At the end of the day, let there be no excuses, no explanations, no regrets.
Dr. Steve Maraboli
No Excuses
Meditation – 30 December 2019
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Monthly Archives: December 2019
Best Two Bucks I’ve Spent
I finished the second spread of Paperwhites the other day and was so pleased with my photo editing I just have to share!
I edit ninety percent of my photos on my iPhone using a few select apps, yet as much as I appreciate what I can do with PhotoToaster and Snapseed… TouchRetouch is absolutely magical… just look at the before and after.
Before:
After:
$1.99 in the Apple App Store and I believe it’s available at Google Play too… best two bucks I’ve spent.
I broke a couple of roots as I took it out of its glass pebble-filled jar. I won’t be doing that again.
The Paperwhite’s Progress
This little fella was a holiday gift from a dear friend who’s dealing with some health issues this winter. What started as a project to draw its growth once a week quickly morphed into a daily meditation as I paint and send out prayers and positive vibes across the universe.
The growth is heartening, although in a day or so, I’m betting the roots will be too long for me to continue to remove it from the vase for its modeling session. Even though I’m already looking forward to many happy hours painting flowers I need to remember… first things first… live in the present and document today!
Meditation – 23 December 2019
be.
here.
now.
Fast and Unobtrusive
This is Jane.
Jane never knew I was sketching her as I waited to be called for my appointment.
Why? Well, this sketchbook is small, only six inches square and I had it tucked behind my bag on my lap. I also used one of my clutch pencils with a soft and silent lead. No scratching sound to alert her.
A few days later I took the same set up to a basketball game and among other figures, sketched a fellow sitting diagonally ahead of me.
He never suspected.
I even played a bit with a child’s multicolor pencil but gave up on it almost immediately. I wanted that smooth buttery feel of soft graphite sliding across the paper.
I think this set up will be my daily carry as I leave my large A4 journal in my studio. I’m looking forward to traveling lightly for a while.
Strathmore 400 Drawing Paper 300 gsm / 80 lb.
Meditation – 16 December 2019
Beware for I am fearless and therefore powerful.
Mary Shelley
“Frankenstein”
Need vs Want
Confession… I did not need these!
But I bought them anyway.
Will they supplant my favorite travel set? I’m not sure but I’m looking for to working with them to see what they can do.
Meditation – 09 December 2019
Yes
It could happen any time, tornado,
earthquake, Armageddon. It could happen.
Or sunshine, love, salvation.
It could, you know. That’s why we wake
and look out — no guarantees
in this life.
But some bonuses, like morning,
like right now, like noon,
like evening.
William Stafford
The Days Got Away from Me
Recently I’ve been trying to be a more predictable blog poster… a quote on Monday and other art on Friday. My Monday posts are all set for a few weeks but Friday’s posts are usually recent work that I schedule by Thursday to publish early the next morning.
Ah, but life gets busy. Thursday evaporated as I got in the flow with a big book binding project and Friday turned out to be more of the same.
Dinner consisted of reheatables dressed up with one of my favorite seasonal dishes… Pomegranate Olive Relish. I’m just thankful I remembered to paint the Pom before making it!
I like this method of separating the arils, but I do it without the water bath. It works!
Strathmore 500 Mixed Media Journal
Meditation – 02 December 2019
Some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next.
Delicious ambiguity.
Gilda Radner
Dana Burrell... Art 