Something Pretty?

I apologize for not remembering where I got this. My brain is still fuzzy. Did this on back of a scrap piece of Bristol smooth.. I'd really like to do this in a large watercolor. Well to me 11x 14 is large.  LOL !   BJ

Wound Up Tight !!

Day after I got home I started this pencil drawing of the rope.

I chose this for the texture,  light , darks, and possibly because I felt wound up like this . 

I knew if I could submerge myself in something this detailed I'd have less time to think about myself.  It worked.  8"x10" . BJ

Detail

Hi Everyone !

  While recuperating at home, I've been doing some journal pages in a small book. Daily doings, more of a diary rather than art. That will come in time..

Right now it's all about getting to walk without the use of help, and do the things that came easy before the surgery.
   Progress is a daily thing, but it's 2 weeks tomorrow and I think it's going fine... Here's a few pages from my journal.. and on my  Journey blog too.. BJ  

Happy Easter, Happy Springtime

 Springtime thoughts to all my friends. 
 I'll be doing the surgery thing next week, (no, not my face) lol ! I wish!! Have a great week and remember if your quiet in the garden, you'll hear what the flowers are saying ! see you next week ..
hugs, BJ

April

Thanks to Sharon at Wildflower House  where I first saw the idea for calander pages. I had to make one .
 I will still add some critters at the ground.

And the top is cut off due to my professional photography skills , but you get the idea.   BJ  
  P.S. I've had so many emails on this , remember it wasn't my idea but click on the name above and it'll take you to  Sharons  and further into it. I'm going to make one for every month..

I was too late to post on the Rookie Painter, but did a few of the challenges anyway.  I have some projects planned but my mind is on other things.  I have always had to paint with a clear head, and when is that you ask?    BJ

 Posting what I managed to do today. My water jar, my Winsor Newton white ceramic that holds some of my brushes.. that I've had for ages  and hope I never drop it.
The flowers were from memory, nondescript but the idea came from a long time ago of something I'd seen. Painted, framed and hung in my studio.  BJ  

Blogs etc !

My different drumbeat today is that I won't be commenting on blogs that have the new code verifications.
Not only are they hard to figure out but sometimes  takes two or three tries to make one comment.  Sorry, I'll be reading your blog but not commenting..
I've never had it on my blog, and never had a problem..Go ahead,  comment !! BJ

Happy Spring !!

  I have an orchid plant that is blooming in my kitchen window.. so did a quick little painting.

Ribbons! ~ I Did It!

I entered into the Professional Category  of the Strawberry Art Festival..
The 'Eye of the Horse took 4th place', and
'Sophisticate'   won the Business Owners Choice and a cash award. The Show and Festival runs until March 11th.. then I get to take them home !

 Although I've won awards from Art Guilds, this was the first time I'd ever entered a juried show.  It  only took me about 50 years .       Who knew!? 
 The competition was tough, beautiful watercolors, oils,  very few pencil/graphite.  I'm truly grateful for these I finally have ribbons to hang in my studio.  And I thank all of you who encouraged me to do it.. a special thank you to Tina .      BJ

Strawberry Festival Art Show

                                             ~  Sophisticate ~ Pencil 20x28

 ~ Eye of the Horse ~  Pencil - 11x14

 'Joey'   W/C  ~11x14 

These will be my entries for the Art Show coming on March 1st here at  Strawberry Festival.. it runs for eleven days . It's a juried show and I'm entering 2 pencil works and one watercolor. 
  I have no expectations of winning anything, as I've never seen pencil win over an oil.. However, these are my choices.
 My photos on the pencil are not true to life. The contrast is not there, but  a great photographer I am not.  BJ

Fuchsia for One

                                                        

                                                                         Detail
As I'm still on that hot pressed paper journey, and confess to following Julie Collins wonderful book. It's the way I learn, the only  way I learned every single thing about painting... BOOKS !
Books and practice, you can read all the books you want but if you don't put it into practice then it will stay right in the book. 
    I know an artist (online) who grows fuchsia plants, so when I saw this it was a 'must do' . . BJ

Hot Press/Cold Press Paper

Although not good composition, the idea was to play with the paper.That I did .

 A few weeks ago I'd gotten some hot pressed paper and have been wanting to try it (top)  .  Bottom is in my sketchbook, and the paper is just that ...paper.   I was bitten by this bug after reading Julie Collins book, Painting Flowers with Impact.. No body does it better!    BJ

My OCD with Paper !!

 ~Some Pages~  ^

  ~Some Mess ~ ^

                                                    ~ The Cover ~  ^
 Thought you might like seeing an Art Journal I made for my friend JoNette. Her parents were both musicians and Jo is a talented pianist. This journal has a music/drama  theme going through it.. It sits on her piano now.. click on the pics for a close-up look...    BJ

When is it Time. ?

Today I lost the light of my life, my dog Angie. 
  I cannot say much more than it was the kinder, more humane thing I did for her because I loved her so very much.. For me it is a heartbreak , I can hardly breathe .. it is that much pain... I'm not a stranger to heartbreak..
    I was with Angie to the very end.. the way it should be when you truly love.. I will get on with my life.. because thats the way I am...
  I have always believed there is something around the next corner.. but there will never be another Angie. 

         Me and Ang hugging in the morning last year. Neither of us had combed our hair yet. !

My Go Home Sketch!

To answer those private and public blog questions about my health,
 I'm getting better every day.. and will be back with more new paintings , more nonsense (if you all can stand it)  !!
    Pneumonia is not childs play especially when its been a looong time since you were a child .  Nasty, and doesn't want to leave. 
 As I said on my Journey blog ... yes it kicked my a--. 
Right now ... off meds, next step is the Pulmonary doc in a few weeks.
   One word .. ok 2 .. Don't Smoke !  I thought that quitting 15 years ago was the answer.. Nothing would touch me.. Wrong.. every day that you don't smoke is to your benefit, and thats why I came through this.. but damage is done, that will always affect your lungs.. no going back on that... You dance? you pay the piper.. 
    I will be fine for now..it's over and I thank you all, for your support, well wishes, and prayers,, don't mean to preach.. but you know who you are... Ok?    BJ

Travel Palette

The tiniest palette I own is this little black enamel box that measures just 2 1/2 x 3 1/4 inches, and holds 12 colors that you put in yourself .. along with it I'll take my  water brushes . It came with me to the hospital.  Only on the last day that I was able to go home, I used it for a sketch ..   with some color...  BJ

My Name is Barbra Joan and I am a Paperholic!

Yes, there I've said it.. When I say I'm 'playing with paper'  it usually means that I'm making mini art journals.  I don't do scrapbooking, but one look at the hoarding of papers might make you think otherwise.. Papers now come in collections or  'themes'  and they all mix and match.. One trip to Violettes (my favorite store) and I start to get the shakes.

  I follow a site called Graphic 45 ... tons of ideas and take off from there..  they send me their newsletter almost every morning.. so if I'm not painting, this is what I'm doing. It's a Happy Thing !  I'll show you more on my other blog.   Art Hearts Journey.   BJ

Past, Present , Future.. 2012

Last year and the year before I wrote about the new year, the last year ... dreams, goals, likes, dislikes..
 Past?  one word ..Painful losses, one could not be helped the other still has no sense to it... 
  Present?  one word.. Today.  Make it the best, for yourself and others.
Future?  now theres a word... Goals, plans, hopes and dreams.
  Of course I still have them,  I always have,. without that what is the sense to waking each day...
  Goals I set for last year?  Join an art guild was one . I did and it was a positive step for me..
Hopes and dreams? some worked out, some did not.
   The next few months will be a health issue for me, surgery is in order, after that?  then I'll plan..and not until....
  Painting ?  always will be my agenda , no matter what...  
 I wouldn't feel right if I didn't mention my Angie, she's still here, well in body anyway,  (she's forgetting where she put things.)  LOL !  I think we are losing it together.   She is here for me, I for her..  
   So I wish all of my friends, old and new, A Happy New Year.!
and see you all in 2012.   BJ

This Morning in Florida

Just as I got up, and looked out the back door.  The sun had not yet come up over the horizon .  
Even though parts of my life are not worth a dime, this is the sort of sight that makes me want to live forever.

 I've done nothing to enhance the photo.. BJ

To All of You ~

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my friends.. thanks for all your support during the past year..  Many times, I've been tired, moody, not feeling well, and I read your blogs and get inspired by your art , your words and your spirit.   Barbra Joan

Some Christmas Thoughts Again.

 
I wrote a Christmas letter to my Dad a few years ago and published it on my blog last year.. I had so many comments and emails from it.. some said it helped them to try and be a better father. I hope so .  I'll post it again for this Christmas Season. It's a small part of my relationship with my Dad.. He left me in June 1997 and as I like to say I've tied the memories in a bow, put them aside but never forgot. For the most part, I write it as a tribute to him but your certainly welcome to read it.  BJ    
----------------------------------------------------------------
    ~ The  Christmas Letter ~ from 2010  
Although I've thought of my Dad often in the past thirteen years...its this week that I've missed him most, so I write this to you Dad.
When I was a little girl  you took me everywhere with you, deep sea fishing off the coast of New Jersey, and were always so proud that your daughter never got sick no matter how rough the ocean would be.   You brought me to NYC to see everything from the Empire State Building, Radio City Christmas Show, the Statue of Liberty, and when we went to Coney Island I'd make you ride that Cyclone roller coaster with me over and over . You never said no.
   You taught me how to ride a bike, fly a kite, build a snowman,  and made me that real little house in the backyard. I put curtains on the windows.
   You taught me my love for animals and all living things.. We took care of injured wild birds and rabbits, you'd make a box for them and if I cried when they didn't make it, you'd say " Barbra , you can't save all of them,  you just do what you can".  I still do .

   On Sunday mornings you'd drive out to that little airport and we'd watch the planes take off and land..
  One Sunday you managed to get a pilot to take me up for a ride in a small plane. And when Mom found out she had a fit. !

    We'd hike in the woods and go target shooting. I'd get poison ivy every time.
 You'd take me to the christening of the new big ships at the shipyard when you still worked there.

  We'd go to your welding shop on Saturdays and you showed me how to weld. Then taught me to drive my first car and bought a red convertible because I liked it.. And Mom had another fit !!
You were the first one I saw when I woke up in the hospital .. more than once.
   I thought you had the strength of 10 men, you could do anything and make everything alright. I remember the night we lost Louis, you looked right at me and said,
 " This is the ONE thing I can't do for you". And I knew you were right because you never lied to me. .
    I learned so much from you Dad. Any good that I am it was from you.. and the not so good ... you were still there for me every single time.
   Every Christmas you and I would go and get the tree.
 I'd bother you for weeks ahead of time.. I was good at that !... finally you'd  say 'ok, time to go and  get the tree,' and then with all the patience in the world you'd help me put it up and decorate it.
  I remembered something new this year, the time my new kitten went behind the kitchen stove and you spent hours taking it apart to get him out.. oh, all the kittens I brought home and said 'they just followed me" and you let me keep them..
   This time of year brings back lots of those memories, and I haven't forgotten a single one .
   If I were given just one wish for Christmas, I would ask that every little girl be blessed with a Dad like I had. What a beautiful world this would be.
from your daughter Barbra
   Merry Christmas again, Dad

Poinsietta

Merry Christmas ~  Happy Holidays

 and the 

best NewYear to all my friends in Blogsville. 

BJ  

A Tribute to Kelly ~

   Less than 2 weeks ago I drew and posted  what I called "Eye of the Horse".  .In fact the real name was 'Kellys Eye.'  Her owner had taken the photo and posted it on a copyright free site for artists.
  After seeing my drawing on that site yesterday, her owners who live in the UK, contacted me to say how much they liked the drawing but that sadly Kelly, their beautiful grey mare passed away suddenly just a few weeks ago.. it seems I had just drawn her at almost the same time of that happening. I needn't tell you how sad my heart felt all last night. 

   What started for me as a drawing is now a real soul to me , and I will  not forget her name was Kelly.   .   Barbra Joan

A Great Time !

The art reception  was fantastic, packed with people .. and was just for 3 hours this evening .. Strictly an exhibit for Christmas inviting local people .. Even Santa was there. 

   Thanks to my friends for the encouraging words that give me the confidence to do this.. .  BJ

Christmas Art Show

    

 Tonight is the Christmas Art Show.. 
 I've chosen 3 watercolors to bring .
   This is not so much a  show to sell, but more of an exhibit of local artists.. I'll take photos . remember camera!  BJ  
      

Watercolor~

I couldn't resist painting this Jack Russell terrier.   Done on Arches 140lb C/P paper.  11x14" .  

'Eye of the Horse ~ aka~ Kellys Eye ~Pencil~

 This piece was finished this morning.   Well today I have art hanging in the library for December (forgot about that), the Christmas Exhibit thisThursday.

P.S.   This is my rendition of the photo of Kelly .. unknowingly she had just passed away.  Her owners saw the drawing on another site, and sadly told me what happened... Coincidence or mystical,  I don't know, but Kelly and I have a bond.. Just the way it  feels . 

p.s. I'd like to add that this drawing has won a ribbon at the Art Show in Plant City, and yes Kelly we did good! .

BJ

My Choices

My art guild has asked that we exhibit some of our work at the Walden Lake Country Club for the Christmas Art Show.  Dec. 8.  

  I'm glad to do it and have made some choices ..  They aren't final yet, but I know I want to put in three watercolors and one drawing so I may change it.. These are photographed framed under glass which has reflections if you can get past that.  BJ