Month: March 2015

I could use a vacation.

We haven’t taken a vacation since our honeymoon in 2012. Granted that was to Europe but my need for the beach is endless and I yearn for a week near the water. I want to take my paint and pencils and just relax with a tasty beverage.

In 2007 I was fortunate enough to travel out of the country for the first time. My dear friends Trish and Tom got married in St. Kitts. It was breathtaking. I didn’t own a camera at the time and so I had to borrow a little digital one. I managed to take a few good pictures but the fact that my photos aren’t perfect doesn’t diminish my cherished memories of that time.

I’ve been trying to paint a landscape based upon a photo I took there. I have a lot of work to do but I think I’m off to a decent start. It’s probably not a good idea to post photos of my work before they’re finished.

St Kitts Turtle Bay

Oh well. Being home alone most of the time and wanting feedback leads me to put myself out there. It’s a thing.

Insomnia and daylight savings … ugh.

My husband and I bought a new mattress. To say that it’s “firm” would be an understatement. It’s more like sleeping on a rock slab. As a result I end up in the guest room sleeping on our old mattress which is a pillow top and feels like sleeping on a cloud. I occasionally will take over-the-counter sleep aids but feel guilty every time since they are reportedly so harmful to your liver, ugh.

Anyway, I couldn’t sleep and lost another hour thanks to Woodrow Wilson and FDR and their effort to create more daylight for wars and what not. Geezsh, really?

So here I set on a Sunday a.m. contemplating stuff. Wishing I had more light to paint with. Which is something I finally got to do yesterday. I am continuing to paint cows. Those big black eyes just call to me for some reason.

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She’s a Jersey calf. I feel okay about it. After watching a few more instructional videos I think I definitely need to invest in better quality paint. As with everything else in life, the better your tools the better the outcome. Maybe I should keep painting and use what I have. I’m no Mary Cassatt.

The good news is we are that much closer to spring and the snow here is melting away. Soon I will be paddling in my new kayak and life will be grand.

Have a great Sunday!

Snow and more snow. I thought I moved to the south.

Here in KY (and most of the south and east) we’re snowed in. My distaste for this crap is endless. I want to live on a beach. I can run from a hurricane. Naturally, my hubster is out of town when the snowpocalypse hits us (three times and counting). Last time we got 13 inches. This time over two feet and don’t get me started on the drifts. Since he won’t be home until Friday and the Prius is not a jacked up 4×4 I will have to carve out a place for him to park when he comes home. I guess I’ll get some exercise this week after all. Ugh.

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Oh and I found a great way to pass the time … Adult coloring books…

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I spent last evening practicing my sketching and admittedly I have a long way to go until I’m even “proficient” I love doing it.

My subjects last night were a pelican and lion?

pelicanlion runs

IMG_0002 IMG_0003 His hind leg is a bit off, huh?

Yeah, I think the pelican is so fierce and thinking … “I would love to eat you.” Actually, both of them seem to have hunger in their eyes.

Today I’m painting another cow. I’m not sure why I find them so interesting. Maybe it’s their big doey eyes and long lashes. If it turns out okay I’ll share it.

Stay warm and safe out there. I’m off to start the shovelling. Ugh.

Yesterday I opened for business…

So, I am offically a freelance marketer. I have two clients. My husband is hiring me to handle all his video editing and a local shredding company has hired me to handle all of their marketing. I have no grand illusions of getting rich doing this but it will certainly be nice to work at my own schedule and pace. My new company is called … Here is my logo.

rmjcreativelogo small

Do you like?

I love ravens and crows.

Some time ago I watched a documentary or heard a news magazine about crows. The story detailed how intelligent and social they are. I figure they are great subject material for a new painter. Birds as a whole are rather simple.

Here is my raven chick. I’m pleased.

ravenchick

He’s sweet and slightly angry. I’ll probably try again and tweak it more but he makes me happy.