Hmmm. Sketchy.

Iris sketch from last night. For all my fellow Tenneseans: our state flower. Our bird, in case you wonder, is the Mockingbird. I need a break from birds though, so no Mockingbird sketches- for now.

D.I.Y. Fendi?

Yep. A paint your own Fendi for a mere $1300. It's a coated canvas baguette with Pantone markers; will anyone go for this?

Newest Neighbor, Liz

After working in the isolation/ distraction of my house since graduating from college, I feel fortunate to now be part of a community of artists in the Downtown Presbyterian Church studio spaces. I 'm happy to announce: I have a new studio neighbor, Elizabeth Streight. Liz's art is photography, which you can see on her photoblog. It's a documentary of her life, and the many people that are part of it. I enjoy the candid shots, and the celebratory feel they capture. I can't wait to watch as her work develops right next door. Haha. "Develop"- get it- that's a photography joke. Ok, I'll stop. P.S. The photos are ones she took at Monteagle mountain; Seamus, Liz, and I spent a lovely fall weekend hiking in the mountains and realxing at our friend, Tom's, cabin. Click here to see more!

I'm Giving Thanks a Little Early

It's the time of year again: gray skies, short days, horrid weather. Typically I get depressed about now, and it's been coming on pretty strong in the past week. However, I have had some great times this fall which arguably is helping me ease into the "blah-est" months with less misery than usual. I carved pumpkins with my two favorite little boys, hiked in the mountains with a girlfriend while the leaves turned gold, painted in my studio alongside a community of other dedicated artists, and spent many mornings outside running or biking with my new workout buddy, and received encouragement and support from my loving husband. All these things made me realize that sure, I may go through some weeks really down (if I won't leave the house to hang out- it's me, not you!), but I have blessings in my life to come back to.
Last Saturday I had a flashback. I drove past Estel Gallery while Artrageous was happening. I didn't participate in Artrageous this year, but last year I did. I remember having a hard time getting dressed for that event, and feeling miserable. I had gotten so down that I'd given up. I hated the dark, cold days so I didn't go outside. I was inactive because I wouldn't go outside, so I started gaining weight. I gained more weight than I ever had before over the winter, and couldn't fit in most of my clothes. I avoided doing anything besides the necessities because I hated the way I looked and felt. And so on. As I drove by Estel, it hit me- what a different place I'm at compared to this time last year. I think in no small part, the people close to me are responsible for this difference. They motivate, encourage, and support my attempts to be a better person- thank you so much!