Queen Anne's Lace

Towards the end of January, I had the wonderful opportunity to create a surprise birthday present for a dear friend.

 First sketch...

 

 Final sketch...

It was an interesting process, taking ideas and feedback and turning them into a piece of artwork that was my own, but that also reflected others' artistic vision and personality.

I hope that I was successful, and that my artwork becomes a treasured part of their home, as well as a lovely shared memory between my nature-loving friend and myself.

Back in late December, I started on a new drawing of wildflowers against a hazy sunset sky.  That was put on hold to work on my friend's birthday tree, but I have finally, finally finished it up, after several interruptions and artistic missteps and a minor amount  of teeth-gnashing and some deliberate use of my longest, sharpest, scissors.  What began as this 12"x18" beauty,

became several smaller pieces and a bit of scrap paper,

but I think I salvaged this one rather well, considering at one point I wanted to throw the whole mess out.

February can be a tough month for a lot of reasons, but I've been trying (successfully) to keep myself busy and happy.  I can tell the days are getting longer, the sunshine feels more deliberate, and mud season is looming on the horizon...

P.S.  I learned my blue tree silhouette is hanging in the home of another local artist who was also part of the 'Trees' show, and who bought my drawing on opening night as a surprise Valentine's Day gift to his wife.  Love that.

Tree

I submitted one drawing to the OtLAG juried show this year; I think my best one yet.

It was a wrench to let it go, and I had to call my mom and hear her say 'put it out there!' before I could finally click the send button on the submission e-mail.  The show's opening reception was last Friday night, and surprise! I'm now two for two on opening night art sales.  It's a confidence boost, but at the same time I am torn about the idea of becoming a professional artist, and taking something so unique and meaningful to me and showing it to the world in hopes that someone will pay money for it.  Hmmm.

Maybe that gets easier when I produce a larger volume of artwork, and each individual piece seems less of a heroic personal effort.  Maybe I also need to think about the balance of making artwork slowly and steadily whilst still feeling completely engaged in my regular occupation of full-time Mama.  Raising my smalls is my best and most important work, and the time I spend with them is what inspires the beauty, joy, and wonder that I try to communicate in my art.

Coming off the excitement of the show opening and sale, I'm coughing and snuffling my way through some nasty feverish virus and I also think I might have just spoiled the next drawing I'm working on - you can't erase colored pencils! - so you know, life keeps rolling along.  It's good to have some quiet time with the smalls at home today, with math games, and reading, and Legos in front of the fire, while schools are closed due to the frigid temps outside.



(Pre-spoilage.  It started off so well...)

The downy woodpeckers are still out visiting our peanut butter and sunflower seed pine cones, and the juncos and chickadees are foraging for dropped seeds in the snow.

Hope you are warm and well as we begin the New Year!