Rachel is 25 today!

Rachel and RC

Ending a class session today, rather than starting one. Only one enrollment and I need six to hold a class. The one student had a very sucessful hour with one on one learning and a fistful of take home projects to think about. So yet another cut in income...and a little more time flexibility. Rushed home to let the dogs out make some calls to babies and meet them at Grandma's for a small birthday gathering. Easter leftovers and no time to find a special gift so that's yet another project. Relief to hear recently of Rachel's raise and promotion which hiked hours and pay. A little less stress on my baby is a little less stress on me. God knows I have enough of my own stress to share. RC's concrete work for his Dad is keeping him nourished. I wonder how Randell is doing out in Colorado?

I asked RC to play music at Go Figure opening and he said his music is too vulgar, but might consider a practice session and prepare something. So Ska music is punk something? One day my brain will work at the same time I ask the question and get an answer. Maybe when he shocks me with his vulgar music. So I asked nephew Rod for who entertains at local club and he doesn't feel up to solo. The two may work something up. Oh no, what have I started?

Ashley

Good session, although I lost Ashley's face. Color pencil can be so unforgiving. Once it's down there ain't no going back. But I felt successful with color this evening and worked rather arduously at my "discreet" pose. Ashley's first time with us, but a seasoned model. She wasn't interested in holding poses that might possibly cause discomfort. Hmmff. But she was lovely and professional. Although she did arrive but two minutes before session. We were wondering which of us would have to suffice in event of cancellation. I've barely been home this past week and the dogs are lacking attention. We may all go crazy together. I'll check in then!
P.S. Thanks to Little Wren for the lovely surprise!

Silence

Friday, I came home to find a pleasant surprise. Money in the mail! One of this edition of prints had sold in March. It was rather affirming. Someone purchasing non-essential in the depth of recession? I really believe it all has begun to turn around and although there are still job cuts and shortages, there is new growth on the horizon. How appropiate in the season of rebirth. Extra hours, extra deadlines, extra demands upon my time have left me short on sleep and yes, a little brain dead.

Disconcerting Day!

The moon is not quite full and yet the evening was not as I had intended. There were accidents and ambulances to pull over for on my way into drawing this evening and the same on my return home. I wasn't expecting Gerry to model this evening and brought small paper hoping to get another frameable piece for the upcoming Go Figure exhibit. Gerry is very long and I have a difficult time keeping him on the page. He has very interesting gesture poses and is fun to draw, but longer poses include body shifts that change from beginning to end and color pencil does not adapt well to shifts. I'm taxed enough to begin with as I still don't have necessary bifocals and need my glasses to see distance and have to take them off to see close up. I have been life drawing with my glasses on...which tends to make them contours since I can't see the page! Double whammied this evening as they tried a candlelit pose that left my colors in the dark. I'm not sharing it. It's been written off as lessons learned.

Hippo!

My very first clay project! Wrapped around a ballon to make a hippopotamus bank! Never used for saving money, hung around my houseplants for 36 years! Most of my clay projects have been knocked over or dropped, but hippo keeps hanging with me!

Who is Suspect?

I spent the day doing unplanned yard work as someone again chewed a hole through the fencing! I do suspect it was Captain Destructo but Lucky is not above that behavior...or maybe they were in cahoots! It was a beautiful day to work in the yard but the fence line did absorb my whole day and loads of energy too! I ran wire fencing inside my fence, since the boards I had replaced before were chewed again! So many of those projects on future agendas were mixed in as I needed to dig out small trees under the fence line and trim back bushes to get near the fence in sections. There is a great bonfire waiting for another day. I had laundry drying on the line too. I had hoped a bike ride would also fit in. Adventures in my backyard.

Kangaroos!

This is a relief plate carved from wood paneling that I did at 12 years of age. Don't recall pulling any prints off it but I must have as it's stained with inks. Reminds me of a cave painting. I might hand pull a couple prints, but my critical eye might just expect me to rework the carving. I won't do that. I'll put it on a maybe someday project idea...maybe work some mono prints off it's plan. I thought about this old plate when Uta had photoed Kangaroo crossing sign! The spring whimsy that is floating through the tribe is quite catching!