The Sketchbook Challenge 2012 lineup

I can't tell you how pleased I am to be included in year two of this amazing adventure.

http://sketchbookchallenge.blogspot.com/

Each month we'll continue to challenge you with a monthly theme and inspire you with tutorials and peeks into our own sketchbooks.

There are no rules, no requirements. Follow along with us as we work on improving our skills and challenging ourselves. There are a many of our same well loved artists and a few new ones.
It's going to be GREAT!

2012

Diana Trout http://dianatrout.typepad.com/blog/
Kelli Nina Perkins  http://ephemeralalchemy.blogspot.com/
Jamie Fingal  http://jamiefingaldesigns.blogspot.com/
Lyric Kinard  http://lyrickinard.blogspot.com/

Leslie Tucker Jenison http://leslietuckerjenison.blogspot.com/
Carol Sloan  http://www.carolbsloan.blogspot.com/
Jane Davies  http://janedavies-collagejourneys.blogspot.com/
Susan Sorrell  http://www.creativechick.com/blog/
Laura Cater Woods  http://www.cater-woods.com/weblog/
Jane LaFazio  http://janeville.blogspot.com/
Jill Berry  http://jillberrydesign.com/blog/
Sue Bleiweiss  http://www.suebleiweiss.com/blog/
Pam Carriker  http://pamcarriker.com/
Susan Brubaker Knapp  http://wwwbluemoonriver.blogspot.com/

The Sketchbook Challenge: December Theme

I have a little confession. I'm having trouble with this month's Sketchbook Challenge theme. As much as I usually love such things, "trashed, ruin, and decay" aren't something I'm really feeling during this month of bright reds and twinkling lights.

decay: photo by Lyric Kinard

There isn't anything wrong with the theme at all. It's a fantastic theme. For my life right now -  it's just a timing thing. I've been struggling to even want to try to create something with the theme.

done: photo by Lyric Kinard

It's only sketching it right now that's holding me up. I want to sketch the poinsettia sitting on my desk now, not the dead stuff outside.

linked: photo by Lyric Kinard

On the other hand, put a camera in my hand and what you'll find on the card is tons of pictures of rust, cracked masonry, withered flowers.

withered: photo by Lyric kinard

Decaying things always have the most interesting textures, patterns, and colors to my eye. I love nothing more than peeling paint and fungi growing out of rotting wood. 

antique: photo by Lyric Kinard

Merry Christmas!!!

I hope, dear readers, that you have a very Merry Christmas,

surrounded with love and the joy of the season.

I hope that you have found found JOY, have been INSPIRED, and are surrounded by BEAUTY.

my favorite set at the Apex Nativity Celebration

I look forward to doing the same, all through next year.

Joy in Service: Day 23 simple gifts

I'd like to thank each of you from the bottom of my heart for joining with me in finding small ways to make the world a better place. My heart has been warmed as I read about the acts of service you've provided. I know there are many more random acts of kindness that you didn't tell me about. I appreciate your telling me what you've done and I've had a LOT of fun trying out a few of your ideas.

Two days ago I tried again to give a random stranger a flower (a small poinsettia instead of a big bouquet this time) in the grocery store parking lot. This time I said "you look like you need a smile - this is for you. Merry Christmas." She said, "you don't know how right you are" and she smiled!

I'm out and about with the family doing some amazing family fun things. That means that I'm going to wait until after the first of the year to contact more of you to send gifts. I'm loving getting at least one little corner  of the studio de-cluttered. Thank you for the opportunity to do so.

Work In Progress: rockstar boro

A few more stitches here and there.

Work in Progress: Rockstar Boro

Beautiful Boro and education at KimonoBoy.com

Japanese Boro is a form of patchwork repair, a method for using every scrap of precious cloth and keeping your clothing functional over many, many, years. It was a necessity - not an artistic choice.

I think my Boro project is much more in the spirit of Boro, rather than following the actual design esthetics. I think it's a beautiful idea. Even though I do my best not to subscribe to our culture's rampant consumerism, I find myself being wasteful more often than not. I'm seriously considering a clothing moratorium for an entire year. I certainly have more than enough clothes. I also have many, many projects I've wanted to make - and the fabric to make them.

So. I have quite a collection of old linens and lace scraps - other people's cast-offs. Some of them are exquisite hand made pieces that I can only imagine creating. 

Many of them are deteriorating, no longer useful in their original form. I've dyed them and now a few choice pieces will add color and shape to my wearable "canvas." 

It's no different than making a sketch or any other work of art. It's all about composition. I have to choose shapes and colors and think about placement.

If I use a contrasting color it might become a focal point. It's very important in wearable art to consider the placement of a focal point or any attention grabbing element. There are places you don't want people to stare when they are looking at your body right?

Boro beginnings by Lyric Kinard
And to reference Melanie Testa, the inspiration for this project, I've stitched a little bird inspired by some of her artwork. Literally - sketching with needle and thread.

Joy in Service: Day 16 The Gift of Forgiveness

artwork by Dalyn Montgomery

My brother is a very good man. And an artist. And a grad student at an Ivy League University - something all of us are very proud of. We all paid our own way through college and after a long time out in the work force he's found something he is very passionate about and is taking steps to make it happen. He also donates long hours of service year round to the people in his congregation. He really does make the world a better place.

His local newspaper wrote a short article about both his service and his artwork which is hanging at the University. It was really nice. It mentioned the mixed race of his congregation, and his marriage.

artwork by Dalyn Montgomery

In the comment section about the article, as seems to be the usual case in newspaper comment sections, several people got really nasty. It started with bashing Mormons - no worries. It's the one socially acceptable group to stereotype and have false ideas about. We're used to it. What got me were the ugly personal remarks about my brother and his wife. I should have left well enough alone but I jumped in and tried to correct the false comments about our religion and defend my wonderful sister-in-law. Things got worse. I stewed. I tried to just let it go. I couldn't even though I know full well that people believe what they choose to believe regardless of facts and there wasn't anything I could do about it.

artwork by Dalyn Montgomery

But after a full morning of stewing I realized there is something I can do. I can forgive. I got on-line, tried to lay out a couple more facts, then wished all the attackers peace and a Merry Christmas. No. I didn't magically feel better - I was still simmering. Sometimes it takes a little work to truly let something go. What helped was realizing that people who spend their time attacking strangers must have very sad lives (with a heart five times too small - we're reading the Grinch) and no peace. The other thing that helped was blasting Christmas music and singing right out loud. I love Christmas music. After that there was no more simmering.

This was just a little tiny thing. I'm lucky that I don't have any big things. There are things that are sooooo hard to let go. But truly, forgiveness is even more of a blessing to the one who has been hurt than the one who has done wrong.

Tell me what thing, big or small, you have done to make the world a better place!