07.30.10

It is mind-bedazzling to me that 30 days has transpired since I last posted here. I have been doing a ton of work. I guess that is part of the stupid reason. I am so dang busy.

One thing I bought while restocking the paper bins in my art studio was an actual moleskin watercolor journal, which is so friggin awesome. I am in love with it and want to figure out a way to carry my watercolors around with me all the time. I had something like ten commission paintings in the last three weeks, and it was a good way for me to play with the design ideas for them, and make small paintings before embarking on the larger one.

My lovely friend ShantiMama asked me to paint a picture for her doula, and this was an early draft. We ended up painting one with cool colors because of her calming spirit in the birth room. We also tried out an experiment, which I think worked which was to cut a frame in a 5"x7" watercolor card and tape the piece to it, so it can be a card, and then be framed or displayed later. This doula is a babylost mama too, so I represented her baby with a star pendant. The baby delivered is named Violet, which is what she is holding in her hands, and the vines with red flowers represent all the babies delivered and guiding her spirit as a birth companion. She is meditation because she is intentional in her loving support of these women.


 I also was asked to paint some jizo cards for another babylost mama's support people in delivery. I love them.

She also asked for a meditating mama and a large piece. She originally said 20"x30", but I didn't have anything in my studio that big and gave her an option of trying a watercolor canvas I picked up (16"x20"). Here is the little sketch I have in my moleskin for the piece. Then I started it and ugh, painting on canvas with watercolor blows. It really is not a good thing. The watercolors just sit there, they are unsaturated and washed out. I have something I sent to her for approval, but I am really thinking about buying a huge piece of paper and redoing the whole dang thing.

None of it works and I am embarrassed at the painting on this one. I also have no idea why I am sharing it here, but I am. Mainly because of the canvas not absorbing the water readily, even though it is supposed to be prepped for watercolor. She wants a gorgeous poem on it as well, and I haven't even gotten to that point. Still, I think it is good to learn these things by practice, rather than just dismissing them handily. I love canvas and don't work with it often because I mostly work in watercolor these days.

Well, I also have some more pieces to share. I made this for my Mami while we were sitting by the kiddie pool drinking wine. She needed a bookmark, so I made one with my family and my sister's family with a flag that says, "We love abuelita."

I ended up laminating this and making a little tassle for it out of sock yarn.

I am starting to plan for Christmas and what to work up for the Etsy site. Any suggestions on things you might want? I am thinking of bookmarks. Many bookmarks.