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...

New Year's Eve in Savannah, GA

It's New Year's Eve and I'm settled into the Best Western here in Savannah, GA.  I'm gonna get myself a little dinner, watch a little TV, and then spend the rest of the evening relaxing.  Tomorrow I am going to walk to the Cracker Barrel for breakfast, and then spend the day finishing my hawk.  I have a buyer for it but I have to figure out how much to charge for it.  I wish I had someone to talk to about it who knows about what to charge.  I am a little clueless as to what type of price to put on it.  I want to sell it, but I don't want to just give it away.  I have put many hours into it.  It will be hard to part with it.  I think I will have some prints made of it to sell too.  I also am reading up on copyrights too... I want to copyright my work. 

I also have to get started on the owls that I am going to teach next summer.  They are done in watercolor pencil.  Quite a different technique than what I'm used to but I'm up to a challenge.

Red Tail Hawk in colored Pencil

I have been working most of the day and part of yesterday on my red-tailed hawk that I am doing with Faber-Castel Polychromos colored pencil.  I started this last year in my colored pencil class in college (which was a waste of my time and money as my instructor didn't know much at all about the medium), but I was determined to rework it, make it more pronounced.  When I did it for my class I didn't lay down enough layers on it to bring out all the color and value of the feathers, but I spent yesterday on the head and wings and today on the breast and glove. Unfortunately my hands hurt so much that I can hold the pencil much more, so I will stop for the day and work on the legs and feet an the rest of the glove tomorrow after I get in from work.  I've taken some pictures on my phone and will post them just as soon as I figure out how.  I will spend some time figuring that out after I have a little supper.  I think I will walk up the street to the IHOP.  I haven't eaten there for quite a while, and haven't eaten out since I've been here (except that burger from Hardee's the other day that made my fingers swell from all the msg, preservatives, salt and chemicals in it).  I'm really trying to get totally away from all those processed foods out there, and all that fast food that is really not good for me.  Until later.....

Second day in Chattanooga

Today was my second day here in Chattanooga, Tn, and would you know it, it snowed here today.  Not a lot like it would do in Michigan, but it snowed.  I think it followed me here.  Yesterday I took a liquid load to Hostess in Columbus, Ga and got back to the hotel around 10pm.  Today I rode along with a driver and did a flour load to Little Debbie just outside of town, got back to the room around 3pm.  I called in and I have to be at the yard at 4am to do a sugar load with a different driver.  This is what I need to learn as sugar unloads differently than flour and sugar is what I am going to be hauling out of Savannah.  But, I guess I need to know to unload it all since I may have to pick up a flour load as a back haul from somewhere and no telling where I will wind up.  I hope they give me my truck soon so I can put my stuff into it.  I have a bunch of stuff to take me through until April.  It looks like a lot, but it's just strewn out a little.  I need to repack it. 

Jimmy was accepted into the Disney internship program and I'm excited for him.  I sure hope Paula gets accepted too.  I don't want anything to happen to his relationship with her during the time he is away.  I know this is what he wants too. 

I think Bruce is enjoying his time at home without me right now.  I miss him, but we have went into this think knowing what is real so I am not afraid in the least that he won't want me to come home, or that I won't want to come home.  It's just a job, and it will be over in the spring and we will be back to normal.  I sure hope this winter goes by quickly.  But, I miss him already, and my dogs, and my cats, and my mom and Nony. 

I haven't gotten to start on my colored pencil class project yet, but plan on working on it a little while this evening after I get done here.  I wish I would've made notes and taken pictures when I did the original... what a dummy!  Will I ever learn???  Anyway... this time I will have notes and pictures.. and I hope I can get all this done before next summer so I can teach it.