the reality of drawing on a parking lot

day 2 of street drawing festival

(me n Jess)

Today was so much fun because it was all detail work. We didn't want it to end! But with all the great help we finished by 3 o'clock. Lots of spectators thought it was a Georgia O'Keefe (copy!), but no, it's all original. She IS a favorite of mine but I am not consciously copying her style........too funny, people thought that last year, too. Will post final good quality photo soon, then retreat back into non-productive shell!

and then there's Tom Meaney...

How could I leave out mention of Tom? It's all his fault I'm doing this chalk thing in the first place. Every year he does a beautiful rendering of his kids. (I told him today it's cheating to make them look better than in real life.) He's the master. That's why he's behind the velvet ropes. VIP. There when we arrive, still at it when we leave.....I think he sleeps there Memorial Weekend. The guy needs to get a life. He even let's me come over and mooch the binder to make the special home-made chalk that stays on the pavement for a year sometimes. Thanks Tom! And thanks Shelley, too, for the 'special' cookies.

Street drawing day 1

Every year in Santa Barbara we have the I Madonnari Italian Street Drawing Festival. This is our second year to crouch on the pavement for 2-3 days to create art that will become a parking lot again come Tuesday morning! Sure, you get your nice photo of the finished product, but I love how process-oriented this event is. There are probably around a hundred artists working at once, making for a nice collective creative atmosphere. So this is what Jesse and I have to show for the first day's work. Oh-my-aching-back at it tomorrow bright and early! Thank you to Alida and Gus for giving us a lot of help at the end of the day!

painting with Paige

exploring watercolors by Paige

copying a 5 year old by Jill

My friend Paige and I had a chance to paint together the other day. Her bold color choices left me truly inspired! If you're ever lacking creative energy, I recommend hijacking a child's....

getting over perfection

-- rhodonite, tiger's eye --

18 x 24

setting out to make something wonderful and perfect is a tough goal and will ruin a painting before it's even started! letting that go and enjoying the effect of smudges made this piece go in a different direction and the process more enjoyable. art -- it's a microcosm! who knew?

zen drawing

lavender and sage

partial blind contour

By placing your pencil on the page and following the outline of what your looking at without looking back at the page, you access the right side of your brain. Both sides of the brain serve different functions, but somedays ...... let's just say maybe you need a little more of the right side. Here's FASCINATING video on why.

There's also a great book called "Zen and the Art of Seeing" that describes this technique. No "artistic ability" needed! Just put the pencil down and become one with your subject....

-- tiger's eye, rhodonite --

18x24

for Jorgen Hansen...

My dear, wonderful art teacher passed away. I am so grateful to have had a short time to work with him. He was insistent on tapping into your own imagination for creating art, and without that push, none of this would have come about like it did. How can you thank someone for helping you find out you have something worthwhile to say? He was 85, a lifelong artist, son of an artist, and was still teaching and passionately discussing art up until his death, a quiet passing in his sleep. This painting was done the day before he died. The piece was always ethereal and not of this world, the perfect piece to dedicate to him. Thank you Jorgen, we'll miss you!

potential

for the Kellogg Elementary auction

-- Arizona turquiose, Australian serpentine --

18" x 24"

Thinking of the Zen Buddist concept of a tree's final manifestation pulling the acorn towards it. (siting Liz Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love)

more fun with gemstone paints....

6" x 6"

-- rhodonite, serpentine, turquiose --

You really have to see these paints in person to appreciate their subtlety, made from real mineral deposits in the earth. Right now I'm trying to just get out of the way and let them do their thing on the paper...

waiting for ups

To my fans, all three of you.....I am waiting Daniel Smith to deliver my new paints, mineral pigments made direct from the earth! Tiger's eye, turquiose, lapis lazuli, I decided to hold everything until they arrive. It should be worth the wait, so check again soon and see for yourself! Check a couple times if you want, Krista's site counter has tripled mine, it's so not fair! ;D

thanks Barbara

4" x 6"

New year, new direction.....

the lack of "rules" in non-objective art are appealing right now.