Grapelight - G is for Grape

'Grapelight' 

5 x 7 inches 

colored pencil on Ampersand Pastelbord

$100 plus $7 US shipping/$15 International

Every time I do a colored pencil piece I have a series of conflicting feelings: 

1. (Infatuated beginning) "This is SO much fun! Why don't I do these more often? I can't wait to do more. I want to do a pony, and a puppy, and some glass bottles, and some orange slices, and some shiny ribbon, etc. etc. etc." *manic grin*

2. (Midway through) *sigh* "This is taking forever. I want to be done. Maybe I'll just call it done. No wait, I can't because I've already spent like forever working on this." *sigh* "And I'm all out of cookies." *heavy sigh* 

3. (Almost done) "Almost done! Huzzah!!!" *lackluster fist pump*

4. (All done) "I am never doing one of these again. Never." *takes bite out of cookie* *thoughtful gazing at finished piece which I'm very proud of even though my fingers are totally sore now from pressing so hard* "Well. . . maybe not for a few days at least."

In other words, it's something like this: 

This is G for grape in my alphabet series.

Happy Independence Day to all my American friends!! :D

Friesian in Technicolor

'Friesian in Technicolor' 

5 x 7 inches colored pencil on pastelbord

$100 plus $7 US shipping, or $15 International

"He has galloped through young girl's dreams, added richness to grown women's lives, and served men in war and strife." Toni Robinson

I may have taken some liberties with the color in this horse's coat. But her normally black coat had been sun-bleached, and there was light from the setting sun, and I'm a color addict. So there you go. :)

Reference photo by lumibear on deviantART. Thank you!

Dauntless - Arabian Horse - SOLD

'Dauntless'  SOLD

5" x 7" colored pencil on Ampersand Pastelbord

I love the way this horse is turning, quickly and gracefully. Mane and tail flying. And the sun on his grey coat, all those colors in the shadows. I don't really have much to say about him other than that. He is a beautiful horse and I tried to capture him the best I could.

Reference photo by seed of beauty on deviantART, thank you! 

And since some of you asked about our St. Patty's day dinner here are a few pics:

 Cheese ravioli (which I bought, because seriously who has time to make that on their own?) with a green Alfredo sauce, which was just pureed frozen peas added to a traditional Alfredo sauce - which I did make, huzzah for me! Although my husband told the kids it was shamrocks that made the sauce green and not peas. I did not correct him. ;) 

Pistachio pudding over an Oreo cookie crust and topped with whipped cream for dessert. My oldest son pretty much did this whole thing by himself. :) Proud mama moment!

Green fruit salad, which was supposed to be cute fruit kabobs on skewers but. . . I forgot I was out of skewers, so fruit salad it was! We also had a green marshmallow creme fruit dip, steamed broccoli, and green fruit punch. It was a lot of fun and the kids loved it, although perhaps not the broccoli. :)))

Happy Monday everyone!! :) 

A Kiss On The Nose - sold

'A Kiss On The Nose' 

5 x 7 inches SOLD

colored pencil on Ampersand Pastelbord

I hope you'll excuse this post that is all about the feelings of my heart right now. 

Lately I have been overwhelmed with melancholy when I think of all my kids growing up. I know I shouldn't. That's my job as a parent right? To prepare them to leave home and live happy, successful lives as good men. Of course I love them no matter what stage of life they are in. But there's something so very precious about these early years when our bond is so strong and we are each others whole world. 

So, the only way I know how to express those feelings is through art. I've spent a lot of time looking through photos and shedding a few tears at the years that are gone. I don't know how to not feel this way. I love being their mom so much. I love how close we are. I hope things always stay this way. But I know things always change. At least a little bit. 

All I can do is love the moment, the season, that we're in and try to remember every single detail. And not mourn it's passing when little hands grow big. :) 

"This curious fact of life: that when parents are old and their children grown up, the grown-up children are not the persons they formerly were; that their former selves have wandered away, never to return again, save in dream-glimpses of their young forms that tarry a moment and gladden the eye, then vanish and break the heart."  - Mark Twain

Make the time to do what you love

Detail from new 5 x 7 colored pencil piece

on Ampersand Pastelbord

Worked on this the other day while waiting for my son at his guitar lesson. In the car. :) 

Some of you seem surprised that I draw in the car. I guess it is a little strange. I'm just weird like that. ;) And something that I can NOT stand is waiting with nothing to do. I hate it. I feel like that's such a time waster. And I feel like time is such a limited resource you know? Of course you do. We live in a busy world with hectic lives.

So I'm going to tell you guys how I do it. And why. First with the how:

I work small. I prefer working small. I don't know why I just do. I'm sure one day I'll get tired of working small, but right now I'm happy where I'm at. Working small, and with just pencils, makes it very easy to take on the go. Above is what I always take when I know I'm going to be sitting in the car for at least ten minutes. An envelope of photos I want to draw, a small box of colored pencils in the colors I think I'll use, a small sketchbook (mine's 6 x 6), and my 5 x 7 work in progress (protected in a clear bag). 

 

And here it is all stacked up. Not too big right? Since I'm usually bringing my four year old's bag of things to do too I stick it in there and we are good to go. And then while littlest Cook is busy playing his Leapster, I get to draw for a few minutes. Works like a charm. 

Now to the why? Because. . . well, see the pic below. :) 

Because I, we, need to make the time to do what we love.  And if that means drawing for ten minutes at a time in the car then so be it. :) Photo courtesy of namaste cafe.

So, how do you make time to do what you love?

Best Pals - SOLD

'Best Pals'  sold 

5" x 7" 

colored pencil on Ampersand Pastelbord

Finally finished. :) Usually when I have a painting that takes me a long time to complete I end up feeling frustrated, and I lose interest. But not this time. This drawing was a joy from beginning to end. A few bumps in the road that caused me a bit of a headache, but overall a complete joy. I really love how it turned out. 

I have a bunch of photos of my son playing with his toys that I think I'll start working on too. All in this beautiful light. I'm excited. 

Technique note: This drawing ate up a LOT of my colored pencils. The sanded surface of the pastelbord is very abrasive and hard on the pencils, I wore probably five of them down to little nubs by the time this was finished. 

But on the positive side, this surface doesn't require much layering. It is a very direct process, which was a sanity saver for me. I have come to realize that I am getting bored with layering paint, I'm an impatient person. ;) I will have to see if I can adapt my watercolor process to get the results I want but avoid all the layering (glazing of color) I typically do.

Have a great weekend everyone. :) See you Monday!

Making Progress

work in progress 

5 x 7 inch colored pencil on Ampersand Pastelbord

Slow but steady wins the race right? That shirt took me for dang ever. And his face caused me much angst. I think because of the angle of his head, and his features are tiny. Super hard. But I love how it's looking so far. Also, Tigger has been the funnest thing to draw yet. So much color!

In other news, have you guys seen the new cover art for the Harry Potter books?! So much awesomeness. I loved the originals, but I love these too.

 

Must. Have. Them.

My husband will be so glad he just cleared out some of our bookcases, so I can replace those empty spaces with these new lovelies.  ;)