Celebrate Chihuahua style!

You're all invited over later to see Emma doing her version of the Mexican Hat Dance. Marguaritas and dog cookies for everyone!

Collaging on drugs :)

Okay, so the muscle relaxer helped a little and the 800 mg Ibuprofen helped a lot. I got out a few things to make a quick collage and it was just what the doctor ordered. I've had that shell for a long time just waiting to be used on something. The blue dotted background is a picture of some type of eel from a Nat'l Geographic magazine! Doesn't it look like a nice, comfy bed? That is the best mag to cut up for collages.

I have a stash of quotes in a box. I choose carefully after making the collage to see which one is the best fit.

Her tatoo is a rub-on decal, the lotus is from a new age magazine from Whole Foods, and the woman was found in an art magazine.

Now I'll see how this looks on cards and offer them on Etsy.

I'm off to watch Idol, take another horsie Ibuprofen and go to bed early for my 13 hour shift tomorrow.  

Thanks for your well wishes!

Animal Wednesday: We share the sky

I was prompted by my dear friend KJ to post a new painting.

Who has time to paint?

Seeing as it's Animal Wednesday I went into my archives and chose something not many (if any) of you have seen.

I miss doing collages. I'm craving time to do them lately.

And seeing as I had to cancel accupuncture this morning and call into work because my back is out of whack, hopefully my muscle relaxer will kick in and allow me to sit at the big table and collage my heart out!

Until then, I'm off to bed. Hopefully these spasms (or whatever it is) will get some relief from the drugs.

Oh, and then there's the new foot issue.

I'm not even going there.

I'm just going to think happy thoughts!

Happy Animal Wednesday all :)

xo

Lo♥ 

Illustration Friday: Heights

The cat jumped over the moon!

Isn't that how the nursery rhyme goes? In my world it does :)

Happy weekend everyone!

(acrylic and colored pencil on bristol board from my archives)

Go to Illustration Friday to see the other entries here.

Illustration Friday: Puzzled

Okay, I know you've all done this.

You walk into a room and say WTF did I come in here for, and then you start a project which leads you to yet ANOTHER project which has absolutely NOTHING to do with why you went into that room to begin with!

Puzzled? Maybe. Aging process? Most definately!

This is an illustration I did in my Moleskine 4 years ago. I looked back and I know none of my current followers and friends have seen it, so here's an encore!

Acrylic paint and colored pencils and a wee bit of puzzlement ;)

I have had three glorious, soul-nourishing days off. Thank you, Universe!

xo

Lo♥

Illustration Friday: Return

There's so much wrong with this picture, technically. But all I wanted to do was make art and play with color, so on that front, it works!

The model I used was a tiny, pixelated picture and I couldn't make out enough detail to refine my drawing. I don't do many portraits either.

I knew I wanted to paint mangoes on her dress and make this very primitive looking but vibrant in color.

I guess I did those things, but still, it could be better.

So here we have my entry for this week.

I hope you're all having anything but a manic Monday!

xo

Lo

acrylic paint, colored pencil on patterned paper. text added by Picasa

Poem found on Poemhunter.com by Ric S. Bastasa 

Go to Illustrationfriday.com for more entries!

Painter, Poetess and generous friend

I was recently gifted with an amazing piece of art created by my friend, Suki.

She is also a friend to many of my blogger and real life pals.

Today is a dark, rainy mess, but inside my house this amazing art glows!

Here I've lit a candle to get more of the gold to shine.

You can't imagine how beautiful this is in person!

Some of you have seen it, I know ;)

This is what normally resides here. A wonderful tree etching I found in an antique shoppe. Brian's Rhode Island red rooster. A favorite ceramic urn, a wrought iron art nouveau piece, and a sign that lets me know I am blessed every day.

But I just knew Suki's art had to have this space.

It belongs here.

And I don't need that sign to help me remember just how very blessed I am.

I already know.

Thank you, Suki. I am overwhelmed by your talent and your generous heart.  When I count my blessings, I count you twice.

love,

Lo

Illustration Friday: Swamp

I found the secret place

and hid my soul

within the folds

of water

dappled by leaves

by strange growths

that floated

unattached

as do I.

Found on PoemHunters.com

titled Graeme Hall Swamp: Secret Place

by

Midnight Clarity

Colored pencil, acrylic paint, patterned paper

A Sunday afternoon doodley-do!

March 21

I'm the last of the group to post about the amazing 24 hours four friends spent together, It was less than 24 hours, really! A whirlwind crazy idea to meet up with our dear friend Marianne as she had a layover in NYC for a day.

I took the train, KJ and JB drove in from Western Mass, and Marianne was arriving from Holland. WOW!!

Here they are, my three fashionista girlfriends!

I'll let you guess who's who.

One of my favorite parts of this get together was going to 230 5th. It was a 20th floor rooftop bar which sidled up alongside the Empire State Building and had a view of other impressive tall buildings that glowed in the changing afternoon sun. It was magical!  

I don't know what building this is, but I can tell you the glow is totally from the afternoon sun. I put my camera on the "dusk" setting. Wowee! 

These are water towers for the restaurant! Many buildings have them sticking out of their rooftops. It's quite something to see, especially when they're HOT pink!

We had to go through this beautiful pink lounge to get to the roof Wow!

I did NOT enhance any of these colors! It was amazing as the light changed to twilight.

A sign showing me how lucky I was to be a part of this meeting.

Those are not my cigarette butts.

Is this Paris?? Could be! But it's Bryant Park, a sweet little bit of verdant green where the daffodils were blooming under the still bare trees. It was nearly 80 degrees out!!

There was a beautiful little carousel there with hand-painted details on the booth and along the top. 

I just noticed that one of my dear friends is in the reflection!! Hi KJ!!

As I was walking along Broadway with Marianne she noticed these wonderful large ravens!!! I got so excited! But then we saw them from the front and it turns out they were eagles. I photographed them at an angle that still looked ravenesque to me :)

A clever name for a sandwich cafe in the park.

This was taken in Times Square. I think it's a broadcast station of some sort. I just thought it was neat how it stuck out of the building. It was enormous! 

The circle says "The Knowledge Effect." There was something about it that grabbed me.

So cool!! It must have been so much fun to paint this! 

Another view from230 5th. The lanterns and The Empire State building juxtaposed. So lovely.

One of the things I tried to do when I first got there was to see how many shots I could take of the number 21 to mark March 21st as memorable.

I came up with nothing all day long. But then....

Just as we were saying our goodbyes I looked across the street and there it was. 

I swear the Universe provides.

I really do.

Thanks ladies, for such a memorable jaunt!

You were all so generous in so many ways.

it was a BLAST, even with my crappy shoes and my heavy luggage :)

Same time next year??

Just saying.

I love you all!

Forever 21.

xoxo

Lo♥♥♥♥

Illustration Friday: Shades

I live in a small room on the bay large enough only for myself and my cat. The wallpaper is a lovely pattern, although quite faded. It reminds me of my Grandmother's old china pattern.

The furnishings are sparse. A cot that was meant to hold someone much smaller than myself, an old ladderback chair and one electrical outlet which sits unused.

There's a tiny window that overlooks the bay. I'm so grateful for that window! No matter how small my world is inside, that little window lets in light and hope and a promise of better days. If I were to put shades on my little window to the world I would miss so much.

So very, very much indeed.

acrylic paint, pencil, patterned paper and imagination :)

Go to Illustration Friday to see other entries from around the world!

Illustration Friday: Yield

To cherish what remains of the Earth and to foster its renewal is our only legitimate hope of survival."

~Wendell Berry~

For Illustration Friday: yield

Some of you may recognize this piece from a few years back.

It's encore time while I nurse a cold .

acrylic paint and colored pencil (man tending the rice paddy)

Illustration Friday: Intention

Just think of the trees: they let the birds perch and fly, with no intention to call them when they come and no longing for their return when they fly away. If people's hearts can be like the trees, they will not be off the Way.

~Langya~

for Illustration friday: intention

pen and ink and watercolor

Quote from Zenquotes.com

Animal Wednesday: Leap Year!

I thought I'd pull out my only frog illustration for February 29th.

Happy Birthday to all the Leap Year babies out there!

(acrylic paint, colored pencil on Canson pastel paper)

Illustration Friday: Capable

Ravens are so smart, they even know how to use tools.

But you knew that, right?

Just a quick illustration before heading off to work.

Acrylic paint and colored pencil on patterned paper.

Hi everyone!! I miss you all!

xoxo

Lo♥ 

Illustration Friday: Popularity

While some would do anything to win a popularity contest, others would rather blend into the background.

Ravens don't bother with such choices.

I guess this one didn't get the memo!

This was an exercise (mostly in frustration) to get my drawing/painting hand loosened up from it's rustyness of late.

I just let it take me wherever and just had fun.

Watercolor, botanical rub ons, gel pens, colored pencils and ink. 

Happy weekend!

xo

Lo♥ 

Animal Wednesday: Black is beautiful

Here are a few paintings of black animals I have done over the years.

I know Mim recognizes one of them :)

Happy Animal Wednesday!!

I have a 3 day weekend after today. Woooo-hooooo!!

xo

Lo♥

Six More Weeks

I guess Punskutawney Phil, the most infamous groundhog of all has seen his shadow today indicating we'll be having six more weeks of winter.

Here in Rhode Island and other parts of New England our Winter has felt more like Spring, so I say bring it on!!!

Happy Groundhog Day!

(This little groundhog painted by me now lives in Holland with Felix!)

Animal Wednesday: Peek a boo!!

hee hee :)

A new valentine card available on Etsy.

The original owl painting lives with KJ and JB and they named him "Pinky."

And did you know there's such a thing as Lolo wolves?

I was going to do a post about them but it was too sad. Alaska and Idaho are culling them out by helicopters and small planes. I understand the need for "thinning the herd" in nature, but why can't it be done humanely?

So, instead I give you a cute, smitten owl!

Happy Animal Wednesday!

See you soon!

xo

Lo