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Thursday, August 1, 2013

The Roller Coaster Comes to The End of the Ride

It's been an emotional roller coaster of a last couple of weeks.
If you have been following the story of my dear friend Patty you might want to scroll down to the post before this one for the end of the story...

The past few days I've been finding comfort in drawing at my refuge at
Tacos Jalisco. I know there's such a thing as "comfort food", now I know there's such a thing
as "comfort places" too.

The familiarity of this little Mexican Restaurant; my dear friend Carlos, who is there, along with his mom and dad, who do not even know the Patty Story, give me comfort just being in their presence.




On this day I  drew "Hooked on Solar Guy" and his two friends; and two other guys on his right who bleed over into my second drawing of that day ... Oh, and a woman with pink hair found in front of them ... I was really taken by surprise when the guy to his left turned suddenly and I saw the size of his nose! I loved drawing that big schnoz!


See, there they are, the two guys on the left were on the right in the previous drawing!

This was the day the woman approached me to tell me that I had drawn her and her mom there last year. I told her that they are in my book. She became SO EXCITED, she said they would buy a copy. I directed her to Blurb Books to order the book by title. Anyone else still want one you can click on the book cover on my side bar. She said she also read about me in the Vacaville Magazine! Then she said "We have a celebrity in town!" And THEN she said: "I want to hug you!" Really! So I got a hug that day from a perfect stranger! It felt really good.



I was back again on Wednesday! I mean, you can't get enough of a good thing, right? Carlos was sitting at the counter with his friend, Alfred. They were eating lunch. Alfred is an artist too.
Carlos showed me a painting he had finished on his iPhone. It's really good. He showed me a second photoshopped piece he plans to paint next! He is also painting the frames these paintings are in. When he gets a small body of work completed this summer we are going to hang his and my art from there on the walls.
This too is very EXCITING!

The Couple (from my book) came in and waved to me from their seat in the front. So I drew them into the picture. The little girl was sipping water at the table right in front of me. So she got into my picture too.


Carlos finished his lunch and went back to serving the other patrons! Alfred got up from the counter and came up to me at my table and said: "Can I draw with you!" Well of course I was majorly flattered!  He had just told me that he'd seen my book and that he thought my art was "BAD ASS!" I took that to be a humongous compliment! Once again flattered to the max!

So Alfred joined me at my table sitting kitty-corner to me so as not to obstruct my view of the folks I was drawing. After I finish the third drawing here, I went on to Draw Alfred! And he in turn drew me!

That fourth drawing is me drawing Alfred drawing me!



And this is the drawing Alfred did of me!
I am of course linking this to Paint Party Friday!
Go there to see probably 100 amazing artists works!
I'm doing better today than I was a few days ago.
I want to thank everyone who sent prayers and good wishes to my friend Patty.
She knew you were thinking of her and she appreciated it, and so did I.
I also want to thank you for sending your good wishes to me. I appreciated your comforting words
from the bottom of my heart. I can't tell you how much they helped and continue to help. I go back and re-read them again and again.
I will continue talking about my feelings and drawing too, as both I find to be very therapeutic.
I am indebted to my family and friends and to this community on line.
You are amazing.
THANK YOU AGAIN!

PS: Over at Somewhere to Sketch we are drawing my hometown of Vacaville this month of August.
I hope you will join us there to visit and to sketch! Click on this link to hop over there next!



40 comments:

  1. Your comfort zone is reassuring me too Lynn. It helps to see new and familiar faces in your drawings and to read about the characters you bring online. Alfred's drawing is good too, do tell him it has been seen and enjoyed.

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  2. Love all these lovely drawings and thoughts about the last few days! Alfreds illustration of you is adorable! The lady that hugged you gave me a tear. Her excitement, and thrill having met you, what a joy. Seems like there are some exciting events just over the horizon. So glad you have Taco Jalisco and your art to carry you through your grief!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  3. Your work has really become amazing Lynn. You keep growing as an Artist and your work is showing it. I love the colors and the details you are seeing now. Who ever said familiarity breeds contempt is crazy. I think its giving you more confidence and you are growing from it. Love that schnoz and those fingers of Alfred drawing you and his drawing of you is pretty bad ass too. :)

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    1. Huge thanks, Cris. Glad you are seeing my progress, as it then helps me see it too. ;-)

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  4. You are so welcome:) The drawings are wonderful, and I love that someone was drawing you. Love, Mary

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  5. I am so glad that you had this wonderful opportunity and mostly that it lifted your spirits. Time will also ease it all, but memories will stay forever. Happy PPF for tomorrow as it is still Thursday night here.

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  6. My heart goes out to you in the passing of your dear friend. I'm so glad you are finding comfort in your old haunt.

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  7. fantastic sketches Lynn! Happy PPF!

    xxx Susi

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  8. Awesome sketches as always. Very exciting.:)

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  9. Sometimes things just come together in a truly amazing way - seems that is the cast for you. Wonderful!!

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  10. It's so good that you can find comfort in your art and in Tacos Jalisco. Art is healing, it gives you a chance to deal with your feelings of grief without asking too much of you. I hope the beautiful memories you have of your friendship with Patty help you through this difficult time. It's so great to hear about the lady who wanted to hug you because you drew her. You're making people happy with your art!

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  11. Yes, places are comforting as food, more so when you have people in them that let you be, as Carlos and his family do. Love the idea of you and Alfed drawingf each other, you never know you might be starting up a new arts community! My prayers are with you at this time of grief.

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  12. Draw everyday scenes are getting better. Saludos

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  13. What a beautiful post. It's so great that you've found a home away from home at Tacos, and that there, you are among friends, family and admirers. Love the fact that you are inspiring others to create art, and that you are creating an artistic, nurturing community there. But of course you are!

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  14. Love your post and your sketches!

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  15. It sounds like such a wonderful community of folk right there in your favourite cafe hangout - I love that you drew an artist as he drew you - too funny!!

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  16. Great sketches as always...love your community...Happy PPF xox

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  17. It's great to see you back among your friends and admirers at Taco Jalisco! I've been Google Earthing Vacaville! Hoping to get my sketch in this month of your hometown, any hints on places of interest? Maybe you'd like to come to my hometown for a drawing event?

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    1. Buck Avenue has lots of old Victorians if you like that. Otherwise, just scope around. Main Street is old town downtown has some charm.

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  18. so many great drawings, so many stories.... I would completley buy this if I appeared in it! I am shocked and saddened to see that cancer has struck someone else in our mini artistic community - if indirectly. I do hope you may find closure & peace.

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    1. Thank you Alicia! I hope my book also inspires people not in it but perhaps artists who need a little boost to draw in public!

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  19. Hi, It feels like I have not been here for weeks... I have been traveling a little here in Iceland and not painting for a week or two.... I always like to read your stories, not surpriced that the lady wanted to hug you :-) I did do a little sketcing (that google thing) and when I was about to post them I could not figure out how to so I decided not to trye anymore. Have a great weekend Lynn.

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    1. Sigga (and others who try this) please email me or Ann or reach us via the blog Somewhere to Sketch and we will help you or do it for you. Glad you want to participate!

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  20. Great post, good to hear you are feeling better.
    Fun story about the drawing team :o)

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  21. Your life is so real to me, I feel like we got through it together. Good writing and excellent art. I can feel through your art. I know these people you draw. . . I enjoy you so much. Thank you. Blessings, Janet PPF

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    1. Thank you JKW, Your words mean the world to me. I am so glad to know I really bring life to my drawings and that others enjoy them.

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  22. How wonderful to have such a comforting place to go to, and how good to get a drawing companion too. I love your drawings, I wish I could do this sort of drawing too, but I would have to ask everyone to sit still an don't move for a long time...

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  23. I love it that you have comfort food and comfort place where you are known and recognized and honored. In times of sadness, what a gift to have such a place. In a way you created it for yourself, by going out there and drawing in public and publishing your book of sketches.

    Be well, love, Suki

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Thanks for leaving your comments as I love hearing from you. Your words of encouragement are why I continue to draw!