Last EDM.........Foundations of Watercolor Art Journaling Next.

Well, today is May 31st. Oh my goodness where did the month go.

I tried to get a drawing or whatever done every day in May, but, alas, not every day got covered. I would continue, but now I am going to start tomorrow with Laure of Painted Thoughts Blog and Imaginary Trips Blog on a new course.

This one is Foundations of Watercolor Art Journaling. I think I got that right. Close anyway. So alas, it is goodbye for now to the EDM's. I am excited about this new adventure.

Below is my final EDM. I am not sure what day or category is fits into. This is actually a wooden sort of giraffe that I made out of wood scraps to use as a teaching example for my third grade classes. It is made up of all different sizes and shapes of wood.

If you will look back at my EDM pear and other works I have posted over the time of my blog, you will notice I love to work with pencil. Especially shading with pencil. Soooo that is what I have done here.

Happy June to Everyone and off on a new adventure.

Happy Memorial Day to all. Hope everyone has a safe , fun and relaxing holiday.

I received a wonderful surprise yesterday, a blog award from a great friend. I have and am having a very hectic weekend working all day Sat, Sun and today at PetsMart, so this gift was so appreciated. It reminds me of all my new found and wonderful blog friends.

I am sure many of you are familiar with Laure of Painted Thoughts: Laure was my first "blog friend". Laure is a wonderful artist, teacher, and friend. I thank her for this gift and for her sharing.

Now I am suppose to share ten things about myself... I love to read and have way too many books....I love to go to new places and would love to go to Ireland and Scotland...I used to be an avid counted cross stitcher, but spend more time doing art now...I insist on doing the cross word from the newspaper every day... I love to watch CBS Sunday Morning show...I have two wonderful sons, 25 & 29.... I would love to live by the ocean on either coast... I live by myself with all my clutter all over...I am a retired art teacher...and, like Laure I love to go out to eat for breakfast.... Thank you again Laure.

Now, I would like to share some blogs with you.

Katherine of Katherine Thomas: She is a elementary school teacher, an amazing colored pencil artist and someone who I am sure is glad summer vacation is here ......

Martha of Art de Jour by Martha Lever: Well, first off it is fun to find another Martha, there are not many of us out there anymore. Martha has a wonderful little corgi dog, a red shed second studio, and does amazing things with stencils and spray paint.

Laurel of Studio Lolo: I am sure many of you are familiar with her blog. Laurel is fun, talented, does amazing and different things with her art work, and is always there with a compliment for yours.

Julie of A Succulent Life: has the most amazing pictures of her flowers, gardens, and all kinds of succulents you have ever seen. I love her gardens done in the center of old tires.

Lori of Elvie Studio: I love all the cute, colorful, and creative things Lori does. It is always so fun to see what she comes up with next.

My son is an artist. . . I am so proud

This is an announcement of the Gallery Showing my son Andrew Brant ( listed down at the bottom of the card) is part of.

My son Andrew pictured below with his girlfriend while in France together is having a gallery showing in Andersonville ( A part of Chicago). I am so proud of him. The show will run the month of June, and Andrew will have 10 pieces showing. We are all so excited. So if you live in Chicago , scroll down and look at the announcement of the events.

Happy Memorial Day weekend.

Join us at Las Manos Gallery, as a part of the Andersonville Midsommartfest. They close down the streets, put up four stages, have music and a party in the street, so come by to see my recent work, and have a good time in Andersonville!

I will be exhibiting ten works on paper from my recent trip to France, paintings and charcoals of Paris and Brittany.

I will be there all day Saturday, and the show will be up until June 27th, open every weekend.

Also included in the show:

Michelle Peterson/Albandoz
Paul Clark
Michael McGuire
and Chuck Meyers

EDM # 26 Draw anything you want.

Draw anything you want, well, what shall I draw. I am sort of tired of white paper, so I thing I will use black just to be different.

I love to draw different kinds of bugs. I also always have wanted a Volkswagon Beetle Convertible.

So since I have never gotten one, I thought I would just draw my own kind of Beetle.

Most of this probably makes no sense, but, I did have fun drawing the bug.

EDM # 19 Draw something you made.

I have two sisters and a brother. I am in the middle.

When my first son was born in Nov. 1980, my older sister had just had her 3rd daughter the July before. Then, my younger sister in February 1981 had their first son. Needless to say the three were kind of raised like triplets when they were small. When my younger sister had her second son on April Fools Day 1985, I next had my second son on May 9th 1985. I brought him home from the hospital on Mother's Day.

Well, since we all lived in the same town we grew up in, and my parent's also lived there, Christmas was a big deal. One Christmas I decided to paint sweatshirts with Santa Claus heads on them for the 5 youngest grandchildren.

The pictures below will show you a re-creation of the Santa Head, and a picture taken Christmas Day at our parent's with the kids all decked out in their shirts.

Two in one night. . EDM 13

I am on a roll tonight. Two EDM'S in one night.

I always like the old black funky looking phones we had when I was a kid.

I can still remember when we had prefixes like ST. or TH instead of numbers. I remember our phone number changing when I was about 12 from ST1-XXXX to TH7-4694. That was a big deal because that meant we could call Kansas City, MO. which was 20 miles away for free !!!!

I lived in Liberty, MO. which is where I still live. Liberty was actually founded before Kansas City, MO.

I am 5th generation of my family on my mother's side to live here. My mother used to tell stories about her great grandmother and the Civil War right in Liberty.

Well don't ask me how I got from a drawing of a phone to that, except that I am rambling maybe because it is late at night or I am old LOL.

Anyway. This is my picture above of my old phone.

Remember this summer game.. . . . . .

EDM # 6 Draw a Toy. . .

I can remember many a summer day or evening, setting up the wickets and getting the croquet set out, for a rousing game with the kids in the neighborhood.

I grew up in the 50's so there was no being inside in the summer, it was too hot in there and there was nothing to do anyway. Our days and nights consisted of building treehouses, wading up and down the creekbed exploring, swinging from grapevines, playing on our bikes and in the evening 'Kick the can" and one of my favorite Croquet.

We had some pretty cut throat games at times, knocking each others balls out of contention, trying different tricks, whatever.

I know childhood is different now, just as my two twenty-something sons lives were different. There is just no replacing though, those wonderful childhood memories, whatever they may be.

I was so very very fortunate to have had that childhood. My heart aches for those who didn't or don't.

EDM what did you have for dinner...... well part of it.

I was so worn out after work tonight all I had the energy to eat was a pear. So I drew a pear.

We have gone from rain every day to 85 degrees and humidity plus !!!

It was so hot in PetsMart yesterday and today ( with a hot flash every so often for good measure) that I thought I was going to melt. So when I got home I wanted to crawl into the refrigerator. The thing that looked best was a ice cold beer and a pear !!!!

So hear is my pear. Sorry no beer bottle. Too tired to draw two pictures. !!

Playing Catch up on EDM's . . .

Okay, I am still pretty technically challenged, and for some reason I could never get the picture of the glasses to upload right side up.

So in frustration you get it this way. Maybe better next time. Who knows.

I did these three with markers. I usually do watercolor, but, I also love markers and just felt like using those tonight.




I am finally done with the wedding invitations and had a day off from work, so I can play a little catch up with the EDM's for May.

I may have done some earlier that I numbered the same as these, and I know I did a shoe already, but, I just had an urge to do this cute flip-flop.

Next two days will be spent doing lots of dog training classes at work, and a graduation party for a sweet girl from work. Hope everyone's weekend is wonderful.

Guess what we had a whole day today without rain, and suppose to be the same tomorrow. YEAH !!

I had to draw something. . . . . .

EDM 16. . Finally drawing again. !!

Okay, I could no longer stand it.

After getting the 160 wedding invitations and inside envelopes addressed in calligraphy,I had to draw something

Since all I am hearing and seeing are raindrops, I decided to just do EDM 16 for me. Draw a tool.

Well for me I consider my trusty mechanical pencil a tool. This is the result I came up with after coming home from a night of dog obedience training. About all I had the energy for.

Enjoy my purple pencil !!

Rain go away.

Rain, Rain, go away, and don't come BACK !
I live in Liberty, MO. A town right outside of Kansas City, MO. All it has done here for the past three weeks is rain, rain, and more rain. We may never dry out. I want to go outside and take pictures and sketch and paint !!!

Link to my son Andrew's blog. . . . . .

My son Andrew informed me that if I was going to put his artwork on my blog, that I should link his blog to my blog. I said, well your mom is old and technically challenged, but, that I would do that. Sooo here is the link to my son Andrew's art work. http://www.andrewbrant.com/ He is a starving artist of sorts, who tonight called and informed me he is moving in August from Chicago to New York city ( the East Village) to live with his girlfriend while she finishes her Masters in French Education at NYU. What can I say, he is a 25 year old adult. More power to him.
Anyway, check out his blog.

I will let everyone know. . . .

Thank you to all of you who commented on my book, and said they wanted one when they were finished. I will for sure let everyone know !!!!
Thanks for all the support from all my blogland artist friends. Love ya all.
Marthann

Our book is almost in print. . . .

Away in a Manger
an ABC book on the Birth of Jesus Christ
Written by Cindy Brouse Kenealy
Illustrated by Martha Reppert

The galley pages of the children's book a friend and I are doing together are finally done.

We reviewed them and made changes and submitted them today.
It is an ABC book on the birth of Jesus Christ.
Below is the front and back cover.
I cannot believe we are finally this far !!!


Click on the picture below to enlarge it.

Andrew. .. . . . .

Andrew the Artist.

Since I haven't had time to do any artwork the last few day, because of wedding invitations, thought I would share some of my son Andrew's work. The bottom two were done while he was in Rome for a semester studying. He graduated from Loyola University,Chicago in 2008, with a degree in Philosopy. He now lives in Chicago doing art work, playing in a band, working as a Barista ( coffee maker) in a hip little place in Andersonville ( an area of Chicago) and living the good life of a 25 year old. Oh those were the days. He is quite talented even if I am prejudice. Little different style than his mom !!!!

No EDM's for a couple of days. . . .

This is what will be keeping me busy the next two days. I don't have to work at PetsMart, so I will be doing 160 wedding invitations for a friend of my niece. Below is a sample. Hope I don't get writers cramp !!!
Have a great Thursday. More EDM's to come later, probably Monday as I always work 10-7 or 8 on Saturday and Sunday.

EDM 10 & 12.. . .Don't know what happened to 11??

I am a little behind on my EDM's. Been having to work alot. Somehow I did 10 and 12 and skipped a number 11. That is about par for me. My ice cream is not the best I have ever done, but, I do love to eat it. I also love being able to eat whatever I want whenever I want, since it is just me at my house.

The watch is one of my favorites. It is reversible black/brown Brighton I got while in San Antonio at a Family reunion. Good memories.
Happy Hump Day Wednesday.

EDM 8 & 9

EDM 's 8 & 9
I running a little behind !!!!

Running behind getting my EDM drawings up. Weekends are busy for me as I work all day Saturday and Sunday. Most of my dog obedience classes are on those days.

So here is my pretty pitiful entry for Day 8 which for me is draw your bed !!
Number 9 is just a little drawing of something I saw while on my morning walk this a.m.

Happy Monday to all and also a good week.

Happy Mother's Day to All

The two most amazing young men in my life. Thank you Scott and Andrew for making my life !!
Thank you for making me a Mother who is loved.

Taken in Rome 2007 when Andrew was studying at Loyola University Chicago
Rome Campus for a semester.
Scott 29 the oldest on the left. Andrew who happens to turn 25 today on Mother's Day.
We came home from the hospital on Mother's Day. What a great gift both my boys are.

Hello Spring . . . . EDM 7

EDM 7: A Bit of Spring

I am sure something about flowers or Spring is on the EDM list. . . . .
Saw this in my yard and couldn't resist.
Happy Weekend & Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there.
Ironically this year my son's 25th birthday is on Mother's Day.
We brought him home from the hospital on Mother's Day. Seems like yesterday.
Now he is living the good life of a 25 year old in Chicago.
Enjoy this bloom of Spring.

EDM 6....... A funky lamp

EDM 6: A Funky 70's Lamp

As I mentioned before, I somehow got started doing the EDM pictures out of order.
But then again, I guess maybe that is creativity, to paint what hits your heart on any given day. So, that being said, here is EDM 6, a lamp. Pretty funky 70's look I think.

I think probably the lampshade should have been a little larger !!

EDM for day 5. . . . .

My funky Pink Shoe
EDM day 5

I am not always doing the list of 1-31 in order, I seem to do better when I do what feels right.
This is a shoe I did last night, then put on pink paper. You know me I had to make it kind of "design" or zentangle like.
Happy EDM Day 5

EDM for May 4th. . . . for my Mom.

My mom's favorite color was blue. This cup reminds me of her demi-tasse cup collection. Demi-tasse are the tiny little one of a kind tea type cups.
Happy EDM #4

EDM for May 3rd. . . .

“For the millions of us who live glued to computer keyboards at work and TV monitors at home, food may be more than entertainment. It may be the only sensual experience left.”
Barbara Ehrenreich, author, social critic

My EDM for Monday May 3rd. I had some peppers in the fridge for a dinner I was hosting. I loved the bright green and reds all mixed together in my vegetable drawer. Alas, I took a red one out and started to draw.
Happy EDM for May 3rd.

My first two EDM' s are on yesterday's blog at the bottom

I forgot to say that my first two "Every Day in May" pictures are at the bottom of my previous blog. Love looking at everyone's.

Will post a new one tomm.

My blog post turned into a journal entry. . . .

I have been struggling with my art the last several weeks. I couldn't come up with anything I liked, couldn't decide what to draw, looked at the work so many others were producing and thought my was not near as good. Just struggling with what I was suppose to be doing. Tonight it hit me.

I am trying too hard. I am trying to be a kind of artist that I am not. I am not at my best when trying to do very realistic drawing and painting. I look at others work and tell myself mine is as artistic as others. Well, I realized it doesn't matter what everyone's work looks like compared to mine, because we were all meant to do what we do best.

For me that has always been more design oriented type works or less realistic type work. That is what I like, that is what I do best, and that is what makes me like my work. I realized I was making "work" out of my producing art and not having any fun at it. I was not enjoying what I thought I should be doing. Soooooo now I am only going to do what pleases me. Who cares how good or not good it is. Who cares if I think someone else can do such and such picture better than I can.

God has given me a great and beautiful gift of my artistic talent. It was given to me to enjoy, to praise Him and to share with others. I am not meant to be doing what someone else does, not suppose to be comparing my work to others. I am to be doing what pleases me and makes my life more enjoyable.

I was going to be part of a my town's first Art Fair in June. It kept bothering me, because I didn't feel my work measured up to what I see at Art Fairs, didn't measure up to what I was sure most of the others work would be like. I was beginning to dread having to mat, package, set up and show off my work. It then hit me, I shouldn't be doing this if I wasn't having fun doing it. I shouldn't feel pressure to do something that was suppose to make me happy but didn't . So, I am not going to do it this year. I may next year, I may in some other Fair, but, I was not ready to do this now.

I have had alot of changes in my life in the past 6 years since my divorce, but, especially in the last six months since I quit teaching. I was married 25 years and then my life was turned upside down. Although it was my choice, it meant huge changes in my life. Going back to teaching, leaving my home, times of separation from my sons, estrangement from friends, my church, and on and on.

Resigning my teaching position last fall threw me into another huge lifestyle change. I have in the last 5 or so months finally found time to produce art for myself, not just to use as teaching examples, and I have had to face some things about my art and myself I wasn't really prepared for. I had people telling me to do this or that, or make my art for this or that, and I realized tonight that all of it is making me very unhappy instead of happy.

I want to paint, draw, sew, crochet, cross stitch, whatever it is because I want to !!! I want to draw what I like, when I want to and because I want to. I don't want to be pressured into doing it for an exhibit or an office wall or anything else for that matter, at least not right now. The time may come when I will want to produce art work to market, but, not yet. I need to find out who I am as an artist and what I love, before I start sharing it with others for monetary or exhibiting reasons.

It really doesn't matter if anybody even reads this post. This post is mostly a journal entry for me, not a post. I didn't start out to have it be that way, but, that is what happened. I think that I just finally had had it and knew I needed to voice what my heart was telling me.

I so love all the new friends I have made in "Blogland" and so admire all the different work I get to see, but, I have now realized we are each different, each talented in our own way, and each meant to do what makes us happy and pleased with our work.

Below is a piece I did starting last night, and finished tonight. This is probably my favorite kind of thing to do. This is where I find joy. So, this is what I am going to continue to do and also continue to find other new areas that make me happy with my art.

I also realized I like doing whimsical instead or more realistic drawings, so, I also am sharing my fish I did yesterday with this post.

I hope anyone that reads this realizes their own joy in their art work. I feel all our many gifts, whatever they may be, art, music, writing, whatever, are all gifts from God.

I am glad I wrote this, I needed to, and in a way it is a prayer of thankfulness to God for the talent He has given me.