Long Day

I wish I had more direction in my life.

Charley Harper

I've been doing oodles of research for my thesis, and all of it is incredibly facinating. In fact, it has been hard to tear myself away from the research stage so I can start writing. I always feel as if anything I have to say has already been said by people who are much more intelligent than I am, and who are able to compose much more elegant thoughts that I can. I stumbled upon an artist/illustrator a few months back named Charley Harper. I cannot sing this gentleman's praises enough. He recently passed away and I feel as if the world had lost a great voice. Does that sound cheesy? Perhaps, but I find myself wishing I could have met Mr. Harper before he passed away. His work inspires me to better my own. So, this post is dedicated to Mr. Charley Harper, a guy from Cincinnati that loved nature and inspired others to recognize the beauty hiding in the backyards and treetops of the Midwest and beyond.

Summertime and the livin' is easy...

I thought I'd post my newest illustration entitled "Sundress". This illustration has been on the backburner for a while, but I loved the idea of illustrating a lady in a lovely and colorful sundress. I didn't want to forget to draw it. So I wrote it down on my little list of "things to draw". "Sundress" is also a good example of an illustration done completely in Photoshop. No scanning required! This makes me happy. I hate scanning, but I still love to paint. I need to get back into watercolor painting.

Camping

This weekend I went camping with my sister and my friends Kim and Chris! We had a wonderful time! We did some hiking and some kayaking. We hung out around the fire. We ate one too many hot dogs. Our cell phones went a'roaming! Raccoons attacked and so forth.

I'm pretty tired, so I think I'll sign off and write more later.

IF Camo Bug

This week's Illustration Friday challenge is "camouflage". Naturally, I thought of all the animals that use camouflage to their advantage. This illustration depicts a fictitious leaf bug hiding out. Can you spot him?

I Love it When Again

I just finished a new version of the "I Love it When" cover. I wanted to add both girls (Kara and Kelsie) to give the cover a bit more punch. The old cover was a placeholder. I simply ran out of time last quarter and had to slap something together. I think this version is a much more pleasing solution.

Funny Pic

Did you ever wonder what kind of clothing your mother wore when she was your age? Check it out. From Left to Right: Aunt Michelle, Grandma, Aunt Val, and Mom! I'm guessing this photo was taken in the late 70's. A great shot of some of my aunts and yes, Grandpa is behind the camera. I absolutely LOVE the grin on my Aunt Val's face. Doesn't she look devious?

IF Rejection

This week’s IF assignment is "rejection". As I thought about how I have felt in the past when I was rejected, for whatever reason, my mind wandered to music, specifically melancholy music I like to listen to when I'm having a bad day, so I chose to illustrate The Beatles' "Blackbird". Specifically, I'm thinking about the verse that states, "take these broken wings and learn to fly".

Website Updates

NEW WEBSITE UPDATES!!!

There's a hidden illustration, too. I'll give you a hint (look for the sunflowers). I have so much to do this next week. I have to finish my thesis, find a job and do a huge pile of laundry left over from my trip to Savannah. An illustrator's job is never done.

Paradise: The Garden

Tropical Depression

Every one in a while in Savannah, they have something known as a Tropical Depression. This is not a time when everyone feels miserable to be living in a tropical paradise, but rather, a time when a whopper of a storm blows in from the Atlantic Ocean and makes everyone's lives very wet for a couple of days. It rained cats and dogs the entire day yesterday. Wet, horrible and did I mention wet! As Forest Gump would say, it was "raining up".

Today, though the sun is shining and everything is right as no rain! Of course, there were quite a few farmers that were praying for rain, and boy did they get it. So I feel happy for the farmers but still a bit miffed that a whole Saturday (A SATURDAY), was wasted. Amanda and I did meet up with Megan and her friend Ericka at the Bean (a coffee shop) during the evening, and Chris, a friend from Vineyard Church who also works at the Bean gave us all free chocolate raspberry cake (thanks Chris!!!!).

MMmmmmmm, chocolate caaaaaaaaaakkkkkkkkkkkeeeeeeeeeee (drool).

The Savannah Shuffle

Tonight is Mellow Mushroom (my absolute favorite pizza).

Tomorrow is gallery hopping, barbequeing, free concert attending craziness.

a pic for url

Well, here I am, thinking thoughtfully about life, love and the pursuit of gelato.

Where is that gelato?

From Savannah with Love

Hey all,

I'm in sunny, hot, humid Savannah (hangin' with Amanda). It's so great to be back here with my friends and have a chance to see everyone. My Thesis Show is tonight. I am going to be grateful when it's over. My whole graduate career has been leading up to this moment (well, and getting jobs too, that's important). After the show we're all going to the Crystal Beer Parlor (the after party) and then who know's what else (the after-after party). I love the Crystal Beer Parlor, especially on Friday nights. They have a real New Orleans style band that plays there, and they are wonderful. They always wind down the evening with a rousing version of "When the Saint's go Marching In". Great song.

Well, I have alot to do this coming week and I'm not particualry looking forward to all the paperwork and office hopping it will involve. My least favorite think about SCAD is the insane amount of paperwork. Sometimes I feel like Radar on MASH. "Is everything signed, Radar?" "Yes, Sir, in triplicate!"

I wanna' check you fer ticks!

Okay, so that Brad Pasely song is incredibly disgusting. However, I found a tick on Scout (my border collie) today that was the size of two jelly beans. You should check your dog for ticks. Soooooooooo disgusting. Poor Scout, I get grossed out when I find one on my shoe, let alone attached to my body and sucking blood. But perhaps dogs don't think about those sorts of things.

Anyways, I'm heading to Savannah, GA on Thursday. I feel so tired and run down right now. I have zero motivation, and I still have to finish my artist statement and my thesis paper, among other things. I am so ready to be done with school. Six years of higher education is enough. My future is unclear, and I will have huge college debts to pay back. My whole situation kind of drains any excitement I would be having because of graduation. I am very excited to see my friends though, especially Amanda, Shannon, Betsy and Karin and to walk down Bull Street and sip some coffee at Gallery.

I will miss Savannah. I hope I have a chance to visit every once in a while.

Just...really...tired :(

New Thesis Stuff

Wildwood Flower

Oh I'll twine with my mingles and waving black hair
With the roses so red and the lilies so fair
And the mirtles so bright with the emerald dew
The pale and the leader and eyes look like blue

I will dance I will sing and my laugh shall be gay
I will charm every heart in each crown I will sway
When I woke from my dreaming my idols were clay
All portions of love had all blown away

Oh he taught me to love him and promised to love
And to cherish me over all others above
How my heart is now wondering no misery can tell
He's left me no warning no words of farewell

Oh he taught me to love him and call me his flower
That was blooming to cheer him through life's dreary hour
Oh I long to see him and regret the dark hour
He's gone and neglected his pale wildwood flower

Camping

Almost every year my family goes camping in Hocking County, a region just south of Colombus, OH. Hocking Hills State Park has some beautiful scenery including ravines, waterfalls, steep cliffs, caves and bubbling streams full of tiny fish. It really is one of my favorite places. It's a recharge place. When I go, I feel as if the world isn't so crazy and I'll be okay. No cell phones, no TV, no email, just me dangling my legs over the edge of a cliff while I watch a beautiful waterfall.

Some interesting things that happened this weekend:

Found a tiny salamander (about an inch long) in a stream at Cedar Falls.
Sang opera in a tunnel carved out of rock at Old Man's Cave (Beth would not sing along with me because she is a party pooper).
Skinned my elbow (oddly enough, it kind of felt cool to have a skinned elbow, made me feel as if I was a tough mountian climber).
Saw numerous wildflowers (all of which my mother could identify).
Ate waaaayyyyy too many potatoe chips (but hey, I was on vacation).
Saw a huge groundhog sitting on a fence post (what's up with that?).

All in all, it was a good weekend. I needed it more than I knew.

First Thesis Image

See what you think! I've gotten some great feedback from various people and I'm happy with the finished product :)

Some Old Stuff

I was going through my images today in an attempt to get my portfolio together and I found a couple oldies but goodies.

First up, an oil pastel copy of a Da Vinci sketch.

Next, Miss Elizabeth Bennet.

Okie Noodling (not for the faint of heart)

Per Brad's advice, I watched "Okie Noodling" last night on PBS. Hand fishing, a time honored tradition in several states south of the Mason-Dixon line, is by no means a popular sport. But there are those few brave souls who will stick their hand down into a slimy catfish hole, wait for the sucker to nibble, and then grab it and yank it out of its murky lare.

You have to be incredibly brave or incredibly stupid to noodle. I haven't decided which one yet. Perhaps a little of both is best.

If you have an inkling to noodle, you'll have to go to Tennessee, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Louisiana. It's illegal everywhere else.

My mommy picked me some Lilly of the Valley

Shout Out!

Shout out to my dear friend Shannon, who reads my blog ;)

NEW STUFF!!!

Hey there all the 3 people who read my blog!!!

I updated some stuff. I now have a super awesome header with dandylions. I love dandylions and I'm not sure why they are considered a weed. When my sister and I were kids, we used to pick dandylions and smear the pollen on our noses to turn them yellow! Okay, so we may occasionally still smear pollen on our noses. I suppose being a yellow-noser is better than being a brown-noser. Of course, my sister will still argue that I am indeed and have always been a brown-noser. I prefer the term "people pleaser".

There's a quote from the movie "Kate and Leopold" in which Kate's rather foppish boss announces that he is, "a people pleaser, people." Gakkk.

Also, I recently ordered:

A brand new MacBook with JBL Creature Speakers and a printer. I am very, very, excited. I can't wait until the UPS guy brings me my shiny new Mac! What rejoicing there will be on that day (anywhere from May 1st to May 5th).

My Mac will be Mac-a-licious, Mac-tastic, Mac-fabulous, and Mac-dreamy.

Okay, Okay, so I'm going off the deep end. However, finally getting a Mac is a momentous occasion for me. I will be one of them, the fortunate Mac owners. The few, the proud, the artsy. On cold, windy days I would look through the windows of coffee shops, my breath clouding the glass, as I longingly gazed at the PowerBooks and the MacBooks. How sleek they were, how elegant and refined...

Ooookkkaaayyyy, so I really went crazy with that last paragraph.

The End.

New Illustrations!

I've been working on some new illustrations for my pattern class. I illustrated several flowers native to Indiana, including the trout lilly (above). I have to say that I am most pleased with the trout lilly, but the stems are kind of chunky. Ah, well. I suppose it is an artist's fate to be overly critical of her own work (that is how we get better).

I also just realized that I have a month to get all this stuff done. Oh dear.

Redneck Jokes

You might be a redneck if...

...you've ever had to lug a can of paint to the top of a water tower to defend your sister's honor!

--Jeff Foxworthy

You might be a redneck if...

...you've ever taken a joyride in a John Deer Gator.

--Talitha Shipman

Okay, so mine isn't nearly as comical as Jeff's, but I did see a couple taking a joyride in a Gator a couple of days ago. Yes, I do live amongst hicks. And I might even be a little hickish myself. Cuz' I, "wanna kick off my shoes and run in bare feet where the grass and the dirt and the gravel all meet...where the blacktop ends". And I occasioanlly burst out into a round of, "you get a line, I'll get a pole, we'll go fishing in the crawfish hole, five card poker on a Saturday night, church on Sunday mornin' ". And I might even say something like, "dag'nab'it" when I drop a bowl of Kashi organic bran flakes on the kitchen floor.

But you know, "I feel no shame, I'm proud of where I came from, I was born in raised in the boondocks".

Oh, boy, I'm strange.

P.S. I also have a hard time pronouncing George Washington's name correctly. I tend to say "Warshington". I blame this completely on my father who says things like "warshcloth".

Must be a Northwest Ohio thing ;)

Ummm, Fortune Maybe...

I can't seem to get my image to load :(

Sorry to let you down. I'll try to get the image up when Blogger decides to behave.

Thanks,

Talitha

Ho Hum

You know, posting blogs is akin to writing an editorial. It's not very much like a diary. I usually don't let people peruse my most intensely personal thoughts. A blog fulfills a different need; the need to complain, muse, mourn, or rejoice publicly.

So what if my public consists of 2 or 3 people (shout out to Larissa and Betsy).

In this age of instant information, where everyone is connected to some degree (of Kevin Bacon). Okay, so that was a throw away. I live in a techno community which consists of all my Savannah, Leo, and Taylor friends. I can keep tabs on them through email and blogs! It's not the same as hanging out with them at Sentient Bean, or laughing hysterically to 1 AM in a dorm room, but I am grateful for the chance to remain, in some small way, a part of their lives. Gotta' try to remain!

Bad Day

My fighting fish died last night.
I got into a fight with my dad this morning.
It's snowing.

Bad day.

New Links!!!

See some awesome new links under "Check it Out". I would especially urge you to visit The Wish Jar!

One of my biggest pet peeves is the fact that non-artists have been mislead to think they cannot be creative. You can be creative! The Wish Jar is a website/blog dedicated to helping people be a little more creative every day.

Go there and be creative! That's an order!

The DMV Blues

Went to the DMV today. Waited in line for a very long time. Got my picture taken. Hair is sticking up funny. Of course! My face looks thinner and less childish than in my last driver's license photo.

I'm twenty five as of yesterday. I don't feel different or more mature. I still feel as if I'm mucking through life in an attempt to make sense of things. I still see myself as a "little one". I know that I am more fortunate than most people. I mean, there is an overarching purpose to my life, and I can sense that. But sometimes, the day to day junk of life clutters my mind. Lately, whenever I watch T.V., inevitably an ad for some prescription medication comes on and I am instantly reminded of the seconds ticking away in which my life is getting shorter. I don't try to dwell too much about my mortality. After all, I am still young, and life is for living, not for fretting. However, when I am forced to focus upon my heart beating away and my lungs breathing, I am aware in that split second of fear that this luxury will not continue forever.

Vanitas. The idea that even in beautiful youth, there is a seed of mortality, of death lurking behind the unfurling petals of spring's first bloom. A reminder to LIVE like you're going to die soon. And in reality, you will. A human life span is the sort of thing comparable to one nano-second from God's perspective.

This is all very dreary and morbid. But if I do not think on these things and write them down, they won't mean as much to me as if they were just floating around in my head, bouncing off the grocery lists and class assignments and myriads of deadlines my mind is attempting to recall.

Right now, the radio is playing "Dream A Little Dream for Me" and the cappuccino machine is foaming milk. A good sound. Life is good.

Leaving and Home

I am home. You know, it's a strange thing, to come back to a place that you know so well after being gone for a while. Some things remain the same, but others don't. Little things are moved, replaced, or forgotten. My room is crowded with too much junk. I'm trying to fit an entire apartment into my one little room. It's at times like these that I wish I was able to be one of those people who seems to have only a very few belongings. I am sick of all this stuff. I don't really need it. Except for the art supplies. I do need those!

Being an artist also means that you are a collector. You collect other people's art, and you save everything you've ever made, because you never know who might want to buy it from you. You also collect scraps of things that are inspirations. Leaves, moss, postcards, textured paper, little bottles, ribbons, plastic army men...

I suppose I should give an overview of the past few days, just to write it down and get it out of my head. This past week is very blurry. I'm trying to remember everything, but I have this funny habit of blocking out stressful or traumatic events. I don't remember much of middle school at all! Thank God! I said goodbye to many dear friends, and I don't know what will happen to them while I'm gone. I miss them, and I want to be the best friend I can be, but the distance makes everything harder. I'm going to miss Amanda and Megan most of all, Compline, walks to the river, Molly's, Gallery Espresso, and that hoity toity antique store on Bull Street.

(a side note on the antique store: it had a row of windows that covered most of the Bull St. side of the building. I would always check myself out in those windows, to see how I walked. Watching yourself walk is a strange thing. Did I walk with flare and elegance, or did I shuffle along like a burned out college student? I could get pretty melodramatic watching myself, pretending I was some tragic heroine destined for greatness. I only looked like a shabby art student. I also always hoped that the employees inside the store got the impression that I was looking at the antiques in the windows and not at my vain self).

Oh, yeah, back to the main point: Every time I live somewhere new, I seem to forget that I will eventually be leaving. It hurts. You have to gouge out a small part of yourself and leave it behind you when you are done with a place. Call it what you will, the ghost, the effect, the memory of you and your time in a place fades but never vanishes. How can something fill you up and leave you empty at the same time? That is what it's like to leave.

Control

I read something interesting today:

"Keep me from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin." (Psalm 19:13)

Hmmm...

I've been thinking about control lately as it pertains to my faith in God. I had a conversation with a friend recently that really started me thinking about just how much I'm willing to let God control my life. Everyone deals with this issue, and the problem is as old as humanity itself. I struggle with letting God take over the things in my life that I so desperately want to control, especially the things I had no control over as a child. Money would probably be on the top of the list. But as I read this psalm I suddenly had a moment of clarity. I mean, the thought was so simple. It was this: The more I fight for control, the more I am actually enslaved. Rebellion against God is at the root of sin, and giving something to Him that I would rather keep for myself is a selfless act. I become more like Him when I surrender, throw up the white flag and beg for mercy. Every time I make a conscious decision to disobey God, I am placing myself behind enemy lines.

Baby Steps.

Eastern European Salsa

My friend Amanda gave me this awesome mix CD. There are several songs included that can only be described as a mixture of Eastern European folk music and Salsa. Surprisingly, the mix is a perfect combination. I love it! I've been listening to this CD over and over again as I pack up all my belongings. It's great packing music.

Also, I watched a couple of episodes of Seaquest DSV on YouTube. I now have a bit of free time to do trivial things like that. Does anyone remember Seaquest? It was one of my favorite shows when I was a teenager. I was in love with Jonathan Brandis. Gosh, it seems so silly now as I look back on what a huge crush I had on him. Now my crushes have evolved to include more mature unattainable men, such as, Ben Browder on Stargate SG-1. Yes, yes, I watch Stargate. I am a complete geek. Well, a closet geek, really. I don't usually mention my Sci-Fi geekiness in polite company. I feel as if I should have outgrown it when I hit 20. I don't really fit into that category of most young, male Sci-Fi fanatics who for the most part are obsessed with ships, technology, alien life forms, and half naked blue-skinned women. I'm drawn to the storytelling possibilities of Sci-Fi and the development of believable character interaction. The sky's the limit when it comes to Sci-Fi (okay, the sky isn't really the limit). I mean, the entire universe is your playground if you're creating Sci-Fi. You're only constrained by the limits of your imagination.

Well, that was off topic. I don't want to be one of those obsessed Trekkies who knows every name and rank of every dead red-shirted ensign that was ever killed by a mutant blob thing (Trekkies, you know what I mean). To quote the bard, "The play is the thing". The story, the hope for a brighter tomorrow, the chance to escape to worlds undiscovered; that is the germ of my love affair with Sci-Fi. Just give me a good story and I'll be happy.

I also don't want to have people automatically label me as a geek. I've always cared way too much about what other people think. I've worked hard to build this somewhat eclectic artsy-fartsy, rustic-chic, flea market, free and easy type personality. But no matter how hard I try, I can't divorce the Sci-Fi part of me lurking just under the surface of the sophisticated lady I think I am.

That part of me is just waiting to kick your butt at Trivial Pursuit: Star Wars Edition.

St. Patty's Day Scramble

This weekend was crazy! I don't think I've ever had such a crazy weekend. Let's just start by saying that St. Patty's Day in Savannah is like nothing I've ever experienced before. I've never seen so many people having so much fun.

Some crazy things that happened this weekend:

Thursday:
My friends Larissa and Dan came to visit and they got lost attempting to get to Crystal Beer Parlor.
We happened to run into a crime scene that included at least 12 cop cars and a police helicopter. I later found out that the person they arrested was a 17 year old drunken kid who tried to run away from the police and hid underneath a boat and then resisted arrest. He broke a cop's ankle in the fight. Geez! Of course all the girls in our group ran away from all the cop cars, Daniel and Winston decided to go closer to see what was up. Crazy boys!

Went to River St. and bought some ice cream! (Daniel told us all the history of kilts and bagpiped, very interesting.
I was attacked by a rabid squirrel (okay, so that didn't happen).
We went to David's pre-St' Pat's party and the ceiling almost collapsed. David's roommate tried to get everyone downstairs by yelling something like, "everyone who doesn't want to die, get downstairs."

Friday:
Larissa, Dan and I took the Mercer House Tour.
We had a great lunch at the Gryphon Tea Room and then we walked around for a bit.
We went to Mercury Lounge and did the wallflower thing. The blues band was excellent, though. Captain Morgan gave me some beads! Woot.

Saturday:
Went to the St. Patty's Day Parade. My favorite by far were the bagpipe bands. I love bagpipes. Get's the Anglo-Saxon part of me all excited.
Ate lunch at Firefly Cafe (also excellent).
Went to the beach (was accosted by seagulls).
Went to the Goodwill store (bought a teacup).
Went to the St. Patty's Day Celebration at River Street. Let's just say that it is hard to describe this event. It is the largest St. Patty's Day bash in the U.S. (an estimated 50,000 people attended), and most everyone gets much less than sober in a hurry.
Went to David's post-St. Patty's Day party (seeing as it was 2 AM on Sunday) and decided to stay downstairs this time.
Went home and ate guacamole, pizza, and chips.

Sunday:
Went to Vineyard and learned all about St. Patrick. (and no, he did not banish snakes from Ireland). As my pastor Kent said, "It's not all about green grits".
Went to Panera (yummy).
Saw Larissa and Dan off (was very sad to see them go).
Chilled!

The End

SHE'S ALIVE!!!

I feel like a baby duck that just learned how to fly! That's how free I feel. Excepting the fact that I still need to turn my thesis stuff in, I am done with classes, done with books, no more teacher's dirty looks. He, he, not that any of my teachers give me dirty looks! They are a very amiable set. Oh, I am sooooooo glad that spring break is here. Looking back on this quarter I realize that I was being attacked from every angle. I was sick. My car broke down. My classes were at best trying, and at worst a complete nightmare. I think I still need to think a bit more before I write a whole blog on the subject of last quarter. Right now, though, I will just end by saying that I am FREE INDEED!!!

Swing!

Hooray for Spring, it's time to SWING!!! This is my first complete image for the children's book I've been working on. Wow, this has been such a crazy journey. Last night, when I finished this image, I was completely disgusted with it. This morning however, I'm content. Nothing like a night's sleep to make you feel better about your art and life in general. Last night, I was having a bit of an artistic crisis. I thought, I stink, I can't paint anything the way I envision it in my head. I hate the way I work, it feels so dead and boring! This morning I realized, "Wait, I'm only 24 years old. I still have so much to learn!" All I can do is continue to use the gifts God has given me. I want to be better, to learn more and to improve. Life is all about learning new things, as Kelsie is discovering. (This is her first time swinging. She's not so sure about it, but she's giving it a go. All I have to do is stay on that swing and swing a little higher each time, until finally, I jump off the swing and land at heaven's door.) Okay a bit cheesy, but really, I never thought of swinging as a metaphor for life, but it is. Sometimes you're up, sometimes down, sometimes going forward, and sometimes going backward. Swinging was one of my favorite things to do as a kid, and even now, there is nothing quite like it. Very freeing.

Watercolor String Painting

This one kind of looks like a woman, perhaps the Virgin Mary. I should sell it on ebay for big bucks!

Some New Stuff

I'm posting a few new studies for Fiber and Fabric Exploration. I'm not sure how successful they are. The light paint I'm using is a bit finicky, but still, and interesting technique.

Elizabeth Bennet

I've been reading Northanger Abbey again. Whenever I'm feeling glum, I read Northanger Abbey.

It's Just Wednesday

For the lucky few who actually have a sweetheart, its' Valentine's Day. For everyone else, it's just Wednesday. Having said that, I do want to spread some V-Day love! With my secret ninja moves from the government, I have created this Photoshop Masterpiece. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

It's my Dad's birthday today! In honor of this event, I am posting a brand spankin' new watercolor featuring Grim the Cat. Grim is my Dad's favorite cat (o.k., he's my Dad's only cat). Grim is the wild child of the family. He does pretty much whatever he wants. Even the dog is leery of him. Grim loves to curl up in my Dad's black office chair and snooze for hours on end! After a nice long nap he saunters into the bathroom, hops up to the rim of the bathtub, and meows until someone turns the faucet on so he can get a drink. What a strange cat!

Gilbert out of the woods!

Gilbert is doing much better. His fin is unraveling. However, a little bit of the fin looks like it might fall off. This fish cracks me up. Every since I learned to keep his water warmer he has somehow gained a new, improved personality. Of course this might have something to do with the fact that fish are cold blooded, I think. He greets me whenever I walk near his tank and does what I can only describe as his fish dance. Yes, he wiggles his fins and swims around in circles. In fish language he is saying, "feed me, feed me, feed me". Then he sticks his gills out in a gesture that could be roughly translated as “I challenge you, pathetic human, to a duel”. Why is it that every single animal that my family has ever taken in ends up being incredibly strange, demented even? Maybe my family is demented and it's rubbing off on the animals. The border collie is the most demented of all, but let us not forget the ferocious puma masquerading as our barn cat, and the horse, who thinks she would rather be in the house than out in the barn.

Oh well, at least life is never boring.

Generic Cheerios

I love Honey Nut Cheerios. However, they are very expensive. I buy the Kroger brand instead, in a huge bag. I save so much money, and I can eat as many generic Cheerios as I want without feeling guilty.

I must say though, the real Cheerios do taste better.

Speaking of food, I only have one Grandma Cookie left! They were so delicious. Now I am saddened by that lonely cookie, sitting in saran wrap, waiting patiently to be eaten.

G.R.I.T.S.

Barbaro

Barbaro the racehorse died today. Why is it that this very public death of a racehorse has not lead to questions concerning the conduct of those racing these animals (chiefly the owners and trainers of thoroughbreds)? I am not a horse person, but my sister and mother are. They treat their horses with the utmost care. When my sister bought her horse, Clover as a filly, she waited several years before she even began to ride the horse. A young horse's bones and muscles simply aren't ready for the kind of strain placed upon them during these high-stakes races (Derby, Preakness, Belmont).

Racing young horses like Barbaro is cruel and unwise and I am sickened by the treatment of many of these wonderfully intelligent and amazing creatures.

Find out more at http://www.fund4horses.org/info.php?id=765

Gilbert!!!

My Beta fish is sick. He has some sort of bacterial infection that causes his fins to stick together. I called Petsmart. Guess what, they are not Pet Smart! If I hadn't called a local tropical fish store, and just taken Petsmart's word on what to do for poor Gilbert, he would probably die within a few days. The lady at the fish store told me to wrap a towel around his tank at night and to put aquarium salt in his water as well. That's all he needs! Petsmart told me to buy something called Betafix which turns out to be completely worthless!

I'm glad I found this out sooner than later. My sad little fish has been rather listless and skittish lately. I would be too if I had some sort of evil bacteria eating my fins. Poor Gilbert!

New Superhero

Okay, I wasn't really happy with my previous superhero post for IF, so I tweaked it. I recently read a speech by Alexandr Solzhenitsyn in which he quoted the great Dostoevsky. "Beauty will save the world." True beauty is unstoppable. Solzhenitsyn goes on to say something marvelous. "...a work of art bears within itself its own verification...those works of art which have scooped up the truth and presented it to us as a living force, they take hold of us, compel us, and nobody ever, not even in ages to come, will appear to refute them." This is the soul of art. The nitty-gritty. I am always trying to live up to this standard (I usually fail, but a girl can dream). If we dreamers keep on trying and falling flat on our faces, eventually a few of us will achieve in our work the "living force" Solzhenitsyn speaks of. A beautiful thought, wrapped in truth!

Illustration Friday "Superhero"

New Music Tuesdays

Does anyone know why iTunes sends out its "New Music Tuesday" email on Wednesday? Hmmm, I suppose this is part of a greater conspiracy to drive me crazy. I always feel bad on Wednesday, when I see what I've missed, but I can never remember to actually go to the iTunes website to take advantage of the new music offered on Tuesday. A vicious cycle!

Oh well, I guess I don't need all that free stuff anyways because there's always youtube.

An Illustration

Can anyone guess what this illustration is about? I'll give you a hint, this young lady is excessively diverting.

Breathless

"I want to become immortal and then die"

--A quote from the movie "Breathless"

Mammoth Cave Adventure

I've neglected to mention the strangest thing I've done of late. During the last weekend of Christmas break, I took a wild cave tour. Now, we're not talking about a stay on the lighted trail kind of cave tour. We're talking down and dirty, six hour long, no part of your body may be more than 40 inches in diameter kind of tour. We clambered through such limestone formations as "The Cheese Grater" and "The Hell Hole". We climbed down a cliff with a 30 foot vertical drop below. We wriggled through a tunnel called "The Birth Canal", and to top it all off, we shimmied through a cleft in the rock that forced you to keep your head tilted to the side (you don't fit otherwise).

The Mammoth Cave system is the longest in the world, and also contains the most gorgeous collection of tunnels, rooms and caverns. I saw beautiful gypsum crystal flowers growing right out of the rock. Sometimes the crystal coated cave ceilings would sparkle like the night sky. Oh yes, and then there were the cave crickets. Ghastly looking creatures which are really quite harmless.

The sheer physicality of the tour was incredible. There was no backing out. We crawled down slippery walls and waded through knee-deep, ice-cold water. I think it very smart of the guides to not explain beforehand in detail what we would be doing during the tour. Most of us would have said "no thanks!" at that point. However, I am so glad I went. I had an amazing, once in a lifetime experience. Being in a cave is a strange thing. You begin to feel disconnected with the world above you. It's relaxing, really. You have nothing to worry about except the task ahead of you. The serenity of the cave calms you. The silence of being a part of the living earth awakens an instinctual part of the human psyche. Yes, there is fear in the cave, but there is also discovery. The chance to witness things most people never see. Your curiosity overcomes fear, and you stand dwarfed by the immensity of creation.

The men and women who first explored the labyrinth of Mammoth Cave possessed extraordinary curiosity. To go into a dark hole with nothing more than a candle and your wits is something akin to driving a car blindfolded. Whatever drove them still drives modern cavers to continue exploration. They are still mapping new passageways in the Mammoth Cave system.

Some highlights of the day:

-Almost running into a hibernating bat (sorry little guy).

-Eating a meager lunch in the Snowball Room (a room with gypsum formations that actually look like snowballs stuck to the ceiling and walls).

-Going head-first into the “Hell Hole” (sounds better than it really was).

-Bonking my head on numerous sharp rocks.

-Observing the horrified looks on peoples faces when we passed the two hour (for sissies) cave tour (we felt and looked like tough stuff, especially considering that we were covered from head to toe in mud).

-The Cave Rat (she was so darn cute).

Illustration Friday "Buzz"

Mockingbird

A nice little sketch for another Deep article. I don't think this one's going to make it to final. However, the idea incorporates elements from my children's book cover. I'm liking the bubble, very useful!

New Look!!!

Oooooh, fancy new blog.

I finally updated my blog. The new blogger format is wonderful. More updates to come!

I love it when...

Okay, so here's one that made the cut. This illustration took a lot of time and effort, but I think the results are great. Anotherwords, I'm very content with this illustration. If I can say that about something I've done, I feel a sense of accomplishment.

The story that goes along with this cover illustration is entitled "I Love it When". The story is all about a Mom who loves to watch her two daughters play, grow, and learn.

2nd Place

Not all of my ideas are brilliant. In fact, I rarely have a truly, inspired idea. It is thus with most artists. So, I'm beginning a new series. A record of all those off target ideas for illustrations. Sometimes, it can be interesting to see what could have been but never was.

Up first, a sketch for Deep Magazine that dealt with modern etiquette. The sketch was cute, but had absolutely nothing to do with the workplace. REJECTED, as it should have been. Still, it was a nice sketch. Some people might also be interested to see what one of my sketchs looks like. This has been scanned into Photoshop. Then I added some value to give it depth.

Basically, the idea was contrast. The lady on the left has very poor etiquette, while the lady on the right is appalled by her companion's lack of decorum.

Back Home in Indiana

I love Indiana. It's raining and miserable, but boy do I love it. Two years ago I was singing a different tune. I couldn't wait to get out of Indiana and head for the warm, sunny South. Savannah is lovely, but it is not home. I'm really enjoying myself.

So I'd just like to say to anyone who is reading this, Merry Christmas!

One Day to Wheels Up

One Day.

One day to pack, run to the bank, buy candy (yes, at least 20 lb of saltwater taffy), eat all leftover food in the fridge, drop Gilbert of with friends, clean the bathroom, do laundry, shove as many sweaters into my rather small suitcase, put all liquids or pastes in a 1 quart plastic baggy for the airport security checkpoints, and email like crazy, crazy, crazy.

I cannot begin to describe how wonderful it will feel to finally sit down on the plane and know I am going home! Sweet home Indiana, where the skys are so blue. Sweet home Indiana, I'll be comin' home to you!

Sunday Morning

So here I am, with my OJ and my muffins. I found a delicious recipie for muffins on the internet. So I am about to scarf down two lovely "Hearty Country Muffins" with cranberries, walnuts, carrot, apples, and whole wheat.

Mmmmmmmm. I was wondering though, if you just eat muffins for breakfast lunch and dinner, what happens to you?

One More Red Kite Pic

Top Row: Me, Becky, Hillary, Luke, David, Jen, Vince
Bottom Row: Nealy, Nick, Kate, Amanda, Clif, Laura

Red Kite Stuff

I thought I'd load some pics of previous Red Kite shows. If anyone is checking this, they might be interested to know that until recently I was part of Red Kite Studio. Alas, a lack of time and money prevented me from continuing, but I am still an honorary Red Kiter.

Wyeth Faith?

Faith: What is it?

You know,

I've been thinking a great deal about faith lately. Several other people have mentioned it over the past two weeks. One friend asked, "what if I get to the end of my life and realize I am unfulfilled?" Good question. I've been struggling lately, with how to attack the issue of faith. Perhaps by instinct, I started reading Romans again. I always go back to Romans, because I never truly understand it all. I'm sure after I read it 40 times, I'll still be far away from unraveling all the mysteries.

So, our good friend Paul says, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And (emphasis mine) we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." What? What does this mean?

For those of us Christians who have spent our entire lives in the Church, this is a beguiling statement. In some ways, our faith is an elemental thing. Something that we know is there but don't really understand. New Christians don't have this luxury, I think. They can clearly remember a time when they were without faith, and they second guess themselves more often. However, their faith is fiercer, stronger, even, than the faith of older Christians (such as myself). They are on the Christian Yo-Yo diet. The seasoned veterans fall into the trap of blind faith, which can quickly lead to spiritual death. Going through the motions, and not really knowing why you bother.

This brings us to a serious problem. Ex-Christians. They have lost faith. They say to themselves, "I don't really believe this anymore. Why should I continue to live as if I do?" How is it that I have not lost faith? I've been asking this question so much lately. How am I any different from so many other people who grew up in the Church and left after being disgusted with the way most Christians behave? Have I been brainwashed? Do I fear the unknown? Am I comfortable in my established routine?

I have no idea. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is where faith comes in. I can't describe it. All I know is that it is there, always at the back of my mind. It's there when somehow, ends meet. It's there when I see doors open (and when I see them close). It's in my family and friends. It's there when I stand on the beach and brave an approaching squall atop a jetty. This may all sound very sentimental, but these raw, unadulterated moments of faith remind me of who I am.

Many people do not stop to think about faith moments. They don't see them for what they really are. They are shrouded, and they lose most of their surreal beauty. Lately, though, I have seen non-believers recognize God and his hand upon their lives. It is a strange, elating thing to sense the rebirth of faith. And as Paul says, there is only one thing to do in such a circumstance, "rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."

Strange Day

Yesterday, a Scottish guy gave me two dollars and I found a perfectly good bookshelf in the dumpster behind the Chatham Projects.

Awesome day.

A New Leaf

I think I should blog more.

Some New Stuff

Ah, the infamous "Pride and Prejudice" project. Start with over 50 chapters of one of the best loved novels ever written. Make some illustrations for them. Hopefully get hired to do similar work as a real adult. I have been fantasizing about illustrating "Pride and Prejudice" for some time now. I only hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew.

Alan, my professor (a British bloke), seems to think I am going places. For example, today, I am going to class, and then perhaps to the WC, and after that to the grocery store to buy some stomach medication. Yes, going places.

Jack the Grammarian

“You ended that sentence with a preposition, you bastard.” --Col. Jack O’Neill (SG1)

The End is Nigh

The end of the quarter is coming up. Only two more days till freedom. What will I do with all that time? I have no idea. Hopefully, I will keep busy and spend small amounts of money.

Did you know that art is a wonderful way to slowly drive yourself crazy. Yes, if you are looking for an excuse to go insane, you can't beat art. I don't have time to list all the crazies who were also artists. Rest assured, they were all gifted and very disturbed.

I have chosen to be an illustrator, which will hopefully lessen my chances of chopping off my own ear and sending it in a nice little box to my lover. Illustrators don't have time for such nonsense. We have deadlines to meet.

To the side: Hello Ginta!
Photoshop Collage
2006

Art and Fear

There is a book I've heard about, "Art and Fear". More than most professions, artists deal with the cold, lonely sort of fear one only discovers through deep self reflection. I second guess myself all the time. And the huge cosmic question "WHY?" often crops up. Why am I an artist? Why is anything I do valid? Why can't I create art that I am satisfied with. Perhaps the very nature of art leads artists to insanity. Or perhaps the paint fumes have something to do with it. I'm still trying to figure out how to be an artists and a normal person. The two states of being don't often seem to go together. In the past, artists have been seen as those who chose to live outside the plane of normalcy. Only then can they become impartial observers, separate from their subjects. Cool, calculating creators. This seems wrong to me. As created beings, we cannot separate from other created things. We are "stuck" in a world that is often ugly, filled with disappointment and misery. Those heaven painters among us have the hardest time, always longing for something they can never quite grasp. Insanity ensues.

True Love comes out the Piano Forte

Some time ago, when Beth visited me in Savannah, she created this saying out of my custom made "Pride and Prejudice" magnetic poetry.

"True Love comes out the Piano Forte."

I would think this to be true always. Perhaps infatuation comes out the flute. Lust, the guitar, and hate, the drums. Let it not be said that anything but true love comes out the pianoforte.

Why do I have custom made "Pride and Prejudice" magnetic poetry? Perhaps it is better left unsaid.

Pigeon on my Porch

Several days ago, a pigeon decided to roost upon my porch. It was a baby pigeon. I captured him in a box and released him next to some bushes. I felt sorry for him, but I didn't know what to do. He would certianly starve on my porch. As far as I could tell, he wasn't able to fly.

The next morning, I opened my blinds, and he was sitting right in front of the door, gazing up at me. He had climbed all the way back up the stairs! Perhaps this pigeon had formed some sort of attachement to me, or to my door mat, or maybe to my tiny herb garden. Once again, I rangled him into the box (it took a while, he was fiesty) and then dumped him back in the bushes. I also gave him some leftover popcorn (which he ignored).

I haven't seen him since. I hope he is okay.