Longing to fly

Sketch

It's Been a Long Time

I haven't touched this blog in a VERY long time.  I've been trying to figure out life now that multiple sclerosis (MS) had caught up with me.  I have had MS for long time, over 20 years and was able to get back up after the attacks but as it's progressed, I'm not able to recover like I used to.  It has seriously effected my balance and it is not fun having vertigo.  And I am not able to walk much due to muscle weakness.  It's not something I can work through, as MS attacks the nerves in the nervous system and that caused things to go haywire, so working out doesn't fix the muscle weakness because it's not a muscle problem, it's the nerves that control the muscles - signals don't get through the damaged nerves from the brain to the muscles to make the muscles work.  Needless to say, I haven't been on a bike in a long time.  I miss it soooo very much. 

Being housebound sucks.  I have taken early retirement, which sucks too.  I'd rather be working and part of life instead of life moving on without me.  But enough whining. 

In the midst of winter, I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer - Albert Camus

I continue to work on my art skills and have sold a few pieces and kept a few that I really like.  But when I sleep, I dream of riding my bike. 

Will be Adding More Art Soon

I have a lot more art pieces to add to this blog, I'm a bit behind!  I sold my first painting, which sold in 3 minutes of posting it on my Facebook page!! I didn't even have it listed for sale!  Pretty neat. I am mailing the painting off to it's new home in Washington state this afternoon. 

I was asked how I like the NEW Touch Twin markers and I have to say I LOVE them.  The body design is comfortable and stylish and the new brush nib is awesome.  It is nice and flexible while having enough firmness.   I compared it to the brush on my Copics and they feel very much the same. 

That being said, I would LOVE to win some more so I am entering Touch Twin Markers and More Challenge with this entry: 

My World has Turned Upside Down

Watercolor on gesso'd paper in my Moleskine Sketch art journal.  This is cool because it can be viewed upside down as well as right side up.  The last photo shows the doodling I added, now it looks complete. 

Aqua Girl - Acrylic on Watercolor Paper

Guardian Angel

Acrylics, Inktense, Shinhan Touch Twin marker on watercolor paper.  It is not really so dark under the trees, I can't adjust the scan :( 

I Dream in Color. Art Journal entry

Acrylics and Graphite.  Stared out just moving paint around the page, without any plan.  The face is more subtle in real life that it is in the scan and the nose has a bit more detail which seems to wash out in the scan. 

Under the Tree - Art Journal Entry

Shinhan Touch Twin markers has another challenge going HERE!!

Shinhan Touch Twin Markers has a new Blog!!!

The new markers are on the market!  I can't wait to get some of the brush markers but so far the only place that has them doesn't ship to Alaska.  However, I'm told that the markers will be in other stores soon!!

Touch Twin Markers new blog is here:  http://touchtwinchallenges.blogspot.com/

There is a challenge going on so I am going to enter this:

The challenge didn't say it had to be a card :), just a person.  This is Shinhan Touch Twin markers  11x17 on smooth bristol

Went to the Cabin, Look who followed me Home

Was surrounded by beautiful wilderness and wild animals.  Saw lots of caribou, the inspiration for this painting I started at the cabin. 

Acrylic and Inktense on 16 x 20 gesso board. 

Far Away there in the Sunshine

Summer is winding down, it's getting dark at night instead of the summer 24 hours of daylight.  The leaves are turning.  I'm not ready for winter yet!

I have been taking a class by Wyanne called Paint Free, a way to just let go and find your own style of art.  I am enjoying this class and appreciate that it is not full of "your inner goddess" and stuff like that.  Guess what, I would make a crappy goddess because I am not divine and am full of the same human garbage as everyone else - therefore, it is my opinion that there are no goddesses.  Anyway, sometimes I feel like telling the artsy-fartsies, as my husband calls them, to just shut up and paint.  I dont' want to meditate or stand on my head or yoga poses or breath insense or imagine me as being a god.  What the heck does that mean anyway?

Anyway, the object of Paint Free is not to create masterpieces but to just paint rather spontainously and not focuse on what other people think is a piece of art.  So here are a few of my random, spontainious paintings.  And we can only use paint, which is hard for me since I have more control with drawing than painting.  We can also use alcohol to drip into very wet acrylic paint, which makes a very cool effect. 

I have been on my bike a few times and miss it so much.  I am feeling much better but not yet normal, but have more almost normal days than bad days! 

The penguin painting is actually drawn from a "blind scribble".  You close your eyes and just scribble around on a piece of paper and then find an image in the scribble and go for it.  It was fun. 

The View through my Bicycle Wheel was a 30 minute painting of something you love.  30 minutes and them you must stop.

The last is much a layering excersize and it is much prettier in person and looks very layered by making different layers with clear gesso and glossy self-leveling gel.   I can't get a good scan of it no matter what I try. 

Teal Haired Girl

Girl totally copied from Samantha Kira AKA Journal Girl.  9x12 canvas board.  Mixed Media, ShinHan Touch Twin marker alcohol inks, acrylics, collage, dip pen and india ink, white ink, gold embossing (the yellow looking swirls are really shiny golden embossing, flocking, Derwent Inktense pencils, beading.