I’m just a posting fool this week for some reason. Here are some “owlies” I made yesterday while watching (well, “listening to”) Lord of the Rings with Wes (click to enlarge).

Aren’t they goofy?! Have a great weekend!

Find some photos (either through Google or your library) of some giraffes. Again, with Sharpie and paper, start drawing, but DO NOT look at your paper. Try to match the movement of your hand to match your eyes running along the contour outline of the giraffe.

Sometimes you might need to glance down at your paper to reset you pen to the right area… but don’t move the pen while looking at your paper! Think of it as Drawing Freeze Tag.

These will not be perfect drawings… they’re not supposed to be! They are exercises to get your hand and eye more “in sync” with each other. (BUT, some of my coolest drawings are blind contours or partial blind contours.)

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What are “Assignments”? They are mini tutorials of drawing exercises I do myself. I hope you will try some of them… drawing is a blast!!!

Assignment #22 - Go to the Library

Assignment #56 - Draw Cats in Bed

After a few fights with my husband (don’t ask) we ended up tearing out the kitchen floor on Saturday. Moldy floorboards be gone!! The house is a complete shambles, but oh, it feels so good. One step closer to a finished house.

On Sunday I made journals, which I have listed on etsy today.

I’ve been having a hard time FOCUSING lately… the house is lively with Wes and neighborhood friends… all good, but I need to sit down today and paint!! No excuses! (Well, I have to help Steve finish the floor, but then, NO EXCUSES!)

Last night Steve made beans and pork chops on the grill and we ate cowboy style. The guys then roasted marshmallows… employing the “roast and release” method for the most part. A beautiful summer night.

Go to your library and pick out a few unlikely magazines, ones you wouldn’t normally choose or that hold no interest for you. Using Sharpie and paper, draw faces you see. Try to keep your hand loose and sketchy… look more at the image in the magazine than your drawing.

The above men are from Business Week; the gentlemen and page below is from Farming Today (or some such thing… let me check on that!).

click photos to enlarge!

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What are “Assignments”? They are mini tutorials of drawing exercises I do myself. I hope you will try some of them… drawing is a blast!!!

I’m going to be teaching two classes at Artfest next year… I’m very excited! The first is “Junk Mail Artist’s Book”… I had so much fun working on mine and I know it will be a fun class. Here’s a few more pics:

I’m also teaching a watercolor/mixed media painting class titled “Imaginary Creatures”:

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how to streamline my career… right now I’m doing so many different kinds of things and none of them as well as I would like. One decision I’ve made for 2009 is to try to add to my teaching schedule and pull back on my galleries and outdoor shows… teaching has become a very rewarding part of my year and so I am feeling called to pursue that more.

Still, I will be limiting my teaching to no more than six events (since my husband also travels for work, I don’t want to be away from home so much). 2009 is already shaping up with Abigail’s Retreat in February (an Art & Soul event) and Artfest in March/April. Looking forward to a great year!

I used a purple color Sharpie and a stack of white cover stock. I was lying on my stomach on the bed… a soft surface that forced a looser product. I think I drew about 30 cats total, and this was the only one I loved. Sometimes it takes awhile. I tried to keep my lines simple and expressive. If I got stuck, I would switch to my left (wrong) hand. Some of the good ones were with my left hand…. Here is one of the full pages of sketched cats:

“Oddities” (click to enlarge)

At the Art Nest retreat, three teachers taught three days to the same students, so that meant that I got to take both Stephanie Lee’s Junk Drawer Metalsmithing and Alma Stoller’s Tapestry Art Quilt classes. Both days were wonderful, as Stephanie and Alma were so gentle and helpful and created a perfect atmosphere for playing and learning.

In our shared room, Stephanie and I were totally captivated by Alma’s little fabric oddities, and couldn’t wait for her to demo them in her class. I made “Maurice,” the rabbit fur thingy on the far left (Stephanie had rabbit fur, and I did everything I could to make sure I sat by her during the class so I could use some!). The brightly colored bead I bought from Alma, and Steve pulled that one right out as his favorite when I showed him my growing collection (I’m obsessed). Steve’s second favorite was the beautiful orange worm one on bottom right — also not my creation, but Stephanie’s. Sigh!

I made a little bracelet in Stephanie’s class which I wear every day and love… I’m not a metalworker so soldering was a challenge (lots of burned up bits of sterling wire and melted fingertips), but again, a wonderful day.

All of us are next teaching at ArtUnraveled in August in Arizona. I’m already looking forward to seeing my new friends again!

… to an art studio when there are three big events in 10 days: Christer’s wedding, The Art Nest Retreat, and Wes’s 13th birthday!!

Above: Whole Foods Friendly Fish.

Here’s an Art Nest post by Stephanie… I’m the worst “Girl Reporter” ever as I didn’t take a single photo the entire retreat! But I had a great time and will give a full (written) report a little later.

Glad to be back.

Wes and Christi waiting for the elevator. At one point Christi got so impatient (it was VERY slow) that she took her foot and held it on the button!

Taking a break in the ready room.

Wes, Steve and Christer.

Christer and me…

This image is the most poignant for me (click to enlarge)… Steve took this right after the ceremony… bride and groom, each with their only siblings…

The wedding was perfect and beautiful.