Summer Tiki - Lono Makua

Every summer for 3 years now, my son and I have been drawing a different Tiki. It's become a summer tradition.

This year I illustrated Lono-Makua. It is The God of Fertility and Peace, also known as The God of Music, Peace and Harvesting Crops, sometimes called The Provider... a God of fertility, agriculture, rainfall and music. The legend is that Lono descended to Earth on a rainbow. Well I'm sure it was a Double Rainbow!!

I think he's a bit Cowa-Bunga!

This tiki was done a little differently than last few tikis. Instead of markers, this year these were done with pen and ink, then colorized in acrylic. I painted it with no blending in the paint, because I was hoping to stay closer in style to the previous pieces.

We are in desperate need of some quality markers. Why is it becoming so hard to find Pentel colored markers at a store?

Creepin Vines

I've been working on this painting off and on this summer. I finally finished it!

Are these vines growing on her hat with the help of this bird, or are they simply the pattern on her hat?


Here's the original sketch of this little lady. I often like to sketch while watching movies. Here are some sketches I did while enjoying a silent movie. See her original incarnation up in the top right corner. Seems that the original doodle often turns out better than the finished (supposedly) perfected finale. Doodles are just more spontaneous, I guess.

Prints, magnets and pendants will soon be available. The original is acrylic on an oval canvas, 9x12".

smARTS Art Exhibit at Idyllwild Arts Academy

Every other year Idyllwild Arts Academy opens its Parks Exhibition Center for smARTS to have an exhibit of all the students' art at our local K-8 school. This is a big event for smARTS with never ending amount of hours to select the perfect art piece for each student, then carefully hang each piece and label it.


A highlight of the exhibit always seems to be the 8th grade project. This project is in response to their visit to the Museum of Tolerance. They are always very emotional pieces of artwork. This year their words were used to add to portraits of themselves. They are striking as a group as well as when you read the words they used in the art.


Here are the dragons I traditionally do with the 4th graders for Chinese New Year. They are fun.


I also always like the symmetrical butterflies I do with the 3rd graders


And here you can see the turtles that the kindergartners do, as well as the 5th grade project on foreshortening.

Yes, this is a good event, and once it's over, I think it's worth all the efforts.

Genie out of the Bottle

Ever felt like you've been all bottled up, like a genie, for maybe a thousand years?? Well I had that feeling, and was finally let free just last year.

I've had this design in my mind for almost a year now. Life has been wild, crazy and unsettling for this past year. And while it still is that way, I'm trying to balance all this with my creative side.... finally making it possible for me to get this drawing done.

Here it is in my Etsy shop.

Pen and ink drawing, embellished with some watercolor.

Wishing For Spring

Don't wish for Spring before it's time,
Thinking all will then be fine.
Time moves swiftly on its own,
Life flies by all alone.
Don't hope that it will faster fly,
Or it may listen, and then you die.
----Saffron


I wrote this poem March 5, 1992. Boy, my life hasn't changed much it seems. I still dwell on the winter weather, trying to survive it and it's hardships. This only makes me realize I still have over month of real winter here on the mountain. I have to deal with it as best I can.

Altered Cigar Box - Be Happy, Elf

Wow! How can this be?? I'm updating my blog again, already?? And it's only been a week since the last entry?? What, am I returning back to myself? Is the content me returning? Whatever it is, I'm glad!

So anyway, I was lucky to receive a whole shit load of cigar boxes from a special friend. This is my first creation using them, they are fun!


I painted this elf on the top, and added some tissue paper collage. Also on the side I added some tissue collage for some flowers.



Inside there is a little print of a painting I did a few years back, reminding you to Be Happy! I know I must remind myself of this from time to time! It's the perfect container for your potions, trinkets, or love letters. How nice it is to get a love letter!

It's available now in my Etsy shop! Have a looksey!

Hats Available

I've been making some hats this winter..... some slightly hippie or maybe grungey type of hats.


Or maybe they're just woodsy and mountaingirlish.


Well whatever you call them, they are soft and cozy and keep you good and warm. See some in my Etsy shop.

Also, I was part of a shop last December. Luckily my smARTS/blogging buddy, Mother Bliss, got some good pictures of the little shop., including my little section.

Last Drawing of 2009

This was my last drawing of 2009. I started in the summer...Glad to finish it!

This is Kane Milohai, The God of Life. It's elements are the sun, sky, earth, and upper heaven. He is a symbol of life and the father of living things.

I won't be neglecting you, Little Blog, this year. I just know it!

Life for a Mountain Girl

So for the last couple of months I've been doing the stress-less job of yard work. I'm enjoying working outside, getting some exercise and experiencing the different environments of the mountain.


This week I worked at what has to be the most gorgeous yard on the hill! There's a natural pond, the water is just seeping out of the ground, which by the way up on this mountain of So Cal, is a pretty rare thing.


There is also the largest crop of lady bugs around here. This is just a small percentage of the many nests that I saw. No aphids are surviving in this yard.


And the highlight of the day was seeing this little cutie! I was lucky to get this shot. Yes, I'm a good worker, except when I stop to chit chat with the neighbors, or stop to take pictures of frogs.

Return of the Batiks

This is the fifth year I've done this batik project with every 6th grader at the local school.


It's a lot of time and work, but really is one of my favorite projects once it's all done.

An interesting thing that usually happens with this project is how the best drawers in the group don't always have the best batik. They seem to add too much detail. The kids that keep it simple have the best results. This shows you how different projects help different people succeed in different ways. But it's a reminder to me to really stress to make the designs simple, which I do, but maybe I need a more forceful approach for those few who want to go too detailed.


This was my favorite one for the year. Can I just say I lost it and keep it for myself? Guess that wouldn't be very nice, huh?


Here they are hanging at Open House in the classroom. Pretty huh?

See the past 2 years results and details here and here. They're better photos too, I took the pix this year at the wrong time of the day.

Critter Encounters

I don't know what's up completely, but I've done a terrible job of keeping my blog alive this past month. I'm hopefully recovering now and will be back on track!!

Yesterday on a long walk to Inspiration Point, we saw this beauty . I love these thistles- crazy weeds, but so pretty.


Last week I was watching a lizard like this at a job where I was gardening. I couldn't get a shot of him, but I got this one instead. I don't know what kind they are, but they really seem to have a more lively personality than some lizards. And look at the blue under the neck. I love his expression too. If I had more time right now I might research to find what kind it is. But there is no time right now, so have to save it for a boring day.... you know, those come around all the time, right??

TOC - Biblical References

This week's Theme of Consciousness was Biblical References, being Easter weekend and all.

I thought of a lot of ideas. "Thou shall not kill", Noah and his rainbow, and my favorite, "Love One Another." Had to go with the disobedient Eve. That woman really messed things up for us females, but I love her still! She's a free thinking rebel, and I love that about her.

So here's my quick little painting, done in acrylic in my larger sketch book.

TOC - Heart

Theme of Consciousness for this week - HEART.

Here's my little doodle embellished with watercolor.

Got one song played... Grateful Dead - "Easy Wind".... really cool Pig Pen song.

Strawberry Creek in March

Went on a walk on Strawberry Creek today. This is the creek that runs through town. Always a nice peaceful place to walk. I can't wait for the greenery to burst out in a month or so. Soon it will be filled with Azalea, Wild Rose, Berries and other assorted plants.

You can see how I get a little bit inspired by this place if you see my art in the previous post.


Here's Wesley standing with a pretty large old growth 2-in-1 Cedar Tree. You can almost imagine you're out in Sequoia National Park, our own little piece of heaven.

TOC - Home

This week's Theme of Consciousness was "home." A very warm and fuzzy theme, really. The tribe chose some great songs that Jim loves, and some great sets were made.

Here's my little creation for the theme. Easy enough to think up, and doodley-fun.

And I had some requests played... Dead "Throwing Stones", Stones "Prodigal Son" (a sharer), and the rare, unusual honor of the Opening Song.... Ten Years After with "I'm Goin Home." Yes, I was a little spoiled this week. But I requested a whole shit-load of perfect, Jim-type-of -songs, so it was bound to happen!

Who knew the Dead had SO MANY songs that mention Home!

NibbleFest - Asian Inspired/IF Legendary

I'm a little behind, and have been neglecting my poor little blog!

This is my entry for NibbleFest - Asian Inspired. It also fits with last week's Illustration Friday which was Legendary. This is a Legendary Entertainer. I was also thinking a lot about Spring, so I made it very Spring like.

It's an ACEO, 2.5x3.5 inches, watercolor.

-SOLD-

Deer Springs Trail

Went on a much needed mini hike today up Deer Springs Trail. You can't walk through a high elevation, sunny hillside without finding some gorgeous manzanita. Just as lovely dead as alive. Beautiful, yet very fire prone.


I can never capture just how very enormous this Live Oak is. You can see Wesley standing at the bottom for scale. It's very difficult to do a tree justice with a camera. Even though it lost a limb probably from the heavy snowfall this Winter, it still takes up an incredible amount of space on the hillside.


Just another view of the famous Tahquitz Rock, also known as Lily Rock. This is a trademark for the area, our own mini Half Dome.


Wesley wanted to see just how far I've been walking lately when I trek out to Inspiration Point. So we took a little drive. Here's another view of Tahquitz Rock, as well as the surrounding area. You can see the rock just to the right of the center of the picture.
Yes, I very lovely day and weekend, and made me a little antsy for the warm months coming soon! Just another day in the life up here a mile high.

Hearts on Fire

When a heart is on fire sparks fly out of the mouth.

Ain't that the truth.

A little bit Dead, a little bit Dia De Los Muertos, and a little hearts on fire.... Acrylic on LP record.

Butterflies - a little tweaked

I wasn't too happy with the colors in my girl with the butterflies painting. Instead of completely revamping it, which I did consider, I thought I'd take the lazy way out and digitally teak it's colors.

It has a slightly silver screen mood to it, which suits this girl better, I think.

What do you think?

It's also listed as a print in my Etsy shop.

The Butterflies

Getting the butterflies can be the most wonderful feeling, and yet also be a bit frightening.

This is a new painting done in acrylic. I've got prints available now in my Etsy shop now.

Here's wishing you The Butterflies for all of your life!