Sketching challenge part deux

It appears my theme for this week-long sketch challenge is tears, or at least the use of my blue pen.  Here is today's installment...

A challenge for the week

One of things I like best about looking at blogs is being inspired by the work and ambition of other artists.  This week a fellow artist/blogger threw out a friendly challenge to her readers: pick a theme and post a daily sketch based on that theme.  This seemed like a perfect kick-in-the-bum for me, so I have accepted her challenge and here is my entry for Monday.   Of course I picked up my sketchbook and pens before I picked a theme, so I guess I'll just see what evolves.

She's back!

Can it be I've taken a two+ month hiatus from blogging?  (I've been away so long Google has changed the blogger dashboard and I am completely lost!) I wish I could say I've spent the last two months on safari, or  immersed in a creative project, or perhaps juggling coffee dates with Robert Downey, Jr. look-alikes.  But, alas, none of the above is true.  That's not to say I haven't been doing anything.  Here's what I've been up to...
1. For several weeks I was obsessed with a game called, Draw Something. I racked up hundreds of points and added dozens of colors to my palette until one of the game updates shut me down leaving me a blubbering mess.  Having now experienced it firsthand, I have a new appreciation for the concept of withdrawl.  At one point I considered dipping into my savings to purchase a new phone or an iPad, just so I could continue sending funny little drawings, done with my thumbs, to family and friends. I'm okay now, but every so often I reload the app to my phone, on the chance that whatever bug shut me down has been remedied.  So far, no luck.
2. Another game that  caught my fancy is Word with Friends and I am consumed with trying to raise the win/ loss ratio with my sister.   She is a fearsome opponent and has defeated me soundly more times than I can count.  I've never been an aggressive board game player. Playing Scrabble I've always been happy just to add a word to the board that is more than three letters long and I've never been one for keeping score. My sister, I have learned, is a ruthless player, with a large vocabulary, and is a strategic master when it comes to using the double and triple word tiles.  Presently, we have four active games and we're 50/50, (I know you're interested).  I'm also playing a rematch with my nephew who, like my sister, is a cutthroat player and toys with me like a cat toys with a wounded mouse.  Personally I think it should be against the rules to score over 100 points on a single word.  Not a competitive person by nature, I am quite surprised at my desire to beat the pants off of both of them.
3. The most interesting thing to enter my world in the past two months has been an up close experience with copyright infringement.  This venture has left me feeling disillusioned, hoodwinked, and very hesitant to share anything on this blog or the internet.  I am still processing this occurrence and deciding how to write about it in this forum. I want to give other artists the heads-up about what can happen, but at the same time, I'm a little embarrassed about my naivety.

In addition to the games and the copyright thing, I've also traveled to visit my hip, handsome and hysterically funny son who lives in San Francisco...

and have made a (return) visit to Oysterville, Washington to help an old friend and to relish in the quiet slow pace of life on the peninsula.  Oysterville's church is picturesque, both inside and out.

 

Making art is still a part of my life; I'm working on a print in spite of the 'fits and starts' way in which I have to approach my studio time, which is sort of a ridiculous statement coming from the gal who has spent HOURS over the past two months playing games on the internet.  Sheesh.

I had a great weekend!

This past weekend I led a two-day lino-cut workshop.  It was my return to 'teaching' after a hiatus of a few years and I was quite nervous in the two weeks leading up to the workshop, (which was held at the beautiful, new Schack Art Center in Everett, Washington).  I spent hours prepping and preparing and gathering supplies and writing lists and notes, and still when the day arrived I felt as if I was jumping off a cliff.  But I am so glad I took the leap as it was a truly enjoyable experience; for me and I think for the participants as well. Day one I may have (well, no, I did) overwhelmed them with information, but they were gracious and patient with me and not so discouraged that they didn't come back for the second day.  On day two they hit their stride and the studio was buzzing with creative fervor. By Sunday afternoon everyone had a beautiful multi-block lino-cut print to show for all of their effort. It was a way-fun weekend and I can't wait to do it again. Thank you Schack Art Center!  Thank you wonderful students!

Clearly, I am easily distracted these days

My sketching and blogging have taken a back seat to The Hunger Games this past week.  Every spare moment I've had, (including sitting at stop lights during my long and often slow commute) was spent reading this book. It's a real page-turner I tell ya!  I finished it just in time for the season finale of Downton Abbey.  Did either of these compelling stories inspire my sketches?  No,(not yet).  But I am inspired to seek out the remaining tomes of  Suzanne Collins' trilogy and I can re-watch episodes of Downton Abbey online.
Oh, and  I still have a couple of movies to see before the Academy Awards next Sunday.

 I love the broad shoulders and narrow hips of competitive swimmers.

I've been seeing lots of pregnant ladies lately.

A new obsession

I've been visiting this blog a lot, a lot lately and am equal parts amused, mesmerized and inspired.

Refresher Course

Last week I finally printed editions of the advent blocks I worked on in December.  It didn't take me long after beginning this task to remember just how challenging it can be (for me) to print a simple, one-color linoleum block edition...mixing a sufficient amount of ink using the right combination of colors and medium to make a smooth, rich black of an adequate consistency; properly and evenly rolling up the plate; getting the pressure on the printing press just right...the week-long exercise was good practice as I prepare to teach a lino-cut workshop in early March. (My hiatus from teaching has been longer than my hiatus from using linoleum, but I'm looking forward to having a go with a room full of eager students!)  On many levels it was a very good self-imposed refresher course!  Today I photographed the Advent prints and then posted them to my website. As always, I love checking things off my To-Do list.