Something really outstanding happened today.  This afternoon as I was walking out the door to go to work, I just happened to look out towards the mailbox, and there was a Robin.  At first I thought I was seeing things, but then, another one flew down from the tree.  I got Bruce up off of the couch and told him to look see, and by the time he got to the window, there was three more.  They were looking for food, and scratching at the ground.  I was able to find my canister of meal worms left over from last spring, so I threw a few handfuls out by the mailbox and along the sidewalk.  I hope they will be okay.  We were so surprised to see them this early.  They never show up here in Michigan until first few weeks of March.  This is a rarity.  They had to pick one of the coldest weekends to come back. 

I don't have any artwork to show today, and I haven't created anything special worth talking about, but I did receive a really nice handmade Thank You card from Harlan, one of the staff members at Heartfelt Creations.  I was so thrilled to get it in the mail. It was so thoughtful of them.  I really would love to be on their design team... just another "something I want to do"... if only I had more time to do all the things I want to do.  I purchased the Black Friday deal last year of the Flip-Fold albums with inserts and pockets, and then in December the Coffee Talk collection, then in January the Sugar  Hollow collection... I just love the cute little owls.  I haven't been able to use any of them yet.... but I am excited about pulling them out soon and going crazy with them.  I forgot to mention that I also purchased some dies and stamps and the deluxe shaping tool set while at their booth at the Novi paper crafts expo last August.  I want to go to Goshen and have a tour of their facility... I guess I better make sure I put in some overtime first. 

Here I am blogging when I could be creating, but after a long nights work at my job, I am tired and just ready for bed.  I wish I would've gotten some pictures of the Robins for you to see, maybe they will be back again today.  Until next time......Create something Exciting!

It is now January 29, 2016.  Wow, I know I should be ashamed of myself for leaving my blog for so long, but life has been quite a challenge for me these past couple of years.  But I am back now, and ready to create. 

So, I never went to dog grooming school, so I never became a dog groomer... I sold a few prints of a couple of pictures I had drawn.  I created and taught an original project at my art club in 2014.  It was a snowy owl on a black background which was titled by my best friend Kristy, "Arctic Moon Rising".



I have sold a couple prints of this, I have promised the original to my son.  After I sold "Apache", I don't think I can bring myself to part with another original. 

I also sold a couple prints of my graphite pencil drawing titled "The Garden Shelf".  This one took me a whole week to finish working on it every day.  I did this drawing back in 2010, but tweaked it and totally finished it in 2014 where I had a few prints made.  I sold 3....



I did an American Kestrel in colored pencil... I really should have had him sitting on a branch as I just cannot draw any part of the human figure as you can tell by the looks of this finger..., but I thought the bird itself turned out nice. 



I haven't really drawn anything for the last couple of years, as I have really struggled with being creative... but I'm better now, and can hardly wait to get started on my next drawing... or rather, get back to it as I have already started it...it's just been upstairs on my shelf since 2014.

My 9 year old niece Megan had her first art lesson with me using colored pencils.  We did a portion of a Tina Norris design that I taught at our art club last October.  She did very, very well.  Good job Megan!!!  I really like teaching young people.  I told her that we'll do another colored pencil project, and then I will introduce her to watercolor.  She really liked using my Faber Castell Polychromos pencils instead of the ones that was included in the art set I got her for Christmas.  Look out little brother, my niece is finding out the difference between the art supplies you buy a child, and the professional artist's grade that I use....

 

 

We were at my great friend Diane's house, with her and my sister Nony.  They also worked on theirs too..

But I have a new interest.... card making.  So, I am going to have a little fun with making some of my own greeting cards...

Tomorrow I am celebrating my birthday with a day out with my husband Bruce, my son James and his girlfriend Kasara, Bruce's son Nathan and his girlfriend Adessa and their daughter Alex.  We are going to Middlebury for lunch/dinner, and then to Shipshewana for a bit... looking forward to it! 

Until next time....

2012 is almost gone, and 2013 is just around the corner.  Significant changes are in my future as I am no loner out there on the highway driving that semi all over creation.  I left the trucking industry.. although I am keeping my CDL for that "just in case" time when I have to have a job again that will let me make serious money for the spring/summer/fall... but I am hoping that day will never happen.  I am planning on going to school in the spring and become a dog groomer... yes, a dog groomer... I always wanted to do that... but the "changes" that I am talking about is finally being able to create some great pieces that I can sell get established in the art world as a serious artist... and I would really like to start exploring the world of designing...  At the moment I have 6 hours a day between work and sleep for "me time"... although I have to share some of that time with Bruce (my husband), housework, family, pets, personal time, grocery shopping, artist club,... and the list goes on... in the end, I don't really get that much time for my art, but I really have to learn to manage my time better... working on that.

I have curtains to make for my living room, so that will take up my time until January, so in 2013 I will get my mind set on beginning my next piece "Black Majesty" in colored pencil and from there who knows what will conspire. 

Oh by the way, I had to change the name of my blog as there is a man in California with the same name for his business... Who imagined a man named Essy... I didn't know that was a man's name... or does this man have a girl's name....anyway... although my studio isn't really an attic, it's still my upstairs studio that is like climbing the steep winding stairs into an attic.

Until next time, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

A new commission, and my next project

I have been commissioned by the same woman who is buying "Apache" for her father, to do her red tailed hawk "Onyx".  I will be meeting with her next month to complete the sale of Apache, and to set up a day for a photo shoot for Onyx.  I'm looking forward to doing this bird for her.  She informed me that in her wedding last year, this hawk flew their wedding rings down the isle to them and did an awesome job.  I thought about doing a regular portrait of her, and then seeing if she would be interested in a drawing of this bird flying down the aisle with the wedding rings... what do you think... I think it would be a wonderful keepsake for them.

I am also planning on doing this bird in the near future.... I know, I know, but I think he/she deserves a portrait just as the majestic hawk does.  All of God's creatures are beautiful in their own way, and this turkey buzzard is no different.  They have a very real purpose, and do a very good job of it... taking care of those poor unfortunate ones killed by vehicles everyday on our busy highways.  They are important to our ecosystem, and it would be a disgrace for any animal killed by man or nature not to serve a purpose of the living, otherwise they would have died in vein.  I will call this drawing "Black Majesty".

This pose was struck just for me as I inched a little closer a little at a time trying to get a good shot.  I was told in no uncertain terms that "I was close enough!"  So, I snapped my photo and left it be.  It was standing on the edge of the parking lot at a busy shopping center all by itself... and not moving much.  This is quite uncommon for this bird as they stay in groups, and are rarely seen alone, but to be among all this commotion and staying quite still, I can only assume that somehow this bird may be injured in some way and unable to fly.  Considering all the power lines overhead, I wonder if it flew into one and is now unable to fly away.  Hopefully it will recover from whatever it's plight and fly back to where it is supposed to be.  But, I will enjoy drawing this bird for my own collection.

Living on the road...

Well, It's been almost 2 months I've been away from home and I only have another 2.5 months to go... or around that figure.  Depends upon how soon spring returns to Michigan.  I've not been getting to work on my art projects as much as I have wanted, but every little bit helps.  I'm beginning a project drawing by a wonderful colored pencil artist by the name of Tina Sue Norris, CDA, TDA.  It is a pattern packet that I purchased at HOOT in Columbus, OH last year.  The ladies in my painting club want me to teach it to them (everything is pattern based in this club), so I am working on it, studying it, and am going to attempt to teach this to a group of ladies that normally use a brush for their art.  It does introduce watercolor pencil into the colored pencil project, so I think it will be a great learning experience for them.  I wish I could get them to expand their horizons and create a work of art 'without' a pattern from another artist, as I believe these women could create some beautiful pictures from just a photograph, or even by just looking at something and visualizing it on their surface.  I know they have it in them... they just won't step out of that 'pattern packet' comfort zone.  I did, and my red tailed hawk is the product of my desire to create 'my' art and not just 'reproduce' someone elses work.  I get so much satisfaction out of working from life and photos... I just want to create something new everyday.  And I do, in my head.  It doesn't seem to make it to paper as I just don't have much time for drawing out here on the road in a tractor-trailer... but I write my ideas down, and I have began a couple sketchbooks that I tend to doodle and experiment in when I get the chance.  Hopefully in a couple weeks I will get a few days off to see my son as he and his girlfriend will be on their way to Orlando, Florida.  I am hoping to get a day to spend with them, and a day to work on the project.  I will post pictures of my progress on it as I do it, and in the process, I will also be learning to use watercolor pencil which I haven't delved into yet... so it is another artistic adventure for me.  Wish me luck that my owl doesn't turn out looking like a chicken...

"Apache" Red tailed hawk in colored pencil

I have finally finished the Red Tailed Hawk that I spoke of in my previous posts.  It was done on Canson Mi-Teintes art paper with Faber-Castell Polychromos colored pencil. I will have to add the dimensions at a later date as I don't remember what they are.  I was thrilled with it and was even more thrilled when I finally found out what this bird's name was.  The owner of this hawk's daughter contacted me and wants to buy the piece for her father.  I want to have some prints made of this piece first as I hope I will be able to sell some.  Wow!  My first piece that I will actually sell... I almost feel a little panicky at the prospect of actually letting this one go... but I have that problem no matter what I do...