I haven’t posted in a while, but I promise I haven’t been a slacker.  I couldn’t post what I was working on until recently because it was not publishable work.  There are lots of reasons a work of art may not be publishable… one was a commission for a birthday surprise and I can’t spoil the surprise, one was an 80% plagiarized watercolor I did for fun as a silly Valentine’s day gift for my husband, and another was a sketch of a young acquaintance that I can’t share because he’s a minor and I don’t know his parents to ask for permission. (He thought it was pretty cool though.)

Then I went to an art event at my friend Jake’s studio, and met A. R. Drew.  She describes herself on her web site as “a contemporary badass warrior artist.”  I bought one of her pieces – something I rarely do because I already have an excess of art at my house (occupational hazard).  It was a fascinating small figural sketch done in gold paint marker.  I also watched her sketching one with that marker and I realized that was the answer to my problem of always taking a couple weeks or more to finish anything.  With a big, bold marker, I can’t fuss over detail, and I can’t erase, so I’m forced to work confidently and “sketchily.”  Thanks for the inspiration, A.R — Crown On!

You see that onion picture above?  That one’s a photo, not a painting.  I took that photo while the sun pouring in the west window was perfect, intending to use it as a reference photo for a small oil painting, and I have actually started on it – the picture is sketched in pencil on a canvas – but then I stalled on that project because in order to paint with oils or acrylics, I have to have a significant block of time.  If I’ve only got half an hour, that’s just enough time to get paint on the brushes and then clean up.

When a local crafts store announced a moving sale, I bought a set of oil-based paint markers and I’ve been going nuts with them in a watercolor paper journal.  First I found some public domain photos and drew the lamb, the duckling, and the wolf in just marker, and then the parakeet in paint marker with a watercolor background.  Then I thought I should try something other than an animal, and I did a distant cousin, Elsie Grace, from an old photo circa 1905.  I’ve always liked that photo, and what I like most about the sketch is that it actually looks like Elsie, even though I only spent about five minutes on the face.  Drawing a person is easy – achieving a good likeness is hard.

If you live in the Elkhart, Indiana area, come get a closer look at these smaller works and my larger paintings too during Art Walk – April 10, 2019 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.  Businesses up and down Main Street’s “Arts & Entertainment District” will be hosting the event.  April’s event will also feature a lot of talented young artists.  More details on that and my exact location for the event will be in my next post.  Thanks for reading!