Paper and Threads

This was a very difficult challenge because I immediately thought about "stuff."  But the "stuff" I always wanted a decade, or a year, or a week ago, I either got or no longer want.    I am extremely fortunate that I did get the big things I wanted.  I have a fabulous husband , 3 grown children with wonderful spouses, and 5 grandchildren ages 5 months to 5 years.  I have a medical career AND I am a wife and mother - something considered impossible/improbable when I was developing my dream.  I saw many parts of the US and had an opportunity to live in several regions that partially shaped me:  The Northeast, the Midwest, Southern California, and Texas - and now I live exactly where I want to be for this time in my life - New York City.  And I have always had creative passions and the ability to move among them in cycles to keep me happy and to make things for those I love.  So after a full week contemplating this challenge, and because I am surrounded by many people who have to learn to live with ill-health, I chose to paint my stethoscope and continue to hope that I have "good health."

There are fewer EDM members posting this challenge than most - so I think others must be struggling with it. 

Posted by Shirley at 12:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

I enjoy recycling old books as watercolor journals, but took a workshop in June so I could also make cased-in journals of a standard size.  The journal we made in the workshop is bigger than the ones I like for my daily sketchbook.  I currently use a large Moleskine watercolor book, but really don't like the landscape format.  However, I like the size and wanted to see if I could make a similar size journal in a portrait format.

 I used 140 lb Fabriano Artistico extra-bright soft press watercolor paper.  Each book contains 6 signatures - 2 folios per signature.  The finished books are 5.5 inches by 7.5 inches.  Here are photos of the covers, the end papers of one of the books, and the watercolor paper. 

Posted by Shirley at 7:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

We moved to San Antonio Texas from LaJolla California and while my husband worked at the Army Institute for Surgical Research, I joined the faculty at the University of Texas Health Science Center.  We initially intended to move on at the end of 3 years, but instead my husband joined me on the faculty and we raised all 3 children there before returning to New York City.  We had a Texas ranch house built in the 1950s, with wonderful shade trees and lots of space for our family.  This sketch was made from a photo taken during the winter - and our live oak tree still has leaves.  When we moved to Texas I learned for the first time that live oak trees drop their leaves in the spring instead of the fall.  We lived in this house for 18 happy years. 

Posted by Shirley at 8:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

I still try to draw figures regularly, while regularly avoiding my 2008 Goal to draw more faces.  Here is a quick soluble graphite drawing that I did this week.  I was attracted to this magazine photo by the opportunity to also draw a horse.

Posted by Shirley at 7:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

My son and his wife in Washington DC have two cats - his and hers from before they were married.  So this sketch was made from a photo of Sammy meeting baby Annabelle and her stuffed Jellycat Bella shortly after she was born.   

Posted by Shirley at 7:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)