Drawing for hours....

Over the past month or so I have spent hours upon hours drawing.........everything! Images around the house, still lifes, and faces.  I have not been brave enough to show anything here, but I have been proud of my progress. Even my husband has been impressed, and it takes alot for him to comment on things or be impressed at anything.  Lets just say he is a "man of few words."
Anyway I am pretty happy with the face I drew today, so I thought I would share it.  I added a stick of charcoal at the end and I wish I hadn't but thats okay, I am still pleased with the outcome.

I used to draw very well as a child, but it stopped there.  It has taken me lots of patience to start drawing, and to get past the whole "I can't draw" thing.  Because of how devoted I have been , I have conquered that fear.  I am past hearing that ugly "I can't draw" voice in my head.  I am actually really enjoying myself. I look forward to painting some of the things I am drawing.........just gotta do a little more before I take that leap!

Drawing is 9x12 in size. Image is MUCH better in real life-it looks more washed out in the photo to me :(

Coming soon...........Mixed Media May

My friend Cindy has put together a wonderful project for the month of May that will be an annual event! Each day , a different mixed media artist will be featured! It should be pure eye candy for sure! Each artist will be interviewed and also some of their work will be shown. Although it is all mixed media, all the styles are very different! I am excited about it. I am also proud to be part of this!


Mixed Media May

Juried into National Orange Show Exhibit!

I entered an older piece into this show (still met the guidelines) and I got in!  Its one of my very most favorite pieces. Being it is an all-California show and its for the ORANGE show, I thought this would be a good piece to enter

Juried Art Show

I participated in a juried art show this weekend (Yucaipa CA) and I won 3rd place in the Mixed Media category for my "Martin & Maude" piece and Honorable Mention in the Acrylics Category for my older piece "Glowing"

Very Excited :)

Jean-Michel Basquiat -My Art Hero

I have found myself wanting to blog about my new favorite artist, Jean Michel Basquiat.
A friend of mine had recently watched the documentary, The Radiant Child.  Curious, I checked it out on Netflix.  Needless to say, a month or even less later, I have watched this obsessively probably nearly 20 times. I have read a biography about him, as well as watched Julian Schnabel's movie "Basquiat."   I have never had an artist's work impact me as much as his.  I know that one day, when I see his actual work in person, I am going to stand in front of it and bawl my eyes out. 
His story and vision amaze me.  He had a horribly sad ending to his life (overdosed on heroin).
I cannot imagine the pressure he had at such a young age. His art speaks to me like no other-it is so raw and I just love that. He listened to music, TV and always had reading material around when he made art. That is what I do. I love how he did what he wanted -he didn't want to be told what kind of art to create. He totally didn't tolerate that at all.  His vision, to me, is exactly as an artist's vision should be. About creating what YOU want, not what anyone else wants.  He is my art hero!!!

Le Soleil

"Le Soleil" 

Acrylic paint and found objects
This one measures about 8 1/2 x10 with a 2" depth

"Santo de la Muerte" Assemblage

8 1/2 x 12 in size

New Artwork

I have been busily practicing drawing like crazy-and I took a break to get some artwork done.  More and more I will have artwork that I drew and painted.  This is a process that I have been wanting to do and now its coming into fruition.  I may add some collage here and there but for the most part I see myself venturing out. I am loving doing new stuff and working out of my comfort zone.  Picasso has been my inspiration lately. These are both 11x14 in size.  Top one is on a canvas board, the other is on heavy watercolor paper. Acrylics, inks, and pencil.