Friday Find

Thie piece of art is by Elisabetta Trevisan.I am in love with her women figures and the way she uses vibrant colors but also has a softness and a magical quality. Be sure and check out this very talented female artist.
Hope you have a Wonderful weekend!

Trusting and Moving forward

So it is the start of a new week.I am keeping my commitment to myself to sketch. I started two of my workshops this week.Sunday , Julie Prichard and Chris Cozen Class started .It is going to be about color and color theory .Right now we are making a reference catalog of our paints.I also started my fabulous faces class and still working on my Misty Mawn class.I am starting to feel as if I want to paint some of my sketches.Paint is totally intimidating to me but I have been using my word for the year"Trust" to move forward in my art and it is helping.When my voice of self doubt has been creeping in and my fears can be heard ,I say to myself,"Jackie,Trust Yourself" and I move forward. I will use that as I learn to paint.So here is a few new sketches .

The first one was a practice for the misty mawn class in a 3/4 profile .I really , really want to paint her but she is on sketch paper.I have been sketching on 14x17. The second is for my fabulous faces class.I wanted her to be more stylized but I think she looks more realistic than I wanted.She just evolved on her own. I am also learning to share more of my art .It is a very vulnerable thing to do but I love when others share and I think we all learn from each other.Here is to trusting and moving forward!!

A few faces

Just thought I would share a few sketches . I am trying to at least do a sketch a day which is enough , sometimes I could sit and shade for hours the more I look the more I see. I hope I can eventually move in to color but for now I am content.

Monday ,Monday

Happy Monday, I know it's been a while since I posted so I thought I'd catch you up on what I have been up to. I was finally able to order my "Nook" , it's an e reader from Barnes and Nobel.It won't arrive until February ,but I am excited. I also found this cool shop on etsy called Mud Stuffing , I bought myself this coffee mug

He has some beautiful pieces if you want to check it out. I also signed up for a couple new workshops. No surprise ,right? I think I am addicted. Soon ,as I work through all of them ,I am going to do reviews on my blog ,so watch for those.They may be helpful for those of you who have never taken an online workshop and even for those who are just wondering about the classes.

One class that I have registered for is Fabulous Faces. I have never taken a class with Tam so I am looking forward to the start of it. You can check it out here . I am also taking my first Portrait class with Misty Mawn . Here is a sketch I did for the class.

I am sketching faces and going to try to do at least a sketch a day. Art can be very humbling.It is something that takes lots of practice and sometimes you produce something your proud of and then it reminds you not to get cocky about it by making the next time your draw a struggle.I think art has alot to teach me about patience and devotion and hard work . It has also taught me to truly see. I am seeing things I have never saw before and paying attention to details I would have taken for granted before. I tell myself if you just show up and put in the time you will progress. So that is where I am . I am learning and taking small steps. My word for the New year is "Trust" . I chose it because I need to learn to Trust myself and the process.I am also learning to slowly share some of my art. Thank you to all of you who teach and share your art. I am so grateful because I am learning through you.

Have a great Monday and don't forget to look for some reviews from me soon !

Are you awake?

Have you ever wondered if you have been sleepwalking through your life? Sometimes I feel as if I have been. Why did it not occur to me to earlier in my life that I loved art? Early this morning I was surfing the Internet and I realized there are so many artist out there I love. Names I have never heard of , pieces I just want to absorb. I can't connect to my artistic child because she isn't here. I don't remember art.I don't remember wanting crayons. The only thing I remember about art class was this cute guy who sat beside me. The closest I ever got to loving art was wanting to be a makeup artist. I would spend all my money that I babysat for on makeup and pour over faces in magazines for tips. My sister remembers bringing friends home and she said I would rattle off a whole list of what they needed. I remember looking at faces and thinking how I could make them better. Makeup was my palette. Maybe that is why I want to draw and paint faces now. I want to share with you a few artists I discovered this morning .

First Kate Smith , I love , love her work . Something about her work speaks to me.

and Chris Reilly , I love the way he captures french women. You can see more of his work here , you may even discover a new favorite of your own.

I may have been asleep for most of my life but I am awake now. Don't forget to slow down and absorb the beauty around you ...

Want to curl up with a book and a nook ?

I do. I want one of these and if you do too go here for a chance to enter to win a nook.All you have to do to enter is post the link on your blog then go back let her know and also tell her about the books you want to load your "nook" up with. Part of my resolution this year is to read more in the new year. here is some on my to read list.
1.The fearful symmetry
2. Sarah's Key
3.The woods
4. The Pact
5.Shiver
6.The road
7.Fallen
and many many more..
So go check it out...

Wish list..

I am so excited to see this issue of art journaling . Several friends are in it which makes it so special . Congrats to Linda and Tracy !
They are both talented and supportive of others .They have been so helpful in sharing with me as I learn . Pam Carriker is in this issue too. So it's on my wish list.
Also on my wish list is "The nook " ,the new ereader from Barnes and Nobel, I have the first amazon kindle , which I loved but I am selling it and I am buying myself "the nook".It seems to have some features that will work better for me . First it accepts paypal to buy gift cards so I can buy books easier and it also uses the Att wireless network which works better for my area . I plan to read more in the new year so this is something that I really want!
I'd also love an Exacompta Sketchbook and if you need a little inspiration to want one too I got you covered ,lol . I love how she used this sketchbook .
So if santa brings me any of these things , I would be very grateful .Umm and a little talent would be nice too!!
I wish all of my friends a very creative and Merry Xmas!
To my very special friend Renee who is battling breast cancer and having a very hard time right now,You are in my thoughts and prayers . I wish santa would bring her and her family some peace and comfort through the holidays . Sending you lots of love , stay strong!!