I'm in Hong Kong right now. It's been lovely so far. Ive been doing yoga or running everyday for the last 2 weeks and I'm addicted. I'm the type who looks forward to exercise while on vacation, since I tend to forego it while at home when work gets busy. Feeling stronger and seeing what new poses I can hold each day is very uplifting. My knee problems have also begun to subside. Of course I have a sexy photo as proof but I don't know how to attach it from my iPhone so you'll just have to trust me.

A confession: I have to be more appreciative of the body that I have. So here I am stating that I do love my body and am grateful for all of its curves and everything that it does for me everyday!

Onto other things. I can feel that everything that I've been wishing for the last few years is coming to fruition. Even though much of it hasn't happened yet, it's like I can feel a great wave of energy is rushing at me. I never guessed once it all began that I would feel like I was treading water. Perhaps I should picture myself as the wave of energy rather than the poor bystander being accidentally caught up. It is, after all, what I wished for! So my schedule for the next few months looks like this: finish all of the paintings for a show that's happening in LA before Saturday when I fly to Hong Kong. Once in Hong Kong I'll be checking out and meeting with a few galleries. As soon as I get back I'm driving down the coast to LA for my opening. Once I'm home I have to paint a few big commissions for a new restaurant. I would love to spend a month on each painting but in May I have a solo show in Vancouver, which will require me to do about 10 new paintings. So much to do it's a bit ridiculous!


In progress...


this one's finished.

This past year has been brilliant, a large part of which is due to this site! Rather than write a huge recap, I just want to say thanks to SG for connecting me to so many wonderful people and instigating some amazing experiences. Thank you!

EDIT: I suppose I could include a few photos.


This is a sketch for a painting that I want to enter into a portraiture contest. The sitter is a lovely lady that I've become quite close to. I suppose you could call her my muse, but she's definitely more than that.


This, among a few other paintings, will be in a show in LA next year.


I painted on a plaster cast for the Keep a Breast charity.


This was painted a few months ago for my Calgary show,

Many thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes!

I have been shamelessly getting many freebies wherever I go:


Denny's at midnight...


and mocha ice cream pie from The Keg...

etc.

Life is continuing on at a fast and joyous pace. I've been up to much debauchery, starting new relationships, cementing old relationships, and feeling my heart expand because of it all. I'm going to yoga classes again and am excited to get some strength back.

Here is another reason to build up some muscle. This is the difference that flexing my pecs makes when lying down:


not flexing


flexing

Ha ha!

Time for an art update (this allows me to avoid going through all of the photos of my Europe trip for at least another week )


Fascinator 1. Graphite on Arches paper. 14x10.


Fascinator 2. Graphite on Arches paper. 14x10.


Fascinator 3. Graphite on Arches paper. 14x10.

These, plus one more that is in progress, will be in a magazine next month. Doing illustration has been a nice change because I haven't been beating myself up over the elements in each piece; you know the inner dialogue that goes, "Why are you drawing horns again, don't you know everybody and their dog are doing horns right now? What are you going to write in your artist's statement about these horns?". To this I can reply, "Because I was asked to do it by the magazine, and I happen to like drawing horns! ". It's nice not to feel the weight of responsibility on my every pencil stroke. If you are not an artist, you probably think I'm ridiculous and crazy right now because obviously this inner argument doesn't make any sense, but it happens and can be totally debilitating during the creative process.

They'll be for sale on Nov. 21 when my show opens. If you are interested let me know. I'll probably be selling them for around $400 plus the frame.

I also finished these paintings recently:


Lacuna. Acrylic on canvas. 24x24.


Aquaflora.Acrylic and graphite on Arches paper. 12x9.

Lately I've been experimenting with more abstract painting and it's been freeing to loosen up and not have to plan every step. I've made the faces less of the primary focus, not concerning myself so much with their fine detail and perfection. Though, I obviously like drawing perfect fine details because at the same time I have been working on those graphite portraits. Balance is our eternal necessity, I suppose.

Shooting for the new SG DVD was awesome! Doing video came so naturally it was even easier than still photos, which I never expected! I was so sore afterwards though because the video shoot took over 4 hours, and I was flexing so many muscles all at once, holding a v sit, etc for 30 seconds or more at a time. It was totally worth it and I like feeling like I worked hard. I'm so excited to see the video when it comes out, which won't be for a year or so.

I never expected to love London as much as I did. There is so much to see and the art is incredible. I could spend every day in a museum or gallery! Oh, and I love how well everybody dresses, especially the men who were all so dapper. For a suit fetishist like me, it was heaven.

Brussels was fun because I got to meet many of the French SG's, eat lots of unhealthy food, and sleep in the most comfortable hotel bed ever.

Now I am in Lille with Cherry, Sinnah, and Dwam!

Sorry for no pictures, but it is maddening trying to post photos without a real computer, so you will have to wait until I am home, or go check out the other girls blogs.

xo

Thanks for your interesting thoughts on my last blog, they were all quite insightful.

Here's something I came across on Tumblr: “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success, that it is the way great spiritual giants are produced.”
— Swami Vivekananda (via commondense)

If I could encompass my idea in one word, it would be "well-being". What would yours be?


One more teaser before my set goes up in MR on Monday!

One more teaser before my set goes up in MR on Monday!



Thanks for your interesting thoughts on my last blog, they were all quite insightful.

In a week I will be leaving for my month long trip to Europe and I have the feeling that I won't want to leave.