9-27-18    Make just one new commitment and watch your life become busier EXPONENTIALLY!

Artist-in-residency Sheboygan North High School.

9-27-18      What I’m working on in my studio at SNHS. Artist-in-Residence

AiR - Day 2

9-20-18     Artist in residency at Sheboygan North High School day 2. I finished this journal page. I like it even more after seeing it in a photograph. Love his and her expression. A target was the inspiration and it developed from there.

AiR - End of day 1

9-19-18 End of day 1. Starting to fill up the space. 

I spent a lot of time journaling on pages that had already been drawn on. I had a lot to say. Sometimes the pages sit for months waiting for the right words.

A very productive day. It is amazing how much I can get done when I don’t have the distractions of home. Mainly several needy dogs. 

Studio Space - Artist-in-Residence Sheboygan North High School

Week 1

9-19-18 First day as Artist in Residence at Sheboygan North High School. This is my studio space for the entire Fall semester. It was the former health office. Pretty cool, I even have a sink. Now to Art up the place without needing a moving truck at the end of the semester.

Summer Solstice TIGER

Finally a blog post and even more importantly I have begun to journal again after months of abandonment. Life has been hectic and I haven't had the energy to create. I stopped by my artist friend Vanessa Johanning house on June 21st for a couple of hours and we spent some time journaling and chatting. Just what I needed, thank you Vanessa!

I took a progress photo, when done for the day, of a collage that was not speaking to me.  The next day I applied a wash of burnt umber mixed with pthalo blue. Seven days later a tiger revealed itself to me and I spent a couple of blissful hours coaxing it from the background. It might not be completely done but I am anxious to share my progress.

I loaded the progress photo on my computer, signed onto this blog and was greeted by the "spinning wheel of death". I restarted my computer and it has refused to load. Ugh! Not to be deterred with my Tiger totem in power, I plugged in my old laptop that hasn't been used in a year and here I am.

I wish you willpower, personal strength and courage!

Ostrich - Journal Page

I was walking in the woods past a fallen tree. I looked at the trunk and there was an ostrich winking at me - adventures in pareidolia.

Cutthroat Trout Journal Page

Pareidolia, I often find what I wasn't looking for. Then starts the task of making sense of it. First I seen a fish. Next I had to figure out what kind of fish it was. I decided it was going to be a cutthroat trout. I wanted something eye-catching. Instead, I found a message for my artistic journey. I was doubting my direction and choice of task for the day. My doubt was removed.


"Trout are known for being very forthright and straightforward usually with a strong reason to go forward...with a "this is mine attitude" they strive for perfection and their set goal in mind." Words found on intuitiveguru.wordpress.com

Opossum - Journal Page

I like to prep some journal pages in advance. First I collaged images from Journal Starters:Sampler Volume 1 and my upcoming  Journal Starters: NATURE - Backgrounds, Textures and Collaborations books. Next I applied a thin coat of fluid matte medium. Then I painted washes of Quinacridone / Nickel Gold and a Turquois, Raw Umber Mix. Today I was inspired by the Spirit Animal Totem post, featuring an opossum, on Facebook. I drew an opossum with some leaves and branches. Even though the opossum feet don't show on the backside in the photograph I think that I need to go back and correct this.

I wrote this quote from http://www.spirit-animals.com. "Hope is the state of being hopeful. Strategy and action will move you past hope and towards success" opossum

Reflection of My Thoughts

I started by collaging three pieces, in my handmade journal, from one of my photographic images.

 I had seen an image of a man in the reflection of the water. Not an actual reflection of a man, rather a case of pareidolia. I like how the driftwood in the water suggests a collar bone. I painted around the silhouette with a wash of burnt umber and phthalo blue. I also added to the beginning of a heart shape on the opposing page.  A bit of journaling of thoughts that popped in my head. "Sometimes he appeared a reflection of my thoughts. Then a slight breeze rippled the water and he was gone. When images provoke thoughts without bearing."

Phoenix Rising

The prompt for Journal52 week #17 is "Rise". Bonus points were given for including a Phoenix. I started with a double page spread from my upcoming book Journal Starters: NATURE - Backgrounds, Textures and Collaborations. Working from the photographic image of texture of torn and weathered wood the phoenix arose. I used Prismacolor pencils to create the phoenix and a white Gelly Roll pen for the journaling.

Journal Page - The Politics of People, The Insanity of Power

This journal page pretty much sums up my emotions on politics.