Teach Us to Number our Days

My goodness folks...do you realize that we are already one week into the month of JUNE!

This past week, as we quickly approach the 1/2 way point in 2017, I started feeling that I needed to really roll up my sleeves and getting focused on my art and what I want to accomplish as an artist. I'm determined that I will not work any more part-time accounting jobs.  The last job I had was a complete disaster and I probably could benefit from a few therapy sessions.  Brad says, "You're letting her live in your head rent free."  It's been a whole year and  I still can't bring myself to drive down parts of Russell Road.   No...I'm determined to make this ART THING work for me and have it supplement our retirement income while doing something I love!

I have always been someone with a dozen projects going and struggling to completely finish any of them.  Multitasking can be a very good skill to have in the business world but not it can be somewhat of a problem when it comes to producing art.  Or at least that is my current belief.

Hanging on the wall above my drawing desk is a large dry erase board.  I dug around and found some good dry erase markers and decided to write my goals so that I could have a visual each and every time I step into the studio.

*LEARN PHOTOSHOP
*CREATE COLLECTIONS OF ART AND A PORTFOLIO FOR THE PURPOSE OF HAVING MY ART LICENSED
*ORGANIZE MY POEMS, STORIES AND ILLUSTRATIONS INTO A BOOK FORMAT FOR FUTURE PUBLISHING
*BUILD UP MY ONLINE ETSY STORE WITH MERCHANDISE IN DEMAND THAT BRAD AND I CAN CREATE, SELL AND SHIP.


This past week I happened across a wonderful website that had what I feel is a good example of a licensed art portfolio to use and an example.  I'm SO happy to find the art of Becky Schultea.  A fellow sister in Christ and artist that seems to be doing a lot of things that I want to eventually accomplish and she is doing it right.  I have already started jotting down some ideas for collection themes and makes the need of me learning Photoshop even more evident.  I was really struck with her style of making her images appear to be floating above the background almost like a sticker.  This is similar to my color pencil drawings when I apply a shadow line that results in giving the image a pop off the page or a more 3-D appearance.

I just might be a wee bit partial, but I really think my "Down Country Roads" art would look good on coffee cups, flags, pillows and stationary so I just have to convenience the corporate world of that fact.

So this summer I have a lot to get accomplished and I hope that I'm up to the challenge.


Mostly, I just plan to KEEP drawing and painting, like I have before but focus more on making collections with my sketching efforts.  Learn from successful artists already in the field like Becky Schultea of Plantersville, Texas.

HO..HO..HO! FLEMISH GIANTS

This past week I had the pleasure of attending the Clark County Fair and Rodeo.  My favorite part of the fair of course is checking out the art exhibits but I really enjoyed my time walking through the small animal exhibits. 

The exhibit hall is a bit smelly, dusty and noisy but there is so much to see.  There were baby pigs and goats that were only 2 days old. There were loud crowing roosters and fancy chickens in all colors and sizes.  There was plenty to look at as I enjoyed strolled through each isle. 

One particular cage made me stop in shock!  Inside was the biggest rabbit I had ever seen. The cage label said he was a "Flemish Giant" and that was NO exaggeration. This bunny was HUGE! I just shook my head as I tried to imagine the havoc those giant incisors could wreak on any garden, flower bed, fruit trees or backyard vegetation. This guy could easily reach anything growing up to 3 feet or more off the ground with little effort.

This photo isn't my photo and it isn't the actual rabbit that I saw at the fair, but he looked just like this all stretched out in his cage. This would be TOO much bunny for me! I will just have to enjoy my little fluffy friends drawn on paper.

Not my photo- just one borrowed off the Internet to show what a Flemish Giant looks like

Just a Little Cowboy and His Dog

The years have just flown by and I find it hard to believe that it has been 8 amazing years since my entrance into the grandmother club.  I started just over a year ago creating a special birthday sketch for each of my grandchildren for their birthday.  Usually they consist of  a matted 5x7 ink and colored pencil sketch of themselves or something special to celebrate their special day. Sometimes I have even included a special poem.    As I draw, I make a habit of praying for each of them and asking God to bless their year, protect their family and bring them to a saving knowledge of His love and sacrifice.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of spending the whole day out in Boulder City at the art gallery there fulfilling my co-op responsibilities.  It is a lovely gallery and I find that it is a perfect place to bring my sketchbook and draw between customers.  I had only penciled a rough outline of what I had in mind for my grandson's birthday sketch.  Mom had sent me a picture of him trying on a cowboy hat that was just adorable so after I settled in at the gallery I pulled out my sketchbook and got started finishing my the sketch shown below.

 I really like how this little sketch turned out of Gavin and his dog Bella and I think he will like it too. Let me know what you think and if you're interested in seeing more of my work, please check out my website at JulieTownsendStudio.com.  

8 years old- Happy Birthday Gavin!