Day 2 of 21: Camera neurosis

Another 15 min ...

You all HAVE to visit the other artists that are part of this 21-day exercise because they are all kick butt (check out yesterday's post with links to Alicia and Gina who have lists of the buddies on their blogs ... this will have to do until I can link with my exercise buddies. Ah, so much to do, so little time). Anyhoo, I am sending you there cuz they are my definition of creativity and the level to which I aspire. But, as you can see ... I am up to my old ways. In my mind, I have characters, fun and colorful characters that dance and move and have emotions ... and then I sit down and I have a camera. This exercise is fun but omg, it is making me realize I have been more than in a rut. I've been buried! Thank goodness for this exercise. I think you may be seeing more of "Joan" in the next 21 days! We can only hope. :)

Day 1 of 21: Every which way

Just tonight, I joined a 21-day creative exercise to draw for 15 min each day thanks to Kate Rietz who told me about the challenge and Alicia Padron and Gina Kelly for inviting all of us to join in. Thanks Kate, Alicia, and Gina!

For my very first exercise, I decided I wanted to watch watercolors. Not paint mind you, just watch. I am deathly afraid of letting my watercolors do what they are supposed to do, like move and flow and blend. So, I quickly drew out an iris and dabbed watercolor ... a little blue there, a little red there, a little yellow and green ... some water ... and watched the orchestra of colors converge, mesh, blend, muddy, diverge! Wow! It was better than the movies!

Of course, my retentive side got the best of me and I busted out my black pen and drew in the outlines after it dried as if to confine the colors again. I have issues. LOL. I guess that's something I'll have to work on and this exercise will undoubtedly help. Wish me luck! :)

Mesa Panayia, Milos Island, Greece

Ok, ok, I have this thing for Greece. Whilst cleaning the extra room downstairs, I found this painting I did a number of years ago in a bin of illustration board. It's of a church on, yes, my favorite island in Greece! *Sigh* I need to make it out there again someday. *dreaming on ...* Anyone wanna go with me?

Speechless ...

Ok, this is an art blog. But it is also a place that I've shared my heart and soul. I was touched by this beautiful voice on YouTube. This young boy reminds me that we all have wonderful talent even when we are told otherwise or when we don't think we do. Enjoy!

Snippets

Is it sacrilegious to tear out a page of a moleskine? I can think of at least three occasions that is should be totally acceptable. 1. You are stuck on a mountain and about to die of hypothermia and you need something to burn to start a fire that will save your life, 2. You haven't had a date in 9 mos, 12 days, 3 hrs, and 51 min. and you want, errr, NEED to give someone your phone number, and finally 3. .... uh .... I'll let you guess what the third reason is (heh heh) and the reason I HAD to tear out my page.

What better way to end my moleskine than with snippets of my home life ... stuff I look at everyday while sitting in my favorite chair.

Hippos in graphite

Finally, a post after over a week! Thanks everyone for being so patient and many hugs to those who have sent me emails wondering if I'm okay. I've been out of commission ... sick with the flu with barely enough energy for my "real" job! But, I'm healthy and happy now and aching to draw! After the hiatus, putting pencil to paper felt like quenching an intolerable thirst with an ice cold Corona ... with a lime twist!

Special thanks to Ali Stewart from Scotland who graciously allowed me to use a photo from his amazing collection. Thanks Ali!

My blog birthday

I celebrated my blog birthday on March 26th! Yay blog!!! I was sick then and the day sorta came and went with little fanfare. So, I'm taking this opportunity to reflect on the past year. In fact, the last drawing I did represents for me a culmination of a year of practice, using different media, trying to find my groove, trying to find myself ...

In the past year, I've met some pretty incredible people and a few have become dear, dear friends. Everyone that I've met along the way has influenced my growth as a creator of art but also as a person. Thank you all for that. I thought about all of you as I sat outside this afternoon, drawing my favorite daisies with Kanoe at my side. Sketching the simplicity of nature around me reminded me of why I started my blog ... to reconnect with the creative side of me that I felt was buried for too long. Now that it's been released, there is no going back!

I'm pretty excited about this next year. I don't know what it will hold ... but I kinda like where it's heading.

*hugs to you all*