Felix Culpa

I have been so delinquent in posting to this blog. It isn't that I'm not producing art; it's that most of what I'm doing now is in my journal, and feels too personal to post online. There are some pages that feel safe enough, though. Below is a random page from my homemade travelers notebook.

I drew this back in June, right after we went to hear Audrey Assad in concert. I became intrigued by her album, Fortunate Fall. All the songs circle around the theme of felix culpa: felix meaning happy or fortunate and culpa meaning fall or fault. I love the incongruity. Who is happy when they fail? Who feels fortunate when they fall? The idea is not original with Audrey, of course. It comes from the Easter liturgy, and it would be familiar to her because she is Catholic.

I love it! "Oh happy fault that gained for us so great a Redeemer." Here's to all our happy failures and our so great Redeemer!

This page has lots of shiny highlights from Sakura gel pens, but they don't really come through in the picture. Add the shine in your mind!

Fine black pen and opaque white pen on the most ordinary paper!

I'm going to try to post more so that my blog doesn't look so sad and neglected. There never seems to be enough hours in the day....

Dip Pen Doodling

Doodle on! This started as a simple, monochromatic watercolor of pale blue grass or seaweed and bubbles. The brown and blue bottled ink and a dip pen turned it into a doodling exercise. I love the simplicity of low-tech pen and ink.

Dip Pen Doodling; watercolor & Noodlers ink on watercolor paper

Baby Ninjas Doodle

Here's one way I use up ink. This started with swaddled ninja quintuplets. Do you see 'em?

If you don't find drawing very detailed line art relaxing, you should NOT attempt this at home! I love it. I know that many people would NOT be relaxed by it. It takes all kinds!

Baby Ninjas Doodle; 5.5x8.5" ink on paper

Spring Break!

This is a very non-traditional journal page for me, but I loved the way it turned out. I work at a college, and we're enjoying a quiet week as the students are away on spring break. Maybe that's why I got all whimsical and wonky. I'll journal on the lines of the accordion-folded "thing" later.

Spring Break; ink on paper

EDM 255 - A Person Near You on a Train

This looks a lot like some of my journal entries (which don't make it online). I'm not sure it qualifies as art, but it is the way I chose to respond to the prompt. So, there ya go.

It just so happens that we took the train to Chicago to visit our daughter and son-in-law just after Christmas. I love the train so much! You get to know people a little...if you're willing!

EDM 255 - A Person Near You on a Train; 3x3" journaling with watercolor

A Whirling Dervish

The Kozy doodle pattern shared by Chris (Facebook Group, For the Love of Tangling) caught my attention. I thought I'd give it a whirl. 

I was so pleased with how the lettering turned out for this. I'm trying to work on my modern calligraphy. I'm trying to loosen it up. I got close with this! I really thought the colors worked, too. The ink is actually brown, and the watercolors are bright blue and yellow. Take my word for it; it's better in real life than in a low resolution photo online. :) And, there's just something about holding a genuine Moleskine journal in your hands....

Whirling Dervish; pen and watercolor in Moleskine journal

EDM 243 - A Pillow

I've outgrown my love of fussy lace, but I still love Battenburg, which seems sturdier and more of an everyday frill. I have a very small, white Battenburg pillow hanging from the doorknob in my powder room. This is the design of the pillow's top. It seemed complicated at first, but it was actually quite simple to draw with a white, opaque pen on a watercolored background.

EDM 243 - A Pillow; 3x3" watercolor & white acrylic pen

The Thing about Nature

A favorite saying from the wise and hilarious Dowager Countess of Grantham. I love everything about Downton Abbey, especially any time Maggie Smith is in the scene and speaking lines. She reminds me so much of my grandmother!

I was so happy with the way this drawing turned out. I struggle so much with truly imaginative drawings, but I really let this one unfold as it wanted to. It has the makings of a fine art piece, maybe....

The Thing about Nature; 5.5x8.5" Noodlers ink on sketch paper

A Cuppa

I barely remember drawing this. It was buried near the back of my Arc daily journal that I try to sketch in every day. Apparently, I got bored while waiting somewhere, and I had coffee on the brain.

PITT Artist Pen on Drawing Paper

The Postman's Knock

5x7 pen on recycled metallic envelope

My daughter gave me a lovely handmade card in this also-lovely gold envelope. I couldn't throw it away, so I doodled on it. I've always loved this quote from poet W. H. Auden. I believe there will come a day when the phrase "the postman's knock" will be completely meaningless to our society. It's already mostly that way, since the postman doesn't knock anymore. He does dump packages on my porch occasionally, though, which quickens the heart a bit.

Joyous Noel

Here is 2014's virtual Christmas card, since I don't mail out cards. I posted this on my Facebook page, which sure beats all that addressing and sealing and stamping and mailing business. I have certainly been in a black and white phase lately. I've always been perfectly comfortable with fineline pen work, and the lack of color doesn't bother me.

5.5x8" Micron Pigma on mixed media paper

Doodling Over the Top

I used to quilt. I didn't finish enough quilting projects to suit me. So, I draw now, and get more finished. I might suffer from a wee bit of attention deficit, and it's getting worse as I age. I can't stick with large projects like I used to. This overly involved "Doodle Quilt" barely got done. It is my ode to pattern, or perhaps it's just a great way to spend a lot of ink.

5.5x8" Micron Pigma 005 on mixed media paper

Doodling Meditation

Sometimes you have to tell yourself something you already know. I doodle things I already know. I like to think of doodling as a way of talking to myself.

5.5x8" Micron Pigma 005 on mixed media paper

A Leafy Leaf

I like patterns. The idea to fill a leaf with more leaves just seemed intriguing to me. It would be fun to do a series like this: A Leaf of Leaves; A Face of Faces; A Cup of Cups; An Idea of Ideas.

5.5x8" Micron Pigma 005 on mixed media paper

Doodle Feathers

Another obsessive doodle. It wasn't intended to look like feathers, but that's what happens to your art sometimes. It surprises you!

5.5x8" Micron Pigma 005 on mixed media paper

Overwrought Doodling

Yup. Leave it to me to take something inherently simple like doodling and utterly over-think it. Put a fine-line pen in my hand and I'll obsess. It's a gift!

Extreme Doodling; 5.5x8" Millenium marker

Don't Just Sit There; Doodle Something

I've never been a good just-sitter. My hands have ADHD. I'm only sort of kidding. 

Doodle Something; 5.5x8" Millenium marker

EDM 235 - A Butterfly

It isn't butterfly season, so I had to dream one up. The misspelling on this piece was pointed out to me repeatedly, but the ink is permanent. Some mistakes are indelible, I guess.

EDM 235 - A Butterfly; 3x3" ink & watercolor

EDM 222 - My Favorite Drawing Tool

Even though I work mostly in watercolor, I would be a lost art soul without my collection of fine-line, permanent pens. I'm always hoping they'll come out with even finer and finer ones...until the line completely disappears. Don't try to figure me out!

EDM 222 - Favorite Tool; 3x3" pen & ink

EDiM 24 - Something I've Always Wanted

A favorite line from a favorite song from a favorite musical: "All I want is a room somewhere, far away from the cold night air, with one enormous chair, oh, wouldn't it be loverly!" (from My Fair Lady)

I know this could use some color, but since I'm already a day late, the color will have to wait. And, I really hope the fact that I didn't center this on the page doesn't throw my OCD friends off kilter. What can I say; asymmetry happens. Embrace it! And, the misspelled word? It's in the song! Honest.

EDiM 24 - I've Always Wanted