Welcome Spring!

Hello to anybody's who's still out there! Are you ready for a new season? 

It's time for some spring cleaning, time to put something new on this page. Meanwhile, I'm just getting warmed up here with some recycled art. Still digging out from under a mountain of other stuff, other biz since the last post...Looking forward to what's soon to bloom!

Mini Bouquet

Taking a breather from fall festivities and assorted things that were occupying my mind this past week, today I'm all about the quick and easy, reverting to a "ready- made" from the art files to submit to Illustration Friday. This is one of the comps in a series of mini framed prints I submitted for an assignment a few years back. As I recall, this one was rejected, but some of the others were developed further and eventually made it to market. Unfortunately, I never saw the completed product. This was not the first time and certainly not the last.

The rejection process sounds harsher than it actually is. If I could count all the times my efforts were not accepted for whatever reasons, I'd have huge armloads of the stuff. Oh wait, I do...And this tiny teacup bouquet is just a sampling! ;o)

So here you go, I'm sharing a few blooms with you today. Even if we recognize a few flaws or tatters among the petals, we keep moving along, don't we? Hope your week is filled to the brim with goodness!

Stuffed

Seasonal Stuff!

Is it just me, or do you agree that scarecrows are sort of creepy?  I mean, they're created to sit silently out in the cornfield with the intent of scaring birds or other creatures. Then in the autumn, faded and tattered they remain, with fixed expressions staring off into space. Like morbid mannequins, they bide their time, content to stay and seemingly unfazed whether their duties were accomplished or not.

Cornfields were few and far between when I was a kid growing up in suburban Southern California, so these guys randomly appeared in small backyard gardens or as novel, holiday props.  Some of our older and creative neighbors had fun with Halloween, setting up elaborate seasonal displays on the path towards the doorstep. Most of these were just to create a little atmosphere and amusement before the trick or treaters could get to the goodies. Of course, there was always the trickster in the neighborhood who would be sitting there unmoving, dressed as a scarecrow or some other stuffed dummy, just waiting for the unsuspecting kid to walk by so he could jump out and scare the living bejeezus out of that poor soul. Having two older brothers, I was pretty used to being tortured like this and expected to be frightened at every turn. But I did take an extra glance any time there was the possibility that a human being was inside any part of the Halloween decor. Just a quick glance though, because ultimately there was a nice person waiting at the front door ready to hand out treats.

You might have guessed, the theme at Illustration Friday is "Stuffed." Rather than thoughts of settling into cushy, comfortable chairs after a full meal or cuddly, fuzzy animals, I'll be waiting with my friendly (hopefully not too scary!) scarecrow. We're almost ready to fill a few bags with treats, here. And I promise, no tricks! ;o)

Star

Autumn Moon and Stars

I once worked in an art department where the person who signed the checks was convinced that there were certain shapes that none of us clumsy, hired hands would ever be able to execute the degree of perfection which was required to create the production patterns for this product. So each time these shapes appeared in one of the designs, rather than sending our inferior efforts back (to the check signer) for a series of rejections, we tediously spliced copies of one or more of these computer generated shapes into our otherwise very exact, precise and hand inked vellum patterns. To add insult to injury, once these patterns arrived at the factory overseas, their employees would interpret them by very primitive hand painted methods and the results weren't always so pretty. They, too would always throw it back to us, to try to cast blame on the patterns they were given to follow.

Anyway, one of these standard shapes happened to be a star. The check signer had this idea that there existed a uniform and perfect five pointed model, similar to the old fashioned gummed, foil types one might get as a reward if such a thing existed. But we were rewarded richly- with vellum sheets of these stars printed by the row, in every imaginable size, waiting in our flat files for the next design that summoned the surgical precision and dreaded honor of wielding the golden Xacto. Needless to say, we avoided including these shapes in our designs if we could help it!

Coincidentally, "Star" is also the posted topic at Illustration Friday this week. From the heavens above, the sparkly radiant objects that inspire poetry, songs and dreams also stir dark memories of living nightmares. So I'm just here to have some fun with watercolor today- Imagining star shaped leaves in autumn, wobbly, little hand painted stars and a kind and gentle moon nestled in the clouds.  I never set out to be perfect. And I think that is universal knowledge by now. ;o)

Pointy

Pointy

Certain descriptive terms seemed odd to me when I was a kid, like "prickly heat," for one. I envisioned sharp pointy things protruding from a person's skin, much like the spines on a cactus or  the scaly hide like one might find on the back of an alligator.  I don't recall ever knowing anybody who actually suffered from this condition, at least not as I imagined it to be.

Pokey things just seem to be a part of the scenery in a desert landscape such as southern California. Things are still pretty dry, and somewhere, someone is probably experiencing the symptoms of varying degrees of heat rash here and there. But mostly "there," as in that place where my mind seems to be wandering off to today. It could be that the heat is getting to me, but let's not focus on thorny barbs and brambles, OK? It's making my skin crawl and this is beach season, after all...

When Illustration Friday provided the prompt "Pointy" this week, instead of sharp objects, it made me think of enjoying this summery sunshine while it lasts and maybe an ice cream cone to cool off.

It's still August, isn't it? Let's enjoy it while it lasts!

Treasure

One Man's Trash is Another Cat's Treasure

Hey all you flea market junkies, thrift shoppers and garage sale addicts out there! Are you the type who can't walk past a great bargain or a see the potential in something that can be repurposed? Do you worship the junker's patron saint, Fred Sanford? Or do you just love to see old objects live out their lives 'til it hurts?

Illustration Friday posted the word and "One man's trash is another man's treasure" immediately came to mind. Not admitting guilt by any means...Ahem. But do you understand how the concept of spring cleaning can morph into a four season, life long affair?

Gotta go now- I have to throw a few things out today. Swing by and see if you'd like any of it! ;o)

Garden

Hanging Around In The Garden

I've been thinking (again). And sometimes that can be a dangerous thing. 

This week over at Illustration Friday, they posted the theme, "Garden." That's a nice word, conjuring up images of lush, beautiful green spaces, happy scenes of watering cans and pretty flowers. I've done some of those illustrations for various products over the years, but they won't appear here today, as they're mostly tucked away and covered up in the past tense now.

Excited as I was about this theme, I sat down and quickly banged this one out, but it sat on my desk for most of the week once the nagging doubts began. ("Why did you put THAT in it?" "You shoulda..." etc.) I struggled with the decision whether to even publish one this week. But really, this little watercolor might be more representative of the word "garden" for me. Not as a noun, but a verb. 

Gardening here at my place means planting, weeding, watching, watering. OK, maybe not so much watering during this drought! 

In the years I've been here tending my little patch of landscape, it's been a process very much like painting. Sometimes things just work and everything's beautiful, and sometimes the results are haphazard with much less success than anticipated or hoped for. But all in all, it's always an effort or expression that nobody else will approach in the same way. Sometimes it has to be done quickly, down and dirty without any real instructions or recipe for any of it. It's ongoing trial and many errors, and that in itself is what brings the joy. 

Here's a sampling of a scene from my backyard, just throwing it out there like nobody's looking. This isn't the Garden of Eden- no need to be embarrassed for me. That "shame" thing isn't going to work on me today!

Sharp

Sharp As A Tack

Late spring and early summer have taken me here and there and everywhere. With many family obligations to meet and related opportunities for tasks, to do's and related errands, there's been a lot of multi- tasking in the way of happiness, sadness, hellos and goodbyes, much soul searching in mind but not a lot of "free" time for just staying put, blogging or participating in the weekly Illustration Friday challenges.

On one of the trips I recently took, I had the opportunity to take my dad to visit his aunt, a retired schoolteacher who celebrated her 100th birthday earlier this spring. As the younger sister of my grandmother, there was a noticeably strong family resemblance. Even her soft voice reminded me of her. We couldn't stay for too long, as it was difficult for her to speak, but her quick responses to our questions and comments made it as clear as her blue eyes, that her mind was as sharp as ever. Up until recently, she was still able to drive around town, and wasn't relying on glasses in order to read during our visit. So mentally alert, with a complexion smooth and unlined for a woman who's seen so many changes in a century, I'm guessing there's something good in the water that she's been drinking, or could it simply be years of wholesome living in and among small towns and farms that compose the prairies of the midwestern US?

Whatever it is, I doubt I'll ever discover her secret for longevity. But one thing's for sure, that listening to my dad's detailed accounts of incidents that happened so long ago, there is at least a family gene for memory, tucked somewhere deep in the creases of our brains. Hopefully, I'll be as alert and retain the ability to edit some of what's been stored in mine, if I'm ever as lucky to be so blessed with a long and fruitful life!

Tense

When I was in elementary school many years ago, Friday afternoons were set aside as "Art Days." The whole class was able to put aside all of the books and lessons for a determined amount of time and work on creative projects of a semi- structured nature. That might have been one of the many defining moments when I decided that I might like to pursue art as a career. All the pressure was off, we listened to records (yes real vinyl records, if you can remember those) and immersed ourselves in a "no rules" zone as we began to shut down the week and prepare for a weekend away from our studies.

Continuing with my art studies, I eventually found myself working in the creative field. I know there are people who say that they love working as artists, that when you do something you love, that it's not like working at all. That might be true to a degree, but this Libra gal feels compelled to share a little reality check. Actually, I can write a whole other series of blog entries on this topic, the flip side of all that "play time" but I'll try to keep it brief. While art is fun, it is also work, especially when money is being exchanged. There are sometimes insane deadlines, bills to pay, colleagues, clients and employers (some also insane) and their expectations, all the while juggling assorted family obligations (which always come first) and doing it all with a smile on one's face and with as much grace as can be mustered, even if through gritted teeth. No wonder they call it the daily grind!

Maybe that's what I love about Illustration Friday- The name in itself brings back fond, relaxing memories of "Art Day." No real pressure, all are welcome to participate or not, and nobody gets all bent out of shape when some of us go off on conceptual tangents. For anybody who frequents this blog, they might have noticed that I take that to heart- I don't always post as regularly as I could, sometimes I veer off course, style- wise, and color the way I want, with or without rambling narratives. Today I decided that I was just going to put the obligations aside and paint for the fun of it (minus the vinyl records, but music is playing in the background). The soft gray, introverted mourning dove sitting among the sometimes menacing cactus pads was chosen to illustrate this theme-  Familiar inhabitants of our yards, they seem to like it here, but always appear wary,  a little bit tense and poised to take off, depending on the circumstances.

Hope your "Art Days" are purely for fun!

Soft

Soft Drinks

I didn't raise the alarms when the nice folks over at Illustration Friday got around to changing the week's word a little late. In case you missed it that was "Warrior," and I was enjoying a little break in the action. Not the most inspiring topic when there's plenty of fighting going on all around the world, you know? Depending on who's being asked and when, it's been noted that I can be stubborn- But that's just when I need to hold my ground in my own small scale clashes. Some of those same people will also say I have a very quiet voice. As a whole, I prefer things to be low key and peaceful. 

When they switched the theme over to "Soft," you could almost hear the "Whew!" as I breathed a sigh of relief. To celebrate, I thought I'd offer up a batch of old fashioned soda pops- As in soft drinks. Cheers!

Ruckus

Hello Bloggers, it's time to make some noise again with this little one for Illustration Friday. 

The hungry baby birds are making a ruckus in the trees around here- 

Spring has sprung!

Trouble, Throwback Tuesday for IF

Immovable, Illustration Friday. Originally posted September, 2010

The past few weeks away from participating in Illustration Friday's challenges were spent tending to some other things that were piling up here. How fitting that in those two weeks, the themes were "Silence" and "Octopus." Sometimes it just works out best to remain silent, not to say (or post anything) as in "If you can't say something nice..." etc. I really felt strongly about not posting anything, not that I was going to toss about any unkind words here. And during those past couple of weeks, it would have been good to be like an octopus, eight- tentacled to deal with the projects I had going while the blog ironically came up empty handed again.
So today I decided that rather than taking a third week off, this was going to be my "Throwback Tuesday," a good day to re-post an oldie from a few years ago, re- purposing, multi tasking an existing piece. Sort of like how reheating leftovers is no trouble, this one was still waiting on ice to resurface in another form...An easy way to come up with something when the heat is on!

Wish

Do you remember when water didn't magically appear from a tap indoors?

Or do you remember when it was common to see wells placed placed in yards and serving as somebody's decorative garden planter?

"Well" my friend, could you be wishing for younger days?

(Just sayin', of course!) ;o)

This is sort of a vintage thing I did for Illustration Friday, because I do remember "when,"

as in when we had lots of it here in these parts.

Meanwhile, I wish we'd find some water soon, before the well runs completely dry.

Money

Time to Change the Picture

Well folks, it's time to change the picture again. Gotta sneak another one in under the wire for Illustration Friday.

Speaking of time, they say that time is money. I can't say that's always the case... Just gotta love what we do, and hope someone else loves it as much as we think it's worth. 

This is a copy of a painting I did quite a few years ago for a former employer. It had some sort of sentiment added to it afterwards, as part of a brief detour into a new product category. I don't think this employer loved it as much as I did doing it. It gave me a much needed break from the daily grind of that artists' shuffle we accept as part of our natural gait, "One step forward, two steps back." With that particular employer, we often joked that it was followed by at least four steps back on average.

What kept me going there, during those dark days was the prospect of grabbing at that twisted and poisonous dangling carrot in the form of a regular paycheck...

You see, they also say that money is often the root of all evil, as well.

(So when's payday coming around again?)

;o)

Radio

10-4 Good Buddy

I don't know if it's hot where you are, but the past few days have been pretty warm here. I'm not complaining, it's just that by about dinnertime or so, the air has been getting sort of still and it becomes well, just a little harder to cool off. With the drought conditions we've been experiencing here, the local water authority has imposed water rationing measures. Watering is restricted to certain days and times of the day or evening. Our drought tolerant plants could really use a drink, and you know it's dry when even the cactus begins to show signs of stress. The forecasts are calling for even warmer temps in a few days. I can't explain why the throwback to the CB radio era lingo this week, but I think we are getting the message, loud and clear that there isn't much water to be had.  I tried to complete this one as fast as I could for Illustration Friday this week. The sun is beating down through my west window and the watercolors are drying up, too...Stay hydrated, my friends!

Metamorphosis

Labor Day

Last week, I mentioned that Labor Day weekend was coming up. For the most part, a holiday which was set aside to honor the efforts and achievements of the American work force has morphed into another reason to celebrate with a three day weekend, BBQs and getting the kids ready to go back to school. Not that I'm arguing with any of those points, mind you. But its arrival also opens the door to the holiday season, and the merchandise is already making its way to the shelves. Let's face it, we've passed the point of no return.

Once upon a time, traditions associated with this weekend also suggested that we were supposed to put away our white shoes until the spring, but really now- In southern California, it's too hard to even tell what season it is on any given day, especially lately. For that matter, I don't believe I've even owned a pair of white shoes since I got married quite a few years ago! That's what happens when we've been around for awhile. Nothing is ever the same as it used to be.

Recently, our beaches felt the effects of Hurricane Marie. Roaring up from the south, it brought no rain here, but pounded the coast with large waves, delivering an early holiday gift to experienced surfers and misfortune to those whose physical limits were no match. For those of us who chose to wait it out before venturing back to the shore, we were met with a rearranged beach, piles of cobbles that had been churned up littered the high tide line and as the ocean surged, rocks continued to tumble back and forth. As each wave receded, it could potentially expose an array of shells and some of my favorite glittery treasures, sea glass. 

If there is ever a positive effect of littering by human hands, let it be captured in these little fragments of colorful glass, tumbled into soft shapes that hardly hint at their once razor sharp edges. A tiny bit is like a metamorphosis this way, a souvenir from a trip to the beach that parallels changes that we'll meet as we hang around this planet for awhile. What was here yesterday isn't necessarily going to be here today and if it is, we might not always recognize it in its current form.

And so it goes. And it will continue to go. I'm going over to Illustration Friday now, and am hoping I can post this before next week's topic changes!

Skull

Numb Skull

Here's a little brain freeze for Illustration Friday.

It's not exactly an ice cream headache, but all I could offer since I couldn't get the term "Numb Skull" out of my head this week!

Don't let the threat of Labor Day weekend fool you-

There are still plenty of warm days ahead to enjoy a few more frozen treats.

Journey

Trippy

This might not be exactly a well planned journey, as prompted by this week's topic at Illustration Friday, but this little girl's definitely going places. 

Have you ever felt like the rug was yanked out from under you? 

King

King Neptune

A favorite king of ours, whose name equates with a place to hide out on summer days when the water is warm and the cares are few. Yes, Neptune has been kind to us over the years, at one of the area's best kept secrets.

Sharing this painted version via Illustration Friday today and calling it good...Hope the summer has been treating you royally!

Peace

It just wouldn't be a happy eve of Illustration Friday without another trip to the cemetery, now would it?

Even though this might seem to be an unsettling vision or just give you the plain ol' creeps, I do find a sense of peace visiting some of these old grave sites, especially if my ancestors have found their final resting places there.  According to a Chinese proverb,  "To forget one's ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root."

The farther out there my life strays, the more securely connected I feel when I look back to honor these lives well lived. May they all rest in peace, though the rest of us still have quite a bit of living to do...Hopefully, quite a bit!