Thursday, February 17, 2011

"My Artistic Life"

This morning
I was blessed by
a beautiful orange ball of a sunrise.
So thankful for my eyes.

I had a three way
conversation
with a woman who "ma'amed me" to death
but I am still alive.

I somehow got a blood blister
on my index finger
I know not how
or why.

Snapped some cool shots
I'm hot!
On another artistic roll.
So thankful for my artistic eye.

Made new art
I shared
and passed along
making others belong
on this art journey I am on.

Then I discovered
yet another
wonderful art site
where I may can sell my work
but not my soul.

Here
I could spend years
but life calls...

Today has been a good day
with good art
good words,
good works,
and encouragements
from faithful friends.

I am ever thankful for my artistic life
being Don's wife,
Rhett's mom,
Lois and Frank's daughter,
and your friend
to the end.
~Becky Bristow Voyles~
Feb 16, 2011

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Latest Abstract

 

 

 


This is the abstract that I worked on for months since October. I love the Iris in the center of it. Then the red flowers. I wasn't sure of the name of those. I asked my plant friends who drew a blank or said it was the wrong flower. I finally found them online but I forget the name now. I thought the train represented a train wreck. I am sure a shrink would have a field day with it. A friend said it is not a train wreck because it is coming towards me bringing me good things; good news like selling a piece of my art! I like her version of it. I have cropped out the yellow snowman. Didn't want comments like "Who peed on your snowman!" LOL I have garnered lots of compliments on this one from other local artists.

These were taken before I added flesh color to the faces with colored pencils. When I got it color copied, the flesh tones washed out so it looked like this again. LOL
Posted by Picasa

Thursday, February 3, 2011

More Ups and Downs

Saturday Rhett and I were at the library. We both have our own earphones. I love mine because I finally found a pair that fit perfectly in my small ears. Rhett prefers the larger ones. Mine cost $5 at Big Lots and are much better than the ones I got at the dollar store. A friend I have known since elementary school's husband sent me a link to one of THE funniest videos on Youtube. It was done by Jeanne Robertson. Here is the link...

Don't Bungee Jump Naked !
the URL YouTube video below requires audio

Click here: YouTube - JEANNE ROBERTSON VIDEO! Don't Bungee Jump Naked!
OR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1_W0LCHwK4&feature=email

So here I was trying to listen with my ear phones at the library.... It only seemed to be coming out of one ear phone. I turned it up. Still can't hear it. I turn it up more. Still can't hear it. So I turn it up full blast. There was a lady in a wheelchair next to me looking up genealogy. I noticed she was smiling. A library person came over to tell me I'd had to use earphones! I told her I was using them and showed them to her. I had them in the wrong slot! I apologized to the lady next to me. She told me it was ok with a smile. Leave it Becky. I sent it to all my friends and email buds. Our preacher's wife told me Sunday she laughed til she cried. Then I told her what I did.

Sunday there was an art show at the Joseph House Gallery which I attended. I ran into old friends and fellow artists. So glad I went for many reasons. It was good to just get out and do something fun for myself for a few hours. My friends were glad I did this also as they worry about me. Ah, to see art. I could see my art hanging up on the walls and I was a bit envious. I invited Rune, a 12 year daughter of an old co-worker who's family I know to my stamping class I will be teaching next Saturday. I am so excited about teaching this class. I got to meet Don Coker who used to illustrate for the local newspaper, but was laid off 20 months ago. I hate it that art isn't important to some. I do not have a shy bone in my body. I walked up to Don, shook his hand and said, "Hi! I am Becky. I am one of your Facebook friends!" LOL So much good art there. One quilter had painted a tree on her quilt with puff paint. The tree had a life of it's own. If I had the money, I would have bought it as the art I most wanted. Now I will have to try this! LOL

I even had time to work on a piece of small art I was inspired by on Saturday before evening church service. My friend Nancy at church had another idea for me. Like I needed another one! LOL

Sunday night I was at my mom's kitchen table working on a piece I'd made with a rubber stamp I made myself. I cut the design out of an art gum stamp. It was supposed to be a zebra design, but it is something else entirely. I didn't really care for it. I figure it will be a background piece somewhere down the road. Some parts are forming a neat design that I may hone in on.

If I tried to draw you, it would probably look like someone else! LOL I was just doodling on that piece, darkening some areas, joining other areas together. No real rhyme or reason. My mom was watching me. She asked me, "How do you know what to do?" I told her I didn't. I just do it. Can't explain it. It is instinctive. Sometimes it works. Other times it doesn't.

Monday after a bad morning, I had something wonderful happen... I sold some art!!!! Yeah me! I did this. The purchaser just had to have it before someone else bought it! I am so proud of myself as are all my family, friends and Facebookers! LOL I received a wonderful email from our preacher about this. Larry refers to himself and his wife as Southern Souls in the Lord. Love it. So you can only imagine how tickled fuchsia I was as well as how high I felt. Instead of simply emailing my closest friends, I called them. Genie thought something was wrong, but was relieved that it was something exciting for a change. We all need some good news instead of bad all the time.

And another child will be coming to my art class. Her parents were looking for something artsy for her to since she loves art. A kid after my own heart!

This piece of artwork I sold was one of my best and garnered the largest paid amount thus far. Because of this, Don said he will build me a studio once I get rid of some junk and old clothes at a yard sale!

Then reality hit the next day as it always does and the day was a real downer especially compared to Monday's extreme happiness, making me feel like a manic depressive, but I survived as I always seem to do. Life is a constant battle for others NOT to spoil your good moods and your day. I am so thankful for my son because even on the worst of days, he can make me smile and laugh forgetting about the things that tick me off.

Some times on bad days you just have to do something for yourself. Funny emails really help me. I vented to friends. They tell me they don't know how I put up with all the stuff that I contend with daily. I wonder myself sometimes. Maybe I am made of stronger stuff than them. I am not one to give up. I stick with stuff. I don't let people run me off. My job history proves this. 16 years at one place; almost 17 at another.

Wed nite there was more personal congrats and hugs from our preacher and his wife which made my night and the bad day was lessened. I was so thankful.

I am thankful for all my friends who support me, who encourage me, who let me vent, who offer advice, who pray for me, who love me unconditionally for who I am, who send me funny emails, who write to me, who share funny stories with me. I have had some really good words this week. So WORDS are the key word here. I wrote poetry this week. Monday I was inspired by birds singing in the rain. Rain seems to inspire me. What inspires you? I think I have inspired a friend to write.
Most writers have had really hard lives. I have had some hard moments and remembered one today.

This week I was someone's hero for little, small, simple things which blew me away and inspired me to wrote a poem about that. I told one friend about how once upon a time I was trying to write the most poems for the Guinness Book of World Records. Darryl couldn't believe that I had over 20,000 poems in bound composition books. Today I went on line to see what the record was. I'd have to write over 32,000 poems. I guess I better get to writing! LOL

I have been told I am special and not to forget it. I have been told the world deserves my art. I have been told I am on my way in the art world; that my name will be known. From their lips to God's ears.

Well, I finally got a green thumb... I was using a defective green paint marker. The round sponge tip in it fell out on the doodle I started. It messed up something I had done. 3 blue stamped squares, but it didn't make me mad, holler or carry on like people at work did this morning. This is going to be as bad as when Illy was here. I figure my muse wanted a green circle exactly where it fell. I tried to put the tip back in the pen, but it fell out yet again leaving another green blob, but green blobs don't bother me. I have went with them before. It added color to my doodle. So I made lemonade once again. I even got a heart shaped green blob! By then, I had green spot on my thumb! LOL It is probably the only way I will ever have a green thumb. I also learned something today... no two green paint markers are alike in color. And what you think will be greener on the other side is not always the exact color green you imagined it would be. I am full of cliches today.

Daddy's heart dr called and moved up his appointment a week earlier than scheduled. Mom figures they got the results of the heart monitor. I am hoping this doesn't mean anything bad. Thinking positive thoughts here. I have been reassured that they probably just moved it up to fill in a cancellation.

The art is oozing too and I am ever thankful as always. Today I re-found an old piece of artwork that had my raven stamp on it. It was to be a greeting card from theRAV. I fixed it better. It made me happy. What makes you happy?

At tonight's art meeting I hope to be an encourager for other artists.

What are you thankful for this week? Did you have a funny moment? Or two? Did you experience new things? Did you have something wonderful happen to you as I did? Were you inspired? If so how? What made you happy? Care to share? Then join us at Thankful Thursday at the following....
http://womentakingastand.blogspot.com/