Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Dogs in Tights


What's funny about this trend, is that some of these photos look bizarrely grotesque. Anyone care to predict the next inane photo trend involving pets?














Saturday, November 9, 2013

Wildhorse Ranch Rescue and DawgArt

Over the years, I have been privileged to forge friendships with people in the rescue business. One of my favorite people is Kim Meagher, with Wildhorse Ranch Rescue.


Kim is one of the most passionate and kind people I know. She has been rescuing horses for almost 20 years.

Last night, I was privileged to participate in one of WHRR's events, a charity concert at the historic Orpheum Theater in Phoenix with Spencer Day as the headlining performer.


I gotta tell you, Spencer Day is brilliant. Two of his songs (he writes his own material) made me cry. I met him after the concert and we talked about music and art and mental illness and I can't tell you how much his music meant to me.

You can hear one of my favorite two songs here.

So how many of you have been to the Orpheum? I've never been there, and it was pretty amazing inside. Here are some photos of the interior. I had to use flash, so the atmosphere of the photos doesn't approach what I was experiencing, but you can get an idea at least of the detailing.








I brought two donated paintings featuring WHRR horses Finn, Dunny, and Einstein, and a blank canvas to work on. You can see the set up here. I started painting before the show started and basically finished the piece by intermission. It went really fast.



Here's the finished painting:



Would you like a print of this painting? Visit Etsy.

Would you like to purchase this painting? Click here.


Saturday, November 2, 2013

You ARE creative

So I can't tell you how many people I've met who tell me, "I wish I was creative. I can't even draw a stick figure."

First of all, that statement is a ridiculous hyberbole. Of course you can draw a stick figure. The very nature of stick-figurey is that everyone can draw them. Everyone. Here's a stick figure comic of mine:


For more angsty and humorous stick figure comics, click here.

 But drawing aside, I have something to tell you.

You. Are. Creative.

Everyone is creative. Everyone. Just because you don't know how to draw doesn't mean you aren't creative. Just because you can't (or won't) sing, doesn't mean you aren't creative. Just because you don't write novels doesn't mean you aren't creative. You are creative. Everyone is.

Have you ever matched fabrics for your living room? Have you ever cut a peanut butter sandwich into a fun shape? Have you ever problem solved your way out of a financial pickle at work? Have you ever considered and implemented alternatives when your plan didn't work out? Have you ever thrown together a Halloween costume for your kid? Baked a pie? Fixed your car? Told a story? Arranged flowers? Planned an ensemble? Planted a garden? Taken a photo? Made a meme? Rewrote lyrics?

You're creative.

Human beings are naturally creative. And guess what? We're all building lives every day, creating a reality for ourselves, be it positive or negative, wanted or not. We are all creative. You know the idea that you need to be skilled in the visual or performance arts to be creative? Get rid of it, right now.

And while you're at it, get rid of the idea that skills in visual arts are magical, or even completely talent-based. Drawing and painting are learned skills. You can learn how to draw a realistic portrait just the same as you can learn how to solve a complex algebraic equation. If you admire skills in the visual arts, start learning! You're already creative, so take your creativity in a direction that excites and nurtures you.

For those who are considering the possibility of developing their skills in the visual arts, here are some books to help you get in touch with that side of your creativity. Have fun!

Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon




















Cracking Creativity by Michael Michalko






















365: A Daily Creativity Journal by Noah Scalin





















The Confident Creative by Cat Bennett





















The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron





















COLORING BOOKS:

Doodling With Jim Henson




















Art Masterpieces





















Art Nouveau





















Girls' Doodle Book - There's a boy's doodle book too, but I'm a girl, so I like the girly stuff more.






















Do You Doodle?