Are you a frustrated Artist? Here's some advice

Here's some really wonderful advice from Shoo Rayner on succeeding as an artist, or for that matter, whatever it is you want to do or be.  He reminds us to not let lack of an art degree or specialized training stop you.  I love this!  Basically there's always a way around lack if you're determined enough!

Lost

I had been feeling disheartened for a few days.  Part of it had to do with the gloomy weather we had been experiencing, which is strange, because I actually love rainy, gray days.  It probably was a combination of things, but that was the background for this emerging portrait I had drawn last night.

LOST

Below, I put the portrait behind the doors of a bookcase, giving it a slightly different story.

Happy April!

I have been on hiatus from my blog for quite a long time.  I've been overhauling my art studio and investigating different passions of mine.  I haven't quit making art, I just haven't been posting as much on my blog.  You can find most of my output over on Instagram at @jujulabean.

There's a weird thing that has to happen every so often in your life.  I read recently that you cannot always have expansion.  That thought resonated with me, because it was exactly the way I was feeling.  I'm still doing the work--making art--but I had to think in which way I wanted to head.  It takes time to back the truck up, spin it around in repeated reverse/forward, reverse/forward lurches, and drive into a different direction.

I'm still mapping my way, but with the start of spring, and especially with the beginning of a new month, I feel ready to begin putting my fingers to the keyboard again.

I'm going to go a little freestyle in subject matter from here on out.  For over 4 years I posted painting after drawing, drawing after painting.  And although art is and always will be a huge part of my life, I also love fashion, cooking, chocolate, MUSIC, and things of beauty--including beauty products!

I've got an itch this year to complete a chocolatier program, to cook a new soup every day, and to continue illustrating every episode of HBO's Girls which is ending its series after 6 seasons.  Look, some people only have one path.  I feel like there is so much to see and do in this world before I croak that I want to skip down as many paths as I possibly can!

So I'm going to let my current stream of thought be my freewheelin' jazz approach to this blog until it goes through it's next metamorphosis. 

Let's begin with the following.  One of my favorite chocolatiers is Vosges Haut Chocolates based out of Chicago.  You can find their website here, and specifically, their Easter offerings, here.   Vosges is not, shall we say, inexpensive, but it is soooooooo delicious.  Made with the finest ingredients, I respect the cost.  Does that sound strange?  To my way of thinking, just like calories, the cost doesn't matter as much when you're getting something for it...or as my great grandma used to say, cheap is expensive.

Watch for specials in shipping and percentages off which Vosges offers frequently.  Finally, indulge and ENJOY!

From far left, Blueberry Lavendar Petunia Rabbit, Strawberry Lemon Max Rabbit, Crunchy Piemonte Hazelnut Emma Rabbit and Sicilian Pistachio Luella Rabbit Look at those sweet boxes, too! I'm a sucker for fine chocolates AND beautiful packaging! 

DO WHAT YOU CAN'T

I was lucky enough to see Casey last September in Nashville at the incredible "Story" conference.  Do what you can't...that's what he does and so should all of us.  No one knows what lies within you, but you.  Don't let anyone tell you who you are (they don't know) or what you're capable of, peeps!

George Michael - RIP

I, like many of you, was so shocked to hear that George Michael died today. I always thought his voice was so strong on the song "One More Try" soaring from low to high with ease. On Twitter someone posted him singing a Queen song (with David Bowie and Seal, no less, looking on from the sidelines). I always thought that no one could match Freddie Mercury's or Elton John's vocals, but George Michael could. And who could emulate George Michael's? Not many. Some singers make it look so easy. Maybe the singing is the easiest part of it for them, and living life is the harder part. Please read this article by the great Bob Lefsetz on George's artistic contribution, and what it costs to be an artist.

Please also read Rob Sheffield's great tribute to George in Rolling Stone, here.

Inktober Day 30 Wreck

Life as wrecking ball, face as building.  

Life isn't always so rosy, n'est pas?

Inktober Day 17 BATTLE

A little inner battle...and a little nod to one of my all-time idols, Keith Richards. You tell it, Keef!

Inktober Day 9 BROKEN

Hmm.  These Inktober prompts have not been the lightest topics...  I was going to draw a drill into this and commentary about dreams and life, but decided to leave it as it was.  It was broken enough.

Day 9 - Spring

Spring in Bloom, 

Spring Love, 

Spring Showers, 

April Showers, 

Windy Spring, 

Spring Baseball, 

Spring into Life, 

Spring

Around the World in Three Ways

Around the World in Three Ways

I was thinking about how the world looks differently at every stage of life, from inception to old age.  How your viewpoint changes, how your demeanor towards fate changes...  It's not an admonition, but just observation, at how one's viewpoint evolves through age.  This started out solely as watercolor, but then I added oil and ink.

Persevere, Never Fear

I think this beautiful Japanese Proverb is appropriate anytime, but especially these days.

Acrylic, pastel, oil, ink, paper

Pierre Blowing Kisses

Pierre was feeling particularly in love with life and so found himself blowing kisses to all.

First Step Over and Over Again

Moving Inward

Moving Inward

So many changes in life.  So much stays the same.

Eyeteeth

I'm a little out of order with my posts, but I love this one so much, I'm going to send it out sooner than later.  (My poor blog, I'll be back with you soon.  The last 2 months has left me with little time for you.  I will change that soon!)

Here you go.  I've got oil, acrylic, ink, glitter, dried paint, watercolor pencil, packing slip (!), everything in this baby.  I love her!

She Was Willing to Give Up Her Eyeteeth to Go After Her Dream.

Don't Look Back, Look Forward

When a thing is done, it's done. Don't look back. Look forward...

George C. Marshall

Watercolor, oil, ink

Connie, Our Sweet Tornado - No Longer Available

Our dear co-worker and friend, Connie, passed away suddenly this week and our hearts are shocked and broken into bits.  She was ever-ready to help others, professional, capable, a whirlwind of energy, and a leader.  She is still leading us--teaching us to appreciate every moment and droplet of our days on this precious Earth.  We may have to let you go, Connie, but you are forever in our hearts.

watercolor, watercolor pencil, pastel, graphite

*****

Framed.

Full Circle

Happy March 1st!  

It's been snowing since last night.  Snow on top of snow.  It feels warmer, though, and the snow is gentle.  I feel hope that Mother Nature is about to turn a corner.  Nonetheless, I don't think She wants us to forget that all seasons are favored, and She isn't about to short shrift the current one.

I thought I had finished this last night, but ended up putting more contrast into it this a.m.  I was listening to Led Zeppelin's, "Rain Song" while doing so--it's gentle, beautiful strings and gradual crescendoing underscored the cyclic nature of the piece (or at least it did in my mind.)

My husband said on his phone, he initially couldn't see the face in the roots.  I darkened it a little below to enhance it.  I used circles because of their symbolism:

The circle is a universal symbol with extensive meaning. It represents the notions of totality, wholeness, original perfection, the Self, the infinite, eternity, timelessness, all cyclic movement... (Hermes Trismegistus)). 

In any event, I'm very happy with this one...took a long time, but I was in a meditative state so it didn't matter.

Here are a few other pictures of what I woke up to this Sunday morning.   Pussy willows wearing a coat of snow.  March, I'm glad you're here.

Led Zeppelin's  "The Rain Song"

Praying for a Colorful Life

Carol was praying for a colorful life.  She yearned to be set free from her monochromatic world. Her sheets were white, her walls were white, the bars on her windows were white...and black--and she wasn't even in prison.  Well, perhaps the prison within her own mind.  Even her chin seemed to reach around the corner, jutting its way into some room speckled with chartreuse and aquamarine.  Sadly, she had only one glimpse of color in her universe and it was when she went to bed at night, for her dreams swirled in magenta orange. Inks dripping, spinning, dotting every movement--a tango of exotic brightness.

But each morning she awoke and stared at black and white, black and white (alright, it was a dichromatic world).  Sigh.  Her shoulders hunched, her hands dragging on the floor, she was shocked from her doldrums by a splinter, lodging its way into her fleshy fingertip.  With an "Ow!" and a jolt to her system, she blinked hard at the intruder in her body.  And as she blinked, a piece of the rainbow washed into her world.  She blinked again and another color joined her surroundings.  And so it happened, with more blinks more splatterings of jeweled pigments tinted her life.  The prick of splinter activated a synesthesia within her, one sensation triggering another, until she rocketed out, through, upwards into this poetic place she had yearned for.

She was now Carlotta, vivaciously vibrant in both dreams and life.  Prayers are answered!

Day 351. Chipped Fingernails (Not Available)

She was too busy living her life to worry about chipped fingernails.