And I Think It's Gonna Be a Long Long Time...

Yes, it's been a long time since I blogged. I'm sorry about that. The past year has not been overly kind to me, and this year is not shaping up all that well so far, but I am determined to get back on track at least a little.

I was asked back in the fall to do a show of drawings for a gallery at a small local college, which actually got me to drawing again, only to have the show abruptly cancelled because they "didn't have time to do the publicity right," and could I maybe do the show next year.

Huh?

As it was, I had been drawing all these people I work with down at the Big Box Store, and had promised them their portraits once the show was over with. So I just gave the drawings away and moved on. Here's my favorite from the group, Veretta, a cashier at the Pro Services desk. I think she looks like a modern day Mona Lisa.

You can see a selected collection of the drawings from the show that wasn't here online at Crooked Smile. I am still working on them, especially since I no longer have a deadline, and also since my life has gotten a little bit sidetracked by my husband's cancer diagnosis and because I work 2 jobs now trying to make ends meet. Art has sort of by necessity had to take a back seat as it is not really a great way to make a living. I wish it were different. And if wishes were rocket ships, we could all visit the stars.

Illustration Friday: Extremes

I suppose this week's topic is very appropriate in light of these two pieces I finished last night. They are extremely different from what I usually do. I had a couple of linoleum block prints sitting around that needed to be spiffed up a bit, and it went downhill from there.

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The picture of Mona uses a discarded library book cover, leather finished mat board, decorative papers, beads, table knives, vintage metallic wallpaper, and the aforementioned linoleum block print.

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The Blingless piece uses a pair of discarded library book covers, leather finished mat board, nuts and bolts, linoleum block print, large wooden letter blocks, and beads.

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I have a commentary on the adhesives used in the pieces on my art supply blog. The blingless one will go up for auction on eBay tonight, and the one of dear Mona will go up for auction on eBay Sunday night as part of the art squared theme week on redoing the old masters. Just follow the eBay link in the sidebar to reach either one as they come available.

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Thanks for visiting, and y'all come back now, y'hear?