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Sign up to enter an ink portrait giveaway!

Since January, I’ve been immersed in a coaching program with other artists to grow my art business. It is very exciting to be with an international group of like minded professional who are committed to working through the year long program together. What is that term – do what sparks joy!

The heart of my art lies in sharing it, and I am so excited to connect with those who wish to join me on this journey.

While I am still on social media, my email list will provide extra behind the scenes content and exclusive opportunities not promoted on Facebook or Instagram!

I will be having regular giveaways throughout the year, but you can start by entering to win an inkwash giveaway right now.

Click the logo below to sign up on my website between now and the end of May 2024 and you will be entered to win an inkwash portrait of yourself, a beloved person, or a pet. See you there!

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Christmas and Walnut Stain

For the first time, I chose to forage for walnuts in the backyard and create an “ink”. As was looking at it, I thought how cool to put it on some wooden ornaments I was creating for the nieces and a nephew! So I did! For an ink, this should be simmered for 3+ hours, but I was in a rush and only had an hour and a half. It came out perfect for a light stain. To use it for inking and ink washes, I may make some more and darken it. Really fun to do.

BTW – do not try to make ink out of catnip. Experience is talking here. Just don’t. One, the cats went bananas, and it does not make a very good stain. Not to mention I was happy it was a warm Nov. day since all the windows were thrown open.

Then there is whacked out cats in love with your Christmas ornament when you use it to stain the (tried it on the back of the one he is almost touching) wood. You have had fair warning! There are loads of recipes out on the internet. Foraged ink is loads of fun! Just follow the recipes unless you tend to be adventurous. Mint and catnip are not the same. Just sayin’.

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Inktober 2022 Portraits

I did a few portraits – my brother, Ron, above. His birthday falls at the end of October.

Then a lifelong best friend and mentor, Phyllis, and again, my baby brother who passed 2 years ago this month. A way of commemorating those I love as I practice portraiture.

I did Aaron’s picture with a large brush and quick strokes. Time does not heal the pain of loss. It eases the sharp edges, but they are still there and I think time teaches us how to step around them without doing such raw injury to ourselves. Time gives us the ability to remember the softer, gentler, happier times.

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Bandits

This is Notch – I think she may be a first time mother. She has at least 2 babies so she got bold enough to come up to the deck. It seems they get hungry about this time of year. I also see them in the deep winter when the snow is thick. Otherwise, they only visit at night. How do I know? My tomatoes growing on my second story deck keep disappearing.

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Inktober – 2nd half

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A combination of things (including Christmas commissions) added to the 2nd half of the month not being a daily, but I still did quite a few, as well as some gesture sketching on the busy days.

Inktober was fun, and I quit worrying about the prompts, but did get a couple more in such as #15 Legend – our own local celebrity cat – Pirate Cat.

I hope to keep up the weekly sketching (not daily – way too much happening in the next 2 months, but I do not want to lose that momentum of sketching. It is excellent for studying a subject and getting to know them.)

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Above- our local Cooper’s Hawk, stalking out feeders.

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A bit of fan art for James and Margaret – a pair of California Ravens I follow on Instagram and Facebook. @thedailyjames

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I love the little Black and White Warblers we see each year. And below is a Summit Lake Bald Eagle – reference photo by Patrick D. Conner, one of our local birders on the Facebook page, Indiana Birdography. You will be seeing more of these in various mediums, as I am practicing to do a watercolor for my nephew.

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Capturing Moments

A gift for a friend was a book that captured the building of her new house and the move day activities in 2016. This book was created through Shutterfly because of the price break on a 20 page hardcover. It seemed a safe way to create my first photo book and I am pleased. And it makes a very special gift.

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Cloth Patterns

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I have always been fascinated by patterns in cloth. They have to be “just so”, but when they are, I fall in love. No, I can’t explain what “just so” is, but I found it in a purse this week and bought it.
Lesson: If you can find that special ingredient, people will willingly part with their hard earned money just to own it.