green again

It's been a long long time since I've posted. I had a bit of a break back in November. I started drawing right handed again a month ago, and this is my first painting in over a half a year. Being able to make pictures still amazes me. I'm enamored with it like a five year old, and re-teaching myself to draw has made me feel like one too, which has actually been pretty cool.

I'm painting much larger to ease up on my finger which is still stiff and not yet nimble. You couldn't get me to paint one inch more then I had to before, now this painting (for Peaceable Kingdom Press) is double the size it'll be printed at. Other then having to buy more expensive brushes this has been surprisingly enjoyable.

While I couldn't paint I worked on school visit programs which I'd never had time or courage to do before. It turns out I really like performing. So much that it's hard to return to sedentary, isolated studio life for the long stretches of time required to do a picture book. So though I have to paint at my desk, I can sketch anywhere other then my studio and now I do. Including in this new oasis near my busy kitchen, the 5 x 5 back porch my fiance rebuilt for me. We made it a make-shift greenhouse and painted the floor sage green. Breezes come through on three sides. Christmas lights make any place more magical. My drawings come out better here. And in the garden below my cast is melting away among the hostas and bleeding hearts.
It's nice to be back!