Happy Valentine's Day

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.

Seasons

The other day, my husband was cleaning out one of our closets and found this painting. I started them 2 years ago and forgot about them. I wanted to do a set of paintings that portrayed the four seasons, so I thought I would put a twist on it and do seasons in Florida. The changes in seasons aren't very noticeable in Florida, so I wanted to do changes in weather. One with clear skies, one with white clouds, one with dark clouds, and one with a storm. As you can see, I didn't get very far with it. At the time I felt like I really messed up the palm tree and I didn't even attempt to start the other ones. Looking back on it, I actually like the palm tree. I still want to try to do these paintings. don't know if I will try to finish the one I have or if I will just start over.

Sold...

I sold a painting! A family friend asked me to paint her a cross, so I painted the Palm Sunday Cross for her. She gave me $35 for it.

I'm sort of excited.

Yesterday, I took six of my paintings to a store nearby to see if I could consign them. They told me that the owners would talk it over and see if they wanted to take them. I left there feeling pretty confident that they would. I got a call a few hours later saying they didn't want them because they just didn't sell a lot of canvases usually. I was sort of disappointed, but I didn't take it personally. Today, I went to pick them up and the woman I had spoken to the day before couldn't have been more cold to me. AND I noticed that there were a ton of canvases in the store. Then I was offended.

I was feeling kind of down, but I tried not to let it bother me. I just have felt sort of down lately in general for various reasons. On my way home, I decided to stop by another store that sells art called Restless Native. The owner was filling out paper work, but I introduced myself and asked her if they were ever looking for new artists. She said she was appointment only but asked how many paintings I had. I told her only about 6. She said to bring them in! I did... and she decided to take all but one! Who knows if I'll sell any? I couldn't be more excited about it and I'm very thankful!

Knitting...

So like I said last time, I haven't really painted in a while. One thing have been trying to learn how to do is knit. I've crocheted since I was like 12. I know its very "grandma" but I think its very relaxing and not very hard. Its practical and allows you to be creative.

My mom and I heard about this knitting store in Sarasota called Picasso's Moon. All you do is buy the needles and yarn and the owner of the store teaches you how to knit for free. According to this woman, I am making a purse. When I'm finished, I'm going to felt it in the washing machine so the colors will blend together and it will hide all my mistakes. I guess it will be a dark yellow.

I'm glad I'm learning how to knit, but I have to say that crocheting is much faster and easier. This purse seems to be taking forever, but I will be sure to post a picture when it is finished.

Its Officially Springtime!

I never thought I would be so happy to have hot weather again! It has been the longest and coldest winter I've ever seen in Florida. Thank you Lord for some springtime and beach weather!
I painted this a few months ago. It took me about 10 minutes to paint. Its nothing special but its sort of cute. I thought I would post it in honor of amazing and beautiful weather that we are now having.
I haven't been seriously spending a lot of time on painting lately, but I hope I will get back into it soon... Right now I'm going to the beach.

Palm Sunday...

I finished this one a few days ago, but I thought today would be a good day to post it... because its Palm Sunday. I like the way the branches turned out. I didn't really think about it when I was painting it, but I guess its sort of significant to have the cross with the palm branches.

More Leaves

I started working on this one this past summer. I was almost finished with it, but for some reason I let it go for a while. I just started working on it again. It just needed a little cleaning up. So I finally can call it finished!! I think I like it. I copied it from a picture I found in a gardening magazine...

I haven't worked on the sea grape leaf again...

Joyful, Prayerful, Thankful

So its been a crazy month. I quit my job, had 2 health scares, and got food poisoning within the last few weeks. I haven't painted in a while. I have been bouncing back and forth between anxiety and depression. But I have a new motto and it is to "Be joyful. Be prayerful. Be thankful." It has made a huge difference in my life.

This is something I did when I was a senior in high school. It is probably my favorite thing I've ever done. I don't think I can top it. I guess I reached my peak at 18. I think I was just a lot more patient back then. I wish I could be that way now.

I have picked up that old 12x12 canvas that has already been 2 different paintings. I have to say, I'm not too impressed with what I've done. But I will say, it looks a lot better in person than it does in this picture. I realize it looks a little splotchy and "cartoonish" but I will do my best to fix it!

It's a sea grape leaf I found on the side walk one day when I was walking. Even though I hope to move someday soon, I realize that I am very fortunate to live in a place that has sea grape leaves!

Finished Peacock Painting

This is the first painting I've finished in forever! And I like it a lot.















16x20

Unfinished Peacock Painting...

It feels like forever since I've written anything, but it hasn't even been a week! This is what I've been working on lately. I am really liking it so far... what a change for me. I had to simplify the bottle because doing it exactly like the one I have turned out to be more complicated that I thought! I am hoping to finish it next week...

Peacock Feathers

So I sadly have to admit that I gave up on the Celtic cross. I really just grew to hate it. I thought it was embarrassing and really saw no hope in fixing it. I painted over it with grey. You can still see the outlines... I'm just putting that canvas aside altogether for now. I think my main problem with the Celtic cross was that I had no idea what I was going for. I did not draw it in advance, which is what I usually do. So learning from my mistake, I drew what I want my next painting to look like. I bought this bottle at an antique store a long time ago... and who doesn't love peacock feathers? I am hoping for the best with this one!