Blueberries with Lemon Cream

Blueberries with Lemon Cream

Here's my illustration of a favorite recipe from Eating Well Magazine.

And here's a little drawing practice.  A very quick black and white sketch of some kitchen utensils.

A Drama in 12 Words - Brooklyn Art Library

I've been participating in projects with the Brooklyn Art Library since 2010 when I did my first sketchbook for them called, "Coffee and Cigarettes."  I followed up in 2011 with "Sandwich" and 2012 with "The Last Word Spoken."  I've also participated in a canvas painting exchange which I blogged about during my 365 day project (Day 235 Be Proud of What You've Got), and also several other free projects that they've offered. 

They're a great organization trying to foster creativity not just among American artists, but artists worldwide.

Last week they offered a change to write a drama in 12 words, then asked you to tweet it or instagram it.  Ever the romantic, here's mine:

Train jolts, eyes catch.

Lost love, now found?

"Truly me," said she.

Click here for other submissions to this project:  12 word dramas.  Fun, huh?  Now join in these projects yourself and keep your creativity flowing!


Remembering

Sometimes I sit down at my computer desk, which also doubles as my painting area, because I have no other room to paint, and I will get this urge.  An urge of unrest, of wanting to--actually needing to, make something.  I stare at my paint.  I can tell that nothing will make me feel better except to paint.  And then...off I go.  I started this at 10 p.m.   I couldn't help myself.

I've been watching the "Eyes of Laura Mars" while I put this baby together.  Well, I've been "listening" to it.  Again, I don't know why I've been needing to see/listen to this 1978 relic (with Faye Dunaway and a young Tommy Lee Jones).  I don't question my weird cravings.  It's just like when my body says, eat some potatoes, and I say o.k., and whirl up some hash browns in a Spanish omelet!  Back to the movie.  I thought I was being directed by the universe to paint Faye Dunaway or something, but the gal that emerged is loosely based on a character in the movie "Amelie."  A woman reminiscing about her husband who left her and ran away with his secretary years ago.

For some reason I like painting older people or forlorn people when I paint portraits.  I'm not sure why.  Well, maybe I do.  There's something very interesting to me about more complex human emotions...those that touch a yearning inside.  They don't make me sad; rather, I see a beauty in their vulnerability.

Remembering

9" x 12"

Barbara Streisand singing theme ("Prisoner") from "Eyes of Laura Mars"

 A little film clip.

Now it's the wee hours of the morning, and I need to clean my brushes, take a bath, go to bed, and lie in bed and think, why did I stay up so late during the work week?!?!?!  WHAT am I doing?  What can I do? When the muse calls, you must obey.

Emergency Retrieval of a Wayward Contact

Emergency Retrieval of a Wayward Contact

 

 

11" x 17"

 

I used to wear contacts from about 14 until 35 years of age (yes, I'm older than that!), and I can remember many a time having those contacts popping out of my eyes and me having to go on a frantic search for them.  I look a lot better with those ol' gas-permeable lenses, for that's the type I had), but I'm not as vain anymore, and I'm now living my life in the land of ease and funkadelic glasses.  I can even remember getting those contacts stuck inside my eye on top of my eyeballs.  Hmm...THAT is a great idea for another painting. (-;

 

 

 

Trying to Catch a Break

Oh my gosh, what am I going to do?  Fill my house with paintings made by me for me?  I can't help but paint these wacko things.  I crack up over them, and I think, "Jill, you know no one is going to hang this in their living room!"  But you know what, I TOTALLY would!  And I probably will!  Perhaps, though, there's a fellow whacked out soul or two who can chuckle at these things and whose home would be happy to embrace it.  Otherwise, I guess I'll have to start paneling my ceiling with these hilarious (maybe only to me) canvases, because I just can't stop, and quite frankly, I don't want to.  This one is one of my favorites of all time. (-:

Trying to Catch a Break

 

"Here's yer brake pad."

"That's not the break I was hoping to catch!"

 

(Ah, ha, ha, ha!)

Illustrations for Hugh MacLeod & Joseph Campbell SOLD

In February 2013, Lesley Riley (http://www.lesleyriley.com/) had a call for art for her book containing her favorite quotes.  That book became "Quotes Illustrated" and was published in November and available on both her website and amazon.com.   Her book was picked up by a larger publisher, North Light Books and will be reissued towards the end of this year (2014) in a new version including 30 more pieces of artwork. 

Lesley extended a second call for art and had over 200 entries for that small amount of spaces.  I sent in an image for that art call as well.  Below is my quote from Hugh MacLeod:

One needs to have that big adventure before truly appreciating how utterly wonderful that simple, mundane stuff actually is.

And...here is my illustration for it.  I was not accepted this time around, but I absolutely love my drawing--is it bad to say that?  Hmm, I'm still going to say it, because in all honesty, I do absolutely love it.  ha! (-;

The quote and illustration that did get accepted into the original book is below.

When you follow your bliss... doors will open where you would not have thought there would be doors, and where there wouldn't be a door for anyone else. 

--Joseph Campbell

Carlos Lascano's "Lila"

Here is a most beautiful short film from Carlos Lascano called "Lila." Thank you Suzi Poland for bringing this slice of beauty to my attention.  Gracias a Carlos Lascano por esta pelica encantada.  (Thank you, Carlos Lascano for this enchanting film.)

She is like "Amelie" come to life as a sketcher! I feel full of happiness that such beauty and imagination exists in the world.  I wish I knew you personally!

No Despair If You Follow Your Heart (No Longer Available)

This painting emerged when I smeared some molding paste on a canvas.  I saw a face in the lower left-hand side and it grew from there.  I knew I wanted to include some sort of quote about feeling down, but becoming lifted when you follow your heart even if you don't know where it's leading.  That, of course, is my feeling about art, a complete lifesaver in my life.  I searched for quotes, and these two were my favorites and top contenders:

"The heart has its reasons which reason knows not."  --Blaise Pascal

and my ultimate favorite:

"When the heart speaks, the mind finds it indecent to object."  --Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being



I was going with that one, going with it like the tearful, yet hopeful figure in the painting floating to his destiny.  Somehow, though, it was just not succinct enough, and it didn't reflect what I felt was the initial feeling of this fellow:  Despair.

And then I thought, "No despair, if you follow your heart."  The message on the painting is a bit of a puzzle, which a life's journey oftentimes end up being, no?  I felt it hit exactly what I was trying to express.

Here he is hanging outside in setting sun:

And one more shot floating up through the just blossoming magnolia tree:

Sketching Pre-Concert

I'm participating in an online class called Sketchbook Skool created by Danny Gregory and Koosje Koene and one of the assignments last week was to sketch in public. I have sketched "out and about" before, but never before a concert---jeepers, sure seems like I was a nerd extraordinaire sitting at my table, but baby, I had a homework assignment to fulfill! ha! I sketched a bit between songs as discreetly as possible--is this girl dedicated or what? (-; Anyway, when I got home, I quickly added some watercolor, but almost feel like it looked better in black and white.

  Last Friday, my husband and I saw Sam Llanas, founder and former member of the BoDeans and his current band. The guitarist, Sean Williamson, was so good! We were seated at a table right by the stage so I had quite a good view of the sound equipment.  O.K., without further ado, here's my quick sketch.

Liberate Your Art 2014 Postcard Swap

Both last year and this year, I participated in Kat Sloma's international postcard swap.  It's such a great artistic combination of online activity and snail mail.  Kat encourages you to meet a deadline, follow instructions, and get your work published into a postcard format.  O.k., on initial reading, this may not seem like such a big deal, but really people, it is.  It's just another way of demonstrating to our procrastinating selves that taking baby steps forward can help to push a door or resistance down and let your art pour through.

Below are some of the wonderful postcards I received, along with their messages.  I posted the one I sent out at the very bottom.  Join Kat next year yourself, and push your art a little further out into the world!  Click on the link at the bottom of this post.

From Jae-Eun Pilsbury, Surrealist Painter (www.jaeeunpilsbury.com)
"Art Must be an expression of love or it is nothing."  -Marc Chagall

From Pearl:  "The creative adult is the child who survived."  --Ursula Le Guin
(Quilt block)

From Granny Sharon:  Art is Everywhere.

From Lyne Augh (I think that's the spelling)  Be Amazing!  Keep up the good art!

From Lui at www.houndsinheaven.blogspot.com "Seek the divine in all that you do and your fruits will always be a celebration."

Mine.  A little something I drew/painted while sitting in my booth at an art show a few years back. I added the following quote: “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see...”
— Henry David Thoreau

An InLinkz Link-up

When She First Saw Him Onstage

Have you ever seen the movie, "The Broken Circle Breakdown?"  You'll then understand this painting.

Trying to figure it out.

Trying to figure it out.

O.K.  Now this is the type of painting that flows right out of me with ease. 

Strong feelings, strong colors.

Waiting for the Entrées

This isn't my usual free flowing style  It's drawing what was in front of me for a sketchbook project I'm doing.

.

A Lid for Every Pot

My Grandma Peacock used to say, "There's a lid for every pot."  I think I included that before in my 365-Day Project of a painting/drawing a day, but not before did the phrase take center stage.  I'm glad these two found each other. (-;

Bad birthday, bad!