Watercolor 2003-4. Patience, good temperament, civility, humility, love describes my grandmother's life--born in the late 1800s, she faced more difficulties in life than I have ever faced. This painting represents longing to return to her.
It’s been over 20 years since I was an artist and animator in the video game industry and did art on the computer. I’ve been re-learning digital art since I’ve been stuck in doors during this Covid pandemic, and this is a charcoal piece I just did in Procreate. If you haven’t already tried this mind blowing program, I highly recommend it!
Patron Saint of Lost Keys and Small Things.
Reminded me of this poem by Elizabeth Bishop.
One Art
The art of losing isn’t hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster.
Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn’t hard to master.
Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring disaster.
I lost my mother’s watch. And look! my last, or
next-to-last, of three loved houses went.
The art of losing isn’t hard to master.
I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn’t a disaster.
—Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan’t have lied. It’s evident
the art of losing’s not too hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.
There’s a lot of waiting in life.
Waiting in lobbies.
Waiting on answers.
Waiting for braces to tighten, kids to grow, hearts to heal, or prayers to be answered.
I sat at the orthodontist, watching dollars tighten on tiny wires, and made this sketch. A tree. A house. A street. Color helped the moment breathe.
I remember once hearing a chess master say, “There is no waiting in chess.”
It confused me—wasn’t there always a turn to wait for?
But he explained: “There’s no waiting. Only planning. Plotting. Analyzing. You’re always thinking.”
I once repeated that to a FIDE master. He got mad.
Maybe because waiting and patience aren’t the same thing.
We can be still and deeply active inside.
We can pause without being passive.
And then there’s Lindsey’s voice in the back of my head:
“That sounds like a first-world problem.”
“Speak life.”
“Be thankful. Rejoice always.”
And she’s right.
So here’s to filling waiting time with something creative.
Something kind.
Something that turns a delay into a doorway.
I designed this house. It has a really pretty blue exterior, and it has a slight curve to it that gives it a more warm and inviting feel. I like how the walkway kind of curves into the stairs and transitions back into the walkway before arriving at the front door. I like that there’s plenty of yard space with some really nice landscaping. The birds can even come and get a birdbath. I thought that was really cute. I used the multicolored stones to add detail for a more distinguished look. The hedges are neatly cut in a square and follows along side of the house. Looking through those gorgeous windows you can see the house is fully furnished. There are some really pretty chandeliers in there that adds character. There’s a stairway that leads to another level of the house as well. I love how there’s a touch of yellow that highlights the points on the rooftop. Furthermore, the swing in the backyard adds an inviting feel to the scenery. Also, it’s a nice place to sit and enjoy the view.
This is the next redo on tap. It's a watercolor painted in about 2006. Likely I'll only change values of the leaves--the lighter ones. And I will try to define the yellow petunias better.
The meal was my attempt to bring a little comfort into the rugged outdoors. The sketch was my reminder—to hold onto the moment, even when mosquitoes, ashes, and deflating air mattresses had other plans.
Page from winter art journal. Used micron .01 pen. I try to draw quickly--partly my temperament, partly about staying away from focusing on every detail.
Depicting a serene landscape, the mountain rises majestically with its reflection mirrored in the tranquil lake beneath. Surrounded by lush green trees and a pale sky with a passing cloud, the scene evokes a sense of peace and natural beauty. The use of bold outlines gives the image a whimsical, almost cartoonish feel.
I designed these multicolored trailers using different shades of color only in a different pattern for each trailer. I felt like this color scheme would give the trailers a uniform look yet their own distinct look. The roads look freshly paved with small shrubbery on the corners of the entry ways of the driveways. There are some pretty brown steps that leads to a door on each trailers. Also, as you can see the trailers have been topped off with the same flat style roof only with a different solid color which is one of the colors used on the sides of the trailers. There’s a fishing area with plenty of fish in it as well as places to sit. There’s even a place to use the restroom close by the fishing area so you can continue to enjoy your day catching fish with minimal interruption. This trailer park has a fresh look to it. It has a warm, inviting feel to it and is perfect for living a more simple lifestyle.
This is another atmospheric sketch for today! This could be someone just being outdoors taking a walk away from the strange or uncomfortable streets embracing the outdoors.
