Sunday, December 19, 2010

Another winter fruit

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Pomegranate in prepared food is delicious, but it has always been something I've stayed away from at the grocery. They're so big and leathery and slightly intimidating; the color is gorgeous, though. Then a few weeks ago, Whole Foods had just the seeds in the cut fruit section. I ended up throwing them in anything I could think of, mostly on top greek yogurt and granola or on a green salad with toasted walnuts and vinaigrette. So good.

The first time I tackled the actual fruit, everything on the counter ended up covered in splashes of deep crimson. Not ideal. Then my mother pointed me in the direction of this tip. So much faster and no juice spray. Plus, no mark-up of buying fruit in the pre-cut section (I always feel like I'm cheating if I do that). Cheers to seasonal fruit!

On an art note, I'm kind of into mixing a 6b pencil in with the watercolor lately. It blends in better than my usual nib & ink but still adds some dark value/depth that it's tough to achieve with certain watercolor shades.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Satsumas from my mother's garden

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These still life "props" have been sitting on my desk all week, and now I can finally eat them. A little south Texas vitamin C to combat this cold and sniffles.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Candy-colored things this morning

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Picked some Easter Egg radishes from the garden and received an envelope with all these things from Candy Store Collective. LOVE their packaging.

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Puffy models

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So, I went to the trails near my neighborhood to photograph mockingbirds for a project (I just walk my dog near the area where they nest, sit on a bench with my camera, and wait for them to fly in close to examine me). I got a few shots before my battery died; but when I looked at them on the computer, I saw that they were not going to work. It was about mid-forties outside, and the birds are all puffed out for warmth, without the sleek profile that makes them recognizable. But sort of cuddly. Guess I'll go back when we have a warm, sunny morning. Below are some meadowlarks that were a couple of trees over.
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Monday, December 06, 2010

Feels good to have an organized studio

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So, I still have some unfiled stacks of papers and reference materials on the tables, but it's a working level of stuff. Recently, my studio clutter hit a critical mass that was stopping me from getting any creative work done. Over the past week, I've been clearing out unused materials from my studio (and the rest of the house), and after several Goodwill visits, full trashbags and recycling bins, and a shifting of paper to a second IKEA white chest of drawers, things are much more organized. Feels so good to just sit down and work without having to clear a spot! So back to work. Later: hanging art.
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Sunday, December 05, 2010

Tis the season...for a banner change

christmas 2010
Feeling like Christmas is fast approaching, with a chill in the air, lights on the houses...might be time to get a little tree.