The last day of the Year and a Decade - Wow!!!!

My Favorite Painting of 2019

Today is the last day of 2019 and the last day of another decade.  These last 10 years have been really interesting.  From attending my first art retreat, to traveling to many wonderful spots in the world, to cancer treatment and remission, to actually selling art at auctions; there have been many experiences.

I envision 2020 as a year of transition and clearing.  Just like when a baby is born that zero ending year is a time of growth and exploration. I am really looking forward to this year to prepare for the decade of the 70's.

Above is my favorite painting of 2019.  It was an experiment and I really like how it came out.  I plan on doing more experimentation in 2020, breaking up my "status quo" and seeing where this portion of my life leads me.

Happy New Year dear friends.  Use this "zero" year to really plan for the next decade.

love always pilgrim......

Not just the year...the decade is almost gone

2013 - First attempt at drawing person

2016 - Month of drawing faces

In 2012 I took my first LifeBook class.  That year I did not do many of the lessons or post anything because I was sorely intimidated by all of the beautiful work.  In 2013 I signed up again and this time I actually completed all of the lessons and posted my work.  The photo above is of the first lesson where we were supposed to draw our Art Fairy Queen.  I tell you the truth, that was a real stretch for me.  The second photo is of a sketch I drew in 2016 as part of a month of drawing faces that is held every February and September.

I can see the stark improvement in a three year time period.  It makes me laugh really and I have determined that I am not a fan of drawing or painting portraits because shading gives me a real problem, I am just not comfortable with the process.

I started my art journey at ArtFest in April 2010 and I think I have come a long way but I stall need more practice and more confidence.  Tam LaPorte posted this morning about her art journey over the past ten year and it is really interesting.

As I spend the last days of 2019 and the final days of this decade, I am musing over my art journey and how it parallel's my life's journey over the past 10 years.  One thing that I will leave you with today is a message I have been getting since my birthday..."the past is gone, the future is not here...live in the presence of today and make the most of it."  The 2013 artist is gone, I do not know what 2020 and beyond will bring in the way of art, but for today, I have to finish the Christmas Cards I am designing.  I am having a good time.

Until tomorrow....

The year is almost gone....

I painted this painting on 12x12 board almost 4 years ago and this is one of those I cannot believe I did this paintings.  It was inspired by Mystele Kirkeeng during the last An Artful Journey class.

I was drinking some hot chocolate when I realized that there are only two weeks left to this year, where did it go?  I created quite a bit of art this year, but not enough really.  I would get a good start and then drop off or talk myself out of it.

2020 is going to be different.  I plan to art journal more and work on ideas that will translate to larger paintings. I used a journal this year to work out designs for my Christmas Cards and it was really enlightening.

I feel a strong urge to do things differently, live differently and find joy in the simple during 2020.  For the rest of 2019, I am going to try and post everyday.

Peace on earth good will to men and women my friends.

ICAD Week 8 days 50-56

Week 8 of Index Card a Day is complete.  I had so much fun with these cards.

Note to Self

Escape

Shadow

Friendship

Off prompt more blobbiness and doodles

Number

Off prompt more bloodiness

Blobs and doodles took over toward the end of the week.  I love the fluidity and how loose they are.  Plus it is so much to be so free.  One more week of this challenge.  I have completed the cards because I will be on the train from Monday to early Wednesday.

I have spent three months doing art everyday.  I am committed to keep of this practice even if it is only for 5 minutes.  You can create some really cool blobs in 5 minutes.  What is next you might ask?  I plan to catchup on Life Book lessons and create more blobs and doodles.  October is Inktober month and I need to decide what I am going to do.

Until next week......pilgrim

ICAD Week 7 Days 43 - 49

Whoa, time is moving quickly.  Just as of this week, I have created 49 pieces of art.  It makes me smile.

Amethyst

Billboard base

Billboard on "stilts"

Direction

Wabi Sabi

Topography

Turnpike

Pool

Week 7, wow only a few more days left to this wonderful challenge that I look forward to every year.  Highlights of this week are Direction-the idea that popped into my mind was "Do you know the way to San Jose?", Wabi Sabi, turnpike and Billboard.  I love all of them actually.

Until next week.......pilgrim

ICAD Week 6 Days 36 - 42

Week 6 of ICAD

Thesaurus - the many words for Blob

Botanicals

CLUE

Color Chart

Card Catalog

A Quiet Blue Day

Charge

This was a week of deep thought as I worked on the cards.  It amazes me how things pop into my mind when I look at the prompt.  Some days the thought are really cool such as finding synonyms for the word Blob and drawing a blank on blueprint because I needed a good white pen (hence creating a quiet landscape with various shades of blue with purple mountains).  Creating a library card cataloging the information about a book I would write describing my first 70 years.  Making a charm bracelet by curling out charms from card stock and gluing to the card.

Week 6 in the tank.  Doing art everyday.

Until next week......pilgrim

iICAD 2019 Week 5: Days 29-35

Days 29-35 of Index card a day.

Lemon and Lemonade

Pine Tree

Constellation

Caramel

Ogee

Mismatched

Terra Cotta

The cards from week 5 were a lot of fun to do.  Each is a little work of art.  Some can be framed and some no, but they all have distinct meaning for me and a great form of practice.

Until next week.......pilgrim

Week 4 of Index Card a Day Challenge days 22-28

Week 4 is in the can.  I am learning somethings about myself.  Twice I had to talk myself into continuing and sharing.  Sometimes I just wonder what is the point or if I will create a dud.  Then I have to have a good internal conversation and move forward.  This week was fun actually.  My greatest internal babble related to following the prompts or going off prompt.  I actually did a mixture.  I decided to use one of my original poems (I had to remember it because my book of poems is in Nevada).  I think I did pretty good.  I wanted to use a rose stencil for the Rose prompt because I tell myself I cannot draw a rose; however, I wanted to create a background first.  The background is several layers of washes of red, magenta, orange and yellow.  Then I traced around the rose stencil and it was not what I wanted so I drew in some additional petals and added darker washes.

I really like the interpretation of music and art on the music box card, I think I am going to frame it when I get home.  Last I went back to my abstract art blob series with doodles.  I really need to commit to this series and see where it will take me.

Yellow and Gray abstract - watercolor

Square watercolor blobs with doodles

Music Vibes - abstract of Music Box

Origian Poem

Rose

Doodle Blobs

Architectural Blobs

This daily process is wonderful, however, my challenge is to continue this daily creativity  process once index card a day is over on July 31st.  When I am home with all of my supplies and can sit at my art table and draw and paint.  Give myself permission to do this and not feel guilty about the time I spend doing it.  That is the challenge folks, I am determined to do it, create everyday and have fun.

Until next week.....pilgrim

Index Card a Day days 15 - 21

Third week of Index Card a Day challenge.  Starting to get more comfortable with this process.  Learning so much from other artists participating in the challenge.  What am I learning you say?  I am learning to be free.  Free to try new things, free to make ugly art and free to have fun.

Watercolor Blobs with white and black doodles

Acrylic Wash abstract with doodles

Wood Collage

Spots of Yellow

Abstract with stencils

Modern Chandelier

Stormy Weather

This week was so much fun.  I went off prompt a couple of times, did collage, worked with stencils and tried a technique I saw demonstrated by artist Lindsay Olstrom of putting watercolor on plastic, dragging the card through the color to make a background.  I learned a lot.

Until next week....pilgrim