Self-Portrait #159

Self-Portrait #158

I don't feel like trying today. Too tired.

Self-Portrait #157

I ran out of paper for the balloon in my mind. There are many, MANY days where I feel like I many never have another idea for a painting and then out of nowhere an image springs into my mind and I HAVE to draw it.

Dog Pavement

Self-Portrait #156. Some evenings are just perfect in my studio. Time seems too short on nights like these where I feel like I could stay in here forever. I just love listening to a good record and drawing or reading with no interruptions. Tonight's record is Dr. Dog's Easy Beat. I recently made my friend Erin a mixed CD and her grandma memory remembered Dr. Dog and Pavement as Dog Pavement which sounds like a good cover band name.

Self-Portrait #155

I'm thinking I need more Photoshop practice and patience.

Self-Portrait #154

More Photoshop experiments. My butt is numb.

Photoshop

I spent a good part of the day trying to brush up on my Photoshop skills.

Self-Portrait #153

My favorite Friday spot.

Self-Portrait #152

Red room.

Self-Portrait #151

When I was in middle school a kid in my class named Tori Sprinkle who used to say to me all of the time "Christina, you have a long head." Sometimes he would draw a picture on the chalkboard that looked like this. It made me laugh.

So Sad.

Estelle Getty, better known to me as Sophia Petrillo on the Golden Girls, died today. My grandmother and I have seen nearly every episode of that show together...even when it went off air and then came back on a new set. Frown. She was hilarious on that show.

Self-Portrait #150

It didn't scan very well but this is a watercolor pencil experiment.

Self-Portrait #149

Showers before bed always remind me of being a little kid.

Self-Portrait #148

My idea factory is broken.

Self-Portrait #147

Trying to wake up from my nap. This is our reading corner in the
living room.

Self-Portrait #146

I'm not that tough.

Self-Portrait #145

When stars don't wear make-up.

Red Birdhouse

I've been a real slacker on my 4x6 paintings. At this rate I will never have 100 by the end of the year.

Self-Portrait #144

I think my job may have killed my immune system. UGH!

Self-Portrait #143

Watermelon. I LOVE IT!!!!

Self-Portrait #142

So Close.

While on my walk today I almost found out why the chicken crossed the
road.

Self-Portrait #141

Oscar was needy today.

Self-Portrait #140

My studio couch. I love Saturdays.

Self-Portrait #139

My feet. Matt's foot.

Self-Portrait #138

I found this determined little flower today on my walk growing out of a crack in the street pavement. I loved it.

Self-Portrait #137

I had a day.

Self-Portrait #136

I have freckles.

I'm Glad I Don't Have To Do That Again.

Last week Floresita challenged a few people to post some high school pictures of themselves. You wouldn't be able to tell it from this blog but i generally hate pictures of myself especially pictures from my odd high school years. I haven't pulled out my photos in a long time so I had a great trip to the past and I came out of that trip relieved that I don't have to do high school again. I do have that dream from time to time that I've found myself back in high school and I spend the whole dream trying to explain to people that there must be some mistake because I have already graduated from college much less high school. Torture.

This is a picture of me with Jeramiah, my Royalty date from freshman year. I'm all of 14 here. I later that year became best friends with his sister Meri who is still hanging in there as my bff and lives about two blocks from me. They sort of have the same face. What cracks me up about this picture is how completely awkward I look, like I must have fallen forward right after the picture was taken and how perfectly mushroom shaped my hair is. This is before hair dressers discovered thinning the hair. The sad attempt at decoration is also stunning.

This picture illustrates how I still sort of look the same yet my pencil arms are now well insulated as is my face. That and I just realized that my hair cut is nearly the same. Time for a hair appointment. I'm also wearing a silky shirt. This is Miguel. He was my favorite dude in high school and I'm pretty sure he came out of the womb looking like a 35 year old. He is one of the best artists that I know, I'm pretty sure he came out of the womb with that ability too. Hi Miguel!
I on the other hand struggle to make a decent drawing of myself after neglecting my tiny bit of talent for so long...Self-Portrait #135.

Self-Portrait #134

New sketchbook!!!! It's been a while since I've gotten to start a new one of these. I almost forgot my tradition of making a little pocket in the front cover for this photo of my grandmother. I've been doing it for the last several years after coming across this picture of her standing on the Statue of Liberty. I remember her going to New York when I was in the 3rd of 4th grade. She is one of the first people who made me wonder about the world and I remember having this romantic notion that I would some day visit NYC and take a picture in this exact spot just like her. When I found this pic a few years ago I decided that I actually wanted to do that and I also loved this stoic photo of her. I am sad to say that I've now been to NYC nearly a dozen times and I've yet to get that picture taken but next time I will damn it. What is most striking about this picture is the World Trade Center in the background and how I never really will capture this photo exactly. Everything changes.
This is an odd looking self-portrait but something about it captures my mood this afternoon. I've been a little grouchy. I think I began to come down from my three day weekend high around three o'clock. I did finally get in the groove of cleaning my studio today. I've moved a few things around to give myself more room and I have a new scanner which I'm pretty excited about. I've yet to figure it out but I'm sure to do that this week.

Self-Portrait #133

I forgot to blog today. I'm an hour late. Tomorrow I will devote
some time to drawing.

Self-Portrait #132

4th of July parade!!! I love it.

Self-Portrait #131

Adult beverage. This didn't post correctly yesterday.

Self-Portrait # 130

Spying on Ben. I think I'm in a self-portrait rut.
We went to see The Visitor tonight. It was really good but left my
mind feeling heavy.

Self-Portrait #129

Sketchbook drawing! I'm down to the last few pages in this book. I used to be obsessed with my sketchbook, constantly writing, gluing and sketching but time has gotten away from me. I'm hoping to use it a little more often. The writing sort of came to a halt when I started this blog thing even though I don't tend to get as personal here.
I went to my local art store to seek out the next perfect book. I was looking for something portable, cozy, and with the perfect paper. I worked for this very art store when I was in college. It was locally owned and seemed like you could time travel back 30 years and it would probably look exactly the same. Everything was hand priced with handmade signs etc. Now the art store has been bought by a chain and though it still looks the same in many ways there are bar codes, fancy cash registers, and printed signs. I don't feel as good about giving them my money. It made me sort of sad.


Well, I guess I didn't have that much trouble giving them my money since I bought three different sketch pads instead of just one. The thin one, I thought, would be good for carrying in my bag. The chunky one would be nice for cuddling up on the couch. The bristol pad is just my favorite sort of paper but in a bite size 6x6 square which I had never seen before. I think it was made just for me. OH and the eraser was just a necessity.