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I feel like my life is a runaway train right now. I'm just so darned busy.
It's unreal. I think it's just so strange that you can have only a few things
to do one week and then the very next week have 15 things on your list.
So, I'm just slugging though it all now. Doing some fun stuff, too. I'll
share it soon.
One thing I did recently was this interview for the lovely and totally coolio
Kitty. She asked some good questions and was really nice. Thanks, Kitty!
I took a quick photo of the three journals before I sent them
out to the various corners of the earth. I am really looking
forward to seeing what everyone creates!
The Deer & Turkey show article hit the stands today. You can check
it out on-line here. Or if you're in the Indianapolis area just pick up
a Nuvo (my illo is much larger on page 27) on any corner newsstand.
Illustration Friday: Sorrow
This idea came to me in a whirlwind and I created it very quickly.
So instead of waiting til the last minute this week I thought I'd
post this now. My idea of sorrow is a lonely caged bird.
More work to do...(I love being busy!)
So. Much. To. Catch. Up. On.
So, this will just be a quickie blog.
Last night I found a coupon in the paper for 50% off one item at a
local art store. The fools. I snatched it right up and went over there
to buy a mat cutter. So now I can cut all my own mats for my show
in April. I'm so excited. I practiced last night and cut everything in
sight. (The cats were spared.)
Also, I have two movie recommendations. I watched these recently
and liked both. Oddly enough, they are both Spanish-speaking
foreign films. Check em out!
Like Water for Chocolate
The Motorcycle Diaries
Gotta get to work.
xo
At Hope's request I've updated my link back buttons. They're over
there on the right if you want to use them. (wink)
This weekend was just odd and took me to a most unusual place.
This weekend I went to the Deer & Turkey Expo at the state fairgrounds.
Colin and I were assigned by a local paper to cover it (he doing the
writing, me the illustration) so we went. I'll just start by saying that I am
against hunting. So when we walked in and saw a million disembodied
deer heads hanging from the walls and turkeys all spread out and
stuffed, I was horrified. I actually felt like a deer walking into the pavilion.
I thought every one of the camouflage-wearing men would know my
stance, drag me out by the hair and beat me to a pulp. I was scared.
We tried to look nonchalant and walked around and spied the latest
in hunting gear. The newest decoys and camouflaged tents and guns
and chains. We spoke to a couple of people who told us about the
great hunting education programs they have for children. Eight year
olds with shotguns. We saw the shooting gallery they set up with hay
bails holding white targets. We watched a looping movie of an actual
hunt set to thrasher music. And we just kept walking...
Until we came upon one booth at the back of the show with a large
black cage. In it was a full-grown live elk, laying down in the hay
looking sad and broken spirited. He hung his head and his watery
eyes slowly took in all his dead family members and all the people
gawking at him.
I started to cry.
Colin ushered me out quickly so I wouldn't make a scene.
In the car on the way home I battled with what my illustration should
show. How would I draw this? (The illustration above is not what I
turned in.) I drew several cavemen with camouflage and high-tech
gear. But it was looking very mean-spirited. I drew an innocent
deer surrounded by all the gadgets that were used to track it. (Not
mean enough.) After thinking for a while and drawing different scenes
I landed on a more subtle message. I ended up drawing four deer
head on the wall with a man looking up at them, saying...well, I'll post
the illustration here when I'm allowed to.
The rest of the weekend wasn't nearly as terrible. It most consisted of
movie watching and reading and coffee drinking and relaxing until
the very last of my sickness retreats.
Illustration Friday: Flight
I wasn't sure if I was going to have the energy to make an illustration for
this week's I-fri topic, flight. But today I'm feeling a wee bit better and
did one, even if a little late. The word 'flight' brought to mind a memory
from when I was little. My brother and I were fishing on the Gulf of Mexico
when a flying fish suddenly jumped out of the water and flew by. My brother
cast his line at that same moment and snagged it mid-air. He reeled it in
and we got a closer look at it before we threw it back.
I remember thinking about how that fish must feel. Being able to swim and
fly. I bet he swam around like he was king, bragging and sparkling.
Funny how contemplation turns into a complete bee-line for
a goal. It's done. Didn't take long seeing as I just updated the
navigation system. Do you like it? (If you don't see it just refresh
your page a few times until you do...)
Being sick in bed with a laptop does wonders for site design.
Tomorrow I paint.
It can't possibly be Thursday already! Where did this week go?
I'm sorry I've been silent lately. Not answering emails or writing
here. I'm still sick. Wondering when it will be over with. I've
kind of enjoyed the break. Not feeling guilty for lying on the
couch with a cup of tea and taking it easy. I've finished The
Secret Life of Bees and loved the entire thing. As a matter of
fact I sort of mourned the end of that book. No more looking
into that world. I need to start a new book and hope it sinks
its hooks into me the way that one did.
We had one spring-like day here and it was beautiful. It was
warm and bright out. I even opened a window to let it come
inside. Oh. So. Nice.
I promise I'll write more later. I just wanted to say hi. I'm still
here. Hoping to feel better soon. :)
p.s. contemplating a site redesign...
I seem to have caught a nasty cold. So sleepy and floppy.
Going to rest now...
All the spots have been filled up for the Best Advice Project.
I'll mail out the journals to the first people on the list this week.
Yay!
So many people have signed up for the Best Advice Project
that I've had to turn it into 3 mailing lists. They are all up
there for you to see. In order to get this project done before
this time next year, I have decided to stop the participant
numbers at 80. So, that means there are 8 slots left. If you'd
like to be one of those eight, please email me immediately
and I'll add you to the list.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Max Ehrmann's "Desiderata" was read at my wedding last
year. Reading it is a good kick in the pants when you need
it. I love it. You may too...
THE DESIDERATA
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
-- written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s --
Going on a sketching excursion today. My goal is 20 pages
packed full. Will I make it? We'll see...
First, breakfast at Bobby-E's. Pancakes with strawberries!
Illustration Friday: Year of the Rooster
February 9th was the first day of the Chinese New Year, so
this week's I-fri topic was the Year of the Rooster. I had fun
sketching about 20 roosters. All different expressions and
positions. They ranged from sad roosters to mean roosters
to happy roosters. I went with vacant rooster. hee!
I feel like I'm starting to swim again slowly. I think that
was caused by a combination of things: the nasty gray, flat
weather that desaturates the world, coming to a slowish
time in assignments (gotta learn to deal with that), and
feeling a little trapped lately. I'm so ready for spring. Please?
The list for the Best Advice Project is compiled (you can still
sign up if you haven't). I turned it into two lists because of
the awesome response. If everyone gets it for a week, we won't
be done with this project until the end of the year. Eek!
Anyway, I'll be sending out journals to the first people on each
list next week...so we can start! You can check out where you
fall in line here.
Anyone doing anything fun for Valentine's Day? I'm the
lucky girl with a date to go eat sushi with my oh-so-romantic
husband. I think I may dress up. For his gift I painted him a
picture of his motorcycle and got it framed for him. I thought
he was on to me when he spotted a blob of green paint under
my eye...but he didn't ask where it came from. Whew!
Sometimes I feel like I'm just treading water. Just swimming
there in one place while all the boats race by me with their
rudders plunged deep into the water...They have direction.
They have speed. And I have my head just above water, hoping
my arms don't tire.
Treading water is good exercise maybe...
The New Project!
Oh, finally! Today is the day. I finally found a little downtime to
launch the new project I've promised you. I'm really excited about
it and think it will be lots of fun for everyone. Here's the deal:
The new project is a traveling journal that is asking the question:
"What is the best advice you ever got?". For the month of February
you can sign up to participate by emailing me. You'll be put on a
list and well...all the information is there on the Projects page.
Go check it out!
I hope we have lots of participants! The more, the merrier, of course.
xo
And We're Up
I don't know if it was the sun or the getting away for longer
than a weekend or the hanging out with people I love or the
break from all things art related, but I feel so refreshed. So
alive and ready to tackle the world again. I regained whatever
it was that left wandering.
One good thing from the break was the bookstore. We went
to the bookstore a few times and I finally found a book that
captured my attention. I have about 4 books started. They are
strewn about the house, waiting to be picked up. But at the
bookstore I found one that I could not put down. I've heard
it talked about before so I think the whole world has read it
already (I'm late, I guess). It's called The Secret Life of Bees.
It's great! I'm loving it. I can picture it all happening like it's a
movie I'm watching...something a book hasn't given me in a
while.
Other good things were: digging my toes into the sand and
finding the cold sand underneath, picking up a shell to make
into a necklace, laughing at my sister-in-law's funny sense of
humor, and getting a sunburn on my nose.
I've put together a little scrolling photo album if you care to
check it out. It's kind of a big file so it may take a moment to
download. Please be patient! Click here to see it.
Illustration Friday: Friendship
First off let me say "THANK YOU!" for all your warm congrats on
my big news! I'm really thrilled. I keep thinking of all the fun
possibilities I could do for my wall (I get to design it). I have some
good things churning. I promise to take a bunch of pictures and
post them for you. Yay!
Here are the details as I know them now: The show is April 9th
here in Indianapolis at the Wheeler Arts Building. I'm sure there
will be some sort of promotional thing sent out when it gets
closer to time. I'll keep you posted when I find out more stuff.
Oh, and I have to buy wine and cheese (fancy!).
I need to start making some art to sell. Should I do a series?
Should I just do whatever I feel like on any given day? I don't
know. The jury is out.
***
I'm posting my Illustration Friday submission a little early this week
because I'm leaving on a jetplane in the morning. I'm excited to
have four days to get warm in the Florida sunshine, hanging out
with my grandma and grandpa. I think I may jar up some sand to
take home so I can sniff it when I start getting the blahs again.
Oh, about the illustration: I tried to make it feel sort of retro. I
remember hanging out with my best girlfriend when I was small.
So much imagination. We'd paint our nails pretending we were
movie stars. We'd fish for catfish and stare at their whiskers. We
ate popcorn and moonpies. We had secret codes and special eye
winks. A club handshake and a code of honor. Girlfriends so close
that we could look at each other and know what the other was
thinking...So that's where the illustration comes from. Hope you
dig it!
Happy weekend!
xo
Can I say how excited I am about finding out that I'm going
to be in my first gallery show?!
Or do you think that would jinx it?
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© Penelope Illustration. Stealing
is not nice. |
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