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.
Help me name my opossum!
Leave your suggestions in the comment box.
See you next time,
Renee
