(Oh) what I wouldn't do.

I've fallen behind on my artwork and life seems to be getting in the way again (working two jobs doesn't help either) but I'm still here.

Here's another Canadian song currently playing at the arts-and-crafts store I work at. I like its poetic, romantic lyrics.


Every time I hear it on the store's overhead speakers it makes me want to be in love again...to twirl in place...run as fast as I can...to run away...and scream out loud.

(Oh) what I wouldn't do.

Keep smiling.

I had seen her off and on for the past two years at my university job.

She finally came up to the front desk earlier this week and officially introduced herself. Her name was Maggie. She told me she was finished with school now and moving back home to Canada next week.

I considered her one of the "regulars" who'd always come into the university to study. She said she wanted to say goodbye.

"You always have a big smile on your face," she said to me.

That threw me a bit--her perceiving me as being "happy". For I'm not happy with the way my life is going.

But I do smile a lot, especially at work, being the first person students see when entering our department.

A lot of the time I feel like I'm wearing a mask to hide the pain and sadness and loneliness or perhaps I'm simply pushing it all to the side while at work.

Sing it, Judy.....

It was extremely sweet of Maggie to acknowledge all the times I've greeted her and to stop in just to see me. I was flattered to have made that kind of impression on her.

I shook her hand and told Maggie to come back and visit us.

"Keep smiling, okay?" she said on her way out.

I will try, dear. I will try.

Owl - Step 5 - Panic and Save!

I was wondering when it'd happen.

That moment I'm always dreading.

So I started laying in the blacks around the owl's eyes and beak only to see that it's much too dark for the rest of the painting!

Fuckity-fuck and super shit!

Thank God I opted for watercolors instead of ink as originally planned. With some careful maneuvering, I was able to blot and lift off most of the problem areas.

To have the owl entirely detailed in black would've killed a lot of the vibrant blues I worked so hard to save. If this were a pure comic book illustration it'd work but this owl falls a bit more on the fine art side.

To remedy this, I created a deep darkish-purple, that from a distance appears black but doesn't swallow up the rest of the painting (click on image to see the purples at work).

Now I just have to blend and soften the dark edges and add ALL those tiny, little detail hairs on the feathers.

Everything should be completed by the next step. Let's hope!