Another Radial Design and Etsy(?)

Here's the latest work I've finished. It isn't anything special in my mind. Not a painting but in colored pencil this time. I started this one day while subbing in a high school math class where I had absolutely nothing. to. do. I've worked on it a bit here and there for the last few weeks but had a huge chunk of time to finish it while I was subbing for a Spanish class and watching Shark Tale (in Spanish) over and over. Boring! 

It's about 7 3/4" square; a decent size. Although I don't think it's too special overall, I am rather proud of the blue background. For a while the drawing was taped to an old textured cookie sheet I have and a blue pencil helped create the background. 

I've been painting these small works for a while and when I'm done the artworks get put in a closet. I don't have the time (or wall space) to put up a bunch of my paintings. And really, I wouldn't want to have to look at my own artwork all day. I have a couple paintings up now and I am my own worst critic. I don't like looking at them at all. 

One of my readers asked me what I do with them and if I sell them. I was rather flattered that she asked! I do have an Etsy shop but I haven't sold anything there for a long time. I'm thinking to give it a go with some of these small radial paintings; getting them matted and posted on Etsy and see what happens. 

You guys have seen them. You've been around. Any suggestions on price? They are all smaller than 9" square. 

I'm not looking to make a fortune off Etsy or anything. I paint these because I enjoy it; it's a problem solver for me...but I can't keep everything I ever create! I have to do something with it and I might as well sell it to someone who's actually interested in them. 

Any constructive criticism or advice would be greatly appreciated! 

Bowl of Sky; My Art Corner

My latest drawing, 18"x24".

An underdrawing in pastel with colored pencil details on top.

I don't know why but the photo has blotchy spots (in the middle dirt and green hills) that aren't in the real drawing. My favorite so far. This one and an old acrylic painting will be going into the Stauth Museum (here in town) in June for an art exhibit by Western Kansas artists.

So, comments? Critiques? Bring it on. Negative comments too are welcome....really!

My Art Corner - Mixed Media

My latest drawing, again inspired by Taos. I just loved that town.

This was a first for me; mixed media of pastel, colored pencil and paint. I am ecstatic how it turned out. I have a sketch for another one similar to this that, hopefully, I'll get started this week.

In the past my artwork has been much more realistic and the last few years I've definitely been leaning toward abstraction. I can't explain the shift but I am happy about it. The last time I tried drawing very realistically I was miserable. Not because it was bad or I couldn't do it (my theory is ANYONE can draw realistically) but I just couldn't see the point. Why draw realistically when a camera can do the same thing?

So, any thoughts on this one?

Taxes and Colored Pencils

DR has started working on taxes. Now, I know there are plenty of supportive wives out there who help do taxes too, or do it all on their own. Way to go!! Not me. I'm lousy at this kind of stuff.


Record keeping, accounts, files, paperwork....this is what DR does everyday at work. And he's good at it. He got the taxes practically done in 2 days.....it would have taken me 2 weeks....if I was lucky.


But I was supportive!! I brought him a beer and sat and drew a picture of him working on taxes.

Okay, it's not exactly of DR but there is his beer bottle and ledger on the table and blue shirt in the background. Do you think the IRS would appreciate my efforts? Nah, probably not....not unless it came with a big fat check!

Colored Pencil Yucca

For Christmas I gave away a couple of my pastel drawings as gifts. Of course, I matted and framed them first. I bought the matte board myself so had some black pieces left laying around. I haven't drawn anything on black for a long time.

I used colored pencils to draw these abstract yucca plant landscapes. These were so much fun. They were small so I could finish them fairly quickly and colored pencil is much cleaner to work in than pastel.

This one is my favorite because of the brighter colors and sense of depth my second doesn't have.


This tall skinny one was fun too but I wish I'd done something different with the background. I do like the moon though.



I have a few more pieces of this black and I think I'll be drawing on these for a while.

So, what do you think?