Drawing on the right brain

At life drawing yesterday, in complete frustration, I decided to try drawing with my left hand. To my surprise, the drawings came out really well. Even better, I rediscovered that feeling of being 'there' during the drawing process. Not double thinking every stroke, just eye to hand to paper . Faces and hands are quite a bit more challenging left-handed. Last night Brian and I practiced eating with chopsticks with our left hands...a great way to slow down while eating!

diva bunny sketch for Jo

Hi Jo,
Did a quick sketch of a cute bunny for you, don't know if that helps at all.

Bunny Diva promo sketch

This is a little sketch for a "caroling" promo for my agent. Much to Tara's dismay, I don't seem to be able to do cute and fuzzy easily these days. I am actually not looking for her to be overly cute, but to definitely have some personality, my bunny diva. Comments welcome--this is due Sunday, in between horses!

One question--would you like to see this as a silhouette (with or without the little chain above) or as a definite ornament with Christmas tree needles/branches behind it? Thanks!

Again for Jo -

Nothing great - but maybe it gives some ideas...?

New Creations

Here are the two newest creations in my life. One is 30"x24," the other is about 3". Can you guess which is which? The smaller one is much more important to me. :-) A quick update: I'm at the beginning of the second trimester. Yesterday, I got the results back from some genetic testing, and everything looks good. So, I'm considered a "low risk" pregnancy. I'll find out the gender probably a few days before Christmas, which falls plop in the middle of my pregnancy - yay! Looking at this ultrasound picture, I am alternately moved deeply and weirded out that this little person is living inside me. It seems so very, very strange - and yet also a miracle.

I'll be telling my mom this Friday. I've waited so long to share the news because I don't get to see her often, but I've reserved a whole day of mother-daughter time with her this week. I would like to make a little art piece to give to her that somehow reflects this new phase of our mother-daughter-grandmother relationship. So, my question...How did you tell your mothers you were pregnant? Did you have any creative ways of sharing the news that were particularly special? Did you ever make art about it? I'd love to hear your ideas.

About the other piece...It's for a commission, and obviously it's just about half done. Is there anything that leaps out to you that I should change at this point? Any suggestions for the color/value of the night table? (The objects themselves are specific things in someone's house, so I have less freedom to change their color.) I usually like to build the painting up together as a cohesive whole, but I've been working on individual elements in this one because I've only had little bursts of time to work on it. All suggestions welcome!

More Color variations -

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A few more variations.... ?

Staying loose

I've been feeling quite lost since our retreat and am working every day to find where I want, or need, to go. Here are some drawings from a couple of long pose life sessions from this week and last week.

I am trying to stay loose, yet plan ahead.

I am also playing with a limited palette of three colors. Today I had fun 'drawing' with watercolors.

Eric Weigardt Workshop

I attended a watercolor workshop this weekend right here on Hollywood Hill at Medicine Horse Studio with Eric Weigardt. It was informational and just what I needed to brush up on my watercolor skills which have been sorely neglected the past few years. It was great to work large (half sheet) with relative confidence resulting from Eric's fine instruction. I'll post the result of my efforts once I pull the painting together as it is at its mid-process worst right now!

Coral Reef Etching

Here's the little etching (3 x 4) that I have been working on and finished in time to enter into the Daniel Smith Printmaking Show. I really enjoyed the ease of intaglio on the acrylic and like the finished look: so old fashioned despite the modern materials. I have started another one so that I have something to stick in my purse and work on when I'm stuck waiting to pick up kids.

Color Options -

(click on picture for a larger view)

Having my normal struggle with color decisions... So can't decide.

Have any preferences? Alternate suggestions?

Image for critique

The first painting is in progress. I'm on the second attempt on the background and table. The painting is about 70% there. Any comments/critiques are welcome!

The next is the painting I recently entered in the ARC yearly salon. It's inspired by my Grandpa Ken's shed. I remember going in and smelling lumber and oil. I found the gas can and oil can at an antique shop in eastern WA. The minute I picked up the gas can and smelled it I was six or seven years old exploring his tool bench.