my art fantasy blog

arachnophobia anyone?

2008-08-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

updates in my picture-taking skills... i really want some new lenses for my camera.

but the spider pictures rock.

new painting

2008-08-02T18:01:00.000-07:00

third piece for the refuge 12x12...

i call this one 'hurt'.

it's pretty much self explanatory.

me

2008-07-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

my first self portrait. pastels on grey paper.

took about two hours. my "despair" submission for the 12x12. (see previous post)

one more to go... need ideas please!!

codependency

2008-07-14T07:53:00.000-07:00

new art. i've been told it's morbid... my daughter thinks its cool.

it will be sent to Refuge for the upcoming 12x12 show. All art has to measure 12" x 12", playing off the whole 12 steps, 12 traditions angle.

i'm gonna do 2 more, but i don't know what yet. i think i am going to do a piece representing desperation, and then my last representing inspiration. i've got some ref ideas for the desperation piece, but i'm at a loss for inspiration... perhaps a self portrait of some kind?

ideas would be greatly appreciated.

dana's bucket list

2008-06-10T13:13:00.000-07:00

So, I've been thinking about all the things I want to do in life. The places I want to go, the things I want to see and experience.
Here's my list (and it's ever growing and changing):

*I want to go to France and visit Musée du Louvre. I want to spend days there. I want to see everything, maybe even twice.
*I want to watch the ball drop in Times Square on new years eve.
*I want to see the New York Philharmonic Orchestra play.
*I want to watch the space shuttle launch.
*I want to read all the books in the literature section at the bookstore.
*I want to drive across the country.
*I want to feel/hear the sound barrier break.
*I want to see the giant sequoia trees at King's Canyon Park in California.
*I want to shower in a waterfall.
*I want to see the aurora borealis.
*I want to raft through the grand canyon.
*I want to learn to ride a motorcycle.

That's all. Not too much to ask, right?

the newest to my ever growing collection

2008-05-09T20:50:00.000-07:00

i like her. she's kinda pouty. kissable. what do you think?

the next one ive started is going to take a bit more time. there are more details... hair, eyelashes, and all in shadow too. its going to be fun. she'll be on here soon.

update since i fixed things...

2008-05-01T07:27:00.000-07:00

so, ive got the site working again. actually i got it fixed later on that day, i just havent posted anything on here in a month.

the artists against aids show was fun. there were some very interesting paintings there. i will never look at the brady bunch the same way again. (f you dont know what im talking about, just ask.)

anyways, nothing sold :( but i got some exposure to the art side of champaign/urbana, which is good. i did a couple of new white on black drawings over the past week. and here they are to share with the world.

be on the lookout for new stuff soon, cause ive been in an artistic mood lately. :)

april fools to myself i suppose

2008-04-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

i have managed to completely screw up my website this morning. so...i suppose it shall be down for the count until i get it figured out.

i'm a painter now

2008-04-01T07:39:00.000-07:00

two new ones recently. all my shadow nude paintings will be in an upcoming exhibition and sale to benefit the Greater Community Aids Project.

those who live nearby should come and check it out.

new paintings

2008-01-29T07:35:00.001-08:00

my newest additions to my gallery. the one on the left will be donated in an auction at an upcoming dance/fundraiser. the one on the right is hanging up on my bedroom wall :o)

not feeling much like pencil right now. i kinda like painting... all the colors. i think i will be doing a watercolor next. i'll keep ya posted (whoever you may be!)

three new drawings...

2008-01-09T07:07:00.000-08:00

... i've been on fire. (not literally... put the extinguishers away)

finished the white on black series. finally.

started a new series: classic hollywood. so far, i have done two portraits of audrey hepburn. got a few more lined up, rita hayworth, eva gardner, judy garland, maybe sophia loren. i may be able to display them as a show at a friends restaurant when i am done. my goal is to be finished by sometime next month. we'll see.

gonna be entering a few of my photos into an amateur photography contest soon.

i'm just all over the map, huh?

been a while...

2007-12-31T06:50:00.001-08:00

not that i haven't been online, i just havent felt the need to blog. been a little busy lately... holidays, kids, emotional upheavals in the form of death and sadness. three people in the space of a month is a bit much you guys. roger passing is so very sad to me, especially since he was doing so well in his life. but who am i to question the powers greater than me, right?

anyways, drew the first portrait of audrey hepburn, working on the second. then i've got about five more lined up. not of audrey, but of other leading hollywood ladies from the black and white era. rita hayworth, judy garland, elizabeth taylor, sophia loren...and probably a few more. i'm sticking with the dark haired ladies too, i like them better. perhaps i am biased due to my headful of raven locks... who knows.

i'll keep ya posted, whoever you may be.

added the kiddie pictures

2007-11-05T07:50:00.000-08:00

i put up some of my better pics of the family that i have taken. i need to figure out how to make the slideshow work for the photo gallery...its not cooperating with me right now.

anyhow, here is my favorite of the kid pictures ------->

spooks, ghouls, spectres, and witches...

2007-11-01T09:04:00.001-07:00

i love halloween. it is my favorite holiday after christmas. i get to focus all my artistic ability into myself and my children, dress up all spooky-like, and collect oodles of candy. its great.

so, we all went out trick-or-treating. harry potter (maddux) made it about two blocks before he was freaked out by some guy in a mask, and he wanted to go home. so we circled the block, dropped him off with his daddy, and my little pirate (sebastian) and i went off to conquer the neighborhood. two hours later, we had so much candy he couldn't carry his candy bag between houses anymore. he got more than the older three kids (who we let go off on their own to terrorize the streets). i was excited for him. gabriella dressed as a vampire, and kayleigh and skyler were wearing the terrifying masks that have maddux somewhat traumatized. all in all, it was a successful evening.

while we were out, my mother called to see how the kids were making out with their candy-collecting expedition. she left me a message that reassured me that she doesn't truly understand how voice-mail works. i think she believes its like a regular answering machine, because her message sounded like this:

"dana, it's mom. (pause) are you there? (a longer pause) just wondering how the kids are doing. (pause again) pick up if you're there. (pause) oh well, i guess you're still out trick-or-treating. call me later."
i dont think she gets that i cant actually hear her leaving the message.

anyway, i'll post pics of the kiddies in costume soon. if not here, they will be on myspace.

reorganization...

2007-10-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

so i rearranged the homepage, put the blog right up front, added the new logo, and changed the page links. i got a few tips from scrilla while i was driving around, and half an hour later i had retained them well enough to make it work on my own. yay me! still not happy with the layout on the photo page. i want to use a slideshow, but everytime i change the layout, when i go to the web, it doesnt work right and i have to side-scroll the page...

ah well. i'll figure it out later i suppose.

new photos

2007-10-24T09:16:00.001-07:00

i added some new pics on my photography page. about a week ago, i went out to the tracks that run under the I72 overpass by kaufman lake. it is completely covered in graffiti, and some of the pieces were quite vivid and eye-catching to me. so, i took some photos.

later on this afternoon i will be adding some more... some flowers, and a few of the really good ones of the kids.

been really run down for the past few days. some awful bug has been sweeping through my house since this weekend, and has pretty much taken the wind right out of my sails. so, i'm trying to get back up to speed right now.

i'll get the next drawing up here soon, ive got it about halfway done.

finally...

2007-10-17T09:21:00.001-07:00

here is the fourth drawing. it only took me forever to get off my butt and draw it.

already started on the next one, should be up here by tomorrow.

got a request from a friend for a tattoo design. he wants a bettie page type, classic, but with a bit of a morbid touch to it...some skulls, fire, etc. i've got some ideas, and i have a couple of sketches drawn up. i'll post it on here when i get a final layout, even if he doesn't go with my design.

another friend of mine is opening up a studio in a couple weeks and we are working together on coming up with a logo design and name for the studio. i'm trying to portray my goals as an artist into two words... not as easy as you might think.

so, thats where im at in the art world, steadily movin' right along.

i shall start the new drawing tonight

2007-09-19T07:43:00.001-07:00

i have decided to do the fourth pose i already had lined up. i will draw it as well as paint it. the painting will come later though.

i took some pictures today of this barn that burned down last night near my boss's house. the pile of burnt wood was still smoldering. i'm gonna edit them a bit, and then i'll probably put them on here. i also have a bit more photography to add, i just haven't gotten around to doing it. mostly of my kids, but some really good ones... a close up of maddux crying with a huge tear on his face is my favorite at the moment.

thats all for now. i'll keep everyone posted on whats new.

art gallery

2007-09-16T15:29:00.000-07:00

this is the link to the recovery artist's gallery:

http://www.refuge.com/refuge/index.htm

Click on the artist's link and then scroll down to me (dana m., just in case you don't know who i am).

#3

2007-09-13T08:29:00.000-07:00

here is the third...and now i'm stuck. the pose i wanted to do next, i now want to paint it bigger on canvas. i suppose i could do both, but i'm not sure. they would look differently, since one would be charcoal, and one would be oil. i am also not going to paint it in black and white.

i dunno yet.

regardless, i still have no idea for the last two. i could leave it at four, but i really want to do six.

we are back from our commercial break...

2007-09-07T08:59:00.000-07:00

i started the third drawing (finally). i'll probably finish it tonight. too much has been happening lately, had me a bit distracted from art. but, the motivational fire has been lit under my butt again. i feel the need to create.

my two submissions to the refuge gallery in chicago were accepted, i got the email a couple days ago. the gallery opening is next friday. i need to see if we are going to be able to go. i'm excited.

:)

number two in the series

2007-08-24T08:06:00.001-07:00

here is my second. once i get the pose picked out, the actual rendering process is really short...two hours tops from start to finish. so i figure once i get the last three picked out (ive got the next one lined up to start tonight) i should be done pretty quick. deans printing service can make artists prints for me at around $7 a square foot, depending on the paper i use. i need to do a bit more research before i do any yet, price shop, see what different types of paper there are, that sort of thing.

anyway, im trying to figure out what the last three shots are going to be. ive gotten a few ideas from a couple friends, i just need to do some searching, maybe play around in photoshop for a bit. we'll see what i can come up with.

black and white series...

2007-08-22T08:33:00.000-07:00

so, ive started a new series. white on black charcoal drawings of close up body shots. ive already done the first. ive got the next two lined up, and i think i'll do a total of six. i want to mat and frame them and then arrange them on my bedroom wall. ive been debating on whether to use stock references for all the shots, or to use myself. but until i figure out how to get the lighting right with my camera, i'll just have to search for the reference poses. let me know what you guys think...

newest prettifuls...

2007-08-20T08:07:00.001-07:00

my newest in my gallery. i drew it this weekend. took me about two hours or so. i'll probably be starting another soon, similar to this one. i really like the white charcoal on black paper.

ozzfest

2007-08-14T13:52:00.000-07:00

pete and i went to the gathering of the freaky-freakies on friday. i had almost more fun people-watching than watching the bands perform. most of the music was a lot harder than i usually listen to, but it was still a great time. we were taking notes on how we are supposed to dress for our next concert...some of those people were just out there.

anyhow, yesterday i sent off my two gallery submissions to the refuge recovery artist gallery up near chicago. its a first for me, possibly having my work hanging up in a gallery setting. i'm excited. skip and i are considering a special trip up there for the opening, which i think is next month. i'll keep everyone posted on the outcome of this new artistic adventure.

so, at the moment, i am somewhat between projects. i have a couple started, but have lost interest in doing anything with them. i painted a desert scene on a clay pot for a cactus a friend gave me, and i'll be repotting it into it this afternoon. i am almost done with my step-daughter's portrait, which could get me going on my oldest son's...but the desire and/or motivation just isn't there. ah well...artist's block.