I was given a commission.
Only parameters: Bold Colors.
So, I thought and pondered and  worried. I came up with several ideas but none seemed to be right. 
I was visiting a friend, who had a lush mj plant put back. I inquired as to the strain... SpaceDog was the answer.
Inspiration Lightning struck! My friend is crazy for the weed, and has a wee dog he loves. 
Space Dog was painted, in bold colors of course,  completed in 3 days and sent off .
And I was so happy with the result that I am doing a series.

Watercolor pencils. Created by my 3 kids back in the 1990s...yikes.

Drawings my kids did wwaaayyyy back in the day.
I taught an after school art class at an elementary school. 
My own 3 had to attend.
​These are done in oil pastel.

WHAT IT TAKES....FOR ME. to get artwork framed and on the wall.
I have collected wooden frames for a couple decades. I have boxes of them!
*I have the art I want to frame, in this case SIX small pieces that I have saved for 25 years! Sheesh.
*I select the right size frames for the art.
*Remove the thrift store art.
*Wash the glass.
*Clean the frame, then spray it the color I want-wait for it to dry, inspect and re-spray if necessary.
*Cut mat board backing  to proper size.
I used to mat all my work but have eliminated that step. I just frame the art by itself now.
*Glass/Art/Backing
*Secure into frame- I use  cable staples.
*Measure for hanging wire- place two "Eye" screws- loop through wire.
*Hang.

I am SUCH a procrastinator (see the part about taking 25 years to get this done) so if I'm gonna do it,
I REALLY need to start and finish within a couple days.

I have posted some Creative Cartography before but I haven't described the process. One of the things I like so much about this art form is the process itself.
*Find the map... has to be a good paper, not slick.
*Find the picture within.
*Slowly develop the image.
​This one I call Snow Ape and it won second place ribbon in Keizer Arts Fin, Fur, Feathers show.

Back in the day.... Salem had this great coffeeshop right downtown called The CoffeeHouse Cafe.
It had a large backroom - all cleaned up after Jonathan aka Violette - cleaned it up. They did an incredible job making it a useable space for all manner of events. 
I started something called the Anti-Cute Bizarre Bazaar, and then Autumn came on board and made it better!
Well we're bringing that back!
One night only.
November 22, 2019 6:00pm to 10:00 pm at................ The Space!
Why not at Coffeehouse Cafe? Well, as aforementioned..."back in the day" CHC is gone now.
(go right ahead and mentally insert a sad face here)
But The Space said... "Sure! Let's do it! Great idea!"
If you're not sure who/what/where The Space is...
A West Salem, Oregon Vegan restaurant and Music Venue.
It's kinda awesome.
​

ok so I've been trying to come up with alternative ideas and choices, making different decisions, trying (and the key word there is "TRYING")  to create a revenue stream.

lllooooonnnggg story shortened:

BEFORE (years ago)
*had a part-time job
*had a studio 
*gave classes
*had an etsy store
*did lots of summer and holiday bazaars

LATER to NOW
*retired from part-time job and started watching grand-kids full-time
*couldn't afford studio
*only give an occassional class now and again - even those are often cancelled due to lack of interest?
*stopped selling on Etsy when they switched to allow all manners of sellers
instead of just  handmade goods by small entrepreneurs
*stopped doing bazaars and markets- all that lifting (tables, boxes of product, displays, etc.) was starting to get to me 

SOON (the different decisions part)
​*possibly look for another part-time job
*hope to get this website "out there" 
SO THAT I CAN (see below)
*give on-line classes
*sell my tee shirts
*sell product - necklaces and such
*get my art shipping

In other words- 
While I have great difficulty with these dang Ones and Zeroes....
I have Grey Girl Graphics with the Admirable and Esteemed Autumn Steam to help me with these damn struggles.

The Ones and The Zeroes.
When wrapped inside the case... The Phone, The Laptop, The Computer, The TV/DVD/Soundbar one is trying to set up...
Any of it. All of it. Confuses the hell out of me.
I remember being in 9th grade...15 yrs. old I think...hadn't done all that well in Mathematics but then I had to take Algebra.
I came in after school to work with the teacher a couple times a week. It confused me SO much!
They gave me a "passing" D for at least attempting to process the information to understand numbers and letters combined....x=some number that you have to figure out by first figuring out what y =...... I didn't understand it. AT ALL!
(I can tell you what WTF stands for though!!!)
And that's where I am with this website.

I am Unable to Complete Endeavors Needed for My Personal Representational Interpretations in Both the Visual and Words
Categories on Random Ramblings. (or any other section of Elsewise Art)

Outline first...

Fill in a bit with colored pencils...

More pencil. More colors.
​Then we smooth it out with some Gamsol.

More Layers. More Gamsol.
​Gamsol gives it a painterly opaque look.

Background color...darkened corners and edges.
​Add some white highlights.

Done.

How does it go...?
Fall down 7 times...Get up 8.
Yea.
That's me.
Often.
Encore.
Repeat.
Alla time.
Over and Over.
Again and Again.
Yep.
Soooo.....
Here we go again.
Gonna give myself a "Due Date".
Once a week....
Let's start the Try with Mondays.
SOMEthing. ANYthing. BLOG.
Then...when I'm in the habit...
​I can actually give the blogs some depth with pictures and wise words and all the things and stuff and such.

What do YOU do when you feel completely unmotivated?
I really am asking that question.
I realize very very few people read this... and even less than when I started because I fail to post anything new.
But that is my point.
I was stagnant.
Running in place.
Not MOVING.
Not Motivated.
For sosososo long.
I have been uninspired to create new work.
I am unable to gather energy to really DO anything.
​
When I worked with Grey Girl Graphics to get Elsewise going I was motivated by her energy,
but I don't seem to have any of my own.
So I really am asking anyone who wants to post in comments:
What do YOU do to get yourself motivated?

It is actually quite a juggling act- something with which I'm sure a great many of you are familiar---
I am really really really REALLY trying to manage my time better.
As in, MAKE TIME FOR ART!!
I have this awful habit of not being able to say "no" and so I take on far more than I can fit into a day.
One of these days- no I really really really mean it- one of these days I'll learn to say "no" and I won't 
feel guilty.
Really.
It's gonna happen.
​I mean it.