“You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” ― Maya Angelou Zentangles on blocks in a rowRecently, I discovered a new way to open up channels to my creative process by learning how to Zentangle. Do you know about Zentangle? It is a doodling type process where a structured pattern is created using pencils and pens. If the spirit moves you, you can throw other mediums into the mix. It's an intuitive activity where the general rule of thumb is little to no erasing in the course o...
"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." ~ Mahatma Gandhi I gain a great deal of satisfaction creating art. It is a thing I was told when I was very young that I had an aptitude for but lacked the self confidence and belief in myself to recognize it. Fast forward decades later and now in my mid-life, I'm doing what I love. I don't do it with the high expectation of getting rich because if I did that, if I thought in that narrow way, it would negatively impact m...
"How important are the visual arts in our society? I feel strongly that the visual arts are of vast and incalculable importance. Of course I could be prejudiced. I am a visual art. " ~ Kermit the Frog I completed and shipped another set of 25 blocks to ArtOMat - Artists in Cellophane. As always it's a mixed bagged but I did make a Wild Flower series in this set. Freshly picked for ArtOMat The entire 12 Chinese zodiac series is completed. In this work, I created a digital collage. I compiled this work...
“Some of my finest hours have been spent on my back veranda, smoking hemp and observing as far as my eye can see.” ~ Thomas Jefferson I support the legalization of Cannabis Sativa. It's a naturally occurring herb that offers many benefits for mind, body and soul. One benefit that interests me the most as an artist, is the planet's psychoactive properties that opens gateways to creativity. As an individual, I should be allowed without restriction to experiment as just another tool for my creative process...
I've been in a graphic design program over the past 7 months. It's coming along and I've been getting good grades on my projects. It has been a challenge which helps to stretch my creativity as well as help me grow professionally. It's not easy coming up with creative ideas but lately, I'm drawn (no pun intended) to concerns that mean a great deal to me.I'm very active in things related to social awareness and humanitarian concerns. It takes up a great deal of my energy in my thoughts so it's only a natu...
One holiday observation I find to be very interesting is Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead. This day of remembrance honoring ancestors, dearly departed and friends is celebrated throughout Mexico. It is also celebrated in various ways around the world often known as All Saints Day or All Souls Day.The artwork depicting Dia de los Muertos often uses skulls designed in many colorful expressions. I've been working on a graphical representation as a way to practice new acquired skills through the Graphic D...
The graphic design course I'm studying is progressing at a steady pace. I'm managing to complete a project a week. I've gone through Photoshop, Illustrator and currently working in InDesign. All of these are within the Adobe suite. I love Illustrator due to the ease at which I can manipulate objects. I work however, interchangeably within the entire suite. Although still in a learning curve, I've acquired quite a bit of knowledge in a relatively short time. It takes my work to an all new level.I continue...
The other day, I received an email from Natalie Appleton a Canadian writer in Vernon, BC. Natalie asked if she could use my image, Chinese Year of the Snake on her blog. Of course, I was delighted to share my work with another artist. The way I see it, it's a collaborative effort of sharing our individual passions. Natalie features my work on her blog and I get to tell you about it and share her blog with you. It's a loop and a supportive effort.Natalie is a non-fiction writer. She has written articles f...
I've created the 10th animal in the Chinese astrology series: The Dog.The dog years are as follows:1910*1922*1934*1946*1958*1970*1982*1994*2006*2018If you were born in the year of the dog, you share the characteristics of being compassionate, reliable, pessimistic, anxious, honest, nosy and overwhelming. Other Chinese dog facts are:Eleventh in order, Chinese name—GOU, sign of fidelityHour—7pm-8:59pmMonth—OctoberWestern Counterpart—LibraAlthough this is the 10th drawing, I haven't created this series in ...
