Warming up

I’ll be joining Daisy Yellow’s Index-Card-A-Day Challenge, which starts on June 1st and doing a little pre-challenge prep seemed to be a good idea.  I’m pretty sure I’ll be sticking to good-old 3 by 5 cards — the area is big enough but not too big, they’re easier to to carry with me than 4 by 5s, and already have a decent-sized stash (I’m a back-to-school sales junkie…)  Did a little experimenting on a 3 by 5 earlier in the week — mandala (of course), some playing around with colored pencil shading for greater dimension:

My to-do list for the weekend includes clearing away the mess of stuff stashed under, over and generally around the drawing table under the window in my workroom. I’ve been using the big utility for drawing and painting; it needs to go back into service as a cutting and construction surface for my sewing and fiber projects. If nothing else, the start of this year’s ICAD challenge is giving me an extra incentive to finally get this done.  

Catching up — Again

I should know better than to take a break of more than a day or so. In no time a week has gone by, and then suddenly it’s three. It’s not as if I haven’t been making things — I’ve written a new story, finished knitting one project (but haven’t blocked it yet), started another (well, more like started it over — three times), put together a pretty darn good Easter dinner, as well as a decent amount of artwork.

I started this early in the month, after getting into serious argument with someone who’s very important to me. I needed to work through my anger and, hopefully, to transform it.  It’s fairly large, 9 X 11, and all done with a fine-point marker. The flower-like section at the top finally appeared  days after I started, along with the hoped-for transformation of my anger. I don’t always name my pieces, but I think this is Tattoo: Growth Out of Rage.   

Prescription: Chill

[Sharpie Pen on an index card…that is all]

Today I used the last half my lunch break to come up with a way to handle on-the-job irritation and anxiety with the implements I had at hand.  I breathed, I drew — and it worked. Now it’s pinned to the wall above my computer as reminder to do likewise in the future.