Monochromatic for week two

Week 2 of Painting Fundamentals at The Beck Center was an exercise in monochromatic.

I chose crimson as my color to be mixed with black and white. My challenge seems to be using values correctly in my work. Though I suppose this is why our instructor is gently easing us into color one week at a time v letting us use the full spectrum right off the bat.

I spent too much time outlining my painting before starting the actual work. Though as Becky observed, I seem to have better functionality with architectural features. As class was about to conclude, I wasn't interested in finishing my painting at home, so I went old school on the birds. Remember the type you used to add to your drawings in elementary school - the solid wide V style. As you can see above, I took the easy way out and pulled the V bird style.

With my adoration of all things red, I thought that crimson would be a good color to start with, and when I first saw the piece we were working from, assumed it was a good selection as the piece also had a certain dark, foreboding aspect to it. But while working on it, too many of the shades were just too close to pink or mauve for me. A fellow classmate used green, which seemed to work much better - though he also seems to be comprehending the whole value thing while it continues to escape me. I should probably spend some at-home studio time practicing.

Becky, on the other hand, gets the values thing and its practical, real-world application. Check out the value scale at the top of her work. We joked that she's going through her blue phase. Hey, Picasso did it, why not a PR pro who's also a painter.

While I was DONE with this particular exercise when we got to the end of the night, Becky plans to finish hers, which I'm speculating she may just be at home working on right now. I'll post her "finished" piece when she shares a shot of it with me.

Additional note on the post from last week's class, Becky gifted her bat artwork to our friend Alissa, who named it Frank. Frank now keeps Alissa company in her 24th floor office in a certain historical office building in downtown Cleveland.

Next week's class is black + white + two primary colors. What are the primary colors again? Guess I better do some quick research since obviously I was out sick on that day of high school art class.

Bring it on book challenge, I can take you

Starting on October 21, 2009, I laid before myself the mighty challenge of consuming 100 books in 365 days. To chronicle the journey, I started a second blog, Bibliomania:

It's not just any ordinary challenge though...the gauntlet thrown breaks the challenge into a number of genres, including books recommended from friends, short stories, poetry, fantasy, teen and a couple more. It also forbids any rereads and doesn't allow for audio books.

I'm little over 25 percent of the way through the calendar and have successfully tackled 24 books, with 76 to go. Better get a move on.

If you're a book lover, you can check out the details and follow me here.

Bats in the belfry

I try to be happy and satisfied with the gifts that God granted me, but one thing that I've always desired was to be an artist. I would love the ability to competently draw, paint, create.

But low and behold, my creative talents, to date, have been fairly hit and miss. I went through a mosaic tile obsession, a time period where I was determined to learn how to quilt, then it was wood burning, then onto paper arts (though not scrapbooking), then it was crocheting (which did actually result in one blanket for my sister, next was knitting. I'm pretty positive there were a number of other attempts in between all of these others.

I think my biggest obstacle is that I would never commit to just one medium. My mosaic tile obsession lasted for a couple of years and did result in a number of creative trays and candle holders - though I learned fast that my grouting skills, which are critical to successful mosaics, aren't just bad...they're horrible. If it's just 90-degree angles, I'm good, but once you get into broken tiles, which are more creative and interesting to work with, I'm lost on the grouting. But I digress from the point of this post.

For a while now, I've wanted to take a painting or drawing class. I was interested in challenging myself to step outside my comfort zone, even if I'm positive the results are bound to be somewhat disastrous. So when my friend Becky approached me about taking a painting class at the Beck Center for the Arts, located right down the street in Lakewood, there was no reason to say no.

Our eight-weed Painting Fundamentals class started last night, and I had a ball. Most of the class was spent reviewing supplies and initial technique. Our instructor started us with a basic painting project - a black and white painting of a bat, so I thought I would share my initial foray into the land of painting. Heres my first take with the image I was tasked to recreate.

There were two bat pictures to select from, and Becky chose the other image. She's painted previously and definitely picked up on the theories the instructor shared much faster than I did. Here's her first project:


Turns out Becky is not a big bat fan, so she imagined she was working on a picture of a rabbit, you know a cuddlier version of a bat. I believe she "gifted" her painting to our friend Alissa this morning.

My parents, in particular, my mom would find the bat project more than a little ironic. During one of our family vacations, my mom came across a Big-Eared Eastern Bat (which I image looks a something like this). She wasted no time in making that my new nickname, as it matched with my innate ability to overhear any conversation of which I was a subject, especially when I was not one of the conversation participants.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the next class. If you're looking for art, theater or dance classes, here's a link to the Beck Center's Winter/Spring Class Catalog. It offers a great range of classes for adults and youth alike.

A picture is worth a thousand words

Oftentimes, a photo or illustration can tell the most powerful and distinct story about a tragedy. This week the New York Times ran "Op-Art: Scenes From a Catastrophe," featuring works from four painters, Mario Benjamin, Emmanuel Dostaly, Pascale Monnin and Patrice Piard, "that reflect on the disaster and its aftermath."



This is the first in the series is by Pascale Monnin from Port-au-Prince and is demonstrative of the tragedy and trauma of the last two weeks in Haiti.

It's a timely reminder, especially as there is a continued need for money and food and resources to help this devastated island nation. It's not too late to donate.

Way, way back week

Supposedly it's way, way back week on Facebook, and you're supposed to post photos from your past. Here are a couple when I was blonde, curly and perhaps more innocent...though there may be a question mark with the last one. Figured I might as well share the chuckles here as well.

Circa 8th grade

Circa mid high school

Random recent photos

Just a couple of random recent photos with editorial notes...

B Spot's Vanilla Bean Apple Pie Bacon Milkshake = Mike's Favorite. Thing. Ever. With. Ice. Cream.

Silver Patron + Shot Glasses + Recipe for Patron Silver Bell Shooter = Best. Office. Holiday. Gift.

Mike figuring out how to balance my heavy, beloved S'mores tree topper on our Christmas tree = Priceless

The 18" blingy Christmas tree that welcomes visitors to my office = Gaudy holiday cheer

Happy Halloween from the Italian bear

Would you like witch's brew or chicken parmesan with your pasta??

Happy Halloween from the stuffed bear that greets you as you enter Papa Bear's Italian restaurant in Canton.