I admit, July got away from me.
Between the big reset God has been doing in my life, studying for (and passing! With flying colors!) my art teacher exam, preparing for the new school year, and teaching kids’ art camps, I just didn't quite have the braincells necessary to rub together to do much writing.
What I have been doing though, is lots of art.
I have decided it is high time to start fine-tuning my figure drawing. Figure drawing has frequently brought me no small amount of artist anxiety since I was called out for making humans look like “trolls” as a child. (Please, for the love of all that is good and Holy, do not ever criticize a 7-year-old’s attempts at art so harshly — celebrate that they are making art and understand they will improve in time!) I have staunchly refused to draw people I know, or could someday know, out of deep fear of embarrassment….
However, I decided that artistic study could easily be had through the work of classical sculpture. Rock can't be offended if I screw up! Rock won't laugh at me, or be horrified I attempted a sketch of it! (Now you know why I draw plants….) It's a perfect solution.
Surprise, surprise, however —it appears that somehow over the last several years, my skills have surpassed that which even I had hoped for!
(I often find this to be the case, even among students of mine. Concepts you know create the framework for new skills, and turn that astronomically steep learning curve into a steady climb, or sometimes even a gentle slope.)


In addition to my return to prayer and acrylic art, I seem to have rediscovered a love for pencil. These Prismacolor pencils are buttery soft and easily layered on the extra-smooth notebook paper, which is a delight. The more I play with them, the more I find myself falling in love with the pages I complete.
It's a good feeling.




So, here we are in August!
Onward and upward!