Hey folks! How’s your Sunday going? I’ve been kinda obsessed with Weezer lately. They dropped a surprise record Weezer: Teal Album, last week. It’s a covers record which features classics like “Paranoid” originally by Black Sabbath, “Billie Jean,” “No Scrubs, by TLC and “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).” Oh, and of course, “Africa,” originally by Toto. Weezer is one of my favorite bands, and pretty much anything they perform, I love. River Cuomo and company – drummer Patrick Wilson, bassist Matt Sharp and guitarist Jason Cropper – are preparing to release their 13th album, The Black Album, on March 1st, and will feature all new material. Yay! The band is performing at Coachella in April. I’m not going, but I”m sure it’ll be pretty rockin’.
So the artwork above was a departure and inspired by lead vocalist and guitarist, River Cuomo. Okay, so it’s the first male sketch I’ve ever drawn and is certainly not perfection. Maybe it looks like him, maybe it doesn’t…But, you gotta start somewhere…I never know where the creative process will go. It’s a little frustrating not yet having the skill to draw exactly what I’ve envisioned, but I shall keep practicing. Still working on developing my own style, which is mostly whimsical art and females. Anyway, give Weezer’s Teal Album a listen. It’s just way too fun.
Cheers!
It’s been awhile since my last post. I’ve spent less time in my art journal due to the busyness of the year. I can hardly believe that another Christmas is rolling in. My daughter is home from break, which is always wonderful, and like many of you, I’m going to try to get through the work week, despite a lack of focus getting stronger as the end of the year approaches. Luckily, I have the whole week off for Christmas. Thrilling!
So, my art blog is precisely six months old! It’s been a delight to create and to evolve. I’m still madly practicing my art skills – I guess you never ever stop practicing. I’m a late bloomer and have never taken any formal art classes. Nothing ever quite turns out the way I would like it to, but I do see how my work has progressed over the last six months. I feel that everything looks better in my sketchbook than in a photo! This latest is just a whimsical work in lieu of the winter/holiday season, although it’s hardly snowing in Southern California!
I was working on a sketch of my first mother earlier in the month and finally painted it. It was referenced from a black and white photo given to me by my sisters in Taiwan. I’m guessing ma was in her forties or fifties when the photo was taken. My sisters told me that I look very much like ma in her younger years. There are no photos of ma in her youth, as they were all destroyed. She also loved classical music, reading, and learning new things. We have that in common. My sisters and brother are also artistic – my second sister is a web designer, my elder sister draws beautifully and my brother is a photographer. I’m a late bloomer as an artist. I’ve never had formal training, and I am still not great at drawing eyes, shading and using paint, at least not in the way I’d like to be. In any case, I appreciate the art of practice and enjoy the creative process. I actually like the sketch better than the painted version. What I love about art is that it allows you to express without words. To this day, I’m not the best communicator. Perhaps that’s why I loved my dog so much – unconditional positive regard and love 24/7, without having to say a whole lot.
