“Leap” as a word doesn’t get the love it should.“Jump”, “leap’s” dynamic cousin, has gotten top billing for as long as I can recall.“Jump” reached the top of the Billboard with Van Halen.It has been splashed across screens, big and small, in titles like “21 Jump Street” and “White Men Can’t Jump.”Speaking of jumping, why is it that athletes JUMP rather than leap to make a basket or catch the ball?And if I want to purchase a one-piece-does-it-all addition to my wardrobe, it’s a “jumper”.(We will leave romper for another day!)
“Jump” is a downer.“Leap” is an upper.Say the words aloud, you will hear what I mean.Is that why “jump” is used more frequently and “leap” is shunned?It’s always a little (or a lot) uncool to be TOO happy.“Leap” sounds light and frivolous.
Well, I am choosing to leap into Spring!I am leaping from the doldrums of winter.I spent the winter months hibernating, taking solace in countless hours of You Tube, Patreon, and Skillshare.Watching watercolor dry is a form of ASMR.
But the dark hours are shrinking, and Punxsutawney Phil has predicted an early spring.Even February has added an extra day!To celebrate, I will set up at Wildflower Cafe Art Market on Leap Day, February 29th from 5pm-8pm. Stop by the cafe to see what local vendors have to offer.The cafe offers a unique shopping experience with artists and artisans showcasing their wares on the cafe tables.It’s a cozy experience!
As Spring approaches, I would like to invite you to leave a comment on this post about your favorite experiment on this post. What art do you hope to see me create this year? And what is your favorite way to display art? Do you like housewares or cards or prints …? You get the idea.
In the Studio
I will keep it short today- maybe just a few pictures.The winter months make me a little gloomy and tired, so I retreated to the realm of experimentation, education, and reflection.I am curious to see how it all plays out this year.
A two page spread from my watercolor sketchbook.
Sea Dragon with flowers… ink and watercolor 9×9.
Exploring my beachy wishes… watercolor and ink.
What I’m Reading
Eve by Cat Bohannon- My book club chose this one for our February gathering. It has been a FASCINATING look at the evolution of the human species from the FEMALE perspective! At times challenging, this book has been a joy to read. I have learned much about the paleontological evolution of the female body, but also about the pervasiveness about the male bias in all things science.
This post has been written by Renee Griffin, a human being. The art has been created by Renee Griffin, the aforementioned human. No AI has been used in the creation of my art or writing.
Desert Sun– A new digital image available in my Society6 store located under Home Decor & Gifts in my site Menu.
Persistence: Is it a Virtue or Merely a Mad Delusion?
Aesop insisted the tortoise’s dogged persistence would triumph over Jack Rabbit starts.Coincidentally, I have much in common with Mr. Tortoise:I am homebound (“Thanks, COVID.”), I have no fast-twitch muscles of which I am aware, and optimism (or perhaps faith in effort) lures us forward each step of the way.A pinch more self-confidence might help- indeed, there are those who get by with not much else!But I do believe that persistence pays a reasonable return.in other words, provided I maintain reasonable goals and expectations, nothing but myself stands in my way.
Wrapping both fists tightly around that guiding belief, I set about to re-create a new website for myself.I began around Christmas time and by February 1, I had a website I liked- at least on my desktop computer.A few issues remain on smaller devices and I am mentally steeling my resolve to correct those in the coming week.
While squeezing the living daylights out of my belief in persistence, I placed an order for some succulent seeds.I had become enamored with a strange succulent someone posted in social media and after searching for it on the WORLDwide (emphasis on the word “world”) web, I located seeds.Yes, SEEDS! I was suffering from the audacious belief that I could grow a rare succulent from the ground up- literally!The website appeared professional and gave me no reason to doubt that I had just purchased seeds from a vendor in New York.However, 2 weeks later I received an email informing me that my package had just left China.The packages’s arrival strengthened my suspicions.Apparently I ordered a fifth packet of seed- not a succulent, by the way.So, 1000 tiny “seeds” had arrived from China.I have about 8 seedlings to show for it-ALL from the fifth packet of seeds!
Nearly 6 weeks later, I swallowed my pride and purchased cuttings from a woman in Washington state.I hope to chronicle the growth of four cacti- green thumbs crossed!
In the Studio
Check out the “Pirate Boston terrier” in my watercolor gallery. My sister’s Boston Terrier, Maggie, lost her eye in late December in a freak accident. I painted her as a pirate and gifted it to my lil’ sis for her birthday.
I have returned to the realm of digital art. As I continue to gain mastery of Illustrator, I developed a customizable print using my Mimosa motif I created this summer. I saw customized nursery art while surfing the web one night and loved the idea! I am working on a rocket theme customizable print as well. What do you think of them? (Check them out in my shop and in my Salt & Soul market.) I am also excited about Desert Sun– a bold graphic art print available in my Society6 shop on a variety of products.
And although I am spending more time in front of the screen, I still paint regularly. I am currently working on a watercolor image of an opossum surrounded by foliage and sweet flowers. I like to imagine this hanging in a nursery, boy’s or girl’s! I am giving you a sneak peak in this post.
And last- but certainly not least! I have embarked on #The100DaysProject. This project challenges creatives to hone in on one thing for 100 days. Some may take the extreme approach and only draw noses for 100 days. Others may adopt a looser approach and simply commit to sketching every day for 100 days. I have settled in the middle of this continuum and am getting to visually know flowers and plants better. My goal is to expand my mental library of plants so I don’t rely on references quite so much. I have included my sketch of Cosmos, with and without color.
On October 21, I opened the door to a large white elephant, who now stands in my studio space- long trunk curled delicately around my nib pen and newly inked freckles splashed across his face. I resented his intrusion at first, but after a lengthy conversation- we found we see eye to eye (as long as I am standing on a step-stool!)
There are ONLY seven days in a week- but I skipped THREE prompts this week. There! I said it. That is NOT to say I didn’t create everyday; I did. Nevertheless, sharp pangs of guilt and resentment- resentment at the “things” that got in my way and perhaps a little resentment at the prompts themselves- pricked millions of little holes in my happiness. So, I took a tiny bit of time to think about my priorities in life and art.
Over a cup of chamomile tea and a handful of peanuts, my guest helped me realize blindly following a random list of words was not the way to reach my goals, honor my intentions, or guide my day. That might sound like I just wrote off the whole idea of Inktober. Nope. Quite the contrary!
The spirit of the challenge is the key- not the prompt list I choose. The opportunity to share my work with others and see their work during this lovefest of a month provides momentum, encouragement, and support. It’s up to me to honor my intentions and respect my authenticity. And if that means I miss a few prompts, then so be it.
I had so much fun creating all the images presented here. Too much fun! I hope you enjoy them. And remember, I will give away one 8×10 print of an Inktober artwork in November. To win, subscribe to this blog and leave a comment. Each comment is an entry- so if this is your first time, I hope you will visit previous posts.
“Best thing since sliced bread!”- or in my case, cold cuts! Why do I overlook the humble cold cut sandwich for dinner? No stove, no oven, no dishes, no worries! And that means more time to make art. And goodness knows I need as much time as I can get this month. The first week has been a whirlwind-
I have experienced so much in the first week of Inktober that I know October 31 will find me much improved. And the promise of growth motivates me to keep going! Many experienced artists advise new Inktober participants to be easy on themselves, plan projects that work within their time constraints, and don’t fret missing a day. Well- that’s not me. To play with Eliot’s immortal words, if I goof up this Inktober, I will “go out with a bang- not a whimper!”
To that end- each and every composition I have created this week relies on a calligraphy brush. Not a marker, or fineliner, or even a nib. I am familiarizing myself with a few calligraphy brushes. I have added color with watercolor and photoshop when I could do so within the 24 hour deadline. But pushing to finish a piece so quickly leaves me feeling as though I could have done better. So, I have decided this month I will accrue a number of inked pieces which I can color later.
Each prompt includes the potential for surprise- and sometimes I need to remind myself of this. In the final days of September I created thumbnail sketches for a few of my favorite prompts. but other prompts caught me unaware and unprepared. Potted plant was one of those- and I surprised myself by creating two inked line drawings! Bird nest was one of my quick idea sketches and I executed it late one evening. The end result was “cute”- not my usual style. I hastily filmed a reel and posted to Pinterest. SURPRISE! Eighteen hours later I had over 2,000 views and a “like” from Ohn Mar Win. OMG! I didn’t see that coming!
So, now a surprise for you. I plan to give away one print from one of my Inktober drawings when Inktober is complete. How to enter? First- subscribe to this blog. Be sure to confirm your subscription. Then, simply respond to this post with a comment about one of my Inktober drawings. I will enter your name in the drawing. The winner will receive an 8×10 print. (If the winner resides outside of the continental United States, I will send a small mini-print instead.)
Enjoy the show! I’m off to stock up on cold cuts and sliced bread!
The puddle glistened, spilling forth quickly at first, tumbling over itself to find the edge, then slowly its advancement slowed to a mere creep- fiber by fiber extending its territory with feathered fingers.
No, not a crime scene, an ink scene. And when I look up from the page, brush in hand, the soot colored evidence stains my fingertips.
For the month of October, I am embarking on a new challenge- Inktober. Inktober is a call to commit- a challenge millions of artists around the world accept each October. Inktober has humble beginnings but gathered followers quickly. What began as a centralized challenge with a single prompt list has morphed into uncounted prompt lists designed to fill a niche and find an audience.
In years past I have spectated. Sometimes I attempted a prompt or two. This year, I intend to join the “fun”. Like all true challenges, the new wears off. The drudgery, the exhaustion, and life itself will make fulfilling the commitment difficult. I must be honest- my track record for “challenges successfully met” these days hasn’t been great. Weight loss? Ha! Long forgotten. Regular physical activity? Does refilling the water jar count? Keeping the kitchen counters cleared. What kitchen counters? You see where I am going with this.
So, I am asking you- entreating you even- to hold me accountable. Leave some feedback when you like something. HOLLER at me if I seem to have “ghosted” the project.
And if you are a fellow mark maker looking for a cheering section – hit me up. Tag me on Instagram or share your work with me here. I love to cheer!
Moth Trellis- An original pattern design in progress which nods to fall and Halloween.
A spot of black, a darkly shadowed fringe lurking at the edge, an irregular recess in the luminous folds, these are the unsung marks that take a visual image from good to stunning. The hint of the unknown amidst the plainly visible lures in the viewer and burns its image on the retina. Artists refer to this as tonality- and when it is missing, the image feels flat. But when the artist deftly adds the deepest of shadows in the most carefully considered manner, the image comes to life- no matter how fantastical.
One afternoon while dropping inky pools of black into the edges, I considered that life is not much different. Life without shadow would become bland, and dare I venture to assume, under-appreciated. Like pigment on the page, it comes to life through balance. Do not confuse balance with equality. Think back to younger years and the rhythmic exchange of the seesaw. The “teeter totter” did not require two equally weighted children. With a gentle push two mismatched participants could see-saw with abandon. But take one away and gravity wins.
Such heavy lessons to find in the quiet rumination of painterly endeavors. But heavy lessons are valuable even in the comfort of our happiness. How often have I lost my sense of wonderment and gratitude in the flat planes of comfort? Just recently I found myself complaining about the shifting seasons- the dark mornings, the cloud filled sky, the breezes touched with the hint of chill. I wondered what would propel me out of bed in the cold dark mornings of winter and what would inspire my brushstrokes. And as I sought to place the darkest shadows on my page, I realized that art was teaching me to appreciate everything in balance. I need the change of seasons to appreciate the beauty in each one. And I need the failures as much as I need the small victories.
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