i seem to really enjoy sleepwalking at night into my living room, rummaging through my bookcases, and hiding my books from myself. i have no idea why i do this except that someone has to be doing it. i live alone. the books don't rearrange themselves. so this afternoon while i was staring at my bookcase willing the tome that's gone missing to reappear. i saw something.
my old sketchbook! {not what i was looking for but whatever!}
and some outtakes i am almost certain i've never posted before.
scenes from the last time my car had a decent wash. oh dear! please don't ask why there was a potted plant sitting on top of a stack of tied together cushions.
sorry pretty young woman that i made so ugly. it was an accident!
these are outtakes!
drawing is sure fun. even the pictures you drew blindfolded have a certain charm after enough time has passed.
i think i'll go for my yearly carwash in June. the day before my sister flies out here. 2 days before we zip up the ventura highway headed towards our week at the beach. i have about 200 tests to administer, an evaluation to complete, 3 field trips left to take, a grasshopper dance to teach, and a culmination to plan and execute before any of that happens though. life is busy. i'm keeping my mind hushed and still with my sketchbook and astro binocs.
over and out from moss cottage on a friday night. where all the women are strong, all the cats are good looking, and all the ideas are above average.
So, what I love here is that you shared your outtake sketches. It takes guts and a dedication to the process to share outtakes. It is inspiring to see a totality of your work. Back when I used to shoot film photography (when dinosaurs roamed and all) the rule of thumb was that one might get 1 decent shot in a 36 exposure roll. So you had to shoot a lot of film to achieve even a beginning portfolio. What this taught was practice, detachment from perfection, and patience. All applicable in sketching too. And probably some of that ‘life’ business. PS – If anybody asked me who can organize a grasshopper dance, I’ll know where to send ’em.
The accident at the carwash has a lovely dead of the day charm to it.
I’m all in for your new tag line; I would love to tune in to “Prairie Home Companion” sometime and hear your creative version. As for things getting lost, I once “lost” a boy who was having a sleepover with my son. In the morning the doors were locked, his shoes were by the door, and I was panicked that no one seemed to know where he was. We found him within minutes (seemed like forever) under a very puffy down comforter in a room on a different floor (he was skinny and laying flat and didn’t even make a bump in the puff). When I told his mom the story, she declared: “Oh. I forgot to tell you he sleepwalks.” So I suppose anything is possible. Enjoy the lovely day! My friend is here from CA, and the girls are having an art night this eve!
Mary Ann, That last line is THE BEST!!!!!!!!
you crack me up…….love reading your blog posts and looking at your wonderful art work………
Hmmmmm?….you mean if I can’t find something I may be sleep walking and rearranging? That explains a lot! I love the way you write and think …. Love the old sketches…fun!! Our house finally sold after 2.5 years of beginning to downsize….and my whole soul is beginning to wind down and relax!! I want to do fun art again!!!! Two weeks to go!!!
“here all the women are strong, all the cats are good looking, and all the ideas are above average.” ABsewLutely.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks that last line should become your blog’s official tagline!
Love your outtakes and glad to know I’m not the only one who can make pretty ladies ugly. It’s a special skill, I think. One we should flaunt.
Up Ventura Hwy? What joy. I’ll be in Carp in August; it’s hard to wait when it’s soooooooo close.
You have slapped my wrist. In bed with flu and getting off stupid FB and at least doodling for pete’s sake goshdurnit to heck and back again on this beautiful spring day!
emie – i adapted it from prairie home companions News From Lake Wobegone segment.. garrison keilor always says it like this:
the little town that time forgot and the decades cannot improve… where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.
Love the outtakes!! Love the current pretties!! Love the busy school life schedule!!
Carry on xx
Gabrielle
Yo there Mary Ann, your out takes are FAB and WONDROUS to behold, making me smile and grin like the Cheshire cat…hmmmm books that rearrange themselves, sounds like a scene from Harry Potter, sleeping walking…hmmmmm I deduce a bit of Sherlock type mystery but as long as it keeps you smiling and curious that is all that matters…just please don’t sleep walk outside the confines of the safety of Moss cottage…knowing you are safe and sound and keeping tabs on the stars, means all is right with the world; my tiny corner of it anyway…I love hearing about your shenanigans; wide eyed and bushy tailed or countin’ sheep either way, the stories are always, always good! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!!!!
Hi MaryAnn…I’m loving your sketches and watercolors. What kind of watercolor paper do you use to make your sketchbooks? If you have blogged about that…I missed it. Did I hear a rumble about you teaching another online class? I know what you mean about things disappearing for no apparent reason(but I can blame my hubby). Continue to enjoy your weekend!
LOVE that last line!!!!! Your rock, girl!!!!!
I love it here 🙂
It is always such a treat to see your paintings. I have just done my first colored pencil drawing (will post soon on my blog) and that was totally engrossing. Something has to quiet one’s mind, and packing up things for the used bookstore and the Restore and the thrift shop, while freeing in its own way, is not like the meditative practice of painting.
When we lived in the mountains I looked at the stars every clear night. It is the only thing I miss.
It’s so much fun to unearth old works.
I’m still one week away from spring break ( sounds like your time frame too). Are you going back to Monterey or ??