Wednesday, April 30, 2008

"Time Well Spent..."

...Getting to the heART of the matter

while waiting for my doctor's appointment yesterday. :)

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

"Mail Call..."

Art and Playing around...
This just seems to be such a natural fit!

Monday, April 28, 2008

"Okay, I Gave In..."

(I just could not resist!)
So...

Why not treat yourself sometime


To her legends, to her beauty...truly, to the west at it's best...

...Rich with memories and stories to last a lifetime!

Have a Happy Cactus Monday! :)

Saturday, April 26, 2008

"Yet Another Grid..."

... A bit of

"Inking...outside the box."

;)

"Playing Around...Again?"

...Peacefully
Playing around with my Pitt pens
in my new
pocket Moleskine....

Thursday, April 24, 2008

"My Thursday Doodles..."

...A fairly pleasant result drawn the evening
of a
very unpleasant
morning
migraine.
...Ahhhhh...much better now. :)

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

"Happy Earth Day...! "

"The Earth Laughs in Flowers." -e.e. cummings

Happy 38th Earth Day!

April 22, 2008

Monday, April 21, 2008

"It Must Be Magic...!"

painted in watercolor as a workshop piece...

Now,
revitalized as something very different
by just selecting a computer photo software option
and simply clicking the mouse!

`Tis truly Cactus Monday magic!
Have a Happy one! :)

Friday, April 18, 2008

"What's Attractive...?"

"Across the Pond"
the thistle is an ancient Celtic heraldic symbol
denoting one's nobility, character, and birth.
In Scotland
the thistle is considered a national symbol.

In Arizona
Cirsium neomexicanum
was allegedly used by the Navajo and Hopi Indians
for medicinal purposes.
It blooms pink-purple in the Arizona desert
from March to September.
Painted Ladies find it very attractive.

So, now I ask you...
Why do they annoy me so,
and
Why are they persistently attempting
to root themselves all over my
backyard??? :(

What are these things anyway???
War Emblems...Wonder Drugs....Wildflowers...or Weeds?

Beauty
must truly be in the eyes of the beholder...
At least, the Painted Ladies (and the artist in me) think it so! ;)

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

"Here's The Problem..."

...Be part of the solution!
Do Something!
Click on the link above!
Act!
Celebrate our Planet!

EDM # 167
"Something that Needs To Be Fixed"
...And also,
my 50th Blog Post!
WooHoo! :)

Monday, April 14, 2008

"You Go, Girl...! "

Echinopsis calochlora
Is native to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, & Paraguay.
Her colorful blossoms can range from
Pink,
to Deep Red,
to Magenta,
to Orange, and
to White.
She is an original South American "party girl"...
dressing up in her festive "bling-blossoms"
for a midnight rendezvous or two
with a few batty friends.
But...
Just like a "Cinderella",
her fragile and delicate beauty quickly
fades from view...
leaving only the haunting memories of her sweet fragrance
in the hearts of admirers
until the next Spring.

Ahhhh..
The beauty of Mother Nature...
She surely has it goin' on! ;)

Friday, April 11, 2008

"Flutter By...


...Sweet Butterflies,
Add
Joy to our days
And
Peace to our nights.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

"A Wise Man Once Said..."

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.
Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
-Chinese Proverb

Hmmm...
Ask an artist to imagine a fish
And you get a whole new species! ;)
EDM #166
"Draw a Fish"

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

"The Way We Were..."

Our House...April 2004
In June we will celebrate the 4th anniversary of our move to Arizona.
This is what it looked like then...
...and no, in real life our house is not purple! :)

EDM #165
"Draw the Front of Your House"

Monday, April 7, 2008

"Luck of the Draw..."

and
EDM #163..."Draw a Deck of Cards"
I "drew" the
Ace of Spades.
Casino card decks are used only for a couple of hours.
The decks are then retired and are either clipped or drilled.
A hole was drilled through my used casino card deck
from
Cliff Castle Casino in Camp Verde, Arizona.
Truly, this is a marked card! :)
Oh yes,
if you plan to hit the casinos...
be careful not to get "stuck" with a bad hand...
or
by a spiney cactus! ;)

Sunday, April 6, 2008

"Sonoran Desert Flowers..."

...Drawn in my brand new red Hand Book Artist Journal.
This new art journal is really quite fun...
I have great plans for "her."
;)

Saturday, April 5, 2008

"Happy Birthday Anita Davies...! "

Palo Verde blossoms,
Float through the sky
Quails flittering about
So quick and spry.

The cacti is in bloom...
spring air swirls all about,
That the desert is alive
there is absolutely no doubt.

In my heart are these wishes
from me sent to you...
Joy, Peace, and Happiness
in all that you do.

Now as I close
from across blue sea,
I send from the desert
A "Happy Birthday" to thee!

WooHoo! :)
Of Special Note:
I consider Anita Davies a special mentor.
I treasure her as a person and and applaud her as an artist.
She lights the end of my tunnels.
And,
On this day of her birth..I both celebrate her life
and thank her for all she does.
:)

Thursday, April 3, 2008

"We Had It All..."

Butterflies, hummingbirds, rabbits, and hawks,
Wildflowers, and sculpture, and brick-covered walks.
A day of delight and a feast for the eyes,
'Twas the beauty of Nature under sun-brightened skies.

Tucked inside "our" Garden were trails here and there
With hideaways perfect to paint "en plein aire".
We drew and we sketched and our brushes did float
Over sketchbook and moleskines-making memories of note.

Time was ours to explore, or to find the right spot-
To journal or fantasize or shoot our last shot.
What a gem of a place for our Phoenix Sketch Crawl.
Art, colleagues, and nature...yes, "We had it all!

Of Special Note:
I dedicate this post to "Jordan"
a former student of mine...now in high school...
who loves to write, paint with watercolors, and raise butterflies.
Remember always... follow your dreams!

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

"Playing With My Paints..."

"All Children are artists.
The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."
-Pablo Picasso

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

A Sweet Little Succulent..."

...just a perfect little "something something"
to brighten your day!
Happy April to you!...No Fooling! ;)