Sketching!

I've done a couple of botanical sketches. Yesterday!! First time I've done anything using pencils or brushes for quite some time. I feel out of condition actually, just like I do when I've not been to work out for some time. So... must get back to creative work. Perhaps with the extreme heat possibly over, I'll feel more like it.

 Coleus leaves and Sumac.

Sunflowers grown from seed from my garden.

Anniversary of this Blog venture

Today I turn 66, so this year of "Playing Creatively" is finished as such. Did I accomplish what I wanted? Have I been as creative as I had hoped? Did I carry this process to the intended end? No, no and yes.

Towards the end of the year, due to a variety of circumstances, I must admit I lost steam as far as staying true to my purpose of playing creatively and documenting the process as planned. I have managed 53 blogs since I started, so that does mean an average of 1 a week.

 When I look back at the body of work I did post here, it is definitely more than I have every completed in an given year, so that is something that I did achieve. Did I manage to experiment with techniques as much aas I had planned, no I did not. I found it increasingly more difficult to carve out time "away" in my studio without interruption. Made it difficult to dig in. But I realize that I can discipline myself to work. I am pleased with some of the pieces I created. On top of that, I did feel good enough about some of my work to submit a piece this spring to the Drawing for Art, and my artwork got chosen.

Will I carry on? Yes, but I think I need a new focus, so I need to think that through. I will determine that soon and  post my plans here.

Lastly, I did actually do a couple of pieces recently, and I have two incomplete paintings on the go.

This is a "botanical drawing" from our last Art Group meeting in May.

And this is a painting I did of orange poppies growing in my front garden. Which reminds me, I need to remember to move this plant to the side bed!

Garden transformation and Alex turning 70!

Part of my challenges this spring has been to transform my back yard  into "my oasis"!  I had the grass taken out last fall and wanted to wait till I was sure how I wanted it completed ( also what was affordable ). So this spring I contracted with my landscape guy to complete the work based on a photo I had seen in a magazine. That was March. Very wet spring. He was planning for late April, early May. I had wanted to have it done prior to Alex' 70 birthday so that we could have a little do. Then Mom got sick and the landscape guy got busy trying to complete his regular work load between rainfalls. Long story short, it was finally completed June 3rd. The "do" was on Saturdays June 4th!!! Much of what I had wanted to move will have to wait. I also got rid of the BBQ and the old outdoor furniture and was able to get just the set I wanted!!! Here is the result.

 
And here he is at 70 with me!

Challenges!

Its been a while! No kidding. Most of it has been due to challenges with mom's health and its effects on her mentally, physically and emotionally. And........ as a result, on me and my ability to get on with what I want to do. She has had a number of small problems, First, a scratch on her leg that got quite infected. Off to the doctor. Tetanus shot, creme and anti-biotics. Seemed to make her quite out of it mentally and physically. That cleared up, then she had a bit of a fall in the bathtub, when she could not quite get herself out. I had to haul her out by lifting her. Seemed to be OK, but 2 days later her right hand was quite swollen, so off to emergency. They diagnosed a small fracture, and a definite sprain. Her arm was splinted and more anti-biotics. Well... talk about problems keeping the splint on. She does not remember the fall nor the reason for the splint. Back to the fracture clinic for a follow-up appointment where she gave her a Velcro splint to keep on for another 10 days. No way!!! At least not for long. So the wrist kept being aggravated. Plus more anti-biotics so the the brain functions were even less clear!
In the meantime, I've gone an bought a bath-lift since she absolutely does to understand that one can take a shower to get clean!!! It must be a bath and only a bath. Very crabby by now. The bath lift is an intrusion to her. She has always had baths and why does she have to have this "thing" in the bath. Oh well!!! At least she is getting a bath and I have a little less to worry about her getting into the bath. It used to scare me to watch how she got into and out of the bath tub!!! Mom has always been quite agile, and she still is. But she is so unsteady on her feet these days and not functioning too well mentally. I also got a wheelchair for her, so that is actually a bit liberating. Has made small walks possible with her holding on to the chair, then when she gets tired (about the distance of 4 houses) she can get in the chair and we can go around the block or what not.

All of these drugs in her system though, have resulted in her getting a nasty infection in her mouth referred to by the medical profession as "black hairy tongue" . The taste receptors grow quite long and seem to feel awful.So much so, that she actually asked to go see the doctor. More drugs!!! This time to kill the fungus that causes this condition. Still cranky, but it seems to be getting a bit better. I hope that's it for a while so that she can enjoy things a bit more. She has been quite annoyed with everything lately, to the point that she keeps saying she should never have left Holland!

More stuff happened which I will recall in another post. I've not been in the mood

Botanical drawings

Still working to get some samples of botanical illustrations and to get my grove back. It may be working. I'm starting to look at my garden plants and at nature as I walk in a whole new way. Its still way too cold and rainy for this time of year. Means my garden landscaping work is still not done. Oh well.

Here are some examples. A branch from a magnolia. Done in Inktense I do like this medium

 My favorite: a drawing in Inktense of a daylily. Forget the name.

A drawing in ink of a day lily called  "french lingerie".

A drawing of an iris.

Hoping for renewal

I've been in a funk for far too long. I thought the coming of spring might cure it, but so far..... not so good. Not in the mood for much of anything I normally relish. So I'm doing less working out, less walking, less interest in getting to my paints and pencils, less interest in seeing folks. I have been starting to work in the garden a bit, but even that is less satisfying than normal. I'm still waiting to get a quote and movement on the back Plus our plumbing issues seem to be eating up whatever we got back on our taxes. Mom still comes looking for me every time I try to get something done in my office or studio. Does not need anything other than to see me here in front of her. My dad was like that too the last year. He had no interest other than to see mom in front of hem. I am getting a lot of reading done.

The only art work I did complete is this three media drawing of the same piece of wood bole that has been carved with a Buddha on the inside. Did it as an illustration for our next Art Group session that I'm presenting.

I used pencil for the first, then water soluable coloured graphic pencils, and then Inktense water soluable pencils for the third.

Drawing for Art Experience

Last Thursday was the Station Gallery's Drawing for art. I had donated a picture. In total there were 137 pictures donated and 100 tickets sold, so obviously some would not be chosen. Interesting and eclectic assortment. Nicely done event. Met most of my artist friends who had also donated and have been doing so for a while. Mine did get picked as well. So that is gratifying.

Here is my contribution again.

April 15 report

Its been three weeks since I last posted. I've not been "in the mood" for much lately. Too much dealing with car repairs; leaking toilets causing a collapsed part ceiling in the garage; oven burner turning white hot and laming out! There's more! I started seeds and had my mini greenhouse on the table in from of the living room window. Cats left it alone for 2 whole weeks. Then maxi decided to sit on top of the green house. It caved in and the seedling were more than a little the worse for wear. I've re-seeded some and are hoping the best for the rest. i'be taken them to the only place I could that had enough light and away from the cats. So its now installed on top of my art desk in front of a south window (the only one in our whole house!).


I have a painting of orchids on the way, but I can't seem to be able or willing to pick up a paint brush. Not sure why, but all of my creative juices seems to have gone into torpor.Maybe next week. I've decided to give myself space and time to re-kindle.

Spring maybe?!?!

Officially its spring, but I'm not so sure its really here yet. Mom is asking when it will be summer numerous times a day, and following me around all the time. I'm under-motivated and feeling less than creative.

Last week we did life drawing in our Art group. Good but am I ever rusty. I would like to be able to take weekly classes again. Some day!


I have started a painting of orchids two times, and then covered the canvas with gesso to start it again. The only thing I did do is an abstract acrylic. I call it Butterfly.

No computers and dishwasher repairs!!!

Why is it "stuff" always breaks down in multiples!!! Computer seized up and ended up having to be cleaned out and reloaded. As a results its going to be a while before all is back to where we can find it readily. Bookmarks being one area that was not completely saved, so I even had a challenge finding this Blog!

I did manage to finish some painting this week.

This is a painting of orchids that I did using acrylics. Red iron oxide background. Not quite as " removed" as I had wanted it, but I did learn a lot about colour and contrast.

There is also a watercolour of ice ponds that I finally finished. Same photo source as the pastel I did a couple of weeks ago.

Acrylics pansies and success with replication!

I participated in a session painting pansies with acrylics. Results are OK, but I will try this again.

I also played some more to try to replicate the effects I got when I did the painting that I'm giving to the Drawing for Art. I knew I used a brayer to apply colour, but the effects were not right until i used Hot Press paper and inks!!

Drawing for Art

I waffled for a while, but I have decided to enter one of my abstracts in the Drawing For Art exhibition at a local gallery. All proceeds go to the gallery, so its a good cause. Made me sit up though and take my art more seriously, and made me start to think about how to write my Bio and/or Artists Statement. What is my art all about? Why do I do what I do and what inspires me? Not so easy.

At any rate, I chose an abstract and have had it framed. Here it is.

Only challenge is that I have not been able to recreate the same effect in my efforts this week. So I'll have to practice some more, since I do like the result.

I also did another pan pastel. Mostly this is something I can do downstairs in the family room with mom. As soon as I try to do something out of her sight, within 10 minutes she is looking for me. Makes it a bit of a challenge to work in my studio. Oh well.

2011 Week 4

Winter is too long already! I've had an up and down time of it lately, what with all the shoveling snow, and dealing with dark days. Same with my creative endeavours. Last week, we had our Art Group session. Watercolour landscape. Marion's instructions were great, as was her execution. Mine I found to be more than a bit boring. Sky turned out well, aweful trees. But here it is.

So I decided to try another similar scene my self. Bit better, but still boring.

To get myself looser, I decided to do a pastel of a scene from Sable island.

I've been thinking of taking the same source but producing it in different medium for effect. So here is the same scene in watercolour with the ghost like impression of the horses that were in the photo.

 I like the pastel best!

2011 Week 3

Its already the start of the third week of this new year. Too much winter for me. I am pining for spring. Bought some seeds yesterday to get my garden started.

New year, new week, new paintings.

I tried another pastel painting using my new Pan Pastels. Its of an orchid spray.

I also completed an acrylic study that I started last week. I've thinking about doing colour studies. This one is in reds with some analogous highlights.

New Media!

I got some Pan Pastels for Christmas. A gift to myself!!! Why not, eh! I ordered them from Cheap Joe's, but now I noticed that Curry's has somewhat of a display finally. I've always loved the effects that some artists can create using pastels, but so far I've not felt that I was able to really master the techniques with the types of pastels I had been using. So I was interested in trying these. I must say I looked at them for a couple of weeks before I was ready to try them. Had a lot to do with my malaise as far as feeling creative. I hope that I'm over that, now that I've given myself permission to just do without the need for whatever pressure I seem to have been putting on myself.

At any rate, these are very creamy and easy to apply with the sponge applicators. I'm still trying to master control of details but I like the potential, especially in mixed media. Here is my first attempt at Irises.

 I may work on it some more.

And here is another stamped piece on my own hand made paper that I also completed this week.

New Year, new focus!

Its now January 5 2011. Hard to believe that this century is now more than a decade old. Made me antsy initially since I was very conscious of not doing much to further this mission of spending a Year Creatively! Very low interest. That gets coupled with self imposed pressure to perform, which leads to disappointment. Then I had an ahah moment today! This year is about being true to myself and fostering my inner artist, NOT about meeting artificially imposed deadlines or expectations. Not an earth shattering idea overall, but useful when it dawned on me that I have no one to please than myself.

So, who knows what I will or will not achieve this year. All I know it that's its a journey, but its MY JOURNEY, to do with what feels right.

So  right now I'm sitting here typing this first Blog of 2011, with Max curled up on my lap. Makes typing a bit of a stretch, but its very pleasant to realize that he now feels this secure that any time I sit at the computer its lap time. He's actually asleep! A first.

T'is the week before Christmas!

And all through the house both creatures are stirring, in fact they are running around like maniacs, not a mouse in sight! I guess they have settled and have decided that we are formally adopted. Max is sitting beside me at the moment, but will soon try to climb up in my lap. Mom does not really remember much of what this season is all about, but she is clear on next week is the start of a new year. It seems to be all about reaching and passing 100 for her.

I'm as ready as I'm going to get for Christmas, and am looking forward to watching a bunch of movies that I rented. No Christmas movies!!!

I'm still not really back into being creative. Did do a couple of works using my hand made paper. This is one.

 

I used two different stamps that I cut out with acrylic paint and then tied the prints with gel pen. I like the unruly lace effect of the paper. My technique is not to refined yet.

St Nickolaas and snow!

Well winter has started with a blast very early this year. On Sunday we had to shovel about 5 inches it felt like. Looks like it is going to stick around too. More snow predicted for today as well as the rest of the week.

Yesterday was Sinterklaas! Played yuletide music on the radio all day. Not sure how I feel about celebrating Christmas this year. I've started to put up decorations and have done a bit of baking, but the "spirit" has not kicked in yet. I don't think there will be too much socializing this season all in all. Our Art Club Christmas Pot Luck was cancelled. I will miss it.Always has been one of the key events of the season for me.

Not too much painting being done. I've had a hard time getting re-motivated after I had to give up my studio space for the 2 weeks or so before I got it back together. My momentum is a bit lost. I tried an Open House for my jewelry this past weekend. Some interest on the Sat, but Sun was a wipe-out probably because of the snow.

At any rate, here are a couple of small card sized paintings I did do. First, a water based ink pencil and watercolour painting of a pointsetta on my family room table.

Next, an acrylic mono-print of pointsetta leaves done on my own hand made paper!

December already!

Its been a while since I've posted, and more importantly, since I've been creative! But now our guests are gone, I've re-organized my studio space, so all that's needed now is for me to get back to wielding a paintbrush or something. Motivation has been more than a bit low. Mom is struggling or maybe its me who is struggling with her gradual decline. Plus the weather is grey. It seems like its been ages since we've seen sunshine. I'm in a cocooning mood.

I am also getting ready for my Jewelry Open House this weekend, so a little bit of creativity going on there. I doing some baking (always a creative process for me), decorating the front of the house and the hall, and cleaning out my cases. max has decided to sit on my lap while I'm writing this post. He has been doing that a couple of times a day lately!

At any rate, I will post this one abstract I was working on before our guests arrived. I think its finished.

Baby monitors and paper making!

I"ve cleared out much of my studio room to put in the borrowed beds for my cousin and her daughter that are coming for a visit as of Nov 11. I'm a little anxious about it all, because mom has been very up and down lately. Its hard to gauge how she will handle this "change". She has taken to getting up at night and getting dressed to go downstairs to to go to church (on TV), so I've gotten a baby monitor to be able to hear her before she gets into herself into trouble. Makes for not too restful sleep. I think she is still fighting off her bladder infection. last Friday ahe got up and had breakfast normally, then said she had to go to bed because she did not feel well. Its always difficult to figure out what is going on with her body, since she can not or will not tell me. Bit of both I think. She did say she felt achy. So back to bed. I worried if I should call the doctor; take her to emergency; etc etc She mostly slept till about 4:00 pm, when she decided she must have her morning bath and breakfast. So whatever it was, it passed fairly quickly.

I did manage to make paper with my friend last week. I used some of the Japanese Abaca pulp that I got with my kit.I had soaked one of the two big sheets. Had to do the whole thing since it was impossible to cut. Made a lot, and I do mean a lot of pulp. Only used about one third of it. But apparently it can be squeezed out and frozen to use another time, which I did. So I have 2 freezer bags full of pulped paper. I may try to do some sculping with it after were back to normal again (As if that ever happens!!!)

Here is a sample of the paper. Some are plain and some I added shredded banana leaf.

Now to figure out what to use the paper for!

Hospital scare!

On Sunday we had another scare with mom. She had gotten up, watched mass on TV, had breakfast and her bath and gotten dressed in a new outfit. I could hear the clicking of her cane as she was coming downstairs. Then in stopped. So I wondered if she was going back upstairs or what. When I checked, she was laying on the staircase backwards near the top, passed out. I yelled at Alex to call 911. After a minute or so she came back but was extremely agitated. I got her to lay down on her side as instructed. When the ambulance workers came they did decide to take her in because her blood pressure was quite low.

Heart monitor, intravenous, X ray, ultrasound, blood work and urine tests all boiled down to six hours later determining that  she had another bladder infection. Gave her intravenous  medication in the hospital to get the antibiotics started. Then home.

She remembers none of this of course, and I've been having a challenge getting her to drink enough water to make the bladder flush.  Last time it took two trips to the hospital over 4 weeks to clear up the infection. I'm hoping that it be OK this time. Its a scare though. This is the second time that she has passed out on the staircase!

I am cleaning out my studio space to make room for the 2 mattresses. I did create  a number of pieces of jewelry for a commission  (black crystal necklace, earrings and bracelet; amethyst necklace to complement a pair of earrings and bracelet I had done some time ago; and green crystal and foil bead necklace with earrings). I also worked to complete a small wate rcolour sketch, before I pack everything up.

Breakdown

Well, I how long it would take before I "slipped up" and did not post as I meant to. So its been since Oct 11 that I last posted. Not much creative activity in the last couple of weeks. Been trying to help Alex get the basement area more cleaned up and organized. Taking more time than I had hoped.

I've not done much painting at all, although I did do a demonstration of mono printing with our Art Group on Wednesday. That was fun, and they seemed to enjoy it. I'm not too thrilled with my results, but I do have an idea that I want to experiement with. Other than that, I am working to create a couple of commisioned pieces of jewelry for a client. Will show the results when do.

That's it!!!!

Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for the cat, Max sitting on my lap as I type this post, licking my hands!! Its quite lovely when he feels safe  enough to do so.

I am thankful that the old fridge downstairs and the old freezer have been picked up and that we are finally able to do some cleaning up in Alex' area downstairs. I am thankful that Alex is agreeable to having me help.

I am thankful for the lovely weather this weekend. Actually was warm enough to sit outside.

I am thankful that I am getting interested in figuring out how to make money on-line.

I am thankful for mom who never complains even she could have reason to. I have been getting short of late with her grunts and groans.

I am thankful for the opportunity to cook a nice meal, and for all of us to be able to enjoy it together.

I am thankful for the fact that I was able to get a painting done this week, and that I am pleased with the results. I may even get to liking working with watercolour! This is from a photo in an advertising brochure. I liked the colour and the angle. I may try it again in a much more stylized form.

I am thankful for my life, those I love and for another day to be blessed in this beautiful country, and spectacular universe!

Drumming & Freezers

Friday I got to go to a special drumming workshop with  a African trained teacher from PQ, Jacqueline. Great energy and learned some new rhythms. Then waiting for the new freezer to be delivered. Finally they came at 5:45 pm on Sat. They were supposed to move the old freezer out so that the new smaller one could go at the top end of the garage. It was very heavy!! Full. Before I knew what was happening they had tipped it on its side and and put it on a dolly to move it to the door area of the garage. Not being careful, the door popped open and some of the contents were spilling out!! I had told them it was full, but obviously did not register. In any rate, it all got resolved and the old freezer ended up right side up again. This morning I cleaned out the old one and filled up(!!!!) the new one. Its amazing what is lurking at the bottom of a freezer that I had forgotten about. I won't be buying bread again for a very long time. Ditto coffee.

I actually also finished a painting and practiced some more with mono printing. With the painting I poured acrylic paint and moved it around so that it swirled. Its what I was trying for with the self-leveling gel a few weeks ago. I got some of the effect I was going for without using get.

Here is the mono print.

Mid Week 17

It's Thursday morning. So far everything is quiet. I've been low key this week and a bit sad. Not to mention, a little lost as to what to do or not do. I think mom has had another little stroke. She had a headache on Monday and willingly went to lay down for a while. When she got up a few hours latter, it was like she was jut a bit more lost and definitely she has been a bit cranky. When I try to determine what is going on, she pushes me away and sluffs it off, so I can't get a true handle on things. She has a doctor's appointment next week, so I guess we will see what he thinks.

As to painting, I have been working a bit. Here is a sketch I did a couple of days ago when it was actually nice enough to sit outside for an hour or so. It is not quite right as far as the shadows are concerned. I may try it again sometime.

I've also been experimenting some more with monoprinting to get ready. Nothing spectacular so far.

Wet and dry stuff!

Some week. Between almost letting mom's bath overflow because I was distracted by a phone call, getting the carpets cleaned and throwing mom and cats into chaos because life is not "all systems normal" and getting soaked by Hydro, its been some week!

All in all, its left me pretty dry. Tried a few things but other than this mono-print, none of it worked. I've been distracted with stuff that needs to be done, stuff I'd like to be doing and stuff that is landing on my plate unexpectedly. None of it is what I want to be doing. Griping is so over rated. Changes nothing..

Here is my mono-print for this week .I was experimenting to get ready for the next Art Group meeting when I'm supposed to be demonstrating this technique. I tried a couple. This one I liked, especially after I'd gone back in with gold ink

Carnelians Garnets & Pastels

I ended up being able to get the jewelry case moved on Thursday night and set up my display on Friday morning. Light was missing the transformer. Looked everywhere logical that I could think up till finally on Saturday (after I went back to Ikea to see if I could get just a transformer --- no such luck. Had to buy a new one) I remembered to check the hall bench. Yep, there it was somewhat the worse for wear. So its just as weel I got a new one. The cord and transformer fit the existing light in the case. It looks great.

As it turned out on Friday one of Sue's customer's was interested in a bracelet with garnets and goldstone (she used my list of Gemstone Properties to figure out stones that would support anemia and poor circlution. Not an aethetically good combination. I went through my resources  by ailment and determined that I did have some garnets, plus carnelian and hematite that would support those conditions. I met with her on Saturday and she choose garnets and carnelian. I made up the bracelet on Sunday and also made up a necklace and earrings set while I was at it. Here they are

In addition, this first request for custom design spurred me to take out ALL of my stones and sort through them and bag them by type and colour. Good to see what I do in fact have in stock and what I might want to get when I go on another buying spree. I definitely have too mcuh turquoise in every shape and shade possible. Its gotten me planning new creations.

The only other thing I got done yesterday was this pastell. I worked off the same photo from the workshop It was so nice that Mom and I were able to sit outside for a while out front during the afternoon. Its supposed to get up to 26 by Tuesday!

Mid Week 15 Report

Yesterday our Probus Art Group went for a workshop with a local artist, Tony Johnson who demonstrated his approach to painting a landscape scene using acrylics. He uses a bright (red) undercoat and then blocks in all the darks before applying lighter details. We all did the same using a photo as a basis while we followed his step by step approach. Here is my results.

I'm pleased with it.

I've started another painting and am going to try to use the same methods in another landscape. See how that  works out.

Other than that, I've gotten quite interested again in exploring the power of using crystals and rocks for energy and healing. Been reading my books again, and have moved a large piece of Rose Quartz into our bedroom and  have place a piece of Citrine in the south-east corner of our house.

No joy this week!

End of week 14 and I've not got much of anything to show for it. It's been too cold and rainy to sit outside and work, and I've not been inspired to pick up much in the way of a paintbrush.

What I have been doing though is creating in my kitchen. Went to the Farmers' Market  and bought a basket of tomatoes from a very old farmer with a beat up truck and not too much on display on his table. The tomatoes looked great though! I made a big batch of spaghetti sauce using basil and other herbs from my garden, Then I tried t recipe for slow roasted tomatoes. Made a batch of tomato soup out of them mixed half with frshe tomatoes. Quite a lovely flavour. Today I made a batch of cookies.

I've also been occupied doing up tags for my jewelry that included brief descriptions of the properties of the various gemstones I've used in a given piece. Quite time consuming.  That's in prep for setting up my dispaly case in the store.

Mid week 14!!

Tuesday it was 30 degrees and steamy! Today, Thursday, its about 14 degrees with a cold wind. Fall is here with a vengeance after this oh so hot summer. Its been a week for chores and fixing things, so I got less time to paint than I might have liked. I'm also in the process of re-organizing my jewelry pieces for sale, since I have a place that will take my case and fill it with my jewelry! Should give me the incentive to create some new pieces!

This is only painting I've finished so far this week. I was in a stylized mood and wanted to try to work with my Trius Professional 3 tipped markers on bleedproof paper. The 'bleedproof' part is not quite true. So here is my fish with waterlily.

13 weeks! One quarter of a year!

Its already 13 weeks since I started this blog. I'm thrilled that I've managed to stick to both the creative process and the journalling!! Its not unusual for me to shift focus to other projects, interests or fascinations to the detriment of what I've started.. So kudos to me for still going strong.

I had bought, with the help of my cousin Annemarie in Holland, some DVD on Holland history and geography for my mom's birthday. We thought watching stuff that she was familiar with would keep her interest a little longer. Unfortunately, DVDs are not universal, so when we got them they would not play through our equipment. Thank god for Mark, our computer guru who was able, with some challenges, to transfer them to a format that will play. Got them yesterday. It was hard to find out what was on the DVD's when I bought them through a Dutch site, BOL.com, (somewhat like Amazon), so the first one we sat down to view was all of 12 minutes with English voice over. Another one seems to have no voice over at all, just a camera going through various canals!! Not too thrilling. The 3rd one is about Historic Leiden, the city mom grew up in and lived until she married my dad. Completely old black and white films and stills from the 1930 to 1970. Some voice over that was in Dutch that was clear; other stuff from what looked like newsreels from the 40's was very rapid fire announcer type voice over that was hard to follow. Mom was quite intrigued and it did hold her attention, though she did not seem to recognize anything from the streets, canals and events shown.

I recognized places from when I was about 3 or 4 and was staying at my grandma's place above the Jamin candy store 2 of my aunts ran. I think this was one of the many times my mom was anemic and was in a sanitorium and I was left in Leiden. I caught whooping cough so I was laid up for sometime, and my uncle and aunts (un-married at the time) were living at home and taking turns entertaining the first grandchild!! I remembered being  taught how to tell time, and played at being princess Mariska! I also remember on Friday mornings the famers would drive their sheep, pigs and cattle to the market past grandma's house. I can still recall the smell. I slept in the front room upstairs. I always remembered the room being huge, until I went back to Holland when I was 11, going on 12. The room, in fact the whole 2 story apartment, seemed to be a whole lot smaller than I remembered.

Well on to the creative stuff! This week, I worked a a couple more small acrylic paintings using hand carved stamps and finished with gloss gel . The stamp is carved out of an eraser in the shape of a stylized leaf.

As well I did a larger abstract that seems to have sea horses in the patterns that evolved from the tissue paper surface when I added layers of very diluted acrylic paint.

Oasis HD!

Since we have gotten our new plasma TV with the HD package, we've become mezmorized by the picture quality, especially with some of the coral sea and South Paciifc programs on Oasis and National Geograhic  channels. So needless to say, I've been drawn to (pun intended) sketch birds and fish. Been very hot, hot, hot this week. Very abnormal for this time of year. Harder to get things done. Mom has slowed down even more this week. Hard to see.

At any rate this is what I've gotten done so far this week. This is a drawing of a wrase, a coral reef inhabitant. My source photos are nowhere near as spectacular as the HD programs. This was done in watercolour, but I may try the next one in pastels.

I'm also working on a couple of abstract paintings. Should be done by the end of the week. Today (Wednesday) lots of running around for me doing chores in 38 degrees real feel!! By the time I got home I'm wilting.

Week 12 update

Cleaned out linen closets this week. It is amazing what gets buried! Four bags later of stuff to give away and throw away! Detritus of not being able to pay attention to "stuff" accumulating in one's life. I do feel that there is way to much 'stuff" everywhere. Will take a lot of effort to go through it all eventually.

I was able to try a lino block print this week. I used a much softer version of the old school linoleum to cut a stylized fish. Added impressions of another small block I cut a while ago on an eraser. Used proper inks and brayers.

Also managed to get two drawings done sitting outside this weekend with mom. Lovely weather---not too hot 26 or so--- and no humidity.

Here is my bluebird.

And here is another try at the swallowtail butterfly. Different source photo from the one I did several weeks ago. Turned out better I feel.

I found it hard to get motivated this week to get working on something bigger and new. I have made a list of a lot of things that need to be fixed in the house and in the garden. May have something to do with it.