.the.future.of.botany.

This months Draws Things challenge stumped me way more than I initially guessed it would. And my first piece - which is posted below - wouldn't work in the end because the medium for the group, Facebook, won't let you zoom in on pictures (at least as far as I'm aware) and the piece just doesn't make sense with the theme unless you can see the tiny baby fetuses in it!
So I took a step back, rethought, and came up with this:

 

Because it's the future of Botany - the future of the study of plants, and who's going to be studying plants in the future? Maybe a cephalopod....

.fight.the.monsters.

Over at the Abundant Artist blog they're having a little contest - draw your greatest fear as an artist as a monster:

My Fear of Failure/Obscurity - which in my mind is kind of the same thing.
I wanted to really illustrate how strangling that feeling can be.

.labor.pains.

O.M.G. it's sooooo.......Pink.

And now I'm going to bed. Early even.

.green.eyed.monster.

I've been ruminating quite a bit lately on the topic of envy.
Not jealousy. Envy. There's a difference!

From dictionary.com:
Envy and jealousy are very close in meaning. Envy denotes a longing to possess something awarded to or achieved by another: to feel envy when a friend inherits a fortune. Jealousy, on the other hand, denotes a feeling of resentment that another has gained something that one more rightfully deserves: to feel jealousy when a coworker receives a promotion. Jealousy also refers to anguish caused by fear of unfaithfulness.

Being human, I have naturally and obviously struggled with both. It's just part of the game. Fortunately, as a species for the most part we don't go about bashing each other over the head with clubs to get what the other guy has anymore.

But envy - things that I want, things that I see other people with; and the struggle and resolve not to hold that against them. It's important. They have it, I don't. It's not their fault - it's happenstance and chance. I don't have to hate on a girl because her dancing is better than mine, or because her costumes are the most amazing. Rather I should take inspiration from that - maybe I need to practice more. Maybe I need to set aside a little more time to construct and assemble my own ensemble. All on me. My responsibility.
Some other things I'm envious of - they just can't be helped - they are circumstances beyond human control; and in that case, dwelling on them doesn't help any situation at all. Suck it up, take a breath, move on.

And in conclusion, a few words from Jenna, who may be my new hero:

.nursery.

.blackout.

.Saturday.

ART BATTLE!!!

 

I'm a little sad to say that I didn't win, but I only lost by a dollar and Stubler cheated.

All in all a successful evening. Hopefully at some point we'll duke it out again and I can cheat back.

.SBC9.plus.

While I was painting last night - working on two pieces at once due to drying time - the work took a dramatic shift. It's a shift I've been anticipating, attempting to delay even, in order to finish the current series; but some thing apparently will not wait.
Hopefully I can finish the piece this evening, amidst preparations for Road Trip tomorrow. Columbia then St. Louis, and home again home again.
For Art Battle!!!

Illustration Friday: Grounded

 

Ants! Now with Discolights!

Also on Society6.

.SBC8 & the WereRabbit.

 

And how happy am I to have finally finished the WereRabbit piece.

Also available at Society6!

.sketchbook.challenge.day.7.plus!

Today is technically the last day of my Sketchbook Challenge - seven straight days of drawing in my sketchbook daily and posting the results here; but I'd like to keep it going. See how many days straight, without interruption, that I can go - drawing daily. Something I should be doing anyhow. I might not post everyday, but I will be posting.

I've also set up a Society6 account. That's right, all of my lovely illustrations will be available, beautifully printed by print professionals and mailed by humans more meticulous than I, for your very own home. I'm working on getting a few of them ready and formatted for non-print application as well - shirts and stickers and the like. Soon!

Also do not forget - This Sunday - ART BATTLE!
At the RecordBar. 8pm

And of course I'm dancing at Carrie's Gothic Prom Birthday this Saturday evening in St. Louis. You should come out - buy her a drink. It's her birthday!

.sketchbook.challenge.day.6.

Hey McKitterick! This robot's for you!

.sketchbook.challenge + shenanigans.

This weekend, aside from painting and having dinner with friends and playing way more Skyrim than I'm supposed to be playing, I broke my computer.
Broke it.
Dropped it on its computer head, and now the screen is all wonkety. I'd take a picture, but my digital camera ran out of batteries, and I haven't gone to the shop to get more because I also lost my debit card and I really hate writing checks.

I'm doing well, yes?

I have weekend sketches though, and if the computer is an easy fix I'll be posting today's tonight. If not....tomorrow. Oh no I won't. There's still that battery issue. Drat...

Day 4

Day 5

 Wish me luck.

.sketchbook.challenge.day.3.

Still taking suggestions for drawing...

• ¡¡¡BATTLE!!! •

It's finally happening.

Several months ago, my good friend Tyson Schroeder started up a little thing - Art Battle Royale. Essentially it's public art making, on a stage, at a bar with live audience interference. I go watch when I can, and one of Tyson's first questions to me at my first Battle-Watching was - "Do You Want To?"

Ab-so-fucking-lutely.

And now it's happening.
January 15th.
8pm.
The RecordBar.

You should come out.
You should come out and put a dollar in my bucket.
And then you should put a dollar in Stubler's bucket with something awful.

.sketchbook.challenge.day.2.

Also, I'm taking suggestions for further sketching. Comment or message me privately!

.sketchbook.challenge.day.1.

The next Draw Things challenge is "The Future of Botany", and as I'm still brainstorming ideas I have DNA and flora on the mind...

looking back / looking forward

Quite a few people I know had particularly bad years in 2011, and mine was no picnic. But there was also a lot of really good stuff that happened.
Focusing on the positive:

• I taught quite a bit - not only classes and Salons but actual workshops, and got booked for my first workshop teaching out of the state of Missouri.
• I got engaged, and had a kidney stone. In the same week.
• I learned to better recognize the symptoms of being Glutened. I also got better at talking to waitstaff at restaurants about the food I was ordering.
• Lots of dancing. Lots. Workshops, private parties, big Festivals, Stage Shows, and Club Bellydance with the BDSS.
• Lots of art. I refined my illustration style even more, and started painting again, and might have even booked a gallery show.
• I played with aerial dance. Not enough, but classes are expensive, and I really need to work on my upper body strength more before I sink more cash into it. But still, it was super awesome.
• I wrote! Over 25,000 words of a story....then I threw it away to start over. This will be a serious project for 2012. And by serious I mean intensive, but ultimately personal.
• I canceled my wedding! Best.Decision.Ever
• I completed two Sketchbook Projects.

For 2012, it's pretty simple. I'd like to continue on the track I seem to have started in 2011. Working on my art, all of my art. Dancing, teaching, painting, illustrating. I also want to work more on taking care of myself, both physically and mentally. I'm thinking of it as a Year of Transformation. And I'm going to make it be Awesome.