Time flies when you're....really busy

Hello everyone!
        It seems like this last week was reflective of the gloomy weather we've been experiencing here in NW Ohio. I think many of my friends and family have been feeling the same way. There's just been a bad spirit over things that I'm praying soon will break. That being said, I do have some projects to share finally!

       It is traditional in our high school for  senior students to decorate their lockers, generally wrapping it in school colors and plastering their name and graduation date some where. I wanted to be a part of the trend, but I thought I might do something different. Since I'm considered the 'arty' student, why don't I put a 'masterpiece' on my locker. So I decided to draw the Mona Lisa, the most famous painting in the world, with my head, crazy glasses and cropped hair! Teachers and students love it, and I'm happy to bring the fine arts back in style. 
        Also this week our band director was able to pin up my backdrop additions in time for our home game last Friday. We experienced a few, problems, (canvas ripping, putting the backdrops too far up, extra canvas falling over) but over all I was happy that they were up at all and I really hope the band appreciated it for their Halloween Show.

Night on Bald Mountain: Night

Night on Bald Mountain: Dawn...with canvas spoof

          I took the day off from school today, my stomach has been giving me problems and I needed the time to catch up on some stuff. I did finally finish some character drawings I'm doing for my lunch table buddies! I drew them as various characters from Mortal Combat, DC, Marvel, and I took some artistic liberties to draw me as Xena Warrior Princess (see first drawing). I used to watch the tv show when I was really little and forgot how much I loved it. *Que warrior scream* I'm hoping I'll show them tomorrow and they'll really like them, already have other people asking me to do the same for them, which is really a mixed blessing. I think I want to create my own super hero....

No peaking!

        And now to do some housekeeping for school, including revising poems and looking at colleges and scholarships.

Peace.

Here I am!

Hi guys!

     So I didn't exactly get to posting things as soon as I should have, but sooo much has happened since I've posted last, I'll try just to focus on just the art related stuff in this post. This is one of the only days in the last 2 weeks when I didn't have 101 things to work on, (even though after this I still have to: do homework, study for the ACT, work on projects for friends, make dinner, so on and so forth).
    While I don't have pictures of everything yet, I've been working on a lot of projects for school lately (which hasn't left much time for anything else).

     I spent nearly all of last weekend working on more backdrops for the band, which I'm hoping will be up at the next home game so my parents can take some pictures (I unfortunately will be behind them helping the band moving them on and off the field). One of the biggest struggles I had working on it was trying to figure out where was the best place to work on them. I ended up setting up a studio in the garage, and after that I can't wait till I have a REAL studio of my own.

(excuse the face...)

     
    With 3 art classes, I've been busy making stuff at school as well, including; decorating my locker ala Mona Lisa (pictures to post later), various art and photography projects, and writing poems for that poetry class I mentioned awhile ago. Here is my first poem workshop entry about the time when I was 7 or 8 when I tried to sell my art work on the front lawn:

Abstraction of a Lemonade Stand

We thought we had so little,

Our things were brown, and used.

I knew a quarter could never buy a home.

But, being the independent child,

Sneaking copy paper and markers,

I’d make do.

Flowers, rainbows, and faces,

For those without such daughters.

I thought I could be someone in those old art books.

Propped up on a Huffy bicycle, next to the street

A stack of masterpieces getting wet in the rain,

Holding a sign in my, small hands,

Drawings: 25 cents

Little changed while on the front lawn,

I mostly watched the rolled up windows, speckled.

Passing slowly but with no intention to stop,

One did inquiry cursorily as to why.

If they thought this sight was strange, they should have,

Stopped inside.

They should have, with cat food hitting the wall.

I went in quietly.

I didn’t think we’d laugh about it now

Adding it to the list for therapy, or a book.

I never thought I’d have to run the same scheme,

Hanging on to childhood dreams.

Why, it’s, fractal geometry.

Self-Similarity.

    There is a lot going on this poem, as it was kinda a strange memory for me. One of the reasons wrote this is becuase I wanted to make the point of how, now that I am high school senior trying to make big decisions about what I what to do and where I want to go, I feel like I still have to 'sell' my art in order to make it anywhere. I still dream of what it must be like to be an artist like Monet, painting in his garden with such passion, surrounding himself in art.
     I just turned 17 on the first, so to celebrate my mom and dad made a short trip up to the Toledo Art Museum. Right now they have a local artist exhibit, and some of the entries were amazing of course, but afterwords I made a beeline for the impressionistic works of the 19th century. I love being able to wander the quiet halls and get close to the art work, seeing every detail right in front of me,  being surrounded by color and movement. There is one painting in particular I always have to see: The Shepard's Star by Jules Brenton.

To look at the structure of her face, the look of her eyes, the ruggedness of her hands and feet, the strength of her arms. To see the soft colors of the setting sun and fields, contrasted with the sharpness of the sickle. What beauty. To see this painting next to paintings of Ophelia and nymphs, I can only keep my eyes on her. That is part of what art is to me, all I want from my life, is be able to live this simple dream, of making art like this. I would love to be one of those prize winners in the local artists exhibit, but only if I can learn to make art that really pulls at my heart.
 I have a lot going on, but I'm hoping I can buy more oils and canvas soon and get to work. Right now it's getting ready for another school week for me.

Peace.

Getting in the hang of school things...

Hey there! This week was the first week of school for many students including my self and it has been crazy busy. For one thing, right now I'm taking a break from painting back drops for our local marching band, which I'm hoping to get done really soon, it's just gonna take some work.
   Along with that it's been the usual school stuff: classes, credits, and sylibi INCLUDING a  poetry class I'm am taking at a local university which has been an experience of its self and will have to devote some blogging time to later.
   This week has been crazy busy but it has been a great kick off to my senior year, but since I'm afraid if I sit here typing too long I won't get back to work, I'll have to chat later.

 
Have a good one!

The Beging of Adventure

   Just spending some time here before I head off to my first day of school, the first day of my senior year. I've been having mixed feeling lately, but this morning my dog, Bonnie, decided she'd help me get ready.
She opened my room's door with her nose and sat in my room when it was time to wake up, then she followed me to my wardrobe to watch me pick out what clothes I was going to wear, as I getting my bag ready she walked into my room again when the bathroom was open. If even my dog is helping me this year, I guess I shouldn't worry so much about things.
   Guess I should brush  my teeth now, talk more later!

Crochet and random photos

For one, I finished my improve circle vest thing: Can't wait to wear it to school and make more!

Ruffles!

Navy Yarn!

Cool Center Motif!

My dog Bonnie modeling!

And since I had the camera, why not take more random photos? :

Keep up the good work, Bee

So purdy....

Mom's Pear Tree

Children of the corn?

Wrapping things up...

Hey guys!

Well this is the last weekend of summer for me and it's been a mix of getting in our last kicks and getting ready for school. Although I sometimes think I should be doing more to get ready this year, on the other hand, how do you prepare for the unknown? So I guess I've been mostly focusing on spending time with family and friends.

Mom had work off yesterday (she had to considering she's been working 13 hr days lately). Most of Mom's vacationing this year has been either taking care of stuff around the house or my dad, so we wanted to try to get at least ONE good vacation day out of summer. Rather spontaneously we decided to check out a local quarry, and I'll admit at first I thought it might be better just to stay home. But it turned out to just what we needed.

Mom's sand art, arrrrgh!

    For one, the quarry was beautiful: crystal clean water and white sand, surrounded by parks and rock quarry walls. For another thing it was cheap, accessible, and not overly crowded (which means fewer things to detract from the fun). My brother and I hit the high dive first while mom started to wade around. Pretty soon we started to do our own thing, it just sorta happens that way.  Wes went to go listen to his music in the shade, mom had fun out on the shore, and me of course, the little seal that I am, had some of the best swimming I've ever had.
   The water was cool and clear, with the white sand and to reflect light off the bottom. I could dive down to 20 feet and drag my fingers through the bottom and shoot back up for air. Then I would swim across the shoreline and glide along the bank, looking up at the sunbeams coming through the surface. I was startled when a fish about the size of my hand came up to me, if I wasn't confused I could have grabbed it and been a real seal!
     It was a great trip, we all had our things to enjoy about it. It was relaxed and unconstrained which seems the opposite of what things have been. Although now mom and I are in the mood for a good fish fry...

Today on the other hand has been pretty busy. Wes had band today, mom is helping one of my older brothers move, and I had a cross country race to run this morning, which turned out okay. It was our annual Blue and White meet where our team is split into two and we race each other. I really like our team this year, I was proud to be one of the captains. Our team, the white team, lost (mostly becuase the other team had more runners than us, which makes scoring impossible). Our top runners did a phenomenal job, it wasn't a particularly great race for me though. But I'm hoping to make big improvements this year.

I'm hoping I might find some ways to prepare for school right now. My friends are having an end of the summer bonfire tonight which I'm sure will be a great kickoff to this year.  I've been reading the Bible more lately, maybe that's the best way to prepare for anything.

Peace.

Finally! My first digital painting!!!

It took all day but I FINALLY finished my first digital painting: It's a self portrait with what I think my wings would look like (cardinal wings, read previous post for more on that....).

"She with Cardinal Wings".. Click to zoom/better quality

It was fun using the tablet to draw, but it is going to take some more instruction to do more effects and such. I'm really happy with it and think parts of it are really neat (love the hand positions and details). And I know that that's male wings, not female, but I think the cardinal comes across stronger in red). I could probably go on working on it, but for a first painting I think this will do: Art is not completed, only abandoned.

Peace

I'm back! (and sore from running...)

Wouldn't you know it? I survived cross country camp! It was interesting to say the least, and definitely had some great times with the team and with running. Coach mentioned to me how he was proud of me for how much stronger I've gotten, which means a LOT to me becuase I've been struggling pretty hard to keep up with our top runners. I love running so much but I really have to work at it to make up for the natural talent I don't really have (yet...).
   But contrary to popular belief we don't really run the whole day, and we're really left with a lot of time to fill up at this campsite. Sometimes that means taking a nap, going swimming, or playing card games, but alot of the time we're just bored and we hang out under the shelter. Well one of our guys was taking a nap and someone started drawing stuff on his back (with his permission), I watched for a little bit before I suggested drawing wings on his back. He was all for it and I had nothing better to do so I took a black pen and drew a pair of arc angel wings for him, he was really happy and I loved they way they look too. Pretty soon I was drawing all kinds of wings on our guys: bone wings, dragon wings, flame wings, demons wings, even butterfly wings. The part I thought was most beautiful about them was that they really seemed to reflect a part of their personality. My favorite was the angel wings becuase the guy would had them had a really good heart and a protective (in a good way) quality about him. But what made me the most happy was how proud they were of their new wings, the one was even considering getting a temporary tattoo like that. It was a great part of camp, and I'm HOPING to get some pictures up.
    Even when I got home I had wings on the brain. I was curious to think about what kind of wings I would want. After a while I thought about how cardinals always have had a special meaning to me. When ever I see a pair I'm comforted and that flash of bright red against the dark green of a tree is so beautiful to me. I always think of God's love when I see them. I was really excited I 'found my wings' but I didn't think I'd get any one draw them for me. I thought it would be a really neat project for me to draw a portrait of me with cardinal wings with my new drawing tablet. It's looking great so far but it's taken a few days for me to get used to it and I still have to finish it, but I should be posting stuff soon.

So what kind of wings would you have?

Peace.

Getting some fresh 'Plein-Air'

Hey guys,

Well I've been doing this and that and the other thing this week. Tomorrow morning I'm leaving for cross country camp, so I won't be back until Sunday (but I'm so excited, camp is a great experience). School seems to be inching closer so fast!

It has been GORGEOUS here in NW Ohio, cool sunny and the gentlest breeze. Especially since I've been looking at that Monet book, I absolutely had to go outside and do some painting and sketching. First I stopped and the barn to paint and check out the horses before I went to camp:

The set up...See the horses in the background?

Sketching the herd to warm up...

And then today I sat next to my mom's garden to paint this rough painting. In either one I was hoping to capture the lovely atmosphere, they aren't as impressionistic as I'd like but that's easier done in oil. It was fun to sit outside and paint though!

My mom's sunflowers and corn

After I was done a humming bird hovered by the sunflower (the real one)

Extra paint? Paint your hands!

Now I think I better get my stuff together for camp. I know for sure I'm atleast going to bring stuff to crochet during the down time.

See ya Sunday!

Bonitacreates' photostream

Bonitacreates' photostream on Flickr.

New Design and Monet Ramblings...

I thought my blog page was looking a little boring so I thought I'd spruce it up a bit. I'm still getting used to blogging, and think I need to try to stick to my theme a little more, but atleast I'm not getting graded for this.
   I have cross country pictures and drug testing for most of the day today, and right now I'm recovering from our morning practice (some hot coffee sounds good, although I'm gonna be stuck at camp with out it on Thursday, instant coffee?). I consider running a real art form, we make strong bodies that  can carry us through woods and cross the country side. My legs have been giving me trouble lately and I'm not in as a great as shape as I would have liked, but sometimes its good just think "It's a gift one can run at all".
So what am I working on now you ask? Well, still getting used to blogging of course. And I started to paint country images on this white cotton dress I found (and blogged about) a while back. It has a very folk art quality to it and I think it's gonna be neat when it's all done. All of the images are stuff I've seen and has a special meaning to it from the country. I think it's almost like quilting. But with paint.

 

I went to the library yesterday and picked out a ton of art books (as usual) one of them is about Monet spending time in this garden, Giverny, to study and paint, it's really lovely. The images of his paintings and him walking around the garden are really inspiring, one quote reads:
    "His life is what he paints; and what he paints is his life.... He only wants one thing, to immerse himself in colour...He aores the whole beauty of nature, which he sees around him and which tortures him, for that is what he is so anxious to translate into paint - the innumerable, ever -changing beauties of nature."

The book tells of his experiences there and his struggle to capture not only the subject but the very air around it. 
I know how he feels. I wish I could spend all my time studying the beautiful colors and lights and greenery around me to translate into paintings. That is the life I want to life when it comes to art. I think when ever I paint, draw, or really create anything it's to honor the subject, the idea, the emotions behind it. There are SO many things I want to paint and create, but I am bound by few supplies and time constraints. Just as I sit here, the sunlight bouncing off the grass in the breeze is like a Walt Whitman poem in the form, how beautiful could it be in a painting! I've often prayed to God asking if I could ever capture the beauty He's created in the world.  If I could have a career where I could be given the resources to study the lights and colors around me I could live in peace.  I have one canvas left, it stops me from painting when all  I think "I better use this well!".
   With the white dress I'm not trying very hard, just painting what comes into memory. I really want to do some outdoor painting now, but soon I have to head back to the school for drug testing.

It's so lovely out.

Peace.