Strangers

This is Andrew Blandy, otherwise known as treemade. He is an artist on the flickr.com group "Julia Kay's Portrait Party". The entire collection of artists portraits of treemade can be found here.

This is an incredibly active group of artist from around the world. I am just getting started participating in this group, but so far I am loving it! Loads of off shoots of ideas are coming from being involved with these artists. They are dedicated, talented and prolific. Perhaps I could learn a thing or two as well!

Would you like me to draw you? Do you think portaits of strangers are interesting? Or do you only prefer seeing famous people, or only people you know? Tell me what you think...

Too much TV?

Watching television can be fun, if not brain numbing. I am constantly wishing I could press the pause button on many many many different scenes (something I do quite frequently when dh isn't around) and sketch to my hearts content. Gonna get one of Brian Williams one of these days.

But, until then, it will be random scenes I run across which inspire. I have no recollection where I found this beautiful face, but I was able to pause and capture a bit of her expression before going on with whatever that glowing box offered.

Do you ever have this feeling? Kind of like life will pass you buy and you didn't jump on the opportunity to stop, capture it, before the fleeting muse floats off?

Portrait Party

Over on Flickr.com there is a party going on! I am a bit shy, and like to hang back and check out who is at a party before I go in full time, but I think I am about to introduce myself a bit!

The simple premise is this. I post a picture of me and you make a portrait, and you post a picture of you and I do a portrait of you! Basically artists drawing each other, and posting these at the "Julia Kay's Portrait Party" group site.

So this is my first pic of fellow party-mate Wally Torta, an amazingly talented artist who I am in awe of. So I decided to start with him, and hopefully more to come!

Pogie Pie

This week my sister and her family lost a very special part of themselves. Their beloved Pogie passed away. She was only 5 years old, way way way not enough time for her to be with her people. But in that short time, she taught two boys how to care and love for another, creating compassion and empathy in them which will be a part of their personalities for a very long time. She was a very cool dog, and will be deeply missed.

I am so sorry for my sisters loss, and this has made our family really appreciate our own dog. My boys are learing through her family about what it is like to loose a dog, and how much that can hurt.

Here's to Pogie, February 2006 - January 2011. Thanks for sharing your love with us.

Full Wolf Moon

Last night was the first full moon of the year. Also known as the Wolf Moon.

From the always handy Farmer's Almanac: “Full Moon names date back to Native Americans, of what is now the northern and eastern United States,” the almanac explains, noting that “tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full Moon.”

The Farmer's Almanac also notes that January’s full moon was named a Full Wolf, because “Amid the cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages.”

42 Sketches

Boy oh boy how I love to start things! Finishing things....yeah, not so good. But this year will be different, yeah, right.

Anyway, fellow facebook friend Michaela Eaves started a habit last year, a very good one. For the first 6 weeks of the year, she sketches one picture.

Now, let's be honest here, I am doing more than just sketching on a daily basis. Sure there are the days when the laundry keeps me from my studio, but I try to get into my studio as regularly as possible. I try. I really do. Ugh.

Anyway, the thing about a sketch is that it is risk free. You don't have to finish it in any particular state, you don't even have to have a prepared substrate or fancy art materials. You just have to sit your tookas down and draw.

So I have two, (already falling behind, as today is the 3rd) and I am willing to share them here. Not loving them, but keeping myself honest here.

So, lest you be judged, this might be all I get out of this challenge, so don't you go crankin' at me about how I only got &^* out of 43 done! I am going to try anyway. And if I don't get a finished sketch done (whatever that may be) I will try and get a something uploaded of some of my artist habits here.

If you wish to see more, hop over to flickr to check out the group pool. There are not a ton of us, but there are a few, and it is fun to see a group doing things together right? Even if it is only virtually!

Friday Fill-Ins, December 10

Happy Friday! Here we go with some Friday Fill-in fun!

1. I wish for more peace, magic and financial freedom, yes, all at the same time!.

2. Man, those LED Christmas lights sure look blue!...that's what I'm thinking.

3. Please bring rum for our hot buttered needs tonight.

4. My new studio space is so amazing.

5. One of my fondest hopes is that I can sustain my creating, on all levels!

6. My landlord has been wonderful to rent from, but now our time is over, it is moving day, and I just wanted to say thank you.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to having the dh home, with the work week behind us, tomorrow my plans include Santa Train and Sunday, I want to bake!