Friday Evening

It's a pleasant Friday here in New York as I listen to my neighbors play ping pong on their drive (and my other neighbor's child play the drums a bit unpleasantly). I've scored more seeds from my neighbor to the back of me who has generously given me many plants over the past few months that have overrun her garden. By this time next year I will have bushes full of raspberries thanks to her abundant crop.

These photos are just a few of the many flowers in my yard. I was lucky enough to inherit a house whose previous owner had a green thumb and enjoyed planting flowers anywhere they would take. There is something wonderful about waking up to find a new flower you have never seen bloom the night before....

A Typical Day

I've been tagged by the very talented Angela Matteson to describe a day in the life of me; so be prepared to be bored out of your cotton pickin' mind! :)

This was my day Monday, the 19th of May:

9:00am - woke up --- this is early for me (i'm not kidding; if i could start my day at noon i would - worms be damned)

9:10 retreived georgia from crate in bedroom --- made huge effort to not get trampled by her gangly legs as she ran down the stairs with the ease of a gazelle. (who am i kidding - she runs down like a herd of elephants hell bent on trampling the latest safari tour).

9:11 took Georgia out for her morning pee

9:12 fed Georgia and hoovered over her making sure she doesn't choke on her food (yeah, she is that fast).

9:14 put Georgia in the office while i retrieve my eyes (i.e. put in contacts). This is a very important ritual as i sometimes think i should be declared legally blind ---

9:16 turn on computer and feed all six chinchillas -

9:20 check email and peruse the internet

9:30 start working on job

12:20 take Georgia for a walk on the beach --- it is so windy that i keep getting blown in the wrong direction (story of my life) --- difficulty in making it to the car as the wind is obviously winning. Buckle up the tot (my greyhound that is) and peddle off in my rice burner.

1:20 Drop off the tot, give her a treat in this puzzle toy (keeps her occupied) and sneak out of the house to go to the gym. (I confess I love to work out).

2:30 drive back home - avoid getting randomly pulled over by the cops (is it the end of the month already?)

2:40 debate whether i should take a shower. Decide to stew in my own sweat seeing how it is only me and the dog who could care less if i smell b/c she thinks i'm awesome. Give the chinchillas little chew treats and give them scratches on the chin (they don't really appreciate being man handled --- except for my eldest, Peanut).

4:00 Run out in search of the perfect birdbath - before leaving, freshen up (remember I've yet to take a shower) by using the s.o.'s "man" deodorant as I have run out of my girly deodorant days ago. Ponder why deodorant is called "Active Sport" and think it should really be called "Lazy Man" and cater it to all these beer drinkin', crotch scratchin', cheetoh eatin' lazies that sit on the couch and watch baseball, basketball, bowling...whatever seasonal sport is on the tele.

5:30 call to see if I have to serve jury duty - getting there by 8:30 will be a big stretch for me. (I've been spared another day - Yeehaw!')

5:35 back to work

8:48 OMG where in the h-e-double-L- hockeysticks did the day go! go downstairs and feed Georgia trying to avoid being stepped on by her big ole feet. Try to draw Georgia eating like a ravenous bear (a skinny messy bear).

9:00 ponder taking a shower - ixnay on the showeray and start to draw my dog as she power naps on the couch.

10:30 contemplate cooking and realize i am much too lazy and it is too late anyway to cook. Go back upstairs and scan in drawings. Browse the interweb (alot). Finally get around to uploading illos to website. Give the chinchillas a treat.

11:45 Realize that caked on body sweat is kinda gross and should probably be washed off before it turns into a second skin.

12:15 answering emails and browsing the internet (and think about working)

1:38 drag myself to bed

I shall annoy my good friend and talented artist, Heidi, by tagging her and Gaia, who has the cutest miniatures ever - check out her bear, Gianna Greentoes and the cutest piggie ever! Also tagging the amazing and talented Gina Perry who started the 21 day challenge and Alisa Haggard who has such lovely and adorable illos and has not posted in a while and we miss you and your work!

Illustration friday: Wide

Suddenly her wide seat on the train did not seem so wide afterall...

I have had the unfortunate experience of being squashed on the train on many occasion...Once some dude thought it necessary to open the NY Times in my area (you know that area called 'personal space') making it difficult for me to knit...and yes, I seriously thought of stabbing him with my knitting needles - but my mama always said "no one is worth going to jail over"... (she really said that - haha).

Day 21 of 21 days

Miracle of miracles, I managed to get some drawing in and not feel like a total loser - I really wanted to use my dog as my 21 day subject - although it got a bit "same old same old" with those sleeping poses! I tried to draw her as she ate again --- can't seem to draw that fast --- Hopefully I'll try to keep up the challenge and get some drawing in every day --- posting every day is a different matter altogether!

Day 20 of 21 days

I only had one sketch on friday of Georgia so that being a wash, I drew more line drawings of her laying down on Saturday. I was too lazy to draw from home when I got back from the city on Sunday so today I must finish my 21 day challenge - otherwise I will feel like a lazy loser. Can it still be a 21 day challenge if it took you 23? :)

Day 19 of 21 Days

Obviously I can't stop drawing my dog...I tried color again with pastels --- Mary Cassatt makes it look so easy...sigh...

The last two are my favorites b/c occasionally Georgia sleeps on her back with her legs in the air and it looks so funny due to those severely long and gangly legs. Unfortunately she did not hold that position for very long hence the gestural quality of the drawings.

Days 17 & 18 of 21 Days

Another attempt at color using pastels. And today its back to line work using a pencil. I'm beginning to bore myself..but I love my dog and the exaggerated shape of her body. :)

Illustration Friday: Electricity

I have no idea what this is all about...I started out drawing a light bulb and it ended up looking like this... total stream of consciousness (or me just not thinking).

I just realized there is a light bulb joke in here somewhere....something about me forgetting to turn on the lights??? (it's late...what can i say)

Day 16 of 21 days

My couch potato dog...used a marker on both....I actually shaded both pieces but it got blown out on the scanner.... :(

Happy Mother's Day (& day 15 of 21 days)

My mother holding myself and my brother with our dog, Hercule, by our side.



And this is for all the mothers whose children have four legs, wings, scales, hair (or no hair depending upon whether your child is a blind naked mole rat or chinese crested) tails, less than five toes, eyes that are red, beaks, claws...well you get the picture....this is for everyone who includes their pets as important and beloved members of the family.

Days 13 & 14 of 21 Days

I tried adding color by using pastels both yesterday and today...kinda looks messy....

Georgia barked at a cat today...this is quite significant as she does not bark...not even at the two jack russells next door that yap at her every day (she ignores them completely). I would like to get a cat as I am truly a cat person at heart, but I am concerned I may find a severely slobbered and chewed upon kitty some day....I've never had a problem integrating my many myriad of pets ever, but for the first time I find myself a bit concerned as she is a rescue and used to chase a fake bunny on the tracks when she was a racer. Any thoughts?....

Days 11 & 12 of 21 Days

Still feeling sick (and lazy) so am just now posting my last two days worth of sketches...guess that means I owe another post of todays sketches...we'll see how lazy I am on this wet and dreary friday....

Sketches done with china marker and conte crayon... sequential drawings of Georgia as well...

Day 10 of 21 days

So this is it for tonight...ballpoint pen on cardboard...i know, real classy - hahaha.

We had to give Georgia a bath tonight - imagine trying to bathe a 60 lb. greyhound in an 85 year old claw foot bathtub with one person (me) standing on the edge of the very rounded tub trying to work the shower head (no modern conveniences here) while the person below is trying to simultaneously wash off the soap and keep her from jumping out. Did I mention that when she is in the tub she refuses to stand, but will gladly lean her entire weight against you crushing you in a wet sea of dog fur and soap.

Illustration Friday: Seed

Ingrid was really beginning to regret swallowing that sunflower seed three weeks ago....



I wanted to try my hand at doing a less literal piece since my work is rarely abstract...

Day 9 of 21 days

I really wanted to draw Georgia standing, but her favorite pose is the "reclining" pose. So I managed to draw her while she ate which means I had about two minutes before she was done! Done with china marker and conte crayon...

Days 7 & 8 of 21 Days

watercolor and a staedtler graphic 3000 marker for the drawing above and just the marker for the drawings below - not the greatest drawing day...




still getting over a cold/sinus infection...went outside to draw Georgia --- she kept moving the entire time so needless to say I got a lot of 10 second gestural drawings in. The last two drawings are slight aerial illos as I stood on my stoop and looked at her from below --- miraculously she stayed still for more than two minutes on those... used a china marker and went over some of the drawings with the staedtler marker.

Day 6 of 21 Days

Georgia on her favorite couch (yet again) - watercolor and sumi ink

Day 5 of 21 Days

I wanted to capture the sleek "deco-like" lines of my greyhound, but she kept stretching, yawning and looking towards the kitchen (her mind is always on food). done with a graphite pencil