Custom painted nursery mural

I had fun recently creating a commissioned mural to welcome a new little one into this world in a SouthWest Austin home.

P&S cat painting

Reworked

You are my rock

After a short art hiatus this month to take a Habitat Stewardship class held by National Wildlife Federation, Travis Audubon, and City Parks and Rec. From many great speakers like Dr. Kevin Anderson on soil to Jane Tillman on birds. This was a well-rounded well-prepared and executed training that I highly recommend. It was so amazing to spend more time outside learning about the wonderful creeks and habitats in Austin that we can help restore. I saw birds, bugs, trees, natives, animal rescue, invasives, naturally designed landscapes in beautiful parts of Austin, and got to meet like minded volunteers and people who work hard to create a better environment for us to enjoy living in. I will be writing a post about some of the imagery, places, and people I was inspired by throughout the training.For this week,

I was focused on a painting commissioned for Austin jewelry designer, Haley Lebeuf. She uses organic looking,simple chunky beautiful stones. Check her out in the Tribeza. I have just one little bit to add a little more nature floating, fluttering, and flying. Almost done.

I will update with the final piece a soon. It was fun working on this and thinking about how I have been with my husband for 8 years now this week. He is my rock, and I am sure that is how all people in a great relationship feel. My list of projects I want/need to do has begun.1. finish Haley's painting. 95% done2. Apply for a art fellowship in Vermont. Check.3. "Family"Portrait for performers and designers Katie Kohler, Pete Betcher, and Jeremiah Rosenberger4. 40's Navy portrait5. 2013 Sketchbook tour by January6. costumes!!! the hardest decision of the year!!!7. technically #3.0 is Tony's painting

And the final piece:

My own personal hurricane...

So it seems that over doing it and packing every minute of my day with something to do or make or fix seems to be the way I operate. I wonder what would happen if I slowed down? Do you lose steam and procrastinate or refuel and keep going? I even seem to rush through the relaxing things just to say I relaxed, Some like ROR would say I am riding the wave, and it is encouraging to see other women pushing, and trying, and creating, and being strong leaders.Tomorrow night is another Monstrosity Art Show put on by Central Texas Annie Consulting, which I thought at first I wasn't going to be involved in and then when I realized I was and I really don't have much breadth in my sexual or sensuous side of my portfolio, I freaked for 2 minutes, then proceeded to gesso two new boards on Tuesday, painted one on Wednesday. Which I was not sure in which direction to take my sass to... and was surprised to see that I could use some techniques I enjoy in drawing and painting and actually come up with something pretty, although my mom did ask, in the way that blunt, embarrassing moms do, " What's with the Porn?"

She did not see this second piece I completed Thursday,which is beautiful and has inspired me to actually pinpoint the series of paintings I'd like to work on which I will explain soon, once I've gathered all my thoughts and written an artist statement that I can hold my self accountable to instead of jumping around project to project with the only thing tying them together is that I made it. Yes, I will still make curtains for the shower window by accident when I really meant to take a shower, and I will still paint furniture when I should be paying bills, but I will make every effort to sit still tomorrow cuddling with my little one, slowly sipping tea, and breath. Just breath. Try it with me? That is before the art show followed the next morning by an early birding walk and Habitat Stewardship training class and off to close at Patagonia. I swear, I could have much bigger problems, my only problem is I love doing everything. Now, is that really so bad?

Lucha Libre Mural for the Jeff Cave

I've painted a lot of murals in my day, so when Jeff said he wanted to work on a project for the house together like a mural I was excited, but also knew I did not want a mural in the house. I get sick of images quickly and change my art around enough as it is. Jeff was kind enough to prime and paint the water heater doors in the garage and then he picked out images from an awesome Mexican street art book called Sensacional of Luchadores.

Here is a list of things I needed to get this mural done:
1.Images that we wanted and a wall to work on
2.Tracing paper
3.Pencil fr tracing and drawing the image on the doors
4.Scissors to cut the tracing paper images
5.My projector (not necessary but it speeds up the process so you can get it done during nap time)
6.Cup for water
7.A few different size paintbrushes
8.Acrylic Paint
9.Step ladder to make reaching easier and level to draw level lines
10. music and a beer.

First I measured my work area, divided that by three for the three images that each door would have, and using a level I drew two lines horizontally across the doors. After tracing my images and cutting them into pieces that would fit on my projector, I lined them up with the level lines and using the pencil traced the images in the perfectly dark garage. It is helpful if you have a water color pencil to do the tracing so that the lines blend in with the paint and they are easy to wash off, if you don't have one any pencil will work. Then referring to some of the art in the reference book I picked out a few colors and mixed my acrylic paint to match.

Then came the fun part of painting in the big blocks of color.

Sometimes I am so impatient to get to the final product since a painting could look blah until the last step. Fill in your color evenly, wet your brush with water to get a nice smooth consistency so your edges of color are solid and completely filled in. Then my last step with the luchadores mural was to outline and detail in black with a fine paintbrush, and as Ione says, "Ta-da!" There you go, something more exciting to look at in the grimy garage. I think I'll paint the trim later, it's time to go do mom stuff.

Diorama for Black and Bluebird Studios' Book Review Challenge

So this August http://www.blackandbluebird.com/ had a challenge to read a book, create a book review or diorama and enter it for a chance to win one of their beautiful necklaces. I just completed my diorama and am hoping for a necklace with an "i" on it for my little Ione Vera. I don't have much time for reading these days, but while on our 10 hour drive to Bentonville, AR area this summer to see family and friends, we downloaded audio book, 'The Hunger Games'- Collins. I was unsure at first, but loved listening to this book while driving, it made me wish the trip would never end. I've been wanting to complete this diorama before watching the movie so I would not have been swayed by the images in the film. Now we can finally rent it from Red Box.

I choose the scene that made me bawl like a baby... Jeff happened to be asleep during this part, so I had to endure it twice... the second time around I decided I'd base my diorama image around it. (*Spoiler Alert*)Innocence lost, my friends. Shortly after blowing up the food supply, heroine Katniss defends her small friend Rue and lays her down covered in flowers while she sings her to sleep, to death while the MockingJays sing along. Life, death, survival, friendship, beauty, music, humanity... it is all in here. GAhhhhh.. don't make me cry again.

Enjoy! Perhaps you have time to enter their little challenge. Find Black and Bluebird Studios on FB and post your pictures/ book review!!!! I had tons of fun making this, and think I'll try another one soon.

Late summer seed harvest walk

Ione and I went for a stroll around the neighborhood today, since it seems to feel a few degrees cooler although probably still in the 90's. What a great time to harvest a few dried flower seed pods. I have wanted my own Pride of Barbados, desert willow, and yellow bells and hopefully these seeds will dry well. Little hands love helping and help fine tune their motor skills.

It is a good idea to put down a piece of paper to catch the seeds as you open the pods together, then roll the paper to create a funnel and pour the seeds into your container. We are using a glass jar set from Ikea $3.99 for 4. I think I will share some seeds with friends as gifts.

When to stop

I can never tell if I prefer a line drawing or inked. When do you stop? Sometimes I'll leave a painting unfinished for a year then come back to it while working on other things and the additions or subtractions are perfect and the painting just feels done and my brain can stop thinking about it. I wonder what it would be like to work on one piece only for your whole life painting over it scratching drawing clearing repainting. I love the concept of the opus 40 by Harvey Fite. http://www.opus40.org/ if you haven't visited, you must.

Summer Art Series at Monstrocity

Friday, August 3rd, 6-10pm join me at the Monstrosity Gallery (2514 Wilson St, Austin, TX 78704) for the works of FEATURED ARTISTS: Justine Beech, Claire Webb, Austinized Art and GUS! LIVE MUSIC: Join us on the rooftop for bluegrass sensations The Bottom Dollar String Band, the musical stylings of Omar Escoffe and foot stompin' pleasure ponies The Slam Gibbons and The Republic of Texas Band! Special thanks to our Event Sponsors: WERD Recording Suite, Honest Tea, Black Star Brewery and The Clubhouse Scene!

Selling Art on South Congress

This summer on Saturdays, with the help of Central Texas Annie, I will be selling some of my artwork on South Congress at the market. Here's some shots from this morning. I will be working on originals and prints for each week. Come on down and check it out.

Vistitors

A few welcome visitors have eaten up some of my red milkweed and dill plants. Please, say hello to the monarch caterpillar. I have seen about 10 so far this spring in the garden, but have yet to stumble upon the cocoon or chrysalis... until this morning! I showed my little one, who is 21 months, and of course she just wanted to get her cute little fingers on it and squish, but seemed very interested and I told her to not touch. Can't wait to keep an eye on this one.

Art Gardening and Raising a family in Austin

A good friend told me, "gun to your head, would you be able to do it." Heck yes. My daughter has inspired me and in her words (she is 20 months old), "let's go!"