Thoughtful Self Portrait

How many people have wished you a Happy New Year? Well, I am not happy, I am overloaded with problems, so there. Have a reality check on me. I mean, I don't wish to spoil anyones' good time or anything, but more people commit suicide over the "Holidays" than any other time of the year and this year, I could see why. Grim, just plain grim. At least with some snow on the ground, it feels festive, the decorations look right, but this snowless winter is wrong.

It did snow once, about two inches up here on the mountain top and of course, I fell down, off the porch stairs, in the process of walking the dogs. LuLu pulls and Maxx just looked horrified. He waddled over to me and stared into my face, puffing his dreadful breath into my nose. I was good and down. He is only 8" tall, after all. LuLu was meanwhile going #1 and could have cared less as to my plight.

And it was the one time I had ventured out without my cell phone, to call for help in such emergencies. We have all sorts of wildlife waiting for adventures like this for meals on feet to eat. Ruth reports a possum rooting around but her property is a cornucopea for all that eats. They garden like pros over there, and share abundantly, Bless their hearts, and Ruth, oh, she bakes delicious yummy things for me to eat that are so good I hide them. There, my secret is out. I am a closet pig for Ruths' pumpkin cobbler, but everyone knows this, and begs a piece when they see her coming!

John, I owe thanks for the idea of not leaving the house, period, without my cell phone when I go to walk the dogs. I have been walking them for years in the woods, knowing how isolated it is, and never stopped to think what a good idea it is to have it with me.

Well I knew I was falling and loosened myself up for the fall. It worked and I wasn't even sore the next day; shook up is all. I broke my leg in two places the last time I did this very same thing, so I am not being paranoid, although I might be that too. Why not, i am everything else.

Decided to post a self portrait, which I call: Thoughtful Woman, and a another picture called: Seven Cats Once in a Blue Moon. The more I figure you have to read, the more pictures you get to see. I thought that was a fair deal. And it forces me to paint more pictures.

There are four totally different versions of Seven Cats Once in a Blue Moon. I wasn't at all happy with the first three, and yet I liked the bottom seven cats very much and wanted to keep them. I had to make the rest of the painting work, somehow, and it took me a couple of days to figure out the puzzle.

One thing I learned is that I don't think I am quite ready to put text on my paintings. It seems to distract a lot, at least with the cat piece.

Well, have a Happy New Year anyway, as I have decided I will and must. Being miserable is not an option to me, as I have too much to be happy about , and grateful for.

Free Falling

Last post of the year, since it's the last day of the year. Are the words more interesting, or the pictures? I guess the pictures are prettier, and it is said they do say a thousand words. But here on Blogger, it is a case of Maybe for me, about whether the pictures will upload, and how many times. I am not graceful with this stuff.

My biggest accomplishment this year has been to start digital painting on the computer. I have been aware of this medium for a long time - say 15 years or so, but the equipment for it was terribly expensive, like all electronic stuff is when it first comes out. Now it is quite affordable, and so I finally gave it a try at a Mac store where it was all set up - and I think I was in that store for about two hours before I realized I might be in the way of another customer who probably wanted to check it out too.

Let me interupt myself to say that about a month ago I noticed ZZ kept saying "Check it out"! And I thought, where on earth did she get that from? And then a couple days ago I heard myself using that expression. So I don't know if she got it from me or I got it from her, but it seems to be something I say quite a lot.

Back to digital art, after "checking it out", I was, and remain, hooked. It is doable for me, and the Painter Program I use to "Paint" with offers me the options of painting with oils, watercolor, pastels, pencils, etc. It is like magic, and this is just the most basic overview. But I have always like to share my work with my family and friends, and not just the completed picture. Making the art is the fun part. I am embarrassed to not suffer over my work; nah, I love it, makes me happy and forget my troubles, makes me forget the world as a matter of fact. Isn't that a wonderful trick?

I began these pictures, and am working on a series of people. A nice challenge, since I don't know anything about painting people. But I gave good feelings for my little characters, and stories for them in my mind. I hope to put them together, the characters and the stories and do a little book for our Granddaughters. And Maggie, and well, I can always copy it whenever I get it done, if that ever does happen.

So far I have been working on it for two years. Not so long, but I changed direction half way through, from monsters to people, and I am still not sure if I should combine them, or stick with one, or do two books. Check it out. Major indecision.
One very special thing that my digital equipment will allow me to do, is more or less, remake the older drawings very easily, almost copying my own work. I like that idea a lot because it really is creating a new version and gives me a chance to improve on the original.

OK, I will go fishing around and see if I can find a picture for the last of the year to share with you. I love feedback from you, and don't mind 'constructive criticism' at all, except if it makes me cry. That would be saying something like: WOW that stunk!!! No, actually, that would make me laugh pretty hard.

Happy New Year my dear ones, may you all be well and enjoy all. I am so grateful you are part of my life.