Art Room Move

We've been slowly finishing our basement since flooding 2 years ago. It was so bad, we had to gut the entire floor. The former bedroom has been converted into my new art room with a nice big north-facing window. I must confess here that I have an art book addiction, as this pile on the floor attests. The top three books (picture #1) are my latest acquisition. They are the 1960 edition of the "Famous Artist School" and are usually on most artists' top art books list. I've had the red one since childhood (as well as Andrew Loomis's Fun With a Pencil) and have been longing to complete the volumes for years. I finally found these two to complete the set on E-bay. I am a happy woman. Tucker, my fat feline companion is wondering what is going on. I will post pictures of the completed room in the future.

Studio Companions

Well, I've been trying to get back into my art. All the while I was sewing those blasted beads on my daughter's wedding dress, I was envisioning all sorts of pictures and projects. Now, the wedding's behind me and I can't seem to light the fire within. I've been working on the Autumn portrait, gathering fall leaves for color reference. I keep trying different color schemes and nothing seems right. My new studio has fairly good lighting, even though it isn't northern light. Every time I get out of my seat, Princess Sophie, my seal point kitty, jumps up on my art seat. It's become a game with us. I don't know how she knows I'm out of it for a few minutes. She must have radar. The other picture is of Tucker, a lynx-point. He's our marble fetcher. While I'm trying to draw and trying even harder to figure out this painting business, he brings me a marble and drops it at my feet; his signal for me to play. I throw it down the hall and he runs to retrieve it and brings it back. I think he thinks he's a dog. They are both good company during my day. WHY is painting so hard for me!!

The Studio Moveth

Well, as I mentioned here on my blog, my youngest daughter was married this month. Up to this point, my art studio has been in our formal dining room (see my studio.)
So, with her departure, a bedroom was freed up and the boys and I worked all weekend to move my stuff upstairs. Those muscles came in handy. I now have a door I can close to keep my work out of the hands of little grandchildren who love to add their personal touch to whatever is on the drafting board. We worked very hard and when we were all finished, the boys gave each other a high five. Afterwards, they relaxed a bit and took turns reading...that is until they started arguing about global warming. I had to separate them.
I'm now frantically working away on projects I left while preparing for the wedding. Spectrum 14 should be out on the 28 of this month. Hope I can finish two of them by then.
My new book find: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
My newest blog find: Gurney's Journey.
Back to the new art room, I go. (hope the boys are behaving themselves).

Welcome to my studio

This is where I will be posting my art projects, assignments, commissions and random, inconsequential ramblings. My studio is actually located in the formal dining room of my house. Outside, on the rooftop of the dining room is my dragon weathervane. When the wind blows, he squeaks and twirls around and the sound is a comfort as I work away at my drafting table. Inside, above the entrance to my art room, is a sly dragon, designed by my daughter Erinne, that says, "Kim's World". Grandchildren: Beware!

You can also see my two Spidey friends that help me when I have a question with anatomy. They are articulated in 64 places. The hands are the best! One reminds me to get to work while the other one tells me to stay calm.