The Studio at Witt's End

A Few Flowers

2010-04-21T14:26:00.010-05:00

Over the weekend my daughter, my granddaughters and I traveled to my niece's for her housewarming. It was fun to get together with the family, see her new house and enjoy my babies! I managed to get in a few minutes of drawing and painting.

These are some flowers from the housewarming. They were a beautiful golden orange that doesn't really show well in the pictures.

I also attempted to draw some flowers from the bedroom.

I thought it would make a great value study with the white flowers against the white comforter, but I started losing light, getting uncomfortable on the floor, and then the kids came in, so this drawing is incomplete. But as I'm learning, it's not the product but the process that is important. And I had fun!

EDM #76 Draw some flowers.

Mobile Botanical Gardens

2010-04-15T17:02:00.009-05:00

What a wonderful day of painting I have had! For the first time, I was able to meet with the plein air group in this area. We painted at Mobile Botanical Gardens and we could not have ordered a more gorgeous day! The azaleas were all in bloom, everything smelled wonderful, and the weather was spendid. Here's a little bit of the beauty I encountered on first arriving.

A half dozen or so met to paint and we got busy. Here is my first watercolor painting.

And this is the area I was in.

After seeing another artist doing a close-up of these amazing azaleas, I decided to give it a try, even knowing I couldn't come close to how good hers was. Here is the result.

This is the azalea I painted.

Though I know my paintings don't do justice to the beauty I stared at for hours, I had such a good time. I was able to lose myself in the artwork for a few hours. I will do more painting en plein air.
I believe this will qualify for EDM #193 Draw a closeup part of something, and EDM #136 Draw or paint something that's alive.

Struggling through a valley...

2010-04-08T15:28:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since I posted anything on the blog, a while since I did any drawing or artwork at all. In January, my mother went into the hospital, later to a nursing home, and passed away at the end of February. She was 85, had lived a good long life and was ready to go. But even though we were expecting it, it hasn't been easy. I miss her terribly and sometimes I just have to cry.
It's been hard to get back into any kind of routine, even now, a month and a half later. My mind is muddled lots of times and everything seems harder. I'd begun to wonder if I'd ever get back to drawing.
Today, in trying to catch up on emails, I read an email from Danny Gregory, who began the yahoo group Everyday Matters after he wrote a book by the same name. The email was a couple of weeks old. Danny's wife had died the week before and, even in his grief, he was encouraging the members of the group not to give up on their artwork, even if it had been a while since they'd drawn anything or if they didn't feel they had any artistic talent. He emphasized that it is noticing and appreciating the little things that occur each day that make life enjoyable. Taking the time to draw what we see becomes a way to record those memories and find beauty and meaning in an everyday moment.
I also read a blog post from another member who observed that she'd learned to appreciate the "dull" colors of the palette because they make the brighter colors really pop in comparison. She has also begun to see the valleys we go through as a time to really see the mountaintop when it comes. In other words, going through difficult times is like those dull, drab colors; they make the good times even better.
So a combination of the words of these two people and the vivid colors of spring and a somewhat less muddy brain finally got me drawing again.

Today would have been my sister Sharan's birthday. We lost her 5 years ago to cancer. I've been feeling that loss more intensely today, along with missing Mother, whose birthday is also in April. So I decided to draw one for both of them. Flowers seem appropriate for them both, this a stargazer lily for Sharan, a pink rose for Mother, but it didn't turn out well at all so maybe I'll try it again tomorrow.
One of the things I'm missing about Mother is she was my greatest fan. No matter what I brought to show her, a drawing, a quilt square, a good grade on a test, she loved it. She would get that little grin and say, "Oh, I'm so proud of you!" Thank you, Mother, for your words of encouragement!

On November 30, I made the end!

2009-11-30T20:02:00.001-06:00

Today I worked on my final project for my 2D Design class, the Picasso. This project was pure fun, even though there should have been a feeling of pressure because it counted as a final exam. Don't worry, it's not really supposed to make much sense!

It's hard to believe this month is over! It has flown by. Though I haven't been able to produce as much artwork as I'd hoped, I think it has helped me to think more artistically, to train my brain to see things a little differently. Confession time!! I didn't really meet my challenge of blogging every day--Blogger has a neat little trick so post dates can be changed and I utilized that to have a post (almost) every day. But regardless of how precisely I met the challenge, my overall goal of building the habit of making art each day has been achieved. I don't feel pressure to post every day, but I will try to keep up that habit and stay creative. I'd love to hear from any readers out there with ideas on how you stay creative.

On November 29, I made it all over again!

2009-11-29T21:06:00.000-06:00

We had Thanksgiving dinner again because my oldest daughter and her family were out of town on Thursday with my son-in-law's family. The day was full of joy and thanksgiving, the smiles of the grandbabies, and lots of food. Again, no pics, but I thought I'd show my monster from a few days ago, mounted for class. Strange what that black frame can do. I wound up getting an "A" for this project and it was lots of fun!

On November 28, I made eggs!

2009-11-28T18:47:00.000-06:00

The puzzle I'm working on is so much fun, a bunch of painted Easter eggs (yes, I know I must be weird putting together a puzzle of Easter eggs between Thanksgiving and Christmas:o) that it inspired me to make my own designs.

And the strange thing is that Blogger is changing the orientation of my picture and won't let me fix it--imagine it turned the other way. I've been working on this off and on as inspiration strikes so it may take a while to finish. My eggs are not anywhere near as fancy as the ones in the puzzle picture, they are more like zentangles in circles and ovals. These are done in colored pencil so they don't show up well in this pic. Wishing I had a better camera...

On November 27, I made a good choice!

2009-11-27T20:31:00.001-06:00

And stayed at home, away from the maddening crowds at the stores on Black Friday! There has only been once or twice when I actually went shopping on the day after Thanksgiving and I wished I hadn't. Now I just stay home and work on a puzzle or play games. Today I also worked on making a better bag.

I made my bag better by adding a pocket with a button and stitching around the outside edges to give it a little more shape. The fabric I used to trim my bag is actually from a men's cotton shirt and the pocket is straight off the shirt. I sometimes pick up pieces of clothing at the Goodwill store, especially on Sunday when they have some items for 99 cents. Blue and white is one of my favorite color combinations, so while I was sewing, I made a pot holder/hot pad, too, perhaps to practice... Christmas is coming, after all!

On November 26, I made the works!

2009-11-26T22:05:00.000-06:00

Turkey, dressing, sweet potato casserole, rolls, etc.!
Of course we had way too much food and we were very thankful. I didn't get a picture though and the evidence was destroyed!
Something else I try to make all the time--a list of what I'm thankful for. God is so good and we are so blessed, I have a long list and at the very top is Jesus Christ and the salvation He provides to all who believe in Him. My dear family and friends, my home and freedom to worship are also at the head of my list.
I hope you all had a very thankful Thanksgiving!

On November 25, I made pies!

2009-11-25T21:16:00.000-06:00

Getting ready for Thanksgiving!

These are chocolate with real whipped cream and pecan cheesecake pie. And yes, someone had already gotten into one of them:o)

On November 24, I made a Picasso!

2009-11-24T22:51:00.004-06:00

Today we began the chapter on space in my 2D Design class and we looked at the Cubists painters, including Picasso. We have to take an object and draw it from multiple perspectives. Our teacher said, "This should be fun!"

Now I've never been a fan of Picasso because I just didn't get it. But when I walked around the room drawing without any thought of "getting it right," I found out it WAS fun!

These are my sketches for the project we will finish next week, so you may see at least one of these again. The first one is a birdhouse and a bowl of fruit, the second is from a bust of a woman. I had to tell you, I know you wouldn't get it otherwise!

On November 23, I made a bag!

2009-11-23T23:03:00.000-06:00

My hands have been itching for fabric since doing my "monster" last week, so tonight, with a few free minutes, I gave in and stiched up a bag. It's made of denim and was originally a jumper for one of my daughters that I never finished, abandoned years ago when she was small. I've been wanting to make more bags for the grocery store and this seemed to be calling out to me. I added some blue and white plaid around the top to dress it up a bit and I really like it. I may have to use it as a purse!

On November 22, I made designs!

2009-11-22T21:34:00.000-06:00

After a busy, tiring weekend, I unwound with a few minutes of stress-free abstract design. This is done in my new sketchbook with colored pencils. I have a feeling I will be doing more of these.

On November 20-21, I made someone smile!

2009-11-22T21:21:00.000-06:00

We had our grandchildren over the weekend while their parents took a little trip to watch the Alabama game in Tuscaloosa. And with faces like this to look at, who could think about drawing? Not me.

On November 19, I made complements!

2009-11-19T22:17:00.000-06:00

Complementary colors, that is! In class today, as an exercise for the chapter on color, we had to take a picture from the textbook and paint it in complementary colors. Not just complementary colors, but also the opposite in warm/cool AND tint/shade. It was a brain-stretcher.

Unfortunately I didn't get a picture because my batteries died in my camera. As soon as I can get a picture, I will update this. But I posted so you would know I made something today!

On November 18, I made color!

2009-11-18T22:29:00.007-06:00

Well, really I just played around with color:o) Like doodles with watercolors.

On November 17, I made a light!

2009-11-18T16:58:00.005-06:00

Yesterday evening I had an unexpected visit from my daughter and granddaughters, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Then I went to my mother's to stay so I didn't get to draw until she went to bed. I barely got this finished before midnight! This is also EDM #120 Draw a flashlight.

My heart is heavy this week for 2 families who used to go to church with us who have lost loved ones, one a 15-year-old boy who was hit by a car while jogging, the other a grandfather who died this morning after having a stroke earlier in the week. No matter what the age of a loved one, we grieve because we miss them. Yesterday in class as I showed my project (the monster) I had an opportunity to mention the funeral. This young man was so loved. There were hundreds of people in the church mourning. Several of his classmates got up to tell what he meant to them and every one of them said, "He was my best friend." Because he shared himself wholeheartedly with those he was around, they considered themselves blessed to have known him. He was good at everything he did, his grandfather said, and he loved to have fun and make you smile. Most of all he loved Jesus and was not afraid to show it. He will be greatly missed. So now, as you wipe away a tear, go tell someone you love them before it's too late.

On November 16, I made a monster!

2009-11-16T23:02:00.001-06:00

The next project for my 2D Design class is to make a fantastic monster, perhaps something from a dream or nightmare, using flat textural effects. After putting it off as long as possible, I finally tackled it tonight (since it's due tomorrow) and this is the result.

After many failed designs, I decided to use many different fabrics and I like how it turned out, a whimsical dream-like fantasy that hopefully doesn't scare anyone!

On November 15, I made time!

2009-11-16T22:38:00.003-06:00

For a nap!

I didn't do any drawing, painting, sewing, designing, sketching, or doodling. The weekend caught up with me and I had a nap in the afternoon. Maybe you'll forgive me if I leave you with something:o)

This is a drawing of some cherry tomatoes from my garden which I did back in August. It is also EDM #178 Draw something red.

On November 14, I made a mark!

2009-11-15T22:00:00.007-06:00

Saturday morning dawned foggy. The fog was so thick you could see it roll off the water just a few feet away. It was beautiful and it cleared pretty quickly.

I took some time to draw another tree beside the cabin. I really put in a lot of detail in this drawing but I don't know if it will show up here. This was another unusual tree that had no leaves but was full of berries that looked like blueberries. The birds really liked those berries.

After taking a ton of pictures to remember the weekend,

it was time to hit the road and head back home.

On November 13, I made memories!

2009-11-15T21:28:00.010-06:00

On Friday morning, I woke up early to a beautiful sunrise over Lake Martin. We sat and talked. We walked and played on the playground nearby, even jumping on the merry-go-round for a few spins. We enjoyed the cool weather and beautiful sunshine.

Another item on the agenda was a puzzle and we managed to complete one.

There was also a couple of games of Password and, of course, more Scrabble. I did manage to get in a quick drawing of an unusual tree beside the deck.

It was a full, very relaxed day!

On November 12, I made a trip, high score and a bingo!

2009-11-15T21:10:00.010-06:00

On Thursday, I took a trip to Lake Martin for a girls' getaway with 2 of my sisters and my sister-in-law. The drive was about 4 hours and beautiful! Down in LA (lower Alabama) we don't see quite the variety of fall color that I saw on that trip. I listened to my music, sang out loud and enjoyed the scenery and cool weather.

One of the main items on the agenda for the weekend, right behind "relax," was playing Scrabble. Scrabble is my game. I love words and the challenge of seeing how many points I can score. Thursday night I made the high score, including a BINGO! with a score of 103 points for one word.

Here is our cozy little cabin that sat only a few steps from the beautiful water.

There was a lot of laughs here this weekend!

On November 11, I made notes!

2009-11-11T21:36:00.004-06:00

Today was our last day and graduation of the Master Gardener class that started in August. I can not believe it has flown by so quickly! As part of the certification process, each one in the class had to do a short research paper and give a short speech on the topic. My talk was on growing herbs. I took a few notes and managed to do some sketches of some of the others as they gave their speeches. If anyone from class ever sees this, please accept my humble apologies! I know these sketches look nothing like the beautiful people I've spent Wednesday of the last 15 weeks with. But I've given myself permission to make bad drawings hoping that somehow I will improve as I do.

Although our classes are over, the certification process for Master Gardener is not over yet. We must complete 50 hours of volunteer work, along with a few other requirements, before we are actually certified. It's part of the perpetual cycle of training others to train others to train others. That's one of my favorite parts of this program, knowing I will help others to learn as I have learned.

I am leaving tomorrow for a short vacation. I don't know if I will be able to post here, but I will be making something each day and will share when I return.

On November 10, I made texture!

2009-11-10T15:34:00.007-06:00

In my 2D Design class, we're working on the element of texture. Today the teacher had some pictures she'd copied and cut into quadrants. Each of us had to take a quadrant, mount it on black railroad board (thicker than poster board but similar) and cover it with texture. We embellished with ribbons, rice, corn, leaves, bubble wrap, burlap, anything! We then put the quadrants back together to make new pictues. There were quite a few students missing today because of the tropical storm so for those of us who were there, we get extra credit for this project. Here are the completed designs. They are just mounted on another piece of railroad board with pushpins. Mine is the first picture, upper left quadrant.

It was a fun project and so interesting how different students interpreted the textures and colors. Try making some texture today!

I'm going to consider this an EDM challenge also, #62 Draw a previous challenge in a different medium than you usually use, since I've already done #24 Draw a piece of fruit.

On November 9, I made inchies!

2009-11-09T21:46:00.003-06:00

Knowing I would be running around all over today, I wanted to do tiny snapshots of my day. I drew out squares and added little sketches throughout the day, though most ended up being done in the last couple of hours. These tiny drawings represent the big and small events of the day: sitting with my mother this morning, taking my mother-in-law to the doctor, watching the hurricane/tropical storm coming closer, cooking supper which included roasted chicken and banana pudding, working on a research paper/speech for graduation of the Master Gardening classes (cannot believe this is the end!), and preparing for a much-needed girls' getaway this weekend. Things I missed today: seeing my grandbabies, having a long conversation with my best friend, and sleep!

On November 8, I made a doodle!

2009-11-08T20:19:00.006-06:00

Tonight after church as I waited for my husband who was in a meeting, I spent a few minutes chatting with some of the kids and doodling a flower arrangement and flag at the front of the sanctuary.

This is also EDM #177 Draw a flag.

On November 7, I made a bouquet!

2009-11-07T20:45:00.005-06:00

Today I cut what probably will be the last of the zinnias from my garden. I’ve so enjoyed these flowers with their bright blooms and butterfly magnetism and I’ve vowed to have them in my garden every year from now on. The colors are so vivid, the camera doesn’t capture it well.

Having wanted to paint these beauties for so long, I finally had some time and set out to do it in pastels. The results were less than satisfying, in part because I did not have pastel paper to use and because it’s been so long since I used pastels that I’m quite rusty. If anything this month-long challenge has shown me where I need much more practice. I like the real bouquet much more than the one I made.

I have managed to make something every day for a week, something that has made me proud and surprised.

This is also EDM #76 Draw some flowers.

On November 6, I made an attempt!

2009-11-07T08:16:00.006-06:00

On Sunday and Thursday nights, I stay with my mother, who is 85 and needs someone with her all the time. She needs help with virtually everything. So my oldest sister and I take turns so my sister who lives with Mother can have a full night's sleep at least every 2 or 3 nights. On those nights, I don't get much sleep. On Friday, the sister who lives with Mother works for a few hours and I stay. That was yesterday, and for a while in the morning, I also had my grandchildren. Now taking care of your 85 year old mother who needs help with everything and tends to be bothered by noise and quick movements around her and the 3 1/2 and 1 1/2 year olds who live to squeal, laugh and cry and run, jump and wiggle... well, you get the picture! I'm so blessed to be able to take care of my mother and my grandchildren, but I didn't have much hope of creating any artwork. However, in the afternoon when it was a little quieter, just the tv with Food Network on, I started sketching a basket that sat across the room. Yes, I started but this is as far as I got:

However, lest you think I'm completely hopeless as an artist, I will share a drawing from a few days before this challenge began.

Oh, but wait! this drawing wasn't finished either, because these peppers were in a white dish that I felt intimidated trying to draw (meaning: I didn't know how to describe that all-white dish with its wavy lines and curves with pencil.) That's the reason the shadows are so strange.

So maybe I'll give you something else to convince you (myself) that I'm not hopeless.

This is done in pastels, about a year ago in my drawing 2 class. It is about 20"X25" and probably one of my favorites. I pull it up when I get discouraged and wonder if there is any art in me at all.

Because I want to be honest with you and with myself, I've promised to share half-finished attempts and even failures, and now I'm posting a day late. That's because last night I got to go out for catfish at a nearby restaurant with my hubby, my daughter and 2 grandbabies and I thoroughly enjoyed myself, watching the kids get to be themselves and sharing some time and good food with some of my family. And soon after, I was in bed after a long, hard, tiring but good day and blogging was the last thing on my mind.

On November 5, I made a mistake!

2009-11-05T21:08:00.004-06:00

But I was drawing!

Tonight, after turning the page in my almost new sketchbook to get ready for a new drawing, then getting things set up, I got turned around somehow. Drawing was frustrating! The texture of the page felt so off, very rough. After adding a darker background so the white of the earrings would show up better, I decided to start on a new page and see if I could do something better. Imagine my surprise when I tried to turn the page and found that I'd drawn on the inside cover of the sketchbook! No wonder it was different!

On another page, I drew a garlic bulb. I think it turned out okay, but I wish these pictures were better because it doesn't show the details well. I ran out of time before I could do a background and I don't like that it looks like it's floating with a shadow hanging on to it.

Although I made a mistake, I learned something and that's what this is all about!

This is five days in a row! I'm amazing myself:o)

Thanks for all the support and encouragement. It helps keep me going.

On November 4, I made the zone!

2009-11-04T22:27:00.009-06:00

Since my class yesterday when we did the rubbings and other textural techniques, I've been longing for some time to enter the zone--you know, that zone where you're really not aware of anything else that's going on as you create. I hope you know what I'm talking about. I've heard several people talk about it, and not just about drawing, but cooking, or sewing, or jewelry making. I yearn for that time again. When scheduling my classes, I try to plan a free break afterward because I need some transition time to ease out of the zone.

Tonight after many delays, I was able to enter the zone! The results are more satisfying than anything else this week, though I know I need lots of work on drawing fabric! Any advice would be appreciated.

This is also EDM #24 Draw a piece of fruit.

On November 3, I made class!

2009-11-03T19:31:00.011-06:00

Not once this semester has it been so hard to make it to class, to get out of bed really. The stress of the last few days caught up with me. But I did make it, even a few minutes early. Two and a half hours later, I had a whole stack of paper with a wide array of designs. We are beginning a new project in my 2-D Design class, this one dealing with texture. The first part of class was spent doing rubbings (just like we did in elementary school) from anything we could find with an interesting surface: bricks, grates, trees, signs, and on and on. It was fun and I filled up at least a dozen pages within a few minutes. Then we did a few other techniques, including etching through black paint to pastels colored underneath (just like elementary school) and printing with linoleum blocks. The results (and/or other things) will go into a collage design of a fantasy creature (monster). Here are a few of the designs I made today.

On November 2, I made a zentangle!

2009-11-02T22:16:00.003-06:00

This has been another stressful day and at the end of it, I really needed something that didn't involve any stress. Zentangles fit the bill. The first thing that pops in my head is what I put in that space or where I make that line. No more thought than that and no stress!

On November 1, I made a scene!

2009-11-01T20:56:00.005-06:00

There is a reason this daily thing is called a challenge! It has been a challenge today with my mother, who is 85 and in bad health, and my mother-in-law, who is in the hospital after a fall, and trying to help them, along with church and the usual Sunday stuff.

I set up the scene to do a painting but barely managed to do a quick sketch. I DID though. So I can check off Nov. 1! Here's the quick sketch, about 30 minutes and most of that just on the onions. It's not what I wanted to do but I guess it leaves lots of room for improvement this month!

Daily Dilemma

2009-10-31T22:51:00.004-05:00

I've been wanting to get into the habit of drawing every day. I read blogs that show wonderful progress over a year of daily practice. It's not the product but the process that is important, I've heard time and again. Because I want to make progress in my art, I need to do more of it. But I'm a procrastinator and I'm busy and I'm... you name it, I've used it. One of my biggest problems is that I have no one to be accountable to here at home. So I'm challenging myself to make something every day for the next month and blog about it. I'm looking for you to be my accountability. I'd really like some feedback, some pressure, some pushing so that in the next month maybe I can establish a habit of creating that will last. For the next 30 days, I will make something every day then post it here. It may be a drawing, a painting, a batch of cookies, it may just be a mess. We'll see...

Sunflower

2009-08-28T09:36:00.002-05:00

I started back to school last week after taking a semester off. I'm taking 2 classes at the University and I'm in the Master Gardening class at our local County Extension office. Between classes and real life, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I guess it happens every time, trying to adjust to the changes.
Here is a drawing I did of a sunflower I grew this summer. It's done in soft pastel.

EDM #236 Draw your left palm

2009-08-19T15:22:00.005-05:00

EDM is for Every Day Matters. It's an online group of artists encouraging one another to draw daily. Each week there is a drawing challenge or suggestion. This week the challenge was to draw your left (non-dominant) palm. I started to do a long drawing, see how detailed I could get drawing my hand. Then I realized I didn't plan well and my fingers ran off the page. Oh, well, a quick sketch is better than no drawing at all.

A New Beginning

2009-08-17T13:41:00.006-05:00

Finally, I've been able to draw! Procrastination and fear have shut me down for months. No more! I will draw and paint and I will share. Here is my breakthrough today. Just a few tomatoes I picked this morning. They looked so good I was thinking, "Maybe we'll have these for supper." Then I said, "No, I'm going to draw them." Maybe we will eat them later.

This drawing is not finished and it's not great, but I'm proud of it. And I will continue...