A Heavenly Oasis

A place where not everyone knows your name, but….

Note: As I write this post, I grieve for the victims of the mass shootings in Maine. I hope the killer is caught soon. Too many lives lost in the U.S., all because of our non-regulated gun industry. And I don’t want to hear the idle words “thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.” What we in this country need is action to stop the violence. Now that I’ve said my brief piece, onto a more light-hearted topic.

Last week my daughter and I went to our favorite art supply store, Blick Art Materials, where we are regular customers, but unknown to the staff. What sets Blick apart is that it employs artists, who, of course, know a lot about art. Never have I been dissatisfied with the stellar customer service, the breadth of knowledge the staff have, the sheer treasure trove of supplies, and the quality of the materials. When it comes to art, Blick simply blows its competitors off the map. Lucky for us, this retailer is in Illinois.

Can you tell that I love this business? So much so, that I can regularly be seen ogling the products and taking photos of the interior, much to the embarrassment of my daughter. 

Also an art lover (what’s not to love?), my daughter found micron pens and a small sketchpad, while I was on the hunt for palette knives to become a full-fledged member of the First Knives Club. I asked a Blick worker where I could find them, and he showed me so many, my eyes were rolling.

I’ve decided to learn how to use palette knives with oil paints. Palette knives can help artists develop cool textures and paint mixtures, among many other traits. I’ve already watched a couple of YouTube palette knife tutorials, and still haven’t figured out how not to impale the canvas, or myself, for that matter. These palette knives are sharp, and I tend to grasp my art brushes rather tightly, so I need to loosen up on my grip of these palette knives. I’ve also got control issues, but that’s a subject for another post.

I had to bribe my daughter to take this photo of me with my chosen palette knives.

Now about physical therapy. It is helping my back so much. However, last night I had Salonpas on my back because I think I overdid it yesterday with laundry. Nevertheless, my back is in much less pain overall, and I welcome small victories. I do PT exercises each morning and evening to complement my physical therapy sessions. My therapist and I share a portal, where he sees the exercises I do (and do not do), so that keeps me accountable. The exercises are designed to help me develop and strengthen my core, but they are difficult. The good thing is that they are getting a bit easier each day.

I’m leaving for my physical therapy appointment soon and am hoping I can walk out of there feeling good. Each session is intense, but as an overachiever I will do what I can to maximize my physical and emotional wellness. And if that means tough exercise, I will be tough.

Yesterday, I finished a painting! That’s the thing with oils; you have to be patient while the oils take a week or two to dry before you apply the next layer. But once a painting is finished with all the necessary layers and the final varnish is applied, it’s magical. 

I originally thought I was finished with the painting, titled On Solid Ground, but my daughter pointed out that the concrete plaza on which the building stands had some white in it, which looked like snow. Being that this is a late fall picture, I wanted to get the snow-looking white out of there. So I painted the plaza a concrete gray, but wanted to make sure it also stood out, so there is a slight lilac undertone. Overall, it has an ethereal look, and I like it. I signed my name to it. Once I put varnish on it, the colors will pop. This was one painting that guided me as to what it would look like, rather than the other way around. 

On Solid Ground

And, of course, how can I forget Inktober? Here are the drawings I did over the last week or so. Enjoy!

The word for this picture was “chains.” Being that we are in Pinktober, also known as the vile Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I tried to convey that ribbons create a stifling chain.

The word for this day was “scratchy,” so I drew a cat’s paw with claws out.

For “celestial,” I drew a few celestial objects, which formed a face.

The word was “shallow,” so I drew puddles.

Day 25’s word was “dangerous.”

Day 26 was “remove,” and I had a pencil eraser removing a drawing of an amoeba.

If you grew up watching Bugs Bunny, this monster should look familiar. The word for today is “beast.”