My Grandmother

I am learning to love graphic design! I'm obsessed. We are learning all about photo restoration right now. I chose to do this picture of my grandmother when she was 17. Even though this was just a small project, I was excited to do it on my grandmother. Her name was Valree Morgan Houston and she died when she was 32 years old. My mom was 5. Its strange how you can feel such a connection to someone you've never met. I've always been curious about her life, but I don't know much about her. What I do know is that she loved animals and art, and that her life and death were both tragic. I think she looks pretty in this picture and I hope that she would agree.

Fish

I know its been a while, yet again. This summer thing made me really lazy. In the past few weeks, I have started graphic design school again. We are in the process of buying a house. Needless to say, my creative juices are flowing yet again. I was recently on the graphic design website for my school and found that one of my projects from last semester was in the student gallery. I was flattered. Each of our projects for this class had to revolve around a specific phobia. I chose ichthyophobia, which is the fear of fish.

This whole graphic design thing is much more difficult than I expected. Part of the reason for that being that I have a hard time operating technology! Maybe I'm in the wrong field again. But I do enjoy learning it.

Finished Alamo

A while ago, I wrote about how I was doing a painting for one of my friends. Although we both agreed that a picture of the Alamo might be a little odd, I thought I'd give it a try. I wanted it to look really fun and unique, so I ended up collaging the pathway. I loved the way it looked. I loved it so much that all of my creative ambition were satisfied for a long time. The canvas sat like this for about two months.

A few weeks ago, I realized that my friend was coming into town soon and I needed to get this painting finished! I worked really hard and I didn't know if I could pull it off in time. I actually began to loath the painting and I felt terrible about it. I'll just be honest, it looked like crap. Somehow, as I reached the end of the process, it all began to come together.

This is the finished product. I really think its cool. I'm very happy with it and my friend is as well.

Old Dresser/New Dresser

My husband and I started a new project last week. We ended up with his old dresser that he had since he was a baby and throughout childhood. I had been wanting to trying repainting furniture for a while, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. I was nervous about trying it on this particular piece, because of its sentimental value. But of course, we just decided to wing it.

We started out by sanding the thing to death. I think we may have gone overboard with the sanding, but we wanted to be sure we got off all the shine from the finish. After priming it, we chose an off white color for the paint. After looking at a plethora of off white paint, I chose the color marzipan, for no other reason that I happen to like marzipan.(If you don't know what marzipan is, its an almond candy.)

After the paint finally dried, we sanded it a little more to give it a rugged look. I wanted to give it some nice new hardware so I ordered some from Anthropologie.com. I love the color turquoise and I think it makes the whole thing pop. Even though the knobs we chose were expensive, I didn't mind as much because the piece is so special.

It has belonged to my husband his whole life, and its our first major project we worked on together. This is our finished product. I love it!

T-shirt Rug

Its been a while. I started a new job again. I really love where I work now. I also just finished my first semester of graphic design school. Which I also love! I haven't painted in a while. I feel like I lost focus yet again. However, I have been crocheting quite a bit the past week. I think my creative juices are starting to flow again. I saw this online so I can't take all the credit. I will probably making all my old clothes into yarn from now on instead of getting rid of them. Four old t-shirts make a cute little bathroom rug.

Caroline and Cambodia

I have a really amazing friend named Caroline. She's been one of my best friends since our first day of college. We bonded over our mutual love of Audrey Hepburn and Africa. Caroline had been to Africa before and I still had yet to go. She has been back a few times since then, but within the last few years she has developed a love for Cambodia. She has been on medical mission trips to this country and has taught me so much about it that I didn't know.

Caroline is a pediatric oncology nurse in Nashville. I don't know how she goes to work every day. I cry just listening to some of her stories. I know that there are days when it is very difficult for her. She said that whenever she is sad about her patients, she looks at this picture. She asked me to do a painting of it for her and I don't believe my recreation of it would even compare! I did a sketch of it the other day and I caught myself smiling a few times while I was drawing.

The Alamo, etc.

As I mentioned in my last post, I have a very dear childhood friend name Abby who asked me to do a painting for her. What was going to be one large painting has probably turned in to 4 paintings of various sized and of various scenes. I did some drawings for her so she could see what she might want. She and her husband lived in San Antonio while he was in med. school. She thought that a painting of the Alamo might be something nice to have, as they are now living in Virginia. So this is what I came up with...

Even though she liked the drawing, we both agreed it might be odd to have a giant painting of the Alamo above your couch. So I drew this next...

I thought we had a winner here, but she just informed me that they are moving in a few months and want to see what their new place will be like before I really get started on anything. I might end up doing a set of 4 paintings of different landscapes. I'm really looking forward to seeing what we come up with.

I still have yet to pick up a paintbrush...

This post has no title...

So in case anyone cares, I haven't blogged in 8 months. I haven't painted at all during that time either... which is probably why I have had no reason to blog. I have wanted to and have been thinking about painting for a while, but for some reason I just can't bring myself to do it. Its been a very difficult and terrible year to say the least.

Here are a few things worth blogging about:

• Something that I could have mentioned on my blog several months ago was that I sold a painting! Not to a family friend, but to a complete stranger! I have to say, I think its a big deal.
• I'm also starting graphic design school next week! I have really been looking for a legitimate "career path" and I am hoping that this will help somehow. I am also hoping it will make me a better artist.
• I got commissioned for the first time! One of my best friends asked me to do a painting for her and her husband. She sent me some photographs of what she would like and I started doing some sketches today. I'm excited and I hope they like it!

I am thankful that its a new year and I am hoping and praying to find some inspiration again.