Thursday, September 27, 2007

Well haven't posted much this week because I have been working, working, working and I am not ready to post my new book yet. The cover turned out to be a bigger project than I had planned. But that is the way with a lot of projects, it's all about the detail you know. Plus my cousin Jim came through OKC from Phoenix, for an overnight visit. Since it we the first time we had been together in over 5 years we had a lot to talk and reminisce about. He is a terrific guy. So this is short and sweet and another artist quote is the best I can do today..................
"Color is my day-long obsession, joy and torment."........Claude Monet

Saturday, September 22, 2007


Susan, the Band Director and David, the Drum Major on the platform. Robert, the assistant Band Director and his cuttie daughter in her band shirt


The 2007 Putnam City North
Color Guard and Jackie, the guard tech. The guard performed really well.
We won our game, so that means we are
3 & 1 so far. We will finally get to have our first home game next week.

I tried to get a front and back view of the
new band shirt, they are play the music
of Lenorad Bernstien from On The
Waterfront. It is a great sho and the
kids really like it, and they are marching
well.

The new band shirts are a big hit this year. The parents and the kids really like them.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Artist quote for today:
"Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish."
Michelangelo
Well here they are. What do you think?


It is Friday Night Football

Well it is that time of the week when we all go to the football game, but we only watch the BAND. This is the 4th game of the season and we still haven't had a Home Game,
so that means the band performs at the will of the opposing teams band director, that is Post Game, Half Time or Pre Game. So far we have had 3 Pre Game Slots (including tonight) and 1 Half Time slot. When we are the Home Team we always march at Half Time. Post Game performances are BAD because 1. Everyone is leaving (except the band boosters) and 2. That makes it really late getting back to school to unload the trailers and buses.

I will take the camera tonight so I can get some pics of the band to post here on the ole' blog.

I've been working on the new book, it seems like the old book, I've been working on it for so long, but I am sure it will be worth it. I will post a couple of pics of some more pages that are complete.

I've got a lot of new stuff on my blog because I learned how to put links on to the side bar. That is pretty exciting.

Thursday, September 20, 2007


Another page from my new book. It is almost finished. The excitment
builds.............LOL

Work, Work and more Work

I don't seem to be getting as much "art" work done as I want too. A lot of exciting things are going on in my group communities. A lot of sharing of art work and amazing web sites to view.
Then of course there is always the nasty business of house cleaning, and laundry. Yuck!

My class is going great, all of my students are enthused about drawing and that is what counts.

So long for now, I am off to finish my book.
Artist quote for today:
Art is much less important than life, but what a poor life without it.
Robert Motherwell

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Artist Quote for today:

"I want to touch people with my art."
Vincent VanGogh

New Computer Boogle

Well, I got a new computer last week, and it is to fantastic, but it has all the bells and whistles and it just takes time to get every thing lined out. It has a 20" monitor (every thing is hugh, the ball on Lexor are the size of ping pong balls, it seems like) and I can really see every bodies art

work really good. What fun! It is really exciting to be learning so much about the cyber world

at my age. The only part I hate is that it is like renting a movie, you have to watch all of the previews and the commercials, because everybody wants you to buy something. There is "stuff" you have to buy extra, like Windows Word, well having a computer without word is like buying a car without a steering wheel {you would think , if you buy something for over $1000 dollars they would provide the necessities to be able to use it}. OK so much for the gripping part.

I have been working on my new book and it is almost finished. I guess the reason it is taking me so long is because of my compulsiveness for details. I don't know, but it is going to be a duzzy when I finish. I have also been carving some new bird stamps that I like a lot, they are for my next book, it will be a bird book. DUH!

My drawing class, that I teach at Rose State College, is going really well. I introduced my students to an amazing young artist from Cordoba, Argentina, Nico DiMattia and they just about flipped. So I thought wouldn't it be wonderful if I could get Nico to come to the US and show them how he does his art. I e-mailed him and he was really interested. When I told my class that Nico might get to come to Oklahoma they were delighted. He won't be able to come until the spring of 08 because it takes such a long time to get a Visa. I talked to the head of my department and she wants to make a credited workshop out of his visit and invite all of the Universities, and who ever else wants to come. It will be a lot of details to attend to but what a great thing for everyone. I am going to try to post one of Nico's demos from you tube on this blog to help create interest. But if you would like to see his work before then you can go to YouTube and type in Speed Painting, and then click on his video (he has several) or go to his web site.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Just some thoughts.

I have been reading a lot about blogs today. Some bloggers have the same idea about what a blog is for: the general gist seems to be that it is like keeping a journal to share ideas and pictures of just about anything you can imagine. I guess I didn't think about the impact a blog could make. Well maybe not an impact but a ripple in cyber-space, like tossing a small pebble in calm water. All I know is that it is stimulating me to write down thoughts that I
have had about several things for a long time. I never wrote notes in school, seldom wrote
letters and never kept a diary, because my Dad taught me that if it came down to it, you could
deny that you said something, but if you write it down you can never take it back, because
there it is in black and white. I always thought that was a real good idea, and this blog thing
might just prove him right. But at my age, I'm kinda into "live and learn." So I decided that I would make my posts in color.

Artist Quote for today:


"It is widely accepted notion among painters that it does not matter what one paints as long as it is well painted. This is the essence of academicism. There is no such thing as good painting about nothing." Mark Rathko

Saturday, September 15, 2007

The artist quote for today:
"The pain passes but the beauty remains."
Pierre Augusti Renoir

Friday, September 14, 2007

These are some of the flowers in my yard. The weather here in Oklahoma has really been great this week and my flowers love the rain. Aren't grandchildren wonderful? Even when they are 13.
This is Susan my roommate with 2 of our dogs. Marilyn (she's blonde you know) and Stigalitz, we also have their mother Georgia (for Georgia O'keffe) they are Carin Terriers (like Toto in the Wizard of Oz) boy are they a hand full.

Todays quote is from Vincent VanGogh:
"I am still far from being what I want to be,
but with God's help I shall succeed.
This is Grace Ella, a paper doll named after my Grandmother. She is green because (1.) Green is my favorite color. (2.) Green represents growing things and I am definately growing. She is 17" tall and she is traveling with here "Green Trunk". The trunk is an orginal design and was configured just for Grace Ella. Grace Ella's journal and under clothes are pictured in the trunk just to her right, whick would be your left looking at the pic.




This is Greace Ella, standing in front of her "Custom made" trunk. Travel Tag and papers are attached and she is wearing her Cape.


These pages are from a new book about "Houses" that is in the works. I will be posting the entire book soon. The pages are all complete, just the covers are not finished, but hope to have them finished in the next few days.



Thursday, September 13, 2007

New Artist Quote

Todays artist quote is:
Practice what you know, and it will help to make clear what now you do not know.
Rembrandt
Want some great "FREE" pics? Go to http://wikimedia.org and cloick on public domain. People, maps,landscapes, animals, birds and just about any thingelse
you can think of.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

"Live to the Fullest"



Just a little altered art board book. What fun these are.
Well I have not made a post in a couple of days because I have been creating. My moto is Create and Share. I have just been tooooo busy to share. Sorry. Any way I am trying to rectify this by posting Famous Artist Quotes to my blog at least 3 time a week. Maybe this little goal will get me in the habit of posting. Any way here is the first quote:
"Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone."
Pablo Picasso

Saturday, September 8, 2007


"Gold and White"

A Hand Gold and White Book

This is a hand made book with sewn signatures. The cover is made from hand made paper. It has a dowel hinge with fibers and charms, the square metal cap on the dowel is from a piece of antique jewelry that belonged to my grandmother. The signatures are each sewn with linen thread the first page is paper that has a gold border (which when folded forms the last page) and the inside pages are white bond paper. The decoration on the front and back covers is gold mesh ribbon. I really like making books. A lot of people ask, "What are you going to put in your book?" I tell them,"The book it's self is the art work, you don't have to put anything inside." I have made over 200 books, some I sell, some I keep.

Friday, September 7, 2007

My friend is the band director at Putnam City North High School and I design the t-shirt for the band each year, and the new shirt came in yesterday and the kids got to wear them to the football game last night (which PCN won of course). The band kids really loved the shirts. It sure makes for a late night when you go to a football game that starts at 8:00 and isn't over until 10:30, especially when it is 40 miles away and you have to go back to school to unload all those band instruments. Although the band booster parents are really terrific and help the kids a lot. I got pictures of the shirt so I will put them here on the ole' blog and see what you think. Surprisingly got a lot of art work done today, even though I was a zombie until about 11:00 am after getting to bed about 2:30am. Can't wait to finish the new book and get it posted on the website and the blog.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Tuesday

I joined a new group, altered designs, there are some terrific artist in this group. I got a new laserjet printer and am having trouble installing it, but should be on line with it today. I completed 2 more pages of my book "The Well Read Book", 2 more pages and the covers and it will be finished. I always think I want to do something simple but it turns into something really, really complicated. I have 3 more pieces planned and want to get them in the works. I usually like to work on 2 or more pieces at the same time, because while one is drying I can work on the other piece. I will have some more post (pictures of book) tomorrow.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

"The Truth is Black & White"
This is a view of the back side of a collaged box
shrine. The carousel horses are copies of my
original drawings.
"The Truth is Black & White"
A collaged box shrine with poetry and a small
black velvet box that opens to reveal a gold and
silver heart inside.
This is a collaged box shrine called:
Inspiration & Anticipation