"Hip-Hip-Hooray"

Good morning and another day has passed still hunkering down with the virus holding a gigantic umbrella over the world.  Life must go on with a few smiles and laughter though and I choose to do it with granddbaby smiles and hugs.  I've had Snicklefritz yet again this week and we've spent a lot of time playing Uno and Connect 4 together.  I did stop by and see this little dumpling and get a few giggles out of her.

I tell you grandbabies are the best thing EVER!

Sitting with Snicklefritz while she ate her breakfast yesterday I decided to do a bit of sketching.  I've painted and drawn her picture many times but haven't done MinMin yet.  Her momma sent this pic and I thought it would be so cute to sketch and maybe watercolor it later.

I've had a bit of disturbing news and will share here.  I'm getting ready to go down a path I vowed NEVER, EVER to go down but I really have no choice in the matter at this point.

I've been having issues for quite some time with my hip/leg/groin area and prayed, PRAYED it would not mean what I thought it might mean.  Tuesday I went to my sports medicine orthopedic doctor that I saw for my shoulder a year ago and they did tons of x-ray's.  Well, my path is now clear according to the x-ray's, I need a hip replacement.  Damn, Damn, DAMMIT!  After Daddy's fiasco with his I just did not want to go down this road.  Now I have to find a surgeon and see what my options are, what it all entails, how long will I be laid up, etc... you know the drill.  I always said that I would be crawling before I would do this and frankly, I'm nearly crawling.  Plus the doctor told me to not wait to long because if I wait too long I risk the whole thing collapsing!  WTF!  Well, crap.  Her parting words were, "Be Careful!"  CRAP!  I've put the word out for doctor names, specifically robotic procedure doctors because I want the less invasive I can get.  

My worries at this point are work and the studio.  I'm the only one who does payroll and all of the accounting and will have to work it so I can manage being out of the office for that time.  Heck, if I can do the 6 week recovery for the hysterectomy I can do this I think and it's my left leg so driving will be sooner than later, I hope.  

I HATE GETTING OLD!

Embracing the Gray

I am FINALLY done.  I finished it this afternoon after another 4-1/2 hours spent.  I am happy with it and plan on entering it in the Portrait Society something that is coming up.

"Carla - Embracing the Gray"

18x24 oil on linen

Plein Air - Portrait learning

Good morning all.  I have been in a bit of a funk since last Friday.  I was turned down yet again for membership in Women Artist of the West for like the 6th time.  I don't understand.  I've talked to several members who can't understand it either and keep encouraging me to try again, and again, and again.  My partner, Linda was turned down again too and she has won 3 national awards.  Not sure what they want from us.  Maybe it's for the best as membership might entail actual work that I really don't want to do.  Linda seems to think we are being black-balled but I kind of don't think that, but we have gotten on the wrong side of one person who is a member, soooo... Oh it can't be.  Although another person we know got in and we were a bit baffled by that entry but we know SHE knows some people in the organization...

Oh it can make you CRAZY!  

But, this morning I opened up one of the art show websites that you enter from and yet again found out that my paintings were denied entry into the online show.  Tomorrow I will find out about another one but it doesn't look promising.  Frankly, I'm getting tired of seeing RED-X's.  I'm thinking of changing my style up a bit...just a thought.  

A few weeks ago I decided to participate in a Plein Air national event.  I know Plein Air (painting outside), not really my cup of tea.  I just figured I would never have gone to the convention so it was an opportunity to learn about en plein air without being outside painting.  So today starts the beginner talks online and tomorrow starts the online convention for real.  I'm excited to extend my art education in this field.  I think today I will paint at the studio while listening to the talk.  I was even able to upload one of my paintings for a possible critique.  Yesterday I also received a huge box of the "goodies" you would normally receive if you attended.  It was packed with paints, a brush, two hats, apron, t-shirt, popcorn, candy, and more.  So fun!!!  

Plus this morning I signed up for the Portrait Society of America webinar in August.  Another week of painting learning.  Can't wait!  I've been working on this one again...

One eye sort of done...

I Want My Life Back

Good morning all.  I guess life is going to continue to be just plain weird with this Covid thing.  I'm really over it but it's not over with us as humans.  Kind of a boring life around here.  I get up, have my coffee, breakfast, check my emails, watch a few videos on YouTube, go to work or the work-studio.  Pay bills, pay Daddy's bills, back home for a power nap, fix dinner, watch TV, play a little online gin, read a bit, then to bed to wake up the next morning and start ALL OVER AGAIN!  

At least I do have the studio to go to and paint.  That has been a lifesaver for sure.  These little flowers appeared on my canvas last week.  I'd started them while staying at home and wasn't really sure they would amount to anything, but they did and I am so happy.  

We've still not seen my mother-in-law yet, although the oldest brother-in-law did visit her with mask on and outside. Now we hear that 12 of the staff there have tested positive.  THAT IS SCARY for her and for us for her!  Really, if the young and the other IDIOTS would wear a mask maybe we could get this thing at bay and could go on with life, sort of as usual.  I'm still trying not to watch too much news or the Facebook news (I think that is a bit skewed.)  I guess I choose to stay a bit naive about it all.  As long as I can still order my stuff from the grocery stores, Amazon, etc., then I'm perfectly happy doing what I am doing.  I just want to get through the year to next summer when we officially RETIRE!!!!!  

Also in the studio I decided to go back to the self portrait stuff.

I keep looking at what I've done and it just makes me crazy that I may have messed it up.  I've go so many drawn on canvas and ready to paint but I'm just blocked and afraid to carry on. 

I started this one and my studio partner, Linda, who is a portrait queen said you should NEVER use burnt umber in portraits!  Well, crap.  That stopped my in my tracks as that is exactly what I did.  I am NOT mad at her for helping me, she critiqued my work as I critique hers.  That is what we do for each other and it is INVALUABLE for help in progressing forward in our art journey.  

So, I put it aside for months just staring at it and contemplating what to do, how to do it.  Then I remembered a technique called the Zorn Palette.  It utilizes only four colors:  titanium white, black, cadmium red light, and yellow ochre.  You can get TONS of different colors using only these four colors.  Yesterday I got them out and played with the palette.  EUREKA!  I am so very pleased that it is coming together, finally.  I really want to go back to the studio today but Linda will be there and I have little Snicklefritz with me.  Linda is afraid of being around other people right now or exposing Snicklefritz to anything.  She is teaching students and is around people and I understand that.  I would keep Snicklefritz in my rooms only but still not sure I want to do it.  So probably will opt to stay home.  I'm just thrilled I'm making headway to tackle my problem here.  Maybe I will get to finally finish all those paintings for a show next year.  Oh, and on that note we WERE going to have a show at the Broken Arrow Museum but with the virus we decided to cancel it.  No sense in having an art show when NO ONE CAN COME TO IT!