My New Year's Resolutions..

1) Honor my family with love and respect and time...do it daily
2) Advocate for a peaceful world for all
3) See something new and tell about it
4) Practice better health...starting with lowering blood pressure and better dietary habits
5) Reuse, Recycle and Repurpose, all the time
6) Spend quality time with good friends regularly
7) Do more art and design
8) Practice a random act of kindness at least daily
9) Maintain high teaching standards...stive to learn and improve daily
10) Keep my faithful companions (Jessie and Georgia) warm, well fed and comfortable..all the days of their lives

Much to be thankful for...
1) Great health, prosperity, peace and love for my family
2) Great friends
3) Great art and design
4) Great career that I enjoy and love going to each day
5) Great companions in Jessie and Georgia...never lonesome with these two gals to greet me when I come home from a long day at work or play

And on a lighter note...

A poster design completed in Adobe Illustrator CS6. This is a 'call to printmakers' for a print exchange coming up in April. The theme of the print is Round and Round. 

End of the World...

An illustration completed in Adobe Photoshop CS6 for cover of the Bay Window. This month's feature article focuses on the 'end of the world' predictions. Mayan calendars stop sometime in December and hence the concern that we are all done then.

It was a fun assignment as I haven't worked in Photoshop for  quite awhile!

Already October...

In a calendar year... in my life. Strolling past windows, mirrors, shiny doorknobs, a reflection, a glimpse of  someone unrecognizable...older, gray, lumpy, with a quick step...appears. Who in the world?

I love Autumn...even the word is comfortable. Auuuutuuummmnnn....like a delicious dessert, a cozy fire, gorgeous colors, cinnamon and sass, that's this time of year. And my time of life? Playing on the internet (Facebook specifically) led me to a site offering a mosaic of images created with images of your personal choosing. Hmmm...sounded easy...and it was.

mosaic by Nancy Slater

The resulting collage seemed like a snapshot in the autumn of my life...kids, grandkids, students, dogs, other careers and friends. And it was created in a minute...just like my life. Looking at it fills me with a sense of joy and intrigue as I move into yet another season of life.

Some work...

Fine Art WebSite

I've happened upon a new (to me) website this summer, while meandering through the internet. It's Fine Art America and gives all artists and designers a venue to show and sell their work online...inexpensively and easily.

Although many artists and designers have their own website, this site seems to be a community that allows us to connect, look at what's going on in the art world around us, buy some if we are interested in it, as well as offer up some of our own work for sale.

As a first time user, the process was nearly painless. It's easy to upload, price and market your work (can connect to Facebook with a click.)

So...take a look at this at the site...whether you're a photographer, fine artist or something in between, this may give you a gallery online and another chance for the world to see your work :)

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nancy-slater.html

Let me know what you think!

Sketching...a combination of meditation and pure joy

Working on sketchbook...having a great time drawing...forgot how much fun it is...how relaxing...and how gratifying.

What is it about drawing with graphite that is so satisfying to me? The resulting art isn't necessarily terrific, the subject matter is normally mundane, but there is something about sketching that IS great. In the last couple of weeks (with my pencil) I've discussed my political beliefs, studied those great little lizards that occupy every corner of my yard, looked very closely at a bottle of beer I was drinking and drawing, did a study of a flower in a painting, made up a cup pattern, studied and drew a tea bag with intensity...and the list goes on. So to remind myself of the reasons to draw when I get busy with life and don't...here goes:

For those of you who draw or sketch, you'll understand this...first, when drawing and listening to music, tv, etc., it seems to forever link my drawing with that particular activity, show, music or occurrence. I love to look back at sketches and sketchbooks and remember.

Secondly, it's way that I can do art and continually revise (with the eraser) parts of the art that I don't like. It's like looking at life in black and white...what you like, you keep...what you don't, you get rid of with no ill effects. Simple. Especially gratifying when I wish my life was simpler...but isn't.

Thirdly, less toxic, less messy, more portable than a lot of other mediums...you can travel lightly and use the tools in good health.

And finally, while you can draw with the computer and get great results as well...drawing with a pencil in your hand is an unbeatable high. And...the more you do it, the more you love it, the better you get at it. Try it! You'll love it!