a paintbrush and a jar of flowers.

I had an in-home art class last year as part of my sophomore subjects. It was fun, and I learned a lot, but the time went by and pretty soon I was putting it off. Not because I don't like art--I love it. I just ran out of time this year with everything else I had going, so now I find myself with 20 hours of watercolor to do. Every night I get out my palette and brushes and water jug, sit down, read my lesson, and do an hour of pure art.

I am happy. This is the kind of homework I like. :)

Drawing and painting have always been mellow passions of mine; I'm not exceedingly talented or anything, I just love the feeling of a pencil or paintbrush in my hand, the mixing of colors and the accomplishment of finishing a satisfactory piece. I love learning new techniques, drawing something over and over until I have it right, sketching something quickly and being surprised when it turns out..even making mistakes. It's a sort of therapy for me, I guess--knowing I can paint and have just as much fun whether my work looks like another Rembrandt, or earns a prominent spot in the garbage can. :] 

My most recent project was something simply--and involved my favorite subject: wildflowers. I had to paint this pretty little jar of daisies twice, once using a soft wash and once using harder, more defined lines. I thought I would share my second painting (the "hard" one) with you, since I though it turned out rather nicely.

   

 

..You know how in the movies artists and bakers always have signs of their hard work on their cheeks? Like, in the baker's case, a huge fake smudge of flour, and in the artist's, a ginormous streak of paint? Well, that actually really-and-truly happened to me.

I swiped my face with blue fingers, and thus got "the" artist cheek streak.

Yup. I felt hard-core. :]

"One must act in painting as in life, directly."

~Pablo Picasso