New Work - New Support - New Directions

"Kneeling Figure"

6 x 8"

colored pencil on canvas

I am so excited to show you my latest work. I did 12 (yes 12!) small figurative drawings with colored pencils on canvas. After priming the canvas with black gesso, it was a dream to apply the colored pencil. Some burnishing and solvents were used, but very little.

For this series, two of my closest female friends generously (and bravely) posed for me. I've been wanting to do a series like this for a long time. The premise of the work is to showcase how incredibly beautifully and vibrant women over 40 truly are. Both of my models soundly meet that criteria. My hope is that they are flattered by the work; I am truly pleased with the poses they gave me to work from.

This series is hanging, at this time, at Studios on High Gallery in Columbus, Ohio, an artists' coop that has existed for over 22 years. I have been a proud member there for over 3 of those years; however, I recently made an agonizing decision to leave because I have some personal and professional goals that don't afford me the time or money to stay.

I am going to take the next 6 months or so to regroup, explore some new media, new techniques, new marketing strategies, BLOG MORE REGULARLY, and begin teaching. I am also planning on returning to Bolivia to work on the orphanage there and to ramp up some fund-raising efforts for it as well.

One of the most exciting things I'm doing right now is mentoring a promising young artist who is currently in 10th grade where she attends an inner city school which has no art classes. My heart broke for her and I just had to help. She is a wonderful girl and hungry for more art in her life. I feel a very strong need to provide just that.

It's always amazing to me how we are put just where we need to be, meeting just who we need to meet, and given just the right tools to do what needs to be done. Very humbling indeed.

New Work In Progress

I have been very busy working on a new colored pencil drawing which measures 12 x 16". I am using a light warm gray colored matboard for this piece.

My computer has been down for a couple of days with a drastic case of BSOD (Blue Screen of Death). Michael, our Super Computer Guy, made a housecall today and set it right. Whew....

But, having no access to my computer (which can be as you all know, a HUGE distraction from making art) has allowed me to really breeze along on this piece. Expect it to slow down a little now that I am up again!

New for Me: ACEO's

"Respite" - Phase 9

18 x 20" colored pencil

Here's the next phase of my WIP, "Respite". I know you are probably as eager as I am to see it finally finished. But it's a very large piece for me and I have a little boy home with me now (see previous post!) so I hope you will bear with me.

I am leaving soon on vacation for two weeks and have decided to try something new for me, ACEO's, Art Cards, Editions and Originals. They are small 2.5 x 3.5" drawings which I plan to do on my trip, as well as hopefully taking some swell reference photos. Maggie Stiefvater, my new art guru and motivational blogger, suggested that I start doing them, and based on Maggie's success with her work, I'll so whatever she says! (Check out her blog; this woman is very entertaining.)

So stay tuned and I hope to have my first ACEO done tomorrow, unless I am taking a small boy somewhere "not boring".