The Magic of Fall

The weather has been changing these last few days, the clouds look different. Fall is just around the corner. That's always been a good thing for me. With the shift in the weather, there is also a shift within me. I feel more alive, more energized. My home becomes more organized. I feel like spring cleaning in the fall. Go figure, I sure don't do it in the spring! But even more so than that, my art usually takes on a life of its own. I don't know, maybe the "Muse" is a real live spirit? She/He waves their magic wand over your soul--reminds you of who you "really are". I remember when I was younger, a child, I would play in my Aunts backyard. There was a patch of woods, it felt "magical". I think Fall brings that all back, it inspires.
As for today, I've decided to put away the "Kitty Cafe" (the piece I've been struggling with). Although the words are there, the drawing is not coming very easy. There is a certain look I want to achieve with this poem, It's been dancing around my brain for 10 years. Now, all of a sudden I am trying to rush it out in a week’s time. No, there's another one just about ready to go. "Road Map to Dreams" has been with me also for many years, yet unlike Kitty Cafe this one only needs a bit of "tweaking". (God I use to hate that word when I worked at the ad agency) Today I feel renewed and ready to work. My goal is to send something out by Sept. 15th, I am sure I can accomplish this! Why is it always so hard for me to meet my own deadlines? I have never missed anyone else’s.

Fairport Harbor Lighthouse

Happy days spent at Fairport Harbor beach with the kids this summer. Although autumn is my favorite season. I will miss the fun days we spent on the beach right before school started. Even the hot dogs tasted good.

This illustration was done as a birthday card for my cousin Susan. Sue and I spent some time at this beach.

Good Memories!

Tell me it will get better

Day 2--I'm struggling, I have not picked up a drawing pencil since the last day of school let out for the kids last June. And I really enjoyed my summer vacation between short getaways and outings to the beach and other various activities. So here I am doing what I said I would be doing, as soon as school started back up. And I am definitely having a bad time of it. My sketches look like something a 5 year old would have done! I know things will get easier I've been down this road before. In the mean time I need better reference material.

Today is the day

Today is the day I set for starting my new career as a children's magazine artist. I got up early, 5:30 am. The new hours I set for myself, to have a bit of solitude before the kids get up. Got the kids off to school. Yay! Summer vacation is over and I am in my office, drawing table is ready to go, and here I sit at the computer! Well I did tell myself I would not leave this space until 1pm, in an attempt to get use to working on art again. So the goal-- 3 days a week 12 hours total. And I did worked on my drawing some. It's a drawing that goes along with a poem to be sent off to Spider Magazine in hopes of victory! Although I didn't work on it as long as I would have liked, it was an attempt. I am tired today and my progress is quite slow. So now I am dabbling with this blog. Maybe short blurbs on my process will help me in my quest to be a professional, published children's illustrator. Say that five times fast.