Cactus Monday: Last Century Edition

When I was in high school, I did a lot of art. My high school also had a video production studio, and I was pretty involved with that, too. This was back in the days of VHS. We produced a video annual.  I co-hosted it. Someone converted it to digital and put it on youtube and I'm absolutely NOT sharing the link here!

What does this have to do with Cactus Monday?  Well, here is an image of me, in high school, drawing a cactus from life. It was probably for AP Art class- one year my concentration was Cacti. (I took AP art for 2 years)

I still have that pencil tin!  And probably several of the pencils. And that Shakespeare book, too.

Mad ACEO: Ink

Slinky Inky-Ink!

Carey and I both wanted to keep going with ACEOs. Ink is our theme for this week's Mad ACEO. We decided to do 5 and post them as a little mini-series today.

I only got 4 done (sorry Carey :( ).

Yesterday was a Cactus Monday reunion, so one of my ACEOs was a cactus.

Cactus Monday Reunion
inktense pencils and faux gold leaf finish on Bristol

Dammit
ink on Bristol

My Ink Runneth Over
Ink  and silver ink on Bristol

Inkblot Cats
Ink on Bristol

Carey's Mad Inks are here.  :)

Cactus Monday: Serpentine Edition

These cacti are on the third floor of the Museum of Natural History. :)



I don't remember what this thing is except that it's really big.

Cactus Monday: Funky Trees Edition

I found a supercool cactus today! HCM Cactuteers!!



And how can you not love these trees?



Daya loves this bug the very best on the Bug Carousel.

Some Snow and a Cactus

How about that, it's Cactus Monday after all today!
I went out painting in the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens again. I was so frozen after standing in the snow that I just had to go to the desert room and paint a cactus! I stayed until they kicked me out to close up. :)

Both are 9x12 Oil on Panel





HCM!

Cactus Monday: Bath Edition (PRT)

Happy Cactus Monday!

I am teaching Daya how to mix colors, and together we made this cactus:


Daya is proud of the cactus:


Here are some of Daya's recent drawings.
This one is very cute:


This one apparently is a picture of me! Daya is very specific on that point. :O


I think Daya is progressing extremely well with her drawings, and I am very proud of her. :)

HCM!!

Cactus Monday: Museum Edition

I took Daya to the museum of natural history today. After begging all week to go, she decided halfway through the day that she was terrified- and I do mean terrified- of the entire museum.

We have had better days.

Here is a cactus we found with the zebras. Happy Cactus Monday!



Actually I am glad I encountered the cactus, because I really wanted to post something for today but artwork wasn't happening. Why not? Well, I joined in the Masters In Oil project over in the oil painting forum at Wet Canvas. As a result, I've been spending a lot of quality time with Princess Charlotte. All I want to do is paint, and I love feeling like that. This is not yet finished but I hope to have it done this week. 12 x 16 oil on canvas after Franz Winterhalter.



I wish I wasn't so tired tonight, otherwise I'd continue painting. Maybe tomorrow.

Cactus Monday: Train Edition

This past weekend was Ratfest. I thought of you, Cactuteers, on the train home. So I made this Cactus-tree on the train with my awesome travel watercolor set.

Watercolor 4 x 6



HCM!

............
Speaking of Ratfest, it was very fun again this year. Portraits were very much in demand, and i was able to recover the costs of the trip and then some. I also did the cake again, of course.

Some portraits and the cake:



Water-soluable graphite, 9 x 12



These are all done in oil pastel 9 x 12:

CAcTus Monday- Dizzy Edition

I went to Connecticut. Got back last night. I went to visit my friend Cathy and help paint her dining room. And tease her for having 10 cats when the limit was set to six.

I can't have more than one cat because Sigynn *really* hates other cats.

However.

One of Cathy's cats isn't too happy with the 10 cat situation. She's being bullied. She's becoming a loner. Not good.

So....I have acquired another cat, Dizzy. On a trial basis until mid-July. If she and Sigynn are still hostile and growling I'll take Dizzy back to Connecticut. If this works out Dizzy will be Daya's cat, because I can say Sigynn is Daya's cat all I want to but we all know she's MY cat.

Dizzy is 2 1/2 years old and Cathy had her from 10 days old. They bottle fed her. Cathy wouldn't give one of her cats to just anyone, and I certainly wouldn't even consider taking in another cat unless it was a really special circumstance like this one.

Dizzy is hanging out under Daya's bed. Isn't she gorgeous??

Cactus Monday (#61)

Senita and NellY went walking in London
But as they crossed The Strand
They looked RIGHT instead of left...
And that is how they became...

SIDEWALK ART



Next week: Don't miss how Senita and NellY reincarnate!

Cactus Monday

Happy Cactus Monday!
The Ferocactus Faerie was feeling neglected.

She's still not finished.


Also, I want to give a special thanks to Laurel at Studio Lolo for the WONDERFUL ATC card!! The envelope is AMAZING! What a nice suprise to find in my mailbox!!!!

Thank you so much!!!

Daya has been drawing. I tried to get her to draw a cactus but she wouldn't.
She drew a dinosaur (I think?). This is my most favorite:


And this too.

Cactus Monday: Flash Cactus!

Happy Cactus Monday Cactuteers! Daya starts school today...I think she's more ready than I am! Will let you know how it went.

Here is a little Flash Cactus for your enjoyment. :)
You'll need Flash Player 9 or higher.

Cactus Monday

It's time for the Ferocactus Faerie to join the ranks of color.

She's barely started, but that's better than not started at all!

Happy Cactus Monday!

Cactus Monday

Happy Cactus Monday!
Here is a little card for today:
Gouache on Canson Acrylic Paper
5 1/2 x 3 1/2



Also, special thanks to wonderful Soulbrush for sending such a lovely tea towel! I've decided to hang it in Daya's room since she's half South African. She calls it her Picture-Towel. She loves it.

Thanks so much!!

Daya says hello to everyone.

Cactus Monday: Invisible Edition

Can you find my cactus for this Cactus Monday?

I can't either. Probably because it's missing. I've been fighting off yet another cold this weekend and have not been feeling so great. I'll try to get some painting done during the week and will hopefully be back in full force for the next Cactus Monday.

Have a happy one, Cactuteers!

PS Daya thinks the flat optunia cacti are ping pong paddles. :)

PPS My card from the other day isn't a self-portrait... LOL...and thanks for the nice comments!

Cactus Monday: Retro Edition

As part os the Soul Coaching program, I have been doing quite a lot of clutter clearing. The night before last I found a box with a bunch of stuff from college. Including my very first-ever college drawing and my Cactus Connexion catalog from Graphic Design (bound in sandpaper!)

I'll have to show you the catalog another day because I haven't properly photographed it.

But here is the very first ever drawing from my Freshman Light, Color, and Design class. I remember this very well. Our teacher (Dwight Johnson) talked all morning, then told us to bring something back after lunch for critique. I went back to my dorm room and sat on the bed by the window just being scared. But, I had to show something so I took out my colored pencils (I think the piece had to be in colored pencil) and drew one of my little cacti on the window. (I did bring my plants to college. I had a few, because the previous year I had done a high school portfolio concentration on...you guessed it, CACTI!)

Here is what I drew: (14 years ago eek!)


And you know what? Everyone loved it including the teacher. I felt a lot better after that.

Happy Cactus Monday!!

PS I just remembered I never posted last Friday's 12 Secrets to Highly Creative Women. I'll do that very soon.

Cactus Monday: Battle of the Flies

Oh Cactuteers.

Do you know what happened?

The Stape G Faerie attracted so many flies that the Carnivorous Faeries over in the bog heard about it. They sent the Sundew Faerie over to investigate.



All this fighting over flies...I have called in the Ferocactus Faerie to stop the fighting. Because she's rather mean, you know.



Color (and tons of sticky sundew protrusions) to follow shortly.

Also, here are two cacti I saw today:




Happy Cactus Monday!

Cactus Monday: Stench Edition

Here is the Stapelia Gigantea Faerie, finished and in full bloom. Attracting flies is what she does best!

Have a happy Cactus Monday!!!

Watercolor 11 x 14

Cactus Monday

I did a little more work on the Stape G faerie. But even after sitting down and painting for a while, I still really did not feel like it. So hopefully she will be finished sometime this week. Perhaps on No-Computer Tuesday or No-Computer Thursday.

The Stape G. Faerie says Happy Cactus Monday!



Not pictured yet: the flies.

My No-Computer days are devoted to reading, art, and playing with Daya...although she insists on that last one all the time. I went around my bookcases and pulled out a bunch of interesting-looking books. Some of them I have already read, some I will read cover to cover, and some I will read in bits and pieces.


Not pictured:
*Eat, Pray, Love
*Your Three Year Old: Friend or Enemy
*Soul Coaching
*Space Clearing A to z
*If I can forgive So Can You
*Past Lives Present Miracles
and of course
*12 Secrets to Highly Creative Women

Daya wanted to take a picture with the books.


OOH and I almost forgot! It's Delurking Day!

Cactus Monday

Happy Cactus Monday!

Here is a little something in oil pastels.