A girl who likes writing with beautiful instruments, lifting heavy things, running, meditating, and stretching her artistic skills.
Some warm-ups for life drawing and the first time using procreations for life drawing. I have never really liked the way my procreate drawings look like – too mechanical,not very natural but these are getting a little warmer? The warm-ups are on newsprint.
Still life studies for painting class – potato – pahtato? I’m going with the last one. I moved the light to the SIDE of the box!
Finished oil – I like the composition… gradients are getting more fun. #evolve #evolveartist
Work was a little slow so got to play on my ipad while in meetings and a day without paint is just no bueno – so started paint on Block 2 /Ex 14. Painting from life. I struggle to get the feel for the IPad and not have it look ‘mechanical’. #evolve
Painting done between after dinner and between PTA Meeting and Pride Planning – #gaymomproblems
Soooo…. it’s been a long road since I have last posted and to say I have had some changes is putting it lightly but without getting into ALL the insane details, here I am divorced after a 20 year relationship and with an 8 year old to raise…
All that aside, I feel as though I have been on a trajectory to be who I was always meant to be. After much, MUCH, MUCH .. self reflection, I move towards what I want to do and I am called to do versus what is expected of me and meeting my obligations to be the good girl – or to do the right and responsible thing. That is NOT to say that those are incongruent with being a good person, but to be a better person it is helpful to align those things with what I WANT to do. The recent changes in my life the past two years have really freed me up mentally and emotionally to pursue THAT authentic person.
So my goal is to pursue art and be the best artist I can be and express myself through that. I have been on a slow roll towards that end. I started in sketchbook skool and other online courses here and there to grow my confidence and skills, but I have been really craving to elevate those skills.
I make it part of my daily practice to ALWAYS be doing something daily to grow my skills, a sketch a mark, something, anything that is rolling that ball forward and enhancing my skills. I recognize and appreciate that ‘talent’ is often confused with hard work, so I believe that constantly and consistently working on my skills is the only way to improve but I also feel like I want to move up a few levels, so in July I signed up for the Evolve program to learn through an atelier system how to be a better artist through learning oil painting.
Inspired by Jonathan Hardesty I am putting together this blog to document my progress and do my very best to honor the commitment of getting a photo of whatever I did that day up here, the good, the bad and the ugly!
So here is todays entry. My still life sketch ready for painting for Block 2 Excercise 14 of the Evolve Program.
So how is Inktober treating everyone – now that we are officially halfway through?
I have been enjoying it. As always some real hits and then some misses, but the point is that I keep the pen and mind moving.
I did a self portrait series in August and I really enjoyed pushing myself and using all types of mediums and started using gouache for the first time and I really do love it – inspired of course by Roz Stendahl’s work. So I miss using different types of medium but maybe this break will bring back the force strong!
Some of the fun self portraits I did.
I am also enjoying taking a procreate course from France Van Stone at Sktchy as I upgraded my iPad and got an Apple Pencil.
For my birthday I am going to Sketchkon 2018 in Pasadena, CA and I am so stinking excited. I was hoping it would be a post divorce celebratory trip…but that does not seem to be the case…it drags on..but my spirits are good and I am ready.
I am looking forward to learning from teachers I really admire, including Ms Roz herself!
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In fitness and running news….
I have started back to Crossfit at Crossfit Everlasting so I am excited about that. I also picked my 50k race! The Dirty German 50k in Philadelphia, PA! May 11th, 2019. My coach at Crossfit Everlasting said he could build me a training plan…so lets do this!!!
So I am revisiting this blog, rebooting and resetting it!! Hmmmm so must has happened and changed since my last entry. I deleted a few posts but thought hey what they heck leave them up there. So here is where we are….I am 3 years vegan/WFPB – whole food plant based. I have been a very active participant in the strongwoman and powerlifting world and now I am running and back to CrossFit…huh…I thought things changed? The more things change the more they stay the same?
I am coming out of a 22 year relationship and trying to find which way is up…but I am having fun figuring things out. Oh, and did I mention I have a 6 year old now?! He’s awesome, but makes me exhausted, crazy, in love, frustrated…..
So where are we today and what am I focused on and what am I doing. I am working as an IT project manager and while I love living on the cutting edge of technology and getting a handle on it, it is pretty dry…so I have been really indulging my creative side and drawing like a mad woman and enjoying and growing in that regard.
I still collect fountain pens like a crazy woman…. stay tuned….for more…
I will be talking about running and fountain pens, and art supplies….stay tuned for reviews and opinions on it all!
So finally the time has come and I have actually started studying things like pace, splits and other assundries that my fancy watch affords me(you’re welcome for the instructional graphics). I have had this watch for some time but other than using it to check mileage, I really haven’t made the most of it. Now I pour over it to study…did I keep my pace steady? Did I improve my pace since last week and more recently since I started trail running….WHERE THE F*** AM I??!! And how do I get home??
So here’s the dealio….going all in on this Crossfit thing. Starting to ramp up my Crossfit workouts and got a Crossfit Endurance Coach to prepare for the HAT 50k run(ZOINKS SCOOBY! What have I done!!??). I am really enjoying both and as my Coach Jen says, I’ve learned to run SLOW and it’s time to step it up. I am a tad bit concerned and lack a little faith in dropping the long run…but we’ll see how it goes. Stay tuned….
I am starting a new adventure into Crossfit training…I did the Intro Session at my local affiliate(well local to my office, not my home) Crossfit Done Right . It seemed soooo simple. 500 meter row, 40 squats, 30 situps, 20 push-ups and 10 pull-ups(ok THAT seemed hard). The pull-ups were modified as hanging from rings and pulling my body up at an angle. I finished in 11:08. Seriously…I was sore for three days! At first it was a good sore, then it rolled into a painful, stiff sore, then it became WTF sore! So what do I do, I start building my own at home gym…..really? I’m that crazy. Did my first WOD today at work gym….so here goes:
Puppies:
Three rounds for time of:
Row 250 meters
10-35 pound Front squat 15 Sit-ups
20 Box jumps, 15 inch box
It was done for time and I completed it in 14:48.
I will attempt the Crossfit Endurance workout for 9 minute all out run effort.
I had a great vacation in the Outer Banks….got a couple of runs and a bike ride in. I had a 10k trail run this weekend. My first trail race ever and to say it did not go well is an understatement. I woke up Friday am, with the sniffles that developed into a full blown head cold by Saturday morning. I must say that the River Valley Ranch 10k trail run was an awesome course, I wish I had felt better to really enjoy it. I was sooo out of it the whole run. I was so slow that they rolled the finish mat up on me, so my time was not actually recorded and I think I am OK with that. It was a little discouraging and has me concerned for my upcoming marathon and 50k. I decided though to make the most of my time not able to run and came up with my training plan. So onward and upward to the next journey. I will press on!
