li-JI-tza

I did redraw the pose on a half sheet and painted the background one morning this week before going into the model session this morning. It was well worth it. The painting reminded me of a book I got for Christmas last year: The Magic Horse of Han Gan.

The model is an 18-year-old student at Kent State. He graciously signed his name to each artist's painting today. He was quite nervous about using a brush, but he did just fine.

Paper triqueta engineering

I cut out paper snowflakes to help the cardinals recognize our windows as something they can't fly through. (Lost another male today, but that's better than yesterday's two.)

In the process, I started to cut things that resembled triquetas. To me, the area where the three circles overlap each other represents the Trinity. So I went for it and actually produced one. It is as simple as cutting out a "Z."

Today, my left brain wanted to play catch up. So I drew it out in Adobe Illustrator. In the process, I discovered the relationship of the "Z" arcs follows the golden mean or Fibonacci principle. Amazing. Isn't that something the Creator would do?

Now others can cut out triquetas, too. Just download the pdf to get started.

Last Friday's session

I like this pose enough to start over on a 16x20, seeing as I have drawn the body too small for the head.

He'll be there one more Friday— an 18 year old from Hong Kong. I love the expression here, but he looks more like Shen, a student I remember from my grad school days. He looks older than he should.

August "Back Yard Series"

I thought my Redbud was dying from verticillium wilt, THE curse I have battled in this yard every year I have lived here.

I painted this spot to remember it.
Then the tree seemed to recover.

I am glad.

July "Back Yard Series"

On Aug 4 I journaled in my Artist's Day Book "If I still desire to rescue my own garden from the curse, how much more do You care for the garden of my heart"

"I spent weeks of hours digging and pulling tall weeds, weeds going to seed ... WHY? because of my desire for the good things growing there:

- the larkspur that was planted by You on Mt. Irresponsibility
- the giant Nicotiana that also "volunteered" out of nowhere, a Gift
- the cosmos that always reseeds here, nowhere else
- the soybeans that came up from last year's spilled seed
- the San Marzano tomatoes and spinach that also volunteered
- the lamb's ear and sedum that should be moved
- the liatrus and basil

"Am I crazy? YES. Are You crazy about the garden of my heart? YES."

In August and September, I moved all four raised beds, one shovelful and wheelbarrow at a time. This garden was really too much work. I can still grow lettuce and tomatoes, etc. in between all the landscaping, and Starbuck won't dig it up.

This painting is my tribute.

June "Back Yard Series"

This summer gas was pushing almost $4 a gallon. So I decided there were many lovely places to sit and paint, right in my back yard.

These were quick paintings, done in my Artist's Day Book, which is a "Handbook" sketchbook with great paper for watercolor.

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This little drawing was done during ASA open model night in May.

I have it hanging in the City|ART gallery, a co-op gallery that I joined when it opened in May.

May was a busy month!