for. But, it is still acrylic I am using! :-) However, I do have one canvas that I need to only use oil on, as someone had prepared it that way for themselves, but gave it to me as they no longer work on canvas. I will use my oils on that, sometime in the future. That painting I will be keeping all for myself.

Thsi mornign, I over heard a conversation my husband had with my son. He had mentioned to me that he was gogin to have a talk with him about his future education or ideas of where he may be going in life. He did not tell him he needs to pick a career, as he feels a 14 yr old rarely knows yet what that will be, but he asked him what kind of life, lifestyle, income level, etc. that he would like to have for himself. He said that if he wants to work with his hands, as my husband chose, he will need to take a certain path but that if he chooses to enter into a career where you use your brain more and is not a physical job, then there is a different path to take. The later requires really good marks, getting into a good university. The first requires less academic push and drive and more a college education, apprenticeship, the trades, etc. Not that one means smarter or less smart, just a different focus and degree of education. He asked my son to begin thinking about these things, not so much an exact field, but whether he feels he would rather work mainly with his hands, a physical job such as a trade, or work in the corporate world, a less physical more academic career. One thing that my husband feels is that my son would be a good architect but my son does not appear to have the drive to go to University. Currently, his marks in culinary are high 90s and he is talking about being a chef. My husband says that it is not far off wanting to be a musician or artist, that only the very top or best, with luck as well, become very financially successful. But, he explained that a regular chef makes an average income.
I was a bit impressed with how my husband went about approaching this subject with our son, in a very realsitic way, talking about salary expectations and what my son may want for himself life style and income wise, as oppsoed to addressing it just from the standpoint of picking a specific career and training for and entering it. He put it so well that I cannot even reiterate it as well as he spoke it, but I know that he made so much sense. He always had very strong common sense, even if he was only in General in high school. He stayed there because he knew that he never wanted to go to University, therefore took the Applied as opposed to Advanced level path in school. I can see this for my son as well. My husband is a firefighter, acting captain now, and owns a cabinet making shop with another firefighter.

How exciting it would be to be able to go back and re choose a career path! I envy my kids and it is great to be able to be there to help them and talk with them about their newly forming goals, plans, hopes, dreams and passions. One thing we always have to remember to do though is to never try to persuade or try force things on them, but to just make ourselves available as guides or sounding boards, and hope that their ultimate personal decisions benefit them and work out for them.

Looking forward to tomorrow.

Discovered a New Jeweler on Etsy

2009-01-17T04:53:00.001-08:00

I have a whole post dedicated to cool jewelery makers on Etsy. The link is below.

I want to add one I discovered today. Love her earrings!!!

Kiwi Blossom http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6726845 near Toronto.

My recent Blog post with all sorts of Jewelery Makers' links.

http://artbyjocelyn.blogspot.com/2008/12/thursday-up-early.html

Cameras

2009-01-16T17:37:00.000-08:00

Once we get used to something, it's easy to become a diehard. It seems to be human nature. Most people do not embrace change or new things.

When I was in highschool, I never took photography, because an SLR was beyond my reach. I worked part time and I went to school and I bought my own clothes and necessities. When I got to college, I lived on my own with my then boyfriend, now husband, so my part time pay, although good for a student, did not allow for much personal indulgence.

I always had hated how I had to put up with the flash on a point and shoot camera. I wanted to take natural light shots, close or exactly as I viewed a person or scene, etc. I loved working from reference photos of people I knew or ran across, so my boyfriend bought me a little point and shoot for around $280 the second Christmas we were together. We were 19. His Mom actually had a Canon from the 70s, not an SLR but as a point and shoot, it took good photos that I always liked. I worked form a couple, one to do an oil painting of my brother in law sitting on a wood dock at their cottage, as a kid.

When my Grandfather died, my Mom's Dad, a wonderful man whose Mother was Canadian Indian and his Father French Canadian, he left myself and my siblings each some money. I decided I would buy 2 things with that gift. I bought a good lawn mower for our recently bought house and I bought a used Nikon FE SLR camera from the early 80s. It was about 12 years old. I also bought a 105mm portrait lense. I did love that camera. I took one photography course, at Durham College, with a friend who loves photography. She took the colour course later, but I couldn't spare the time. My Nikon also stopped working and Nikon could no longer replace the part. I bought another used one very quicky. 2 years or so later, the digital camera began to dominate the everyday camera user market. I held on to using my traditional SLR till finally it became silly to develop film. I bought a Nikon D70. Love it and grew fond of the versatility of the digital cameras! Any ISO setting, great low light sensitivity, no more having to buy black and white film, portrait sport or landscape settings, etc. What a great thing to have! However, I packed up my old original non working Nikon and I still have it and the lenses; it means a lot to me having been bought with my Grandfather's gift to me.

One thing though that I have discovered, is that I wish I had bought a Canon Rebel. Every photographer's work I find I love and am drawn to re: colour, gradation of values, etc. seems to have been shot with a Canon. I was a diehard Nikon user because that is what the person who sold me it talked up and insisted was the best and I got so used to it, plus, Nikon, the big name in cameras. I now realize that I could and should have done that research myself before buying my digital. Granted, I shoot most of my photos with that semi concious idea in the back of my mind that they would make great painting reference, and an artist can work however they choose no matter what is there in the photo, but I do love the Canon shots I see often. I'll say, Oh I love that, what camera took that, and sure enough, 9 times out of 10, it's a Canon Rebel.
I find, for me, taking photos is not enouogh though, that I need to paint, not just take beautiful photos. Although, photography and painting has always melded for me and I love both. Painting is just more personally satisfying, not so much a quick fix for me art wise. A lot goes in to taking great and unique photos and those who can see that rare moment and capture it are amazing, but I fear it will never be enough on it's own for me.

One camera I truly love photos from though, is the Hasselblad. My friend, a muralist, has an old one. The photos I have run across and his that I've seen, cannot hold a candle, in my opinion, to any digital or even older SLR. They are stunning and breathtaking.

Tonight, after working most of the day on my musician portrait, and running the kids a bit, I decided to stay in and watch some movies I had taped earlier this month. One is a long time favourite, Bridget Jones' Diary. It's hysterical, not like the book which I have heard is depressing and the main character is quite morbid and pathetic (don't know as I've not personally read it). My favourite parts are her speech when she introduces the book for the book launch at her company's event, and when she goes to the Tarts and Vicar's party, to find the theme was cancelled, and her aunt Shirley, a 60 something woman, runs by after hiding in a bush dressed as a tart lol! Then there is Something About Mary; I love Ben Stiller, such a cutie. As well, I watched The Big Chill. I think I have never seen it fully. I love Jeff Goldblum, very good looking, to me anyway, but although the movie gives you that anticipation that something really crazy ulitmate juicy is going to happen, and you wait the whole time for it, it sort of becomes a let down, too cliche. It's kind of like an over acted stage play. It was made in 1983 but it seem so much more like a 1970s production, in feel and look. I realized too that Willaim Hurt looks very much like my brother, even his demeanor is the same. Not that that is a bad point lol! It kind of reminds me of that movie with Elliott Gould, that Alice, Ted, etc. etc. one; the 4 friends who are playing around with swinging. Then, to add to that, Tom Berenger, who is so young and not quite as good looking as he will become, strikes me as very similar and could have easily played the lead character in that new series on TV called Swingtown, if he was the same age as in The Big Chill. That series, Swingtown, is fantastic and very very well done. Well worth watching. I love the characters, the style, the way it looks so much like the 70s how I recall them, and the story lines are interesting.

One other film I watched a couple years ago, which I really liked, was called Cashback. Apparently it was a short film first, then made into a long film. It is an independant type film. I liked it, although the reviews were mixed. I Googled it but there are so many links that I did not paste one as I could not pick. I thought it was a good film. It is about an art student who breaks up with his girlfriend, is dumped actually, and gets a night job at a grocery store, only to discover he can freeze time but remain lucid and free to walk around. He starts using these frozen female customers as life models. It goes into his new girlfriend and a show he gets, in an odd way, and what happens to him. It's really a great film and I loved it. I rented it on a whim one night. I think it is worth viewing if an artist.

My Personal Sun Rose Today

2009-01-15T15:55:00.001-08:00

Today, was a better day, things are looking better and I feel better, able to concentrate on my work. Despite my hurt and confusion and disappointment at being left out of the early return to work for most of the other photographers, veterans and New ones this year (I've been there 1 1/2 years now) included, I am feeling better today. It made no sense to me as I had done well, am well liked at work, was told I am great with the kids and give a good experience at the camera, I phone in sick maybe once in 10 years, and I always help take over shifts for people who need off or Are sick. I was told that I am not needed til March :-( March till mid May is just not a long enough working time. I love that job but I can't have unpredictable income most of the year, it is too hard, especially in these times. This job, being around 7 months of the year, worked well with my other income from portraits and such. I could be off for the kids a lot, get stuff done here like the yard, and had time to paint and take on paid commissions. I love Christmas time off too as we go up north a lot.
However, I received 2 more commissions and have a lot of work to do, having now a total of 4 decent and enjoyable commissions. Still looking for a more reliable job but it's not as crucial right now. I was getting stressed which was affecting my concentration.

I began the painting part of the musician's portrait and it is going so well that I am so thrilled! I bought a glazing slo dry fluid by Golden, a product I had not tried for years and years, before it was even the same product I'm sure. I had tried the retarders about 15 years ago and hated what they did to the acrylic paint. This product has pleasantly surprised me! Never have I seen my acrylics feel and look like using oils. I'm getting those beautiful rich buttery blend strokes and beautiful layers of colour glowing through colour where I want it to. It's just such a great thing to see! They don't dry too slow and the beautiful consistency and feel of the strokes, the way they drag so smoothly, is thrilling! I was a bit intimidated by the fact that this stuff was white when I saw it but I gave it a try and just did not let that bug my mind. I will Definitely be buying this stuff again and again.
I wish I could post wip images but I really cannot risk the subject discovering that a portrait of them is being done as they are a known musician. I am just so happy that I am managing to do a good job. Keeping my fingers crossed :-)

I went to the same client's house where I did the tropical scene mural in the Summer. They had work done in their home and a wall section had to be removed and then re-drywalled. There were faux large rectangle stones on the wall and they needed the area added back in that was cut out. It was very neutral colours, tans and greys and some darker shade for the grout so I fixed it in about 2 1/2 hrs. It was fun and a bit of pocket money.

Our pool team was in dire need of 2 players and we got them today so that is also another situation that got solved today. I had been considering folding the team as we have to forfeit too much, as we don't have enough players if a couple cannot come out on certain weeks. With one being a couple, it means sometimes 2 are missing and then we have to forfeit one match as we need atleast 5 to play each week. I love pool so much though and I'd have looked for a team that needed a medium level player added.

My Cat was so cute today and I grabbed some shots of her, before I left to work on the wall.

So Far This Week

2009-01-13T07:55:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a bit of a harry week. I am very very happy with my friend's portrait and know that this one will go to it's finish, successfully. I have toned the canvas for my classical musician portrait commission and am going to project my drawing today since it is pretty dismal and therefore should be dark enough in our rec room. Hopefully, I did not tone in the canvas too dark and won't be able to see my drawing. If that is the case, I will need to block in the main shape only and draw all the rest by hand. I hope not to have to do too much of that as I want this drawing clean and not having to use an eraser on it at all or very limited. Charcoal pencil will probably be the tool I use.

This week got a bit harry when I realized that others were called back to work, in the seasonal job I have, and I was not. I had been doing well as far as I knew and they expressed interest in having me back. I contacted my boss and discovered that some of us aren't going back till March, for the spring photography program. I am one of those photographers who is going back for that training and work. Being in limbo was taking it's toll on me but I feel better now that I know what is happening. I can concentrate on my 2 commissions, my potential illustration project, a faux finish correcting job in someone's house (to redo part of a wall that had to be cut out, that has a faux stone block look) and my portrait of my friend which I intended to enter into a portrait competition this Spring.

Below, I have included photos of my toned gallery wrap canvas for the commission, plus the latest progress on my friend's portrait.

The Beginning of the Portrait-Again

2009-01-11T11:47:00.000-08:00

Well, so far, I am going along ok on this restarted portrait. I did draw her a bit smaller than I should have, in the composition, I feel, but perhaps when I have this framed, I can correct that by reducing the space around her. Anyway, the painting part has me happier this time.

I began again on a tinted canvas. I drew her on with a 4B pencil. Then, I dabbed back a lot of the excess pencil so it won't dirty my mixes. I began semi monochromaticly in the face but instead of a total monochromatic underpainting, I have chosen to just begin in her face and go from there. Once I get a lot of that area, and her neck done, I'll get into the background and the other areas, beginning monochromaticly then begin with colour.

In this version, I am very concerned with the shadow masses first, then I will work lighter over dark, to cut in the mids and lights. This should keep the proportion and the likeness all the way through.

At first, I had her too startled looking, due to the darks against the very light lights. I then cut back around and into edges of those features, such as her eyes, with neutral mid skin tones again and it corrected the exaggerated shapes as well as took away the wide eyed look that happened earlier. I really want to make sure I get that shadowed area done correctly. Detail as well as colour should be less discernable in that deeply shadowed area. There should be lost and found subtle shapes and colours.

Today

2009-01-10T15:06:00.000-08:00

Well, besides probably running out in my car 8 times today for the kids' stuff, I did get started on the painting part of the second portrait attempt of my friend. This time, so far, it is going exactly as I want it to and it is indeed Her. So far anyway lol! I've had to reteach myself to Slow Down lol! I have begun monochromatically, on her face. I bought some new pigments the other day, adding a new one, Burnt Umber. I have not bought that for a long time but I feel for some of the background in my commission of the pianist, I may use it.

I'll put up a progress image of that tomorrow.

On top of that, I did work up the clouds on the religious painting prelim drawing, adding them to the printed composition. I will then rephotograph that and add Joseph to it, before printing a final drawing so I can get that up on the canvas. I will need to project my drawing for that painting, so everything is placed exactly in the right spot on the canvas. It may just be difficult trying to see it projected on a tinted canvas. But, I'd hate drawing it all on by hand, I'd be bored to tears. I just want to get the thing on and begin the painting part, which is going to need a lot of work from my head and instinct. The issue that I realize is present with this commission is the dreaded "working from other painted or illustrated pieces as reference" since of course, there are no photographs existing of the Holy Family lol! Ok, well maybe, the Virgin Mary in the grilled cheese lol! That just won't cut it though. So....I will need to do a lot of painting from my head, using some of the refs she provided and maybe some added facial refs that will help with rendering the faces, if needed. Likeness isn't an issue, more values, tones and shadows.

I'm not a huge fan of painting from paintings as I find that one is mimicing another artist's style to a degree, while working from them, hence stylizing the image even further. But, in a case like a commission featuring the the Holy Family, there is no other option except shooting ones one models who resemble what one wants the figures to look like. The budget is just not worth taking on that task, not to mention, I have no idea who I could ask lol! I can paint a lot of it from my head, and from generic faces if I need to since it's just perspective and modelling that is a concern, not likeness.

One of the Most Unique Jewelers I've Seen!

2009-01-10T06:11:00.000-08:00

I have to point out this Montreal jeweler's shop on Etsy. She has one of the most unique imaginations for jewelery I've seen! So cool and contemporary, very artistic and different! Quirky is a great way to describe a lot of her pieces.

My fav has to be the bread tie pendant with a date on it. You could get any date put on it.

Here is the link to her store. Melanie Favreau, Montreal, Canada.

Weekend Approaching

2009-01-09T07:32:00.001-08:00

This week has been pretty even keel. I have continued working on the drawing for the religious painting and I have bought and toned the canvas for the musician's portrait. I bought a gallery wrap canvas for that as I feel with the size, upon seeing it in person, that the sturdier canvas was better. I toned it with an ochre, grey, crimson mix tone. I brushed it on and before it was completely dry, I used a dry large soft brush to brush over and bring a texture to the tinted surface. I need to draw on the initial drawing then I can begin the painting of the portrait next week. Unfortunately, I cannot put up progress images because the portrait is a gift and if the musician is recognized, they could find out and the surprise will be ruined. However, once it is complete and approved and on it's way, I will post a finished image.

We have a busy weekend ahead with hockey, soccer practices and my brother's birthday.

Soon, my life drawing group starts up again and I look forward to going back.

Today, I will be continuing to work on the prelim drawing for the religious painting.

I worked the top portion on a new paper as my pad that I chose to work in is not large enough for the whole drawing at once. As well, I need to be able to move the elements around anyway so there is no use trying to do it one off on one paper.
Here, I then had to cut out God and the 2 angel groups so I could add them to what I'd already done. I had to move each element around on the picture plane, make the angels smaller, then lighten them as they are lighter, monochromatic, blending in slightly with the sky and cloud tones.
The second image is my cut and reworked placement. I printed that out so I could work on the clouds now.
I also need to draw and add Joseph.

New Commission

2009-01-06T08:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, a client I had already been dealing with regarding one painting commission, phoned to drop by her references for the portrait we had already discussed. However, she decided to do her second idea before we do the painting I was first to do for her, 4 figures standing on a path, with one child sitting on a rock. She wanted to begin the religious theme one first.

I got a deposit off of her as this is quite an extensive project. It was priced a bit lower than it should be, going by her assurance that she wants 2 other pieces (one, a family portrait, is for sure). She is also an elderly woman on a fixed income. This project is slightly more extensive than a lot I've got in the past. It runs more along the lines of working as an illustrator, in that I need to do a lot of prelim roughs, hunt down or shoot miscellaneous refs such as hands, etc. that are are specific requests but no specific reference is being supplied. I will be using a photo of my brother for young Jesus' hair and face since it fits her request. There are colour changes to the clothing and the God figure and the 6 flanking figures in the sky will need to be rendered as part of the sky tones but so that they are discernable, despite being semi transparent. There are a lot of compositional things and colour balances, etc. to be worked out.

My husband also will need to build me the stretcher as the size is a custom size and she wants it to fit flush, not stick out, from the frame opening in back. So, it'll be a thinner stretcher which means I'll need the stretchers wider for strength and support. The painting is about 24"x26" or so. I will need to stretch and gesso the canvas myself too.

This here is the prelim sketch begun. I started with Jesus and then went on to Mary. However, I just began drawing her and I ended up with her too large, probably because I covered the boy with a paper so as not to dirty him, and lost track of size. I should have blocked in her size first rather than just beginning on her face. I had blocked in roughly how tall she was to be but once I began on the face, I worked larger than I should have.

So, I photographed the drawing so far, uploaded it and cropped her and repasted her into the drawing on a collage option in Picture It 2.0, a simple program. I played around with her positioning because I want to have a shallow triangle with their standing positions. The ref photo has them more lined up horizontally.

This shows a photo of her refs all sort of organized, with various face choices, etc. , my sketch, and the new printed one of the altered size. I will now begin Joseph and I may need to then photograph the drawing again and adjust him and print out a new drawing composition. I can reprint it each time, then in the end, I'll have one that can be the final drawing. Once she approves it, I can then get it drawn up on the canvas. That will most likely be a few weeks away.

I still need to get the canvas for my other commission so will be doing that sometime today.

I will now be holding off looking for and applying for a full time job at the moment, as I may regret taking away time I need to work on all these jobs. Closer to Spring I will assess that road again.

I love my seasonal job as a school photographer but with the economy the way it is and the gas prices, I was a bit nervous about the prospect of that business surviving well and being there providing me an income in the future. As well, many people now have access to all sorts of good digital cameras and the technolgy in their own homes or at businesses where they can do it themselves, that any professional photos, unless for a specfic reason, are more of a luxury item than maybe they used to be and most families have had to cut them out. Most people don't care or even recognize the lighting differences in snap shots to properly lit portrait photos, nor do they care about the different backgrounds and props.

My husband also bought me a package of Office software by MS: Power Point, Word, Excel and one other. I have been slowly learning them as they are skills I am running across, as needed or would be an asset, in almost every job opportunity I find. Power Point I find easy right away, but Excel will take some getting to know lol! Power Point is amazing for making brochures, charts, designing display pages, any kind of ad stuff, etc. It's cool! I have just got to learn how to save as the right type of file for what I am designing something for. I find you cannot go back and resave it as a new type of file, it just saves changes to it in the format you chose to begin with. So, if I save it as a a PTF, I cannot go back and resave it as a jpg, png file, etc. There must be a way but I have not figured it out. Maybe opening it as a new file first. I also tried uploading one I had designed, for ifreelance.com, but all it did was save it as a clickable attachment, not as a graphic image immediately viewable on the screen, even though I uploaded it as the file type required. So, I have lots of ways to go to learn those programs, especially how to use it for specific file type needs.

My current commiosion images:

Sunday

2009-01-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

Today, we have our makeup match for our pool league, from Dec 31st matches. I'd mostly prefer to stay in today but alas, need to be there.

I began the new drawing on canvas for my friend's portrait. I see again how I could get myself in to trouble with the eye on our right. It seems a bit off position already. I'll try to finish this drawing later today, depending on the time I get back here.
The painting is 9"x12" and I tinted the surface with a raw sienna, grey mix. I am drawing this with a 4B pencil because the 2B was too hard for the canvas surface.

I need to get started on the drawing up and painting on the classical musician's portrait that I have been commissioned to do. I want to begin that next week, before we head back to work. As well, I then have another commission to begin after that client brings all the references by.

A New Year

2009-01-02T13:36:00.000-08:00

I hope it is a good one for everyone!

Mine started out rough but the issue got solved. I thought my phone was missing but after panicing, I began to mentally retrace steps and realized it had to be at my friend's house.
I was Not looking forward to paying 2 more years on a 3 year contract, for a phone I no longer had. The phone is a good one and came free with the plan. I need a good one for my job and to replace it would have been pricey. Originally, I was so upset that my day at my Dad's place for our Christmas with my family would have been disturbed by being distracted and upset. Thank goodness I did find it at her home.

An aquaintance to my son and his hockey team mates also passed away this morn, after having been in a coma since Dec 12th. He was a 21 year old young man, the son of their power skating coach, who helped a lot with his dad's power skating and was a good friend of some of the parents and sons on the team. His helmet flew off during a fight on the ice and he hit his head and eventually became unconcious and put in to a coma, which took his life this morning. It is very sad.

So, I do hope this is not a pattern for 2009.

However, our Christmas and New Years was good and we had fun and saw lots of people. I enjoyed New Years but the majority of us agree that next year we'll go back to doing the get together at someone's house thing.

Mostly today, I did a couple job applications and such, and some tidying. The kids slept in late.

I re started a new portrait of my friend and I feel the drawing is going better even, so far. I've made sure that my distances between shapes are more accurate. I am 75% finished the drawing and will begin the painting part this weekend, the monochrome stage again. I also will be getting the canvas for my commission. On top of that, I have a second commission client coming next week, to drop off the reference for her portrait/figures in a landscape painting that she has requested. It will be a bit difficult as I need to find a model for the one young girl subject and re design her pose but with the dress the subject is wearing. There are 4 people in the painting and there are some minor changes to their clothing, etc. that need to be worked out before beginning. There is no specific deadline for her portrait, by Summer sometime is fine with her. If it goes well, she wants two more paintings from me, one being a religious subject matter. I'll see how she is to deal with as well, before committing to other pieces.

I'll add in the new drawing of my friend's painting later on. I won't be able to finish it today as the light is going now.

This Christmas Week

2008-12-31T06:36:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been up and down and busy and fun!

We had a very relaxing do nothing time up north at my inlaws'. They are now gone for a bit to Arizona, where they rent a condo. This is their second year there. Oh how I wish we could go too lol!

I did put up a portfolio on ifreelance and I've had a great response to it already. Time will tell if it will be lucrative. One issue is that I do work part time and I have 2 extensive commissions right now, so I need to be careful not to end up committed to too many things and become overwhelmed.

I have also applied to an advertised position, permanent part time, for an elementary school visual arts teacher. I don't hold out high hopes as I have little to no teaching experience, despite having been approached in the past regarding teaching art. Teaching is a lot of prep work and I did not have the confidence years ago as to whether I could do it or not. It also depends on the school system and what the kids are like. Teaching art to those who have a personal interest is one thing, teaching it to kids who don't neccessarily care about it at all and have an aversion to even doing art, is another thing all together. Finding out what makes it fun for them to learn is the main key thing. Not all kids' interests lie in the same areas. However, I do know that my employer for the school photography job I have considers me excellent with the kids at the schools so that is one advantage I have. I just need to watch my sometimes casual swearing, which I've managed so far lol!

We had a great week at my son's hockey tournament in North Toronto. It ran from Boxing Day till yesterday, when they lost in the semis. One thign though, being at St. Mike's arena and North Toronto arena brought back such huge nostalgic memories for me. My husband played goal for North Toronto, and I met one of my closest friends through his hockey. Her then boyfriend played on the same team as my husband. We were all 18 then. The most ironic thing was that my son and my friend's son played yesterday, in the semi finals, in the very arena where I met her 24 years ago during my husband's hockey games I went to on the weekends. All 4 of us were friends and we spent almost every weekend together. She said to me yesterday"did you ever think, back then, that someday, 24 years later, our sons would play together at this very arena?" It was so cool!

My son's team lost to that team though, from Caledon, and my son was so upset that he wanted to go home lol! Our families do not get a chance to see each other much anymore and my kids have not seen her kids since August, and before that probably 2 years. So, we talked to him and he changed his mind after his Dad told him he could go home with another parent because the rest of us want to go out for a bite. He went with us lol! We had a great time. It was just so good to see them and all of us to get that chance. My kids and their kids always had fun and always looked forward to seeing each other on March break, Summer and at Christmas. We just have not been able to do it for a few years. I was so so thrilled!

Tonight, we are going out with our other friends to the old bar where my pool team used to play out of. It is such a cool bar and the owners designed it themselves. It is in a Medieval sort of decor, with lots of metal sculptures on the wall depicting abstract pool tables, lots of iron and wood and metal work, cool lights, weird cut out shapes to the walls and the coolest door sculptures on their bathroom doors. It is called The Edge. It's in Ajax, Ontario. They have a site too. The food is good and the staff is great. I have not been out for New Years for years and years. It was never a big interest of mine. I prefer more intimate conversational house party type evenings, or just staying home after an early dinner out.

Lots of great news this week too. My friend from work was given a clean bill of health and my close friend is also not as ill as once suspected.

Today, I need to get the canvas for my musician's portrait as well as (unfortunately) begin my friend's portrait again. I was totally unahppy with a couple elements that I jsut could not rework over and over, namely her nose. So, the one I started is history lol!

Some photos from Christmas up north.

Happy New Year All!!!

ifreelance - A Website for Illustrators' - Job Postings

2008-12-22T18:13:00.001-08:00

I discovered a website where freelancers of all varieties can register and bid on posted jobs and contracts, freelance work, etc. There are 3 levels of memberships and you can pay monthly or yearly. It is not too pricey from what I see. They take no commission on top of that, it's all between artist and the job provider.

I may register. My style is more traditional so my opportunities would be more limited but I can do line drawings, and more graphic stylized rendering of subjects very easily, although I have not done that in a long time.

http://www.ifreelance.com/

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah everyone!!!

Green Tea

2008-12-21T07:52:00.000-08:00

Today, I happened to glance at a link on Sympatico, heralding green tea as a help in keeping off the pounds. I know it is good for you, an antitoxin aid, etc. But, I never make it. We have several different brands of it. My husband tends to make it. I did make some this morn however.

A couple years ago, I did try green tea icecream, I believe it was while eating out with my artist friend downtown somewhere. It looked unappetizing but when I tried it, I loved it!

I am linking here to a health food site that has recipes for it and talks about it. The image from their site is the link.

I recommend trying this icecream!

photo credit: naturalpath.com

Sunday Snow Day

2008-12-21T05:57:00.000-08:00

Very snowy again today. Mostly I'll be just staying in. I have one errand to do but it may have to wait again.
My daughter is down at the BMO field at the Exhibition again, which they dome in the winter, playing indoor soccer as a call up for a team above hers. I did not go. Being sick, and with this bad snow, I stayed home.
I want to try to get some painting in today, as well as continue the drawing for the musician's portrait. I want to run the drawing and composition by the client before Christmas.
Looking forward to going up north for a bit, even sick.

A Really Cool Journal!

2008-12-20T10:14:00.001-08:00

http://crackskullbob.squarespace.com/journal/

Crack Skull Bob

love the little figure illustrations.

Not for the Squeamish, But Some Info for Animal Owners

2008-12-20T06:22:00.000-08:00

Something I read today, prompts me to finally write about what happened to my beloved tabby cat Cinnamon, 4 years ago this past October.

I am writing this because I realize that there are a lot of people that may think this is some exotic other world thing that can happen. But, it is common in rural areas, for animals that wander out doors. This was new to me and with further research, I learned a lot about it.

I was reading a question on a Forum, asking if anyone may know what could be wrong with the OP's kitty. She was licking herself in a couple spots, was lethargic, had a swollen looking foot, had trouble breathing and was generally not well. I gave the advice to check in to whether it could be this parasite I am going to describe.

Warning: This is not pleasant.

4 years ago, my tabby cat seemed to be quite not her self. She was sitting around a lot, very morose seeming, almost lethargic, yet still wanting to sit near us, but moving slower. I eventually noticed a small lump on her right cheek near her nose. It got larger over a few days and she was in the house laying and sitting all the time. I assumed it was a cyst or something. She was eating and drinking so that I felt was a good sign.

Then, one day, I saw this yellowy dried liquid with matted fur running down the end of the quilt on my daughter's bed. I went up to the cat and I guess I figured the abcess burst and the infection came out. Then, as I looked at the smaller lum and wet area on her cheek, a little white thing poked out and went back in! I freaked. I screamed for the kids to come and look, Cinnamon has a worm in her face.

I had heard creepy stories years ago about flies laying eggs in animals or humans then maggots coming out. I thought maybe a fly had been attracted to the infected open area and layed it's eggs. I know this can happen to elderly or sick animals, if they have a wound. I was a wild woman, freaking, almost puking, and not knowing what to do. We called our vet to get her right over. My son had to carry her, wrapped up so she could not squirm, in the passenger side of our car, while I drove. Cinnamon kept turning her head and the worm was coming in and out. He was calling "Mom, the worm is coming near me, it's going to come out on me!" I told him just hold her tight, we were just going across the street.

We got her in and the vet looked at it. He said she had a parasite called a cuterebra. He tried to pull it out but he said that that is dangerous because it is much larger inside and only the tip of it's head shows. If it breaks, it can then poison her with infection once it dies and is left in there. We had to take her home and he made an appt. with the other vet, where surgery is done, farther from our house. We had to have her over night in our house, with that thing in her face. Unfortunately, I could not handle, nor could the kids, knowing she was walking around, on our beds, etc. and this worm was in her face and could touch us :-( So, I had to lock her in the basement for the night. I felt so bad for her :-( We had already had her sitting on us, patting her, etc. before this worm showed it's face. I stayed up all night, and I was shocked when I began to do research on this parasite, online.

We took her in and they put her to sleep and they cut out the parasite. They had recommended that we do blood tests on her too, to see if her kidneys, etc. were healthy. But, it cost so much that my husband refused as she was already a fairly old cat and I really could not afford it at the time. My husband just thought they were trying to gouge us for more tests, hence $$$. So, we had just the operation done. They gave me antibiotics for her incase there was infection. I gave them to her. After a few days, she seemed again to be lethargic. She seemed fine, eating and such, then began peeing all the time and drinking all the time, missing the litter even, when she went. Friday night, she was laying flat out, on my bed. She got worse and worse.

I layed on the floor with Cinnamon all night as she deteriorated, waiting to call the vet in the morn. Eventually, she was raspy breathing and could not move. She was like a rag doll in my arms. I thought that she must have had a kidney disease and the antibiotics must have been too much for her, or something related to the operation. I now wished I had done the blood tests. She suffered all night, I felt, due to me. It was my fault :-( If I had just had a great job, I could have taken charge and done as much on her as I could have or was worth doing, or kept her ashes as I also later wished I could have taken charge of deciding. I was not making a lot with just doing portraits and not working part time too, not enough to spend almost $1000 on tests to find out, and then either the operation or put her down if she was incurable and would be just suffering. I did get her over to the vet, but as I sat there crying holding her, her bladder let go and I knew she had just passed away. I had asked for her to be put down immediately to stop her suffering but they were so busy and I just walked in with her. They took her and they said how sorry they were. My son was with me, crying too. We had her cremated. They assured us she would be treated with respect. They asked us if we would like to have her ashes in an urn, but my husband said no. I was not sure, but I wish I had have done that. I still cry when I think about her. The vet sent us a card about a month later.

I will attach a painting I did of her, as a healthy 11 yr old tabby, sitting on my daughter's quilt. The same quilt I found her on that day and discovered the parasite.

Here, I will tell a bit about what this parasite is and how animals, and people believe it or not, can get it. Please feel free to Google any further info on it on the net.

This parasite is not in third world countries, or overseas only, or exotic or even very rare.

The bot fly, and there are different varieties, lay their eggs around rabbit holes mostly, and unknowing dogs, cats or even kids, can get the eggs stuck to them. The eggs hatch and the little larvae looks for an entrance in to it's hosts body. This could be through a nostril, ear, eye, etc. The larva makes it's way through the body, lookign for a just below surface spot where it can grow and eventually come out and form a pupae and them become an adult bot fly. It causes a lump then large abccess below the surface of the skin. It then breaks a breathing hole through the skin, so it can poke out it's head to breathe. This is the time period when we saw the worm in our pet's face.

The larva, if left, will eventually make it's way out of the body through the hole, form a pupae, and then hatch in to a bot fly. All to begin the horrid cycle again :-(

Rabbits tend to be the intended host, but a pet that gets eggs stuck to them, or a child, can get a bot fly larva.

They often can damage organs and tissue, as they make their way through a body. Thay can damage lungs, throats, etc. some animals die form the invasion, due to this, or the larva makes little damage, runs it's cycle, and drops from the animal.

A few weeks after Cinnamon was gone, I found the brown unopened pupae in my living room. So, I am unsure if she had more than one, or she had brought some animal in my house that had them, like a mouse, or mole. Just today I recall one other time that I patted Cinnamon and found a little white worm in her fur. I picked it off with a napkin. Thinking back, I now realize she may have had one before, but that I caught it before it made it's way in to her body.

I don't know exactly how she got hers, and how those pupae got in my house, but I wish I had never let my Cinnamon outside. I may still have her now if I had kept her inside all the time. She became such a skilled hunter. She brought mice, moles, birds, all kinds of animals, inside every week. I even caught her crunching a bird under my coffee table one night while watching a movie. She was quite the huntress. But, she had worms off and on, and then she got the worst parasite of all, and I know it was responsible for her bringing her death earlier, in some way :-(

Our latest cat, who we've had for about 5 years. Although she isn't the same as Cinnamon, she is fun, affectionate, runs around and is quite agile and active, and we play with her a lot, but she is Not going outside lol! For one thing, cats roam, and they pooh and pee in neighbours gardens, and neighbours don't like that. I don't blame them, as I sometimes get caught in dog crap while mowing the lawn.

I know this comes no where near losing a child, she is a cat, but it is very hard to write about it, let alone think about her. We miss this unique, loving, smart and funny little tabby so much.

Oy Vey - I Hate Winter

2008-12-19T12:12:00.000-08:00

Ok, I hate this, this sucks lol!

It is still snowing and blowing. I decided not to go to my work Christmas party, due to being sick plus now this.

Staying in today and working on my drawing for the commission.