Day 614

First published on my Green Sheaves website 2021-12-02

Isn’t it great to be able to lie in a grassy field and stare into the blue clear sky?

Twice a day (weather permitting) Nala and I go to the neighborhood field to throw a frisbee until she is tired. She loves chasing under the disk, anticipating its path and at times catching it. However her idea of fetch is to retrieve but not surrender. Solution= If I take two, she will want the one in my hand.

When she tires she will plop down about 20 yards away giving me my brief sky-void-gaze, lying flat on my back (listening to it pop sometimes) enjoying outdoors. In about 3 minutes she feels the need to check on me.

If October was non-stop physical labor around the house (a possible future post, under an upcoming category for the house- sort of a letter-to-future-owner blog, covering projects I did which could help them, such as how the French drain is laid out, where to dig/not dig), November was the opposite. I read, study (mostly books on painting, reading about it to avoid doing it), walk a couple of times a day, and relax.

I did some tonal practice pieces mostly in black/white/greys. I plan (fingers crossed) to do fairly simple art related pieces a couple of time per week in 2022, save them to gauge progress (if any) and if any are worthy, make frames for them. Goal= 100, any size. Lofty, aye?

Practicing tonal values with pencil and blending stump while watching nightly show.

140lb paper over tracing of a bird, on a light table. Shades of grey paint. Tone practice.

Sewing: Another delay tactic (to keep from actually painting… strange, isn’t it?)- I sewed a brush case. Whimsical fabric (for art after all).

Leisure- We’ve been watching, an episode or two/night, “Lucifer”. Lucifer (yes, that devil) grows bored and moves to LA. It is an entertaining show! Part comedy, part drama. He is portrayed as misunderstood. He never lies (no one believes he is the devil). Quite an array of characters, some from the Bible.

Work- it has been 2 months since I did any pattern work. Then about a week ago I got a request from my Jacksonville sportswear client. 20 or so patterns! I have 12 of them made so far. They are nearly all knock-offs of ASG styles. And he will be sending me some Nike (I think it is that brand) items to “copy” (with changes).

Crafts- I made 3 tiny presents for a Christmas tree shaped wreath (Trish made) out of little blocks of wood and a little acrylic paint.

Leisure Part 2- while Nancy and Russell were visiting, Russell and I went to the Morris Museum of Art (my 1st time). Nice collection of art, mostly paintings, at that, mostly southern painters. I may return, spend more time.

That is about all I can think of to bore you with! (I ended that sentence with a preposition. gasp. ).

Here is an apple for you. Not great, I did it in Procreate, an art app on my tablet, with one brush and one color.

I will close for now. (oh yeah, Day 614 , yesterday at this point, is how many days since I last worked (other than for Taylor Patterns LLC. I may start a regular blog with titles like this one. Sort of a journal/memoir.

But on the other hand, Do I want to be defined by my career/life’s work/occupation? Let me know! :)

What have you been up to? :)

Apple created in Procreate on an iPad