Saturday, November 20, 2010
Cowboy boots!
In the gallery below you will find a drawing I did today while helping a young lady learn to draw. I set up a still life of some old cowboy boots around 5pm today and now, at 12:18 am I am finished. It didn't take quite that long to draw & render but I had motherly chores to do in between...make dinner, do laundry, rock a little cowgirl to sleep...the usual.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Newest Gallery Addition!
I recently finished a new piece of artwork. So recently that I still have pastel on my hands and I'm dizzy from the fixative. I decided to take a break from my normal style and try something whimsical. I call it "Whimsy Pasture." It's media is pastel and its image area is 25" x 15 1/2".
This piece is for sale but ones like it can easily be ordered and customized to your liking. I can add your family/farm name, quote, brand, or welcome to the clouds and I can change the animals to a different species...whatever trips your trigger.
The price begins at $200 matted and framed, additional requests may be subject to additional cost. Half of the total is due upon ordering. Shipping and handling extra.
There is still time to order in time for Christmas...but you better hurry so I can beat Santa's deadline!
To order call 517-726-0817...ask for Christine...but honestly, who else answers the phone around here?
This piece is for sale but ones like it can easily be ordered and customized to your liking. I can add your family/farm name, quote, brand, or welcome to the clouds and I can change the animals to a different species...whatever trips your trigger.
The price begins at $200 matted and framed, additional requests may be subject to additional cost. Half of the total is due upon ordering. Shipping and handling extra.
There is still time to order in time for Christmas...but you better hurry so I can beat Santa's deadline!
To order call 517-726-0817...ask for Christine...but honestly, who else answers the phone around here?
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Hey all! I can't believe how busy life gets when school starts. I am, for the most part, a stay at home mom and I have a hard time keeping my head above schedule...I mean water. I think women who hold down a household, raise children and have a full time job are amazing.
Halloween was fun...I went as a French artist of course. I had the beret, pencil thin curly mustache and all. I looked very authentic as I painted faces in Mrs. Billings 3rd grade class. I even did my best to speak French...Wee Wee...No No...but that's all I know.
Volleyball season is over until next year. That has lightened my load. I had an extremely smart girl on my team who would correct me when I'd say "come on girls, we are only down by 4!" To which she would reply "Um, Coach! We are down by 6!" Call me an optimist or a poor mathematician, either way artists are generally not known for their math skills. She would also read something that someone else had written and giggle and point out the grammar & punctuation errors. Needless to say, I hope she doesn't read my blog...it's an editors nightmare! Anyhoo, I really loved those girls and had a 'ball' with them. I'm proud to send them on to JV, hopefully having grown as athletes.
Elections are also over which, being election chair in my township, has kept me hoppin' for some time. I won't bring politics into this blog. My mother raised me right...politics & religion are best kept around the kitchen table. I do love to sit around mom's table and listen to her and my Aunt Lou discuss the latest happenings in Washington while I sip on a hot cup of coffee. On occasion I might get in a word or two. We three were cut from the same cloth...about politics and religion...so we can let our opinions fly at moms table.
I have been doing a little bit of art along the way. Now that things should quiet down for a couple weeks I have a list of 'art' projects to get done. Since I took a little nap during Toy Story 3 I might be able to get something done tonight yet. By the way, how sad was the ending to that movie? That is the last time I allow my husband to pick the movie. Of course I guess I was the one who wanted to see "Up." I began crying at the beginning and never got it together again until the ride home. I'm really not that soft but Walt Disney knows how to choke me up.
Old feelings are starting to appear...getting teary...better go take my mind off children's movies. Have a great night! -Christine
Halloween was fun...I went as a French artist of course. I had the beret, pencil thin curly mustache and all. I looked very authentic as I painted faces in Mrs. Billings 3rd grade class. I even did my best to speak French...Wee Wee...No No...but that's all I know.
Volleyball season is over until next year. That has lightened my load. I had an extremely smart girl on my team who would correct me when I'd say "come on girls, we are only down by 4!" To which she would reply "Um, Coach! We are down by 6!" Call me an optimist or a poor mathematician, either way artists are generally not known for their math skills. She would also read something that someone else had written and giggle and point out the grammar & punctuation errors. Needless to say, I hope she doesn't read my blog...it's an editors nightmare! Anyhoo, I really loved those girls and had a 'ball' with them. I'm proud to send them on to JV, hopefully having grown as athletes.
Elections are also over which, being election chair in my township, has kept me hoppin' for some time. I won't bring politics into this blog. My mother raised me right...politics & religion are best kept around the kitchen table. I do love to sit around mom's table and listen to her and my Aunt Lou discuss the latest happenings in Washington while I sip on a hot cup of coffee. On occasion I might get in a word or two. We three were cut from the same cloth...about politics and religion...so we can let our opinions fly at moms table.
I have been doing a little bit of art along the way. Now that things should quiet down for a couple weeks I have a list of 'art' projects to get done. Since I took a little nap during Toy Story 3 I might be able to get something done tonight yet. By the way, how sad was the ending to that movie? That is the last time I allow my husband to pick the movie. Of course I guess I was the one who wanted to see "Up." I began crying at the beginning and never got it together again until the ride home. I'm really not that soft but Walt Disney knows how to choke me up.
Old feelings are starting to appear...getting teary...better go take my mind off children's movies. Have a great night! -Christine
Thursday, October 7, 2010
The latest in what's rattling around in my brain!
Howdy friends and neighbors...Its been a while since I've had a moment to post. I apologize to my loyal readers (ok...reader. Thanks Mom!). What's new in the life of this artist? My days are usually spent in preparation for my 3 kids after school activities: Cleaning uniforms, gathering cold weather gear, putting supper in a crock pot to be eaten at 8:30 at night...usual stuff every mother has to do. I have been coaching 8th grade volleyball and then going to football practices each night and keeping up with everything else those yahoos are in to.
I have a story to tell you. Please don't think I'm so pompous as to think my kids are any better or nicer than the majority of others because I don't. In fact I'm very lucky that they have surrounded themselves with a great group of friends. That takes a lot of the worry out of mothering knowing the group they hang out with know right from wrong. With that said, here goes my little story.
I love football season but I'm also glad when we can get back to nightly family time (for 2 weeks before wrestling season starts). I don't like to brag...who am I kidding, yes I do, I just try to refrain...as I was saying, I don't like to brag but my boys are pretty nice boys (and my daughter is very nice too) and sometimes it takes pretty nice boys a little longer to find there groove in aggressive sports. Well they've found their groove...It just took my 2nd son a little longer. They have become such great football players, not because they are natural talents but because they know how to work hard, give it all they have and keep a good attitude, win or lose.
This has been on my mind a lot lately since I saw a post on Facebook. A gal wrote about how proud her son was that he broke another kids arm in football. "It's a boy thing" she thought.
That really bothered me. After all these years of raising nice boys I had hoped that learning to be aggressive at sports has not challenged their basic principles. So I called the boys in and asked them, "How would you feel if you accidentally broke another kids arm in a football game"? Their response made me sigh with a great deal of relief. With a disappointed look as if they were shocked that I'd even ask such a question they answered, "BAD".
I think it sometimes gets lost, in the heat of competition and wanting our children to be 'the' best on the field or court, that athletics are a small part of their life. Their core personality and moral beliefs have got to carry them through their whole life. Being kind, considerate and happy go lucky doesn't make them weak. I think we as parents need to be happy that they are 'their' best on the field or court and in life in general.
Why am I blogging about this? I really don't know! I'm usually not to philosophically deep. You caught me on a deep thought day. Maybe it's running into to many people who are wearing their bad day all over their face. What a cliche it is to say but here it goes...Life to short!
I'm not saying I don't have problems...all folks do. Believe me...I can get my dander up! What I am saying is that you have to find a way to fix what you can, accept what you can't, and move happily on!
Feel free to remind me of my words if I'm not living up to them. Shame on me for lecturing. My mother, who will be reading this, will certainly remind me. Mothering never takes a holiday. I have learned that "that's a good thing" (pardon the Martha Stewart moment).
Well that's all I got. Don't blame me, blame the Skinny Artist website guy who told me to write often on my blog even when it has nothing to do with what I'm selling.
In the infinite wisdom of Roy Rogers, "Happy Trails to you until we meet again."
-Christine
I have a story to tell you. Please don't think I'm so pompous as to think my kids are any better or nicer than the majority of others because I don't. In fact I'm very lucky that they have surrounded themselves with a great group of friends. That takes a lot of the worry out of mothering knowing the group they hang out with know right from wrong. With that said, here goes my little story.
I love football season but I'm also glad when we can get back to nightly family time (for 2 weeks before wrestling season starts). I don't like to brag...who am I kidding, yes I do, I just try to refrain...as I was saying, I don't like to brag but my boys are pretty nice boys (and my daughter is very nice too) and sometimes it takes pretty nice boys a little longer to find there groove in aggressive sports. Well they've found their groove...It just took my 2nd son a little longer. They have become such great football players, not because they are natural talents but because they know how to work hard, give it all they have and keep a good attitude, win or lose.
This has been on my mind a lot lately since I saw a post on Facebook. A gal wrote about how proud her son was that he broke another kids arm in football. "It's a boy thing" she thought.
That really bothered me. After all these years of raising nice boys I had hoped that learning to be aggressive at sports has not challenged their basic principles. So I called the boys in and asked them, "How would you feel if you accidentally broke another kids arm in a football game"? Their response made me sigh with a great deal of relief. With a disappointed look as if they were shocked that I'd even ask such a question they answered, "BAD".
I think it sometimes gets lost, in the heat of competition and wanting our children to be 'the' best on the field or court, that athletics are a small part of their life. Their core personality and moral beliefs have got to carry them through their whole life. Being kind, considerate and happy go lucky doesn't make them weak. I think we as parents need to be happy that they are 'their' best on the field or court and in life in general.
Why am I blogging about this? I really don't know! I'm usually not to philosophically deep. You caught me on a deep thought day. Maybe it's running into to many people who are wearing their bad day all over their face. What a cliche it is to say but here it goes...Life to short!
I'm not saying I don't have problems...all folks do. Believe me...I can get my dander up! What I am saying is that you have to find a way to fix what you can, accept what you can't, and move happily on!
Feel free to remind me of my words if I'm not living up to them. Shame on me for lecturing. My mother, who will be reading this, will certainly remind me. Mothering never takes a holiday. I have learned that "that's a good thing" (pardon the Martha Stewart moment).
Well that's all I got. Don't blame me, blame the Skinny Artist website guy who told me to write often on my blog even when it has nothing to do with what I'm selling.
In the infinite wisdom of Roy Rogers, "Happy Trails to you until we meet again."
-Christine
Friday, September 17, 2010
Hello my long lost blog!
This seems like unfamiliar territory...I almost needed a compass to find my blog. School is back in session and it seems I have lost all control of my schedule. It takes a community to keep me pointed in the right direction. I am knee deep in important matters such as Boy Scouts, youth football & volleyball, dance & fiddle lessons. Then there's the pesky business of feeding children & helping with homework. I bet I don't have to tell you that as an artist...7th grade math is over my head!
This year I have taken on the task of 8th grade volleyball coach for my local high school. I haven't played since high school...a lot has changed in the last 10 years (...or so. I told you I wasn't good at math.) We had our first game last night and we lost. The good news is that I learned a lot and so did my team. We get to play them again & then watch out...they won't recognize us with all our improvement. We'll see how this plan plays out...it looks good on paper.
Life often gets in the way of art. The busier I get the further I get from my career goals. I do try to remind myself that all of these life experiences make me, hopefully, a better artist. I get inspiration from the things I do and the people I know. And the busier I get the more I appreciate the quiet time when I get to sit down and create something special.
Enough of the 'Hallmark' special. I'm really not that sappy of a person. In fact the older I get (29 in Chrissy math) the less serious I am about most things in general. Everyone should learn to let things slide off off their back a little more... like water off a ducks butt (or was that a ducks back...I can't recall). I too need to be reminded of that when I sometimes get my dander up about something...usually when I think my child has been done wrong. But then I always remember my dad's words of wisdom, "just simmer down." Sound advice!
Well that's all I have rolling around in my head tonight. I'm off to do something creative...Just what I don't know...I'll try not to be such a 'blog' stranger.
-Christine
This year I have taken on the task of 8th grade volleyball coach for my local high school. I haven't played since high school...a lot has changed in the last 10 years (...or so. I told you I wasn't good at math.) We had our first game last night and we lost. The good news is that I learned a lot and so did my team. We get to play them again & then watch out...they won't recognize us with all our improvement. We'll see how this plan plays out...it looks good on paper.
Life often gets in the way of art. The busier I get the further I get from my career goals. I do try to remind myself that all of these life experiences make me, hopefully, a better artist. I get inspiration from the things I do and the people I know. And the busier I get the more I appreciate the quiet time when I get to sit down and create something special.
Enough of the 'Hallmark' special. I'm really not that sappy of a person. In fact the older I get (29 in Chrissy math) the less serious I am about most things in general. Everyone should learn to let things slide off off their back a little more... like water off a ducks butt (or was that a ducks back...I can't recall). I too need to be reminded of that when I sometimes get my dander up about something...usually when I think my child has been done wrong. But then I always remember my dad's words of wisdom, "just simmer down." Sound advice!
Well that's all I have rolling around in my head tonight. I'm off to do something creative...Just what I don't know...I'll try not to be such a 'blog' stranger.
-Christine
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