It Does Art

J Dreag paints, draws, shoots people with a Canon

[itdoesart]

The fear of shadows...

During a benign, turned heated, discussion recently, I was told “You’ve always been afraid of your own shadow!”. I replied “And why do you think that is?” The response was “I have no idea”. Dismissive? Maybe. Denial? Likely. Wanting to avoid facing faults? Most certainly. It is true, though. I’ve always been scared and highly sensitive. This conversation was with my mother, whom I have an…

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It's been a while, vol. 693...

I realize I have many, many blog posts with that title. Anyway, here’s a newly finished drawing. I’m working on the title, but it’s pastel, watercolor, and watercolor pencil on hot press watercolor paper.

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Tiny sketch...

I was looking through my old sketchbooks filled with doodles and I found a little watercolor face I did that I decided to make much bigger. So far, it’s all graphite and I’m not sure if I’m going to add color to it at some point. I kind of like it as is, although I’d like to deepen the shadows.

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Revisiting an old painting...

I did this in acrylics several years ago and now that I’ve been playing with pastels, I decided to redo it with pastels to see what would happen. I like it and I’ve enjoyed the process of learning how to use pastels (by learning, I mean doing what I normally do and just winging it). I probably should learn how to properly use them, but they’re doing what I want them to do so I think it’s okay…

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Arm wires and various delusions...

If you’ve been here a while, you know my mental situation isn’t much of a secret. It’s visible throughout my art. So I figured I’d share an ACEO I’m currently working on, combining my 1999-2000 style with a touch of realness. And arm wires. Also, I always sign before I finish something. There’s a reason I’ll explain at another time.

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Time and flies...

I stayed up all the night other night because of pain, so I decided to work on a drawing I started. Below is the outcome (I had posted the beginning of it a few posts ago). Kept the face mostly the same, but changed other things and was inspired by the fly that landed on it.

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Leave it to memory me...

This is something I’m currently working on. It’s close to being done as it’s close to what I see in my head. I’ve discovered through the process that I quite like soft pastels and plan to use more of them in various ways. My mistake with this (one of the many) was not fixing the layers as I did them. Also, my cat, Judah Lorin, apparently really likes the taste of pastels, so it’s yet another…

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A story about how scoliosis saved me…

It’s a gnarly disease that affects the body in terrible ways, but hear me out (or read, rather). I developed it early, around 11 years old, and had to go to Shriner’s Hospital for Crippled Children in Erie, PA for treatment. Erie was massive and fascinating, compared to my hometown/village, which was about 3 hours East of Erie. At the time, my hometown consisted of all white hunters, fisherman,…

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Ain't done shite....

Yes, the title makes me cringe as well. There is some truth to it, though. Today I haven’t done anything (unless being in extreme physical pain and dissociating for a period of time due to a triggering conversation count). Otherwise, no art, no cleaning, nothing. Yesterday, though (Saturday), I finally made it to Blotto off of New Bern Ave in Raleigh. It’s a bar my friend owns and it opened 6ish…

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Some progression...

I’ve been working on this for a couple of days. Graphite on hot press watercolor paper. I’m not yet sure if color will be added, but if I do, it will be my typical style. I’m also debating on whether or not I should leave the white space surrounding the figure or if I should toss my usual type of landscape in there. Ugh, decisions. Either way, the finished piece will be graphite and pastel. I…

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I don't know how much time I got left...

So I’m gonna get real weird with it.A timeline for you to catch everyone up:June 21 – Isla, my cat, was diagnosed with CHF and I developed edema in both feet.June 25 – Isla died. Still had edema.July 2 – I turned 45. Edema started to go down.July 10- My friend Amy died unexpectedly. Edema came back.July 12- I had a birthday party and fundraiser for the animal shelter. Edema was horrible and my…

[itdoesart]

Sometimes I do fun things...

Years ago my Aunt Belle was homeschooling a variety of children and would ask me if I’d be able to make different things for her themes of what she was teaching at the time. She taught a class on the rainforest and preservation, thereof, so I looked up different animals in the rainforest and made them out of heavy bristol, drew them, colored them, cut them out and, because I’m a procrastinator,…

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Try to reach...

I’m unable to sleep, despite having (finally) slept last night. I woke up at 11 a.m. today…or now yesterday I guess and managed 11 hours of sleep after days of none. I think that’s a decent amount. Someday I’ll get sleep and mood sorted and then I’m not sure what will happen. In the meantime, as I sit here at 3:41 a.m., I’ve been sorting through files on my computer of my artwork, trying to…

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Color frustrations...

I believe I’ve already shared this drawing in a previous post, but maybe I didn’t. It’s a graphite drawing of poppies and a lumbar spine. My spine doctor has been so lovely with trying to help me, despite my spine being uncooperative and frustrating for everyone that’s involved with it, so I figured I would draw him something that maybe he’d like. And also something I can make prints of. Here’s…

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Gotta switch shit up...

I don’t think my current WP theme is supported anymore, so I’ll be working on a new template that hopefully will be more visually pleasing than this one. If it isn’t, tell me, and I’ll figure something else out. You’re all lovely. Thank you for putting up with me. XO

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Logos and gravitars galore...

Since 3 this morning I have been working on making JB logos or whatever for his online presence and also setting up that online presence. Soon I shall teach him the ways of social media (in a good way, avoid the bad stuff). I’m exhausted and don’t have much to share except for that. I’m not entirely pleased with the designs I’ve created and I’ve found that the word “Figures” has lost its…

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I want to be there...

I want to come to your house, even though I can’t drive. But I want to be there, lying by your front door. I want you to come out so I can extend my claws to grab your pant leg and hiss at you, with love. I want to rub against your legs after, tail up, and draw blood every time you go to pet me. It’s all smiles on my end and some kind of starvation, desperate starvation, but I’m not exactly sure…