Things I Did Today So Far

Izzy and Shoobie In The Red Rocking Chair

What a lovely thing to see my little kitties cuddling together on this chair. Usually only one of them curls up on chair.  Must be close to winter.

Comics a la Lynda Barry

Bought Lynda Barry's "Syllabus". Trying to NOT be overwhelmed by all her notes and images...found a little humor here...

Flower pot with roots

I was cleaning out all the summer pots and as I was pulling up the dead stalks of leftover salvia and daisies, I tore so many roots that were deep down into the soil..quite beautiful their yellow, golden stems and feathery tendrils...

Roasted Root Veggie Soup

The theme is 'roots'. Michele drew beautiful root veggies...she inspired me...i drew root veggie soup in a pot..made me laugh...drawing a pot is way easier than drawing the carrots, beets and parsnips.

Paperclip...a meditation

The theme is 'free and easy'.  Not sure this has anything to do with theme...I gave myself the task of meditating on a paperclip for 15 minutes.  I thought something would easily 'come to me' if I stayed long enough, relaxed enough being with this ordinary paperclip.  My mind never shut up..."how long can i stay with this, this is so stupid, i can't do this, oh forget it, why did i even pick a paperclip its so boring, there is nothing here, nothing is happening, i cant stand this, this is ridiculous, my nose is running, i should just stop" I noted this is IMPATIENCE, DOUBT, FEAR, RESISTANCE, JUDGMENT. My more positive mind continued" allow IT to come to you, stop insisting, demanding, imposing your will. stop demanding to know, to get somewhere, to connect, just shut up, breathe, stay, relax..."
Allowing my thoughts to 'spin out of control' WITHOUT ACTING ON THEM (I wanted to quit, throw the paperclip against the wall) opened my heart, softened me, got me closer to myself, more present and LESS AFRAID.  It wasn't really about the paperclip...it was about STAYING with my intention.  I am deeply grateful for this great gift of meditation...to watch my fear and suffering melt away seems a miracle to me.

watercolor scribble

restarting blog again with andrea and michele...theme this week...'watercolor'. played around with scribbles with colored pencil and because the paper is SO NICE, it took watercolor easily...love the 'nobigdealness' of this exploration.

steve in chair

The drawing class structure this week was to focus on drawing a chair, from memory, imagination or real life.  I loved seeing everyone sitting their own unique way in their own unique chairs...I didnt get to draw them all, just steve in the yellow wicker chair.  I love the relationship of people to prop. I started out with blind contour drawing, and was so taken with the odd proportions that I continued drawing steve and chair using blind contour...then i colored the drawings in...so loving that he was wearing solid red hat, solid green shirt, bluejeans, sitting in yellow wicker chair...i could draw people in chairs forever  i thought...STeve's postion of feet caught my attention all morning...and rubbing his hands together as he viewed his drawing.