Ready to Cowgirl Up?

I've been busy lately puttering around in my Zazzle store, learning how much I did NOT know. Hopefully soon it will be organized.

In the meantime, after having joined a health support group with some like-minded online friends, I created a new motivational card from my ink and watercolor illustration. It was fun!

I left the side front blank (just place holding words that are removed) , so it could be customized, either with a person's  name, or a special greeting.

 Here's a peek:

Anyone interested can pop in to my Zazzle store here (please excuse the disorganization; it's still under construction!) and visit my Cowgirl.

Have an artful day,

Retta

Living A Beautiful Life At Any Age

Over the years I've received a variety of interesting responses to both me and my art. I've been called naive, credulous or Pollyanna. I used to think that was a bad thing. Now... I'm not so sure 'bout that!

I've been told I'm not cutting edge, and that my art was not edgy enough to be relevant today. Hmmmm...

It's taken me a long to time know what it is I want to "say".

And that is, in a nutshell: 

Carpe Diem! 

Seize the day. Life is short. 

Live it to the fullest each day, with Love and Joy.

Living Flamboyantly

by Retta Stephenson

There is a special essay written 92 years ago by Samuel Ullman that says it better than I ever could. I'll tell more about him another time. Suffice to say, he is special to me. 

Below is his essay. After you read it, you'll know why it's special to me, and why I want my art to be UPlifting. 

It may not be cutting edge or "cool", but it's what is in my heart: A zest to live a beautiful life, and to Love the best I know how.

"YOUTH"

by Samuel Ullman

Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life.

Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity of the appetite, for adventure over the love of ease. This often exists in a man of 60 more than a boy of 20. Nobody grows old by deserting our ideals.

Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, fear, self-distrust bows the heart and turns the spirit back to dust.

Whether 60 or 16, there is in every human being's heart the lure of wonder, the unfailing childlike appetite of what's next and the joy of the game of living.  

In the center of your heart and my heart there is a wireless station; so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer, courage and power from men and from the Infinite, so long are you young.

When the aerials are down, and your spirit is covered with snows of cynicism and the ice of pessimism, then you are grown old, even at 20, but as long as your aerials are up, to catch waves of optimism, there is hope you may die young at 80.

In our hearts, we are Forever Young,

Retta

How To Instantly Feel VERY Encouraged!

The answer: shock yourself by winning a contest for your art!!! :-D

I am sooo excited to announce that a painting of mine won first prize in a contest. Wowzer! That's a first for me, and I could get used to it, ha ha!

The backstory: Recently I created my own website for my paintings at RettaStephenson.com  

This is in affiliation with Fine Art America,  a print-on-demand publisher of quality photographs and art prints. 

Before I chose them as my publisher, I ordered some products myself, to check out the quality. I didn't want my name going out on something I wasn't proud of, ya know?

I was impressed with the quality. The colors are true to my originals, and the finish on the papers, cards and prints is outstanding. So... I signed up.

One of the things I enjoy at FAA (Fine Art America) is the community. There are forums, discussions, groups, and.... contests!

That brings me back to my exciting news. I entered "Shoot for the Moon" in a contest called Spring Churches. There were tons of beautiful photographs and paintings entered. So imagine my joy when mine WON! 

Really, it was my friends on Facebook that supported me by taking their time to go and vote. I am truly humbled by that. I know how busy everyone is these days. So I thank you so much.

Whenever I get discouraged, and feel like a tiny drop of water in a huge ocean of art, I will look at this and remember the kindness and support given to me, and to never forget to shoot for the moon!

Happy painting,

Retta

How to be MORE Productive at... Whatever!

I met author Mary Pax  several years ago on the internet. She made me feel welcome, and I consider her my friend. I've watched her career blossom, and have been amazed at her level of productivity... rain or shine, illness, sick kitties, weather, you name it.

I was listening to a podcast the other day (forget the name of it) about advice for artists. And I was struck with something they mentioned in passing: Leave your STUFF at the studio door.

I always thought my art was intricately tied to how I felt. I was convinced I couldn't work - with joy - if I was upset or having a tough time in my life. Obviously, my production level was insconsistent. Life has too many ups n' downs!

But that suggestion - Leave your Stuff at the studio door - wouldn't go away. 

And I thought back to a waitress Jim and I were impressed with YEARS and years ago. She went to church with us, so we knew her backstory. Her life was NOT a bed of roses. Lots of struggle and pain. Yet she made amazing tips! She took care of her kids very well on what she earned as a waitress. She made her customers feel like they were king or queen for the day, and was cheerful and happy. So one day we asked her what her secret was?? 

She said: she left her troubles at the restaurant door.  

!!

Why didn't I get it back then???!!! The memory of what that amazing waitress told us collided with the advice on that podcast, and a NEW BELIEF was birthed in my heart: that I could do that, too.

Well, I HOPED I could. And I soon had my chance to see if the idea had, indeed, taken root deep enough inside me to actually change me. I signed up to do a post for Mary Pax's new book series, The Rifters.  Not only a post, but I got this idea to make a whole sketchbook based on the imaginary Oregon town of Settler, where her series is based. A huge project, with a looming deadline!! You can see that completed post here; yep, I made my deadline, and the drawing is still open there for a set of FREE e-books! 

No time to wait til I "felt" like it. Time to sketch, NOW.

And lo and behold... it works. It really does.

I leave my "stuff" at the studio door... crank up My music, and enjoy myself.

Who knew?!!

So, if YOU, too, want to increase your productivity: Leave your Stuff at the studio door!

I'd love to hear if you already to this... and if you have any tips for me. Thanks!

Feel free to download a copy of my Cowgirl Up poster if you think it would be a good reminder for you. I have mine hanging in my studio where I can see it every day! :-)

(Be sure to click it open before you download, so you get the full sized file to print).

Happy productivity!

Retta

Just Make Art

Happy painting,

Retta

How To "RePurpose" Your Art!

These days we are all learning to reuse, recycle, repurpose stuff. Well, hows about our art?? I don't mean just the usual, like cards, prints, posters, etc; all the fun stuff that online print-on-demand places can create with your image.

I'm talking about ways that I can simply enjoy the image again, in a different format. And since I LOVE quotes, I enjoy making my own little motivational posters.

I think of good quotes as distilled wisdom. Um... notice I said good quotes. ;-)

It's easy to do. If you don't have Photoshop, which is where I play with mine, you can go to free places that do it automatically for you, in a set format, such as This Place.

Here is my latest... please to enjoy.

Happy poster making,

Retta

A Pig With A Story

Ever hear the saying "Everybody has a story"??

Well, I have a thing for flying pigs. 

And my story is... to me they mean Hope and Possibilities. They encourage me to believe in my dreams, in spite of circumstances or what others tell me.

Above my computer, I have this small piggy:

(as usual, can click on pics to enlarge)

Yesterday I finished my latest flying pig project:

 And my clay flying piggy has a story, too. He started life off in the studio of Etsy artist Jean Fleming (HERE).  He came to me "nekkid", as an unfinished bisque plaque. 

I sealed the bisque clay (fired but unglazed clay) with acrylic medium...

Then I created a scarf around his little neck out of modeling paste, to keep him warm as he flew. ;-)

After the modeling paste cured for a few days,  he got a coating of cream acrylic paint and shadows mostly out of burnt umber and a little burnt sienna.

I dinked around with colored pencils, deciding what color scheme to use for his scarf. I wanted bright and cheerful! The acrylics I used for this project are called Atelier Interactives. Love them! They are formulated to have a long open time, making it so easy to get soft edges and shading. Here's a link to their website, with more info and demos.

And here he is, all decked out in his colorful scarf and ready to soar!

In a week or two after the acrylics have totally "cured", he'll get a protective coat of varnish. If you'd like your own little flying piggy, you can visit Jean at her Etsy store (HERE), and tell her what word you'd like stamped on your own flying pig.

Happy painting & hoping & dreaming & BELIEVING,

Retta

Overcoming The Ugly Stage

I can't speak for any other artist, but one thing in common that almost every art project that I've done has had is: a phase during the process when it just looks ugly.

That's where what I see on the canvas doesn't match what's in my imagination. Not by a long shot. In fact, I've long given it an official name: The Ugly Stage. 

Don't believe me? Here are some examples from my archives... I'll give one shot of The Ugly Stage, and then the finished painting: (can click pics to enlarge)

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

What's the antidote for getting past The Ugly Stage without dumping all your paints in the trash in frustration??

Self-belief 

That's it, really. No magic, no big deep esoteric formula. 

Just believe in yourself. 

Believe in the process. 

Believe that if you don't give up, you'll see progress. 

Trust in your process. 

It's so easy to doubt yourself during The Ugly Stage. Don't Listen!! 

Believe in yourself, in your potential.

Oh sure, there are times I DO say "oops, that was a learning experience!" That's part of the fun of learning and trying new things, new ideas and techniques.  But most of the time, for me I find it's simply The Ugly Stage.

So... I stubbornly refuse to give up, and keep going with my initial concept in my mind, believing that it will appear. 

I don't usually totally meet the expectations of my Imagination... but I keep trying. The payoff is when once in a great while, something actually exceeds my expectations, and I almost have tears of joy.

Such is the case with my current project. I'm not at liberty yet to share it... it's a commission. I know, I know! In my last post I said I didn't enjoy commission work! What can I say? When along comes a project that calls to your heart... the only answer to give is... Yes. :-}

Happy painting, even through the Ugly Stages,

Retta

Having Fun With Posters

One of the things I enjoy creating for my other blog are motivational posters, using either my art or Jim's photography. 


Today I thought I'd share just a few of those. But first I'll share the simple process for anyone new to it, and who might like to make one of their own.

The process:

• Usually I start out with the idea first: what do I want to say?

• Next, if I don't already have an image in mind, I'll cruise our archives for one that seems to fit.

• Using a copy (NEVER mess with the original) I run it through Photoshop, cropping as necessary, and then add the text.

• Most of the time, I will finish the edges some way. Sometimes I create the typical black-edged poster look (in that case, do this first, then add the text). Other times, I'll add a "frame" around it.

• I save it in the original PSD format then create a separate image that is a web-sized version, with lower resolution. That's one way for an artist/photographer to be able to share their art, yet not make it easy for thieves out there to swipe it. 

Not that there is any guarantee against thieves... if you need a guarantee, then you probably shouldn't be showing your work on the internet, LOL! 

Me? I'm at peace with it... I do what I can, then let it go. 

So here they are, the posters (can click any to enlarge):

Happy poster making,

Retta

The Fire is Finished

It's done!

Last Wednesday I introduced Word Bubble #1 (HERE),  and shared the speed drawing video of me drawing it. Well, it's now finished and photographed. I didn't add the varnish yet, and am excited to see it after that, since varnish always makes the colors pop.

Here she be, with my motivational word Fire! My word was based on this quote:

"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." --Albert Schweitzer

(can click to enlarge)

This was drawn on a small Aquabee Sketchpad... too small, as it turned out. Thanks to good ol' Dicky Blick I should be getting a nice new larger pad soon. :-)

Here's some WIP pics. 

Here's the original black and white:

I decided to go with my Caran d' Ache Neocolor II's (watersoluble artist crayons). Love those puppies! They are chunky, and force me to not fiddle around with minutiae. I started with the blue family:

Progress:

Got all caught up in the ArtNebulae, and forgot to take more pics. So this is when almost done:

And here, before varnish, finished:

In addition to the Neocolor II's, I used black medium and fine Pitt Artist pens, acrylic medium, and gloss acylic medium/varnish. 

Oh, and on the outer edges - though it doesn't show in the photo - I rubbed on a little interference blue Pearl Ex. They are powdered pigments by Jacquard, which gave the edging a pearlescent sheen that slightly changes color as you move the page. You can use them for almost anything, sealed by the acrylic medium. See them Here.  Too bad they don't show up in a photo... they are gorgeous. :-)

The texture around the outer edges was done with spattering from an old toothbrush. Just made the colors a little soupier and went at it. 

One tip: since the Neocolor II's are watersoluble, if you want it to stay put and not smudge or blend any more, just use a bit of medium instead of/or in addition to water when wetting them with a brush. Towards the end, when I was working on final details, I would scribble with the crayon onto my palette, then dip my brush into water and/or  acrylic medium, and use it that way. It was like using thin acrylic paint, and won't smear when dry, or be disturbed by subsequent layers.

A new video camera is on my wish list, so as soon as I get that, I'm hoping to do more Word Bubbles. It was a blast!

Happy painting,

Retta

Speed Doodling & A Freebie

This shiny new year of 2012 I've been stepping outside my comfort zone to learn new things, to have new adventures!

Thus... for the first time ever I had a video camera pointed at me while I drew! It was a small doodle, but it was in INK... no pencil, no eraser, no plan. Just "leave a blank word bubble in the middle" and let 'er rip! 

I am offering the finished Word Bubble as a free download to anyone who would like. You can choose your own inspiring word for the middle, and finish it however you want... color, paint, glitter, collage, cut up and re-form it... go for it! 

If you have a blog or somewhere you post photos, I'd love to see what you ended up with. Just come back and leave a link in the comments. 

The main thing:

 Just have fun with it!

(Be sure to click to enlarge, and then download the large version, not the thumbnail)

On my birthday recently my sister Karen (her Writers blog is HERE) gave me a birthday card with this quote:

"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." --Albert Schweitzer

And that is why the word I have chosen for my Word Bubble is: Fire! 

Here is my Word Bubble after adding my word...

This coming week, I plan to play around and finish mine. I drew it with a black Pitt Artist Pen, size Medium, in a 5 x 8 Aquabee Sketchpad, and the paper is on the thin side. So I think I'll first seal the page (both sides) with a clear medium. Then I can play with my acrylics, or Neocolor II's (here)  which are watersoluble artist crayons (LOVE them) or whatever strikes my fancy. So by coating the paper I don't have to worry about it being messed up by the moisture. I might even rub in some Pearl-Ex powders if the mood strikes. :-) 

Here is my first art video in "speed drawing"  time-lapse mode. The original was 67 minutes long! This version is a mere 6 minutes and change. :-D

Speed Doodle Word Bubble #1 by Retta

(For a larger version that's easier to see, you 

can go to my YouTube page, Here)

By the way, next time I'll leave a larger blank in the middle... this one was on the dinky side. And I'm hoping to buy a better camera soon... no more fuzzies!

Edited to add: here is the link to the finished doodle, with my word Fire in it and colorized.

Happy doodling,

Retta

Digital Doodle Play

I'm slowly learning to use my Wacom Bamboo tablet, and had fun making this poster. I used the cat design made in photoshop, altered the hue in layers, and added some motivational text. I kinda like the results. :-D

(can click to enlarge)

Happy Painting,


Retta

My 2010 Theme

This was a fun little project that I did for my other blog.


The first pic is the rough pencil sketch, to work out composition and content (click on any of the pics to enlarge) :

This second shows it transferred to nice watercolor paper, and I've started inking it in:

And lastly, with colored pencils, it's all finished, colorful and purty:

Enjoy,
Retta
=^..^=

Favorite quote

"An optimist is someone who goes after Moby Dick in a rowboat and takes the tartar sauce with him." --Zig Ziglar

Retta
=^..^=