Pata Floja

Much has happened in the last two months. Some of you know that I had moved home April 2010 to take care of my Mom full-time. I am grateful that I had that opportunity. She was always there for me when I was growing up, and I wanted to be there for her in return. She is now out of pain and at peace. Her love, strength and inspiration will always be with me.

I have never been one to stay home for very long, so I knew I would be traveling again. My Mom's closest cousin understood this need of mine and even had a name for it: Pata Floja. Which I guess is one way of saying a loose foot or Foot Loose.

My husband and I drove all the way from Central California to Seattle, Washington and found a rental house on Whidbey Island.  We crossed from mainland onto the island by ferry.   This feels symbolic of where I need to be now: neither here nor there, surrounded by water ... rebirth.

It's absolutely quiet and I spend the day looking out the window at Possession Sound and watching the ferries and birds go by. The walks on the shoreline are meditative and the rains comfort me. This is where I will work out this transition in my life.

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camera flap message on my Father's land poloroid

Lately I've been getting rid of all the excess sites and emails that I have. I got rid of my kaboodle, pinterest and twitter accounts. I don't need to know what's on sale at World Market or other commercial sites where I shop, so I unsubscribed to their emails.

Now is a time for me to be quiet and reflect.

Untitled Post

pine sap beads

My husband and I have continued our Sunday hikes in the foothills. These long walks and foothill treks give my spirit time to withdraw, repair and gain energy and focus.

I had different words that came to mind as a title for this post: haze, dormant, molting, tea leaves, focus. All of them yet none of them seemed to fit.

Untitled seems to be where I am at the moment. I even have a file, titled "untitled plan," where I put ideas for plans in the future.

So I've started the year embracing this untitledness.

acorn and pine tree

female portrait, pen drawing, sunday sketches

Petra I, 9 x 12

I really love doing these line drawing portraits with the varied hairstyles. I never really know how the pattern will turn out until I've already begun. I draw the "joints" of the hairstyle first and then develop the connecting lines as I go.

For this female portrait, I also added pieces of rice paper that I had painted with watercolor for her hair accent. I am joining Sophia's Sunday Sketches. The past few Sundays I have spent the day hiking in the foothills, so I'll be round to see what you've all been up to on Monday. Have a good Sunday!

Wasabi, Eloping and Sketchbook Project 2012

I'm slowly but surely filling up this "Encyclopedia of" themed sketchbook.  I think I'm going to try and have this in the mail by Jan 2, 2012.  These are the latest sketches and thoughts that I've added since October.  Excerpts from each hand-written page follow each image.

opening page

Fork and Spoon and my memory of telling my parents I'm moving in with my boyfriend.

More than 25 years ago, my husband and I eloped.  Before eloping, we lived together for about a year. I remember what my Mother said when I told her I was moving in with my boyfriend (now my husband).  She said, "Hay Muchacha!"  Then she told me to tell my Father.  Darn, I thought she'd tell him for me.  My Father said, "I guess that's how it's done nowadays."   After we eloped, I told my Mom that we had gotten married.  She said, "Gracias a Dios."  I'm thankful that my parents gave me just enough freedom to make the choices I felt strongly about making.

the contents in my bag

1.  a wasabi root that I had forgotten I had in my bag.
2.  a toothbrush
3.  sumi ink stick that cost me about 40 USD
4.  sumi ink brush
5.  gym membership card
6.  old airline boarding pass
7.  keys
8.  Thailand souvenir a student gave me
9.  a bottle cap (why? now that's a good question)
10. cash
11. coins
12. mini-calculator
13. business card for the gym with a pic of a distraught man
14. key chain my sister gave me
15. small art journal

linking up with just journals link party

embracing couple, pen abstract art

Anniversary I, 6  x 6, pen illustration and collage

This pen abstract illustration came together from two separate sketches: The first doodle was with  the rectangles and circles, and the cellular-like doodle was done on a different day.

As I was looking at the first doodle, it reminded me of a skeleton with the shoulder joints, ribs, and hip joints.  I decided that I wanted to link two skeletal figures by one heart.  Drawing a red heart shape with a line between them was too direct.  I wanted this to remain abstract.

I was also reminded of the skeletal remains of a couple  who had been buried together.  After 5000 years, their bodies had remained in a loving embrace.

I titled this Anniversary I:
One, I drew this illustration on my Wedding Anniversary.
Two, the central shapes reminded me of skeletal figures.
and Three, the two figures are linked by one heart.


I hope everyone has had a lovely weekend.
Joining Sophia's Sunday Sketches.

Pine Cone shadows

Another photo from our hike last weekend. A pine cone embraced by the grass and sporting triangular shadows.

 More shadows at HeyHarriet's blog.

Bath Time II, cat pen drawing

It's been awhile since I've been able to draw cats, and I've dearly missed drawing my Sputnik.   I recently revisited one of my previous sketches of her.

On Saturday, I drew her again with pen on 8 x 10 paper.

Bath Time II, pen drawing on paper, 8 x 10

Available for purchase at http://GalleryJuanaArt.etsy.com


For more Sunday Sketches, hop on over to Sophia's blog.

Black Friday Hike and Shadows

Black Friday is the Friday after the Thursday Thanksgiving in the U.S. and means crowds out shopping to nab the big sales.

We skipped all of that and headed up to the local man-made lake to hike the trails that meander through the foothills.  It was a gorgeous day and we spent 3 hours out there.  Can you spot our shadows in the first photo?

at the top of a vista point

Getting to the vista point, meant going off trail as we couldn't find the trail that lead up to it.   We also had to go off trail again after leaving in order to meet up with our original trail.

off the trail

Nature had many colors!

something fungal on a tree trunk

I took this time-lapse 360 when we were at the top of the vista.  From Summer to Winter, the foothills are blanketed with dry, tall grass and oak trees.  The river runs through this area and ends at the Dam with the lake.  **  video has music

More shadow shots at Hey Harriet's blog.

pen drawings in my moleskine

I usually keep this small moleskine in my bag.   I've been caught without it though and use my calendar book or bits of paper on hand. I sketch mostly when I'm waiting or when I want to sketch quickly and without corrections.

How I crave pizza!

R.I. P. sputnik

Recently, I got contacts.  I'm liking how they work for the most part.  I am nearsighted, so when I wear glasses, I take them off for reading and doing my art.  In the past with contacts, I've never been able to read or do my art while wearing them.

However, this eye doctor suggested I try the monovision method for contacts.  Have you ever had the monovision contacts (one side is for reading, the other side is for seeing far)?  It is really freaky how this works!  I can read and see far.  The division of my sight is somewhat noticeable when I'm reading but still comfortable.

For more Sunday Sketches, visit Sophia's blog.

Hummingbirds

I finally got a hummingbird feeder hanging just outside my window.

shadowed silhouette of the hummingbird through the window screen

I knew about the hum of their wings as I'd had one hover near me once as I was standing near a hanging nasturtium.   However, I never knew they made a clicking sound as well.

The temperatures dropped this past weekend, so I haven't seen them as often in the past couple of days. I got these photos last week while sitting at my desk and looking through the open window.   The hummingbird in the lemon tree really gives me a sense of their size.

hummingbird  in lemon tree

I also found this homemade nectar recipe on the Smithsonian National Zoo park site.

Directions for making safe hummingbird food:
1. Mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water and bring to a boil to kill any bacteria or mold present.
2. Cool and fill feeder.
3. Extra sugar water may be stored in a refrigerator.
4. Red dye should not be added.


Adding this to HeyHarriet's Shadow Shot Sunday.

Ten on Ten

one photo every 10 hours on the tenth of each month

morning walk in the backyard

cranberry biscuit with coffee

morning art - work in progress

afternoon snack

break from painting, call to follow-up on Mom's blood test

making my day less sedentary:  dance break!

checking the mail

Finished the day with the gym,  grocery shopping, "Person of Interest," and a hot shower.
Sweet dreams everyone.


join on Rebekah's blog

kaki, persimmon

autumn kaki, Japanese persimmon

wordless wednesday

Flour Vintage Container

Joining Sunday Sketches with my latest entry for the Sketchbook Project 2012.

My theme is Encyclopedia of ... and I am including sketches of things I and my family collect along with thoughts about these collections.

The first sketchbook I sent in was with my originals.  This time I'm keeping the originals and printing the scanned drawings onto the sketchbook pages then adding color.

Brain Mapping, pen and watercolor collage on paper

I've had the brain mapping idea since before I left Japan and I'm finally beginning this series.

Mapping I
pen, watercolor and collage on paper
7 x 9 inches

I listen to Pandora to discover new music, and recently I've been purchasing my favorites on itunes. The latest group of purchases include rhythmic tones and emotion inducing verses: Summoning of the Muse by Dead Can Dance, Box of Stones by Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Thinking about you by Big Scary, 34 Ghosts IV by Nine Inch Nails and Emergency Trap by Mogwai.

I can easily get lost listening to music while drawing.
Do you have something going on in the background when you're creating?  Or do you prefer silence?

I'm a bit late, but I'm joining Sofia's Sunday Sketches.

Home, Bridges and Self

I finally added a page to my sketchbook project 2012. The above scan is from some thoughts I wrote to accompany my illustration of little houses.

Below is an art print by Borg and Ivee on etsy that fits perfectly with my written thoughts.

print by BorgAndIvee

Home is wherever I'm with you

After writing some thoughts on home, I plugged the word "home" into google and etsy. These are my favorite finds: youtube video, "home" by Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, prints inspired by the song and a cute house pendant.

 home porcelain pendant by maydog on etsy

Home Print by SplendidAndSound on etsy

Holy Moley print by ImPrettyInspired

photos are linked to each artist's shop.

Koi and Lotus

I'm so behind on getting new works online.   The painting above is from Spring 2010, and I still need to put the backing on the rice paper.

I used watercolors for the carp's body and background.   Using a traditional sumi-e brush, I drew the scales and koi with sumi ink.

Sunday Sketches is hosted on Sophia's blog.  It's my weekly inspiration that gets me revved up for the week!

bunny shadows

This little bunny wasn't scared of his shadow. They are all over the park and run away as soon as they see movement. My husband and I sat and waited for this little cottontail to come back.

HeyHarriet hosts this weekly shadow meme on her blog.

a day in october, ten on ten

Every morning I get my mother's breakfast ready for her. She always says with a big smile, "I'll have my coffee." This particular morning it was coffee and her favorite cereal.

Autumn has started and the days are pleasantly warm with cooler evenings.
Perfect weather for riding bicycles.


My sister stayed with Mom, so Husband and I spent the afternoon out.
The day started with us leaving for Target to buy a dvd to watch in the evening.

Then we headed over to the gym.
I caught the photo below as we were unlocking our bikes at the gym.

Lunch out

and then home for our movie, "Public Enemies" with Johnny Depp and Christian Bale.

Dinner was orange juice, air-popped popcorn and ice cream.

It was a good day!

Rebekah hosts the monthly ten on ten: taking a photo every hour for 10 hours.

Amunet, pen and watercolor, sunday sketches

While waiting for my Japanese lunch to be served, I started doodling in my calendar book. These doodles influenced the hairstyles for my Amunet series of female portraits. I think I have more sketches and doodles in this calendar book than actual appointments.

doodles in my calendar book

more doodles

Amunet II, pen and watercolor, 8 x 10

More Sunday Sketches at Sophia's blog I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone has been up to this week with their sketches..