Gallery Juana - photography & art

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.

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

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.

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!

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 .

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.

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..

Recently, my husband and I went to a park that's surrounded by farmlands on the outskirts of the city. I needed to clear my head and be out in the open air and among the trees. We had a picnic and spent the afternoon walking through the park. As it's out in the country, it was virtually empty when we arrived. As we walked through the park looking for a spot to have a picnic, I found this monkey puzzle tree branch. When I was a university student, one of my part-time jobs on campus was with the university landscaping crew. I loved that job as I was outdoors all day working with some interesting people. The university had lots of trees, so I pretty much raked leaves all year round. I even took my puppy to hang out with me one day while I worked. The gardeners taught me the names of trees. I loved the brillant yellows of the Gingko in Autumn and the bony white branches of the Birches. Another tree that I liked was called a monkey puzzle tree. Incidentally, it w