From the Garden

My apologies! It has been awhile since I have posted. It has been awhile since I have painted as well. I started a new job three weeks ago. I have gone from a sedentary job of selling cars back into a management position in the convenience/gas station business. So far, most of my work has been very physical. a glorified stock boy so far. It has given me a workout everyday! I have been eating a lot of Advil! It has also been very tough on my hands. The first week they were all swollen and broken out with the eczema and very miserable! I would goop them up with cremes and medicines and wear gloves around, trying to get ready for the next hammering. I have started wearing gloves at work. that has helped but hasn't cured. Anyway, I picked these peppers from the garden today and painted them tonight. Large moleskine watercolor sketchbook drawn in ink and watercolored.I would like to thank Joan Yosioka for awarding me with the Creative Blogger award. It is really appreciated! I have never been good at chain kinds of things so I am not good at passing this award on. I have left it too long and many that I would have nominated have been awarded by others. So here are some of my fav's. This may be a double award for them. I am not sure how to make the links, so here goes.

Suzanne at http://suzannebuchanan.blogspot.com I really love her sketches. It would be great to take an art class from her.

Terry at http://terrybanderas.blogspot.com a very talented artist. Great realism in a lot of his works!

Robyn at http://havedogswilltravel.blogspot.com I enjoy her posts and her art! I look forward to seeing more of her art and imagery of Italy!

Karen at http://kbladosdesign.com What wonderful journal entries and art of everyday objects. A delite for the senses!

Nina at http://ninajohansson.blogspot.com I love the quality of her watercolors! Fantastic !

There are many very talented artists that I regularly stop and check on. thanks for your inspiration and your encouragement to me. thanks again Joan!

Now, these honorees may now proudly post your awards and give the award to five other creative bloggers. For more info on Christie and the Creative Blogger Award, including other awards, check it out here

Quick and Loose

This was my attempt at quick and loose! I did this about a year ago. I am not sure how loose it is, but it was quick. I think that I have made some improvements in my paintings since then.

I remember sitting out on the patio to do this one. I really fumbled around trying to hold my sketch book and my paints. It probably would have been funny to watch!

My Dad

I did this picture last year. It was my Dad's Christmas present. I had gone on a scavenger hunt to find all these things to put in the picture. My son had the golf clubs. They were my Dad's and also the clubs that he taught me the game of golf with. I always loved the leather club cover. These binoculars went on every vacation with us. I could not find the original old bird book, this is one exactly like it from EBay. We would always try to remember everything about a bird to identify it. Dad always seemed to already know but would help us find the right answer. Dad loved to tool leather when I was a kid. I found this old purse in his drawer. All tooled but never completed. His work is beautiful and I included a couple of his tools. Dad loves walnuts and will sit and crack them for hours at a time. His old pocket knife has seen better days, it is nearly worn out! We collected stamps and coins when I was a kid and had some good times doing that. These are a couple of stamps that we collected, both unused from the 1940's. The silver dollar was my allowance when I was 6 or 7. An 1898 Morgan dollar worth about $6 the day it was given to me! When Mom found out, she tried to get it back! I still have it! Dad and I went on a lot of rabbit hunts when I was a kid. I put in a couple of .22 shells to evoke those memories. A long with the painting was a three page letter about these and other memories. My Dad is not one to show emotion. I was excited and nervous to give him this gift! In fact I have never been more excited to give a gift! How would he react? Would I even know if he liked it? I gave it to him at our Christmas breakfast when the whole family was there. He was just starting to kind of tear up when Mom piped in with her commentary. I wonder if that was a protective thing that Mom did for him? Dad regained his composure and remained steeled. I was left still kind of wondering! I saw him the next day and he told me it was the best gift that he had ever been given! Wow! How can I top a gift like that?!

Across the Street

This is the cherry tree and two street lights that reside in the neighbors yard, across the street. I left out the house, no need for that. I think that we should be very safe all lit up with these two lights and two more that shine in from both sides of the corner that I live on. Good thing that we have some heavy drapes that block out all of this light! This is in a small watercolor moleskine.

From the Garden

A couple of interesting sunflowers from the garden. I liked the first one because it is a little wonky. Not the typical sunflower, personality!

The second one was only partially blossomed. I find it fascinating that those tiny unblossomed petals get as large as they do. It would be fascinating to watch. Do they grow and engorge like a butterflies wings? I might have to investigate this a little further.

Ink and watercolor in a small watercolor moleskine.

Aranciata

I really like this San Pellegrino orange drink. The can has a great design. I rushed this one too much. I also simplified it a bit. The red dots should be stars! It was still fun to do. Pen and ink and watercolor in a small watercolor Moleskine.

Our first Granddaughter, Lyra!

This is Lyra! Daughter of Jamis and Theresa. What a cutie! She was born last night. Mom and Lira are doing fine. Dad and big brother are pretty excited! Lira was 6 lbs. 6 oz. I cannot remember her length. Oh, Grandma and Papa are pretty excited too!