Any bulls around?

After selling our big ranch house last summer and keeping the working land for the cattle, we have decided that we need a smll place to stay for the weekend so now we are slowly building what will be a one story small house. This will mean going out to the ranch every weekend for me again. It will also give me a chance to do some charcoal and pastel plein air that I am very much looking forward to.

I am working on the grisaille part of my painting now and as soon as I have it looking like a graphite drawing and ready to start applying color to it, I will post it.

In the meantime I just had to post the pictures of our 7 month grandaughter Sofìa. She definately inherited the ranching genes from her grandfather.

Tagged

Our recent trip to Sonora to see our son and family.

TAGGED

I'm not even sure what this is all about but I have been tagged by Judith Nijholt-Strong, my co-moderator at Wet Canvas. Her blog is really a joy to visit as her creative way of writing through her cats, is most enjoyable. She is also and incredible artist, potter, and wonderful person to moderate a forum with, even if she did tag me.

I have been informed by Judy that I have to tell you seven things that you may not know about me. The thing is, my memory won't help me remember what I have said around the forums and blogs and I have probably said too much, so I will give it a try.

1. I used to get up every morning at 5:20 to jog in the park and listen to the crackling of the trees while the birds awoke. Now it is not safe so I do Pilates.

2. My favorite perfume is Escada.

3. I'd give anything to hug a horse but they don't like me.

4. My husband and I were once checking out our well at the ranch and the ground underneath my husband collapsed, he landed on a branch of a huge root with his back to the side of the constructed part of the well and was able to push himself back up with just his heals and back. I could not reach for him because the earth between us had caved in.

5. My mother was forty when I was born.

6. I don't know where I really belong. I have equal amounts of French, Spanish, German and English blood, I live in Mexico and was born in the US.

7.When I was about 17 I saw this incredible good looking guy cross the street one day in this city, and was followed by him everyday for one month before he said a word to me. He has been my husband for 41 years.

Well now I believe I have to Tag some people but I'm afraid I can only Tag four and be sure they will forgive me if they don't want to play.

Robin Neudorfer- and incredible versatile artist and friend that excells and any art she tries.

Judi Lynch- our Moderator in the Drawing and Sketching forum at Wet Canvas, one of the first real friends I have had here and a superb graphite artist.

Billie Craine- my dear Billie, so much fun to chat with and a superb Pastelist and Watercolor artist.

Pilan - a great Plein Air artist and valuable friend with a huge heart who has been a little under the weather but this might perk her up a little and hope she has time to play. She recently came all the way to San Luis to meet me.

Deliverance

Today is Mother's Day in Mexico and I can't think of a better time to post this. I think it is finished now.

Those of you that are mothers and grandmothers know of the joy of holding a newborn baby in your arms. There is nothing you protect more and as you love and caress this child you can hardly wait for the baby to smile, sit, talk and walk. While you enjoy these stages you don't realize how fast time goes by and one day you wake to find out that your little girl has turned into to a gorgeous beautiful woman at age 14. Where did my little girl go?

I wanted to express in this drawing where I find myself now in relation to my grandughters and how I vision them at this moment, and at the same time remind myself how important it is to savor every moment of childhood in them, because before you know it, they are all grown up.

In this drawing, Sofìa 6 months would be the peach with the protective tissue paper symbolizing infancy, protection and the joy of being swadelled. Ana Paula 12, is partially veiled but anticipating all that involves being free in the sense to make her own choices and discove the exciting age of adolescence. Daniela 14, has bloomed into a beautiful young lady, ready to live exciting moments but also vulnerable to so many emotions that will be coming her way.

The rebozo in the background is a symbol of their cradle in a figurative sense, and the wicker platter symbolizes the light and sturdy nature of the support given to them by their loved ones.

Kahlil Gibran in this quote sums up a little of the feelings that I have experienced with this drawing.

Your children are not your children.They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.They come through you but not from you.And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.You may give them your love but not your thoughts.For they have their own thoughts.You may house their bodies but not their souls,For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you,For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,and He bends you with His might that His arrows might go swift and far.Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;For even as He loves the arrow that flies,so He loves also the bow that is stable.

-Kahlil Gibran

Charcoal on Rives 26X17 inches

Pear Study

Charcoal on Rives 6.5X10

The day has finally come when I have heard the words from Michael about starting my first oil painting in the Mentor Program. It will be my Peaches piece that only has a couple of details to solve before I post it here and I am also trying to think of a title. This process has brought so much joy to me because after the first piece, the ideas and work technique have become a real pleasure.

Day before yesterday I decided to do a small quick study with charcoal on Rives and to my surprise I was quite content with it at the end. It still needs refining also but I will post it before I finish refining my Peaches piece. BTW, I still have a lot to learn about pastel but as an early birthday present I have asked to be able to take part in Michael Newberry's 3 day pastel workshop in New York.