What I do with myself when I'm not making art

It occurred to me that some of my patrons might be curious about my day-to-day, since being an artist can sometimes be a lifestyle just as much as a job. And I think patrons perhaps more than regular fans are invested in the general well-being of the artist they support. So I'm going to make a LIFE post.

The PNW--Freakin beautiful. Unfortunately often cloudy. The Seattle area isn't AS cloudy as people make it out to be. In fact, there's a period in summer that has something like desert conditions, with dry air and cloudless skies. One must be very careful to water the garden. I live for the summer. Cold and dark knocks me out!  The transitional period with the stormy clouds is great, though. We have some absolutely primo rainbows. I took that first photo out of my bedroom window.

Because it's been quite fine out lately I and my cohort have been going out on Saturdays to parks and the like. The river is the Cowlitz, coming down out of the cascades. I love the beautiful, clean, clear, bluish water here. Growing up in southern IL all we had were muddy-bottomed creeks. They're fine! But I like the fast, rocky water better. I took some reference photos that might make it into paintings, but taking a photo is very fast and making a painting is slow, so I'm all backed up on that >_>;

My baby Piper (not shown in these photos) passed away very suddenly a few Saturdays ago. We rushed him to the emergency vet but he died shortly after we got him there. The doctor said it could have been a brain parasite, could have been electrolyte imbalance, who knows. I was, and am, bummed, but he was around 8, so he was geriatric and getting old.  It happens. 

Bean, (brown bun climbing the windowsill) that Kiki rescued and gave to me, is doing great. Very hoppy and happy. He hates bananas, which is hilarious. Screws up his little face and turns his lips away. I've never met a rabbit who hates banana. Usually it's ambrosia to them! He also insists on nibbling my roommate's toes whenever he comes into the room. Rabbits are funny, personable, wonderful people, but don't often make great pets simply because humans do not make great pet-owners and buns are very fragile.

Last saturday my house-family went on a cider-tasting tour on Vashon island. Took the ferry over and it was the most perfectly beautiful day for it! We got reeling buzzed and flopped up and down the beaches. Very good times. If I ever come across ridiculous amounts of money I'll have a summer home on Vashon, because holy crap, is it pretty. 

I'm not a 'gamer' by any stretch of the imagination, but I played some games with my brothers in my childhood. So when we loaded a lot of roms onto the wii I decided to revisit a few. Unfortunately I can't do anything without accumulating cats. 

Lastly, like any sane people, we are growing a rosebush in the middle of our livingroom. Mr. Lincoln (a classic!!!) and he's just started blooming after weeks of heckling and cajoling!! The absolutely delightful perfume he puts out makes me wonder why more people don't grow roses indoors. 

Other than that, I'm just working on commissions. I've got a few rather big paintings that take time. I've tried out my new sketching and real media desk and it's wonderful! So much more comfortable than hunching over. I've done some gesture sketches haphazardly in a sketchbook that probably aren't worth scanning in, but worthy art soon!