Make Peace With the Mess

Unretouched, photographed in all its messy glory.

I found this box of pastels, a good brand, at a rummage sale.

I have been using them.

This morning I received a phone call from a woman I met through some mutual friends.  We have been trying to get together since Christmas!  Between her schedule and mine, bad weather and other events, we have now set a date for our date!  We plan to get together in two weeks.

I met Ginny several  years ago and saw her this past Christmas.  We seem to have lots in common, she and her husband both are artists.  This morning I asked Ginny if she had been doing any art work and she said she does her pen and ink drawing everyday.  I really admired her taking time out from her day, everyday, to do some drawing, even if it is for fifteen minutes at a time.

It is hard for me sometimes to concentrate on my painting when I see and know so many other things around the house need some attention.  This is especially true when your house in on the market.  I posed this question to an artist friend of mine a few years ago.  I asked her if she had trouble sculpting with all the attention a house requires.  I love her answer and have never forgotten it.  She said she "makes peace with the mess".  That is some good advice I need to follow.

Back to Ginny, we are meeting in Dallas for lunch, going to her home to see her art and little cottage out back.  Ginny loves turtles like I do, it is fun to find someone who feels the same emotion for turtles! :-D  After our visit together at her house, we are coming to my house for her to see my work, art supplies, etc.  I will probably just have to have some kind of special dessert and coffee awaiting us here.  We are looking forward to getting together. With Ginny's permission, I should have some great blog material to share!

I made my peace with the house this morning (after lots of work) and still did not get much accomplished.  One little experimental painting did not turn out as I had hoped, I am only showing a little section.  It is airbrushed watercolor on yupo paper,  a difficult surface for airbrush and so fragile for any kind of scratches, water specks and finger prints.  I started on another little watercolor portrait, I am just showing a picture of it in progress.

Just a section of the "experimental" painting on yupo paper.

I am not happy with the left side of her face but

I think with some more work it might turn out okay.

A work in progress, watercolor on 140 lb

Arches Paper.