February Recap
"In the coldest February, as in every other month in every other year, the best thing to hold on to in this world is each other." --Linda Ellerbee
Personal Update
I started February with high hopes of rising energy. By midmonth, things had taken a turn. Fatigue, slight shortness of breath, and chest “tightness.” I can’t call it pain, because it does not even come close to real pain, like natural childbirth or bone on bone knee pain, both of which I have experienced in the past. To be honest, any chest discomfort evokes the trauma of seeing my father in the grips of a heart attack when I was 14. So it is very tough for me to break through the anxiety whenever I feel this way.
When it was at its worst, it was not during exercise, it was the day after exercise. It was being out in the cold. Went to the ER once, and the heart indicators were fine. Followed up with the GP and he said it’s dehydration. I get involved in some creative activity and forget to keep up my water intake most afternoons. I dutifully followed up with the cardiologist and she has me booked for some tests on March 4. Trying to take it easy easy til then.
Let’s hope it was just the deferred effects of a very stressful year, with all the family medical issues.
Art Updates
I am determined to finish my 50-state postcard challenge, but time and energy have slowed my progress. Here are the two latest. There are only 13 to go.
That makes 37 done. I have one more East of the Mississippi (Ohio) to complete then I move on to the western USA, where I already have a few done. Will I finish in March? I am going to push for that goal.
I did some pencil sketching, but I consider it a warm-up and habit-repair, and not something I will bore you with. I had to remind myself that there is always a view to sketch so I sketched an iv pole at the cancer center, my patient’s foot sticking out from under a blanket, and my take-out coffee cup on a side table. Happily, the end of the trips to the cancer center is almost here for our loved one.
Ruminations
I am drawing some conclusions from this self-challenge. Yes, it’s best for me to do self challenges, rather than sign on to the popular ones like inktober and the hundred day project. I thoroughly enjoy seeing everyone’s postings for these challenges, so I send a sincere thank you if you are doing them. I also realized it’s time to:
Start painting in a larger format than a postcard. During the lockdown I even did art trading cards, because I found a nice group online to share with through the postal system. I would say that 5x7 or 6x8 is the smallest I would like to do unless I am just doing a study for something larger.
Start painting in oils and open body acrylics. Gouache has its strong points: (water cleanup, portability, use as both a transparent and opaque medium), but its challenges (value shift when drying, hard to paint over without picking up the color beneath)
Pick the subject first, then the medium. In my search for reference photos, I picked some that should have been mixed media or watercolor or oils. If I self-challenge in the future I should do a subject, like a seasonal challenge, or florals, or limited palette, but paint in what the scene demands.
Mixed media is not a bad thing. Well-done, it doesn’t scream mixed media, but sometimes a little in a watercolor painting makes sense. So does mixing acryl gouache with plain gouache. I have used this for skies or for toning the paper in a gouache project.
My watercolor class at the adult education department of our school system begins in a week. That gives me a few hours a week with a quiet place to paint in good company. You may have seen my note that this painting was accepted into our town art council gallery. It was just juried in by the staff, not a paid judge, but still it makes me feel like a legitimate artist after years of practice.
So, stressful weeks ahead with tax returns, health woes, and lingering snow, but on the bright side, I am grateful for:
Valiant daffodil shoots slowly winning the war on snowfall.
Ever lightening days
Walks down muddy roads in the nature center, where deer can be seen and birdsong heards
Art and music
A head full of ideas to put into action
How about you, what are you looking forward to in the next few weeks?
Sending best wishes for your health. I am looking forward to longer days, working my way out of a winter rut and playing with collage. I prefer working on smaller pieces and say "play" as it should be joyful and not a task! I also made a "to-do" list the other day with many more ideas and projects. It is all so very exciting!
Congratulations on your painting being accepted to the galley. I'm sorry to hear of your health worries. I hope they can be resolved soon. I'm looking forward to visiting my daughter for the weekend on Friday and to continue learning and experimenting with watercolour. Best wishes, Helen.