EDiM Day 31 - Draw a Houseplant

Um. I only have one houseplant, and it's currently on the front porch for the summer. I did find this seed packet in the house, and it looked like a plant. I am a completely unnatural and awkward gardener. I think plants should be useful, which is why I bought basil seeds, fully intending to plant them. I LOVE basil, but I don't know if I'll ever be successful growing my own.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 30 - The Inside of Your Closet

When told to draw the inside of my closet, I decided to instead draw what I wish my closet looked like. I know it's un-American, but I dream of someday having my closet filled with only the few items I need and nothing more. I'm nowhere close yet, but it is a goal.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 29 - Draw Something from a Pet's Point of View

We have one pet: an old, lovable yellow lab. From her outdoor pen, she stares at our back door, waiting for people and food to emerge. When I posted on Facebook that our dog Vani, like all dogs, doesn't see color, I was corrected by other members of the group. They told me that Vani does see some color. Okay. I stand corrected. I was also mildly reprimanded for implying that our dog never comes in the house (she does sleep in the basement). When did animals stop living outdoors? I never expected to be so challenged after posting this simple picture. This is what art does. Surprise!

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 28 - A Pitcher or Jug

I answered this challenge in a fairly uninspired way. I'm not even sure this is a pitcher. It might just be a bottle. But, it's blue-green glass, which I really like, so I'm calling it a pitcher for today.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 27 - Something Sticky

The challenge today is to draw something sticky. This Fran Lebowitz quote is one of my favorites. It was nice to have a reason to share it.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 26 - Draw a Screw

When I posted my drawing of a screw on Facebook, I'm not really sure the humor translated. My caption, "A great cosmic question: what wine pairs well with Reese's Pieces?" didn't seem to help. Perhaps the group members are too young to know about E.T.? Oh well. Doesn't matter. I was really happy with the way this turned out.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 25 - Draw a Tote Bag

Just ONE tote bag?! No can do. I think I have a tote bag hanging on just about every doorknob in our house. I wouldn't exactly call it an obsession. TWO totes on every door knob would definitely be obsessive...which means I can still buy a few more before I need tote therapy. I've had both of these totes for years. The little blue and green tote is actually purse size and has my monogram on it. I use my monogram (SHE) to sign my artwork. The denim quilted tote is huge. It has been all over the world with me. It wears like iron. It is well loved...and looks it!

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 24 - Something that Makes You Laugh

It was easy to answer the question about what makes me laugh. It is my almost-adult son, Nathan, who consistently keeps me laughing. Knowing how to portray him was difficult though. He would hate having his likeness painted and posted on the Internet. I opted to hide his name in negative space instead. That suits his personality and his subtle wit perfectly.

Micron pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 23 - A Summer Joy

I knew immediately what my "summer joy" would be. It is corn on the cob. I make a meal of it when it first comes into season. The first bite of the first corn of the year always tastes like the first and best corn I've ever tasted. And, it will be the new best again this year. I rave about it, and my family members just roll their eyes. They've heard it so many times before. "This is the BEST corn ever!" Until next year!

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 22 - Draw a Map

I love my iPhone map app. Never have to fold a road map again!!!!

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 21 - Draw the Last Thing You Bought

I painted for 10+ hours today, but not with Winsor Newton paint. It was exterior enamel for painting the porch. We took a frozen yogurt break after lunch. Kiwi Yogurt is a wonderful treat, and I'm not thinking primarily of the wonderful sorbet and frozen yogurt. The bigger treat for me was the simple, clean, fun designs in the store: from the stylized kiwis painted super large on the walls to the bright sherbet colored stripes running the length of the room to the Ikea-esque furniture to the fun biodegradable mini-shovel plastic spoons. I loved it in all its sparse simplicity. It's amazing how soothing simplicity can be when your real life is chaotic.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 20 - A Favorite Drink

When it comes to my favorite drink, there's really no contest and no close second place. My favorite drink is Diet Coke. I'm trying to quit. Always. I was too lazy to paint this, so it's PITT pen, Sharpie pen (hard to control the bleed), and a limited palette of PrismaColor pencils (couldn't find any of my reds, which made this challenging).

PITT and Sharpie pen and colored pencil on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 19 - Something that Belongs to Someone Else

On day 19, we are to draw something that belongs to someone else. As usual, I thought of something intangible. In three weeks, my daughter will change her name because her heart belongs to someone else. But, it's OK. We're gaining, not losing.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 18 - Draw Your Left Palm

This is my left hand. This hand can do neither good nor evil. It is only a hand. Any deed this hand performs comes from my heart, not my hand. Pardon the political statement, but this seems so obvious to me. And yet, people want to argue about it.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 17 - Draw Something from a First Aid Kit

I went vintage with this. The older I get, the less blind faith I have in super-engineered chemicals masquerading as miracle drugs. I appreciate more and more the wonder of old, simple medicinals like camphorated Vaseline and witch hazel. Plus, the packaging was much more interesting back then...before the use of plastic in EVERYTHING.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 16 - Draw Something that Scares You

Something that scares me: edges. Not heights. Just edges.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 15 - Draw a Favorite Pencil

This turned out to be just a silly drawing of my favorite pencil. I love PrismaColor pencils. I bought them a couple at a time in college, because it's the only way I could afford them. I used to dream of having the whole set. I even rationed my use of them, because they were so precious. It's now 30 years later, and I can afford the complete set, but I still don't have them all. Funny how priorities change. Now I dream about having a studio.

pen and colored pencil on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 14 - A Figurine You Have

This is the only figurine I could think of drawing. I'm too tired to paint tonight, so I left this B&W. This figurine is 4" tall. It was in my grandma's house as long as I can remember. When she passed away several years ago, I asked to have this figurine as a reminder of her. The statue is a miniature of a life-sized bronze that stands in the town square of Ponca City, Oklahoma, where my mother went to high school. The statue is named "The Pioneer Woman," and that's how I think of my grandma: hardy, uncomplaining, and quietly fearless. She was also a self-taught artist. She always encouraged me to follow my dream of being an artist.

PITT pen on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 13 - Draw a Pillow

On day 13, we are to draw a pillow. My favorite pillow is the one on my bed! I admit that an unmade bed is artistically more interesting than a made bed. I will deny I said that when my kids argue that making a bed is a waste of time.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 12 - Draw the Oldest Thing in Your Fridge

I'm pretty sure the oldest thing in my fridge is the light bulb. I don't want to think about what might be second oldest!

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 11 - Draw a Glove

When challenged to draw a glove, I thought of those dainty white gloves that little girls used to wear on Easter Sunday.  I grew up going to church every Sunday, but gloves were only worn on Easter. I remember the mad hunt for the invariably lost one glove. Sewing Sunday dresses was such a big part of my childhood. I admit that it was more important to me than what went on at church. My mom made dresses for me, and eventually I made them for myself. I remember wishing I could look as rail-thin as the girls on the pattern envelopes. It wasn't at all realistic. I also always enjoyed the quick illustration style that was common on sewing pattern envelopes years ago. I wanted to learn how to draw that way. Dress patterns hold so much nostalgia for me.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 10 - Draw Something Creepy

I apologize for the extreme creepiness of this image, but on day 10, we were challenged to draw something creepy. I knew instantly what I needed to draw. We were reluctant housemates with these creepy things during our 12 years in New Mexico. The centipedes in the southwest are a different species of creepy than what passes for centipedes in Pennsylvania. I see one now and think, "THAT's not a centipede!" Just sayin'. I drew my NM creeper on a bill for scale. The size is no exaggeration whatsoever. I used a $100 bill because that's what I am willing to pay someone to kill an 8-inch long centipede in my house!

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 9 - Draw a Lock

On day 9, we are challenged to draw a lock. When we moved into our 80-year-old house, several of the door locks had skeleton keys sticking out of them. I'm sure that's a metaphor for something profound: "Oh no! This door is locked! Well, looky there. A key! That's convenient!" I call this picture "The unlock" because I don't think you can call it a lock when the key is IN the lock! I enjoyed playing with the colors on this. The actual lock is brass with an 80-year patina.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 8 - Draw a Coffee Pot

On day 8 we were challenged to draw a coffee pot. I couldn't limit it to one. I call this picture "Mr. Coffee, Madame Café, & Café del Hijo." I own all three of these coffee "pots". Each pot represents its country well. The American Mr. Coffee (far left) makes reliably good coffee, compliments of an embedded computer chip and some electricity; the French press (middle) takes finesse to master and the coffee goes cold fast, but it looks so good sitting on a bistro table; and the Costa Rican version (far right) is low-tech and came with no operating instructions, but who cares? It's fun and looks more loved the longer you use it.

PITT pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 7 - Something You Got for Free

Something I got for free? LIFE! Yup. I paid nothing for it. What a deal! "Pura Vida" is Costa Rica's national motto. It means literally "pure life" but probably is better translated "this is living." I shamelessly borrowed this design. I saw it in Costa Rica when we visited there. Of course, you can find anything on the Internet, and I was glad I could locate the Pura Vida design I remembered seeing in Costa Rica. I really enjoyed drawing and painting it. It was like a grown-up coloring book activity. So fun!

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 6 - Draw a Scent

Day 6 challenge is "draw a scent." In a month, my only daughter will marry and move far away, and her scent will leave with her. And, I don't want to talk about it!

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper



EDiM Day 5 - Pine, Fir or Eucalyptus

Today, on Day 5, we are challenged to draw a pine or fir tree or eucalyptus. Many members of the Every Day in May group reside in Australia, so they've been submitting awesome drawings and paintings of eucalyptus trees and leaves. I thought I knew about eucalyptus. Obviously I don't. Add it to the LONG list of "All Things Nature" that I am ignorant of. The Australians drew beautiful, subtly colored, slender leaves—nothing of what I think of as eucalyptus. All I know of eucalyptus is the dried, exotic-smelling, Seuss-like branches sold in the craft store. I've always thought of eucalyptus as an exotic thing—foreign in appearance and smell—like how we felt in the 60s when we saw a whole pineapple in the grocery store. "Is it real? We thought pineapple only came in cans!" Eucalytpus remains one of those curious smells from childhood that I got many whiffs of before I knew where it was coming from. Other smells in that catergory for me: beer at the amusement park (I was so sheltered from alcohol!); pipe tobacco at the mall (I was so sheltered from smoking!); and diesel exhaust from downtown busses (I know it's toxic, but I love it!) It was years before I knew what those smells belonged to. Weird, I know.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 4 - Socks

I knew immediately what I would draw for Day 4's challenge to "Draw Your Socks." I love to knit and wear homemade socks, so I knew my drawing would feature some of my handknit socks. I just had to figure out how I would design the picture. I find it hard to just draw an item. I always envision it in terms of a larger design, and that design almost always includes some kind of creative lettering. It's like I think in scrapbook page layouts! I like how this turned out, but drawing the socks so small was difficult. I wanted more details and truer colors. It just wasn't possible. It would be fun to redo this piece in a larger size.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 3 - Something that Represents Joy

Day three's challenge is to draw something that represents joy. For me it's COLOR! For the most part, color is unnecessary to life. It is just gift—one of many reasons I believe there is a Giver. Color is for the beauty of it, for the beauty of whatever it rests on—sky or tree or feather or skin. This tells me that the Giver is also Artist. We, the small artists, get to borrow His color schemes for the beauty of our creations.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 2 - A Favorite Sound

The Every Day in May challenge for day two is to draw a favorite sound. I love the idea of "drawing a sound." A favorite sound for me is Westminster Chimes pealing across the valley from the bell tower of my college alma mater. For four years, I was reminded of the time every fifteen minutes! I never tired of it. Whenever I hear church bells echoing through a town, I get nostalgic for 30 years ago: college; youth; potential; anticipation; most of life still being ahead. All that from the sound of bells.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper

EDiM Day 1 - Something Bubbly

Well, since I've obviously not been able to push myself to start a new small sketchbook for this blog, I've decided to post my entries for the Facebook group, Every Day in May (EDiM). Group members are challenged to draw and post every day of the month, following a list created by the group administrator. It's been fun seeing artists from around the world interpret each day's challenge. The assignment for day one is to draw something bubbly. I had a can of ginger ale in the fridge and decided that was as good as anything. I wish I could have achieved the shiny look of the can, but I was just getting over being sick, and I didn't really feel like fussing this too much. I hope to do better the rest of the month. This is another very small sketchbook (3.5" x 5"). The small size makes it easy to finish pages quickly. So, here we go. Bring on May.

pen and watercolor on 90 lb. mixed media paper