Four More Work Weeks to Full Retirement, In the Meantime ...

Semi retirement continues. I work parts of three days a week, seeing clients in my counseling practice. I love my work, and I used to joke I'd die in my chair. But finally decided not to let that happen. (I hope it won't happen in the next four weeks! I feel fine!) Instead I've been looking around to add to my already very arty life for new things to do.

I have a call into my grandkids (age 12) art teacher at their school. I want to volunteer in her class starting once a month and maybe more often ... it's a 45 minute drive from my home. But it would include a day with grandkids, probably taking them to their soccer games on the day(s) I am there and having dinner with them afterwards at my daughters home.

I also talked to a woman at the local knit shop (in Winters, CA) and she  told me they meet on Mondays to make quilts for charity. That sounded like a good way to be with like minded people.

Of course I will continue drawing at Starbucks and Barnes & Noble. And my Sktchy portraits at home.

Speaking of which here's one for you.

A few Sundays ago we went to Sacramento, CA to the theater. I hadn't been in a very long time. I have a very talented cousin named Donald Corren, who lives and preforms in New York City and his show, On The Town,  came to our area so we went. It was a fun musical and I drew these two young women who were also waiting in the on call area for their tickets before show time.

This gentleman was fun to draw on the Sktchy App.
I'm enjoying playing with my Copic markers experimenting with different skin tones. He let me know he was pleased with the results.

These women were at Starbucks. I'm not sure what they are discussing. But I am guessing they are all retired too as it was a work day. Or maybe not. Maybe just on a lunch break.

This next one was a very fun experience at Starbucks. This guy sat across from me while I was drawing people behind him. He motioned with his head and eyes as if to day: "Are you going to draw me next?"
So I did. He was very occupied on his cell phone and I doubt was much aware that he was actually being drawn. But I showed it to him afterwards and he said he loved it. He asked to take a photo of it. But he wanted to know why his head looked like a potato. I said it was just my wonky style. He sent a copy to his daughter. We had a nice conversation and he signed the drawing for me too.

Meanwhile back at home on my Sktchy App. on my iPhone. This guys wife made him this hat and I was very pleased, as was he, at how well I could replicate it.

I loved her wonderfully fun smile.

Here are some women talking about me as I draw them ...

And another Sktchy woman.

Okay, time to brag. Sktchy gives out "Picks" and I have had a few. This is my latest! It feels very nice to have one's art chosen in this way. It's the equivalent of finding a blue ribbon on your drawing at the art gallery or county fair!

I have started top sewing free motion style on the grandson's monster quilt. My next door neighbor lent me one of her sewing machines that is a little larger than mine making the quilt easier to sew on at this stage. I am so appreciative of her generosity. The free motion sewing seems much more user friendly on her machine too.

Here are more examples of what it's like to draw on a quilt which in turns Quilts it.

I like finding photos to draw in Sktchy that have interesting facial expressions. I am sure you will agree with me that she fills that bill just perfectly.

 

Today I drew all six of the young women sitting across from me at Starbucks. I am pretty sure they knew I was drawing them, but none of them came to ask or check it out. Just as well, as when they left it was still in black and white and didn't have the life color gives it yet.

On another note I am back to making vegan, non-dairy N'ice Cream. That bowl full below on the book is what I ate today. Very creamy and very delicious.
I took a little from a few different recipes so if you want to try this at home you pop in a food processor or good blender the following:

1 13.5 oz. can of organic coconut milk. Put in the refrigerator the day before and then only use the solid creamy part.
2 cups of frozen organic strawberries
1 frozen banana (optional)
3-4 Teaspoons of organic maple syrup for sweetener
(I used 3, I could have used less as the fruit is already sweet to my taste)
1 Tbsp. of nut butter (also optional)
I added: A handful of almonds, and 2 squares of dark chocolate from a bar of Ghirardelli Raspberry Chocolate.  I like a little chocolate and crunch in my N'ice Cream.

  Bon Appetite.

 

Have a wonderful week. I am late in posting this week. I had way more art I could have posted, but I hope you enjoy the ones I chose for you.

 

Have a very Creative WEEK and thanks for coming by. I appreciate your comments as they inspire me to keep drawing.

 

Four more weeks till I am fully retired. Oh, did I already say that? :-)

Life is Good!

It's hard to know what problems my people will encounter in any given week. This week was full of them. Take the biker and the redhead, who could not believe the other was truly interested in them:

 

 

Or this husband, who couldn't get his wife to sit still and listen to him.

Or the gal on her laptop, who had already written one Dear John letter a week ago ...

... The  younger sister, who just wanted a little reassurance, but big sister wasn't going to help with that!

... or those infernal long lines at Starbucks! Where waiting is the name of the game!

But this one really took the prize! The two lovers were fine, but then unseen here was this other guy who came in with flowers for a different women, who wouldn't look up from her phone to receive them. From my vantage point it looked like "apology flowers" for what I can only guess at, and she was not in the mood to accept his apology! He finally left. Don't know what happened to the flowers.

On a lighter and more positive note this daughter was appreciative of her mom's help with her homework.

Some days were rather uneventful, just he usual waiting in line and chatting.

We went to another town and a café near the court house, where lawyers and jury members and such hang out. I found this couple of interest.

And I always start and end my week on Thursdays at Barnes & Noble Café where regulars and newbies hang out doing their thing, the red table is the giveaway.

And then there is my evening at home art done in my recliner off my iPhone on the Sktchy  App.
A fun way to draw faces. I look for expressions and emotions when I can.

 

I love drawing all of these people. As you can see the most recent is #181. I've almost filled two art journals with Sktchy folks. Bought the next one today to be ready to continue.

 

I hope you are having a Creative week and I wish you another coming up. My life is full of drawing, digging in dirt/starting my spring/summer garden, and something I haven't done in a very long time, years, sewing.

 

Thanks for coming by and know that your comments keep me drawing!

Success is Meeting A New Friend from France and Drawing A Well recieved Portrait of her.

First Francoise drew me, an as yet unknown to me artist on Sketchbook Skool. And then she asked me to draw her back.

I did draw her back and this is what I drew.Meet Francoise.

 This was my original ink drawing.

 My selfieWe both used this photo below to draw me.

 

Then it was back to the usual day to day drawings at Starbucks. I love this woman's wardrobe coordination. Even her notebook matches. And her purse on the chair.

In my Klass with Veronica Lawlor we are using marks to denote size, distance, texture. I spent some enjoyable time doodling marks on this page.

And some quickies at yet another Starbucks morning out.

This guy I drew from his photo on Sktchy.

Some more assignments for klass: a building on site using thin and thick lines, straight and sensuous lines.

 

and for the prompt "breakfast" for "A Drawing A Day" challenge

More Starbucks Stars!

I love my coffee house peeps!

And more marks. I sure hope I get a good mark in this klass.

I hope you are having a creative week. Stay warm and safe where ever you are and draw like crazy.

Thanks for stopping by and leaving your mark (comment) as it this that keeps me drawing.

39 People and 1 Cat, Portraits and Places

 

Welcome to my Week in Pictures of People and Places full of People.

I start this week with Portraits in reverse order of when they were drawn starting with the one I felt I really messed up on tonight. I wanted to draw this gals red hair, nails and dress. And I got off to a very good start. But I need lots of practice doing shadows. Nuff said. I did like the way she sort of turned out to look like she's right out of a graphic novel cartoon like.

 

This was my 101st Sktchy App portrait. I really am proud of this one.

The guy really liked it too.

It's such a nice pat on the back when that happens.

 

And this lovely lady with blue hair was #100!

I am proud of that accomplishment!

I have drawn Meral on Sktchy numerous times. I am enraptured by her look, her eyes, her mouth, her expression. She is really fun to draw.

 

This guy is a kick. Loved his hat and his expression.

He was happy with my results.

 

My dear brother turned 80 this week. I drew him from memory and turned the drawing into a birthday card for him. We had a lovely dinner in a nice restaurant by the water. I think it made for a very happy birthday! My brother is a great guy and I am happy to have had him in my life close by all these years, and hoping for many more to come.

I liked her rosy cheeks and red hair.

 

And I liked drawing her mysterious look in her draped scarf that covered her face as it does here.

 

I made her face longer than it actually is, but I think she still approved.

 

And then of course we get to the people in the places I go to to draw ...

They all have their stories to tell...

 

This story was also drawn from memory.

 

I am continuing Danny Gregory's new Klass in Sketchbook Skool called How to Draw Without Talent. Drawing I believe is mostly about practice. I hope I get a lot more life in which to practice. Oh and it's not too late to sign up for this klass ($29 26 videos, SketchbookSkool.com)

These three are our cat, Henry V.

Meanwhile, back at the coffee shops ....

I tested out new Neon brush pens. (Markers)

 

And met up with all sorts of groups of folks at each place.

 

You might recognize these ...

and these ...

 

And these ... they are all regulars I have drawn numerous times before. Nice of them to return each week when I am there!

 

Which brings us to the end of the week. In between drawing I also work parts of three days a week as a counselor that gives me more time to look at people. I find myself really staring at their faces now, like never before, while listening to their stories. I am mentally drawing them in my mind. I am sure it's great practice for when I go out to do  Urban Sketching!

 

Wishing you a Creative Week!

 

Thanks again for coming by. I appreciate your visits and your comments, as they really do keep me DRAWING!