Caya and Lulu

This is another Acrylic painting inspired by my daughter. One night, I started telling stories to Caya about a golden monkey that she found in a magical forest. She named the monkey Lulu. I was surprised when I looked online and saw there was actually a kind of monkey called a golden monkey. Since that night, she now has a stuffed golden monkey she sleeps with -and wants new adventures constantly about herself and her golden monkey.
Caya ended up looking a lot older in this painting. I am not sure why. Maybe because sometimes she does seem a lot older to me than her two and a half years.
My biggest dilemma right now is figuring out how to purchase a new computer that doesn't need to be rebooted two or three time a day... and buying an archival printer so I can start making prints of my artwork. I keep going back and forth between the rational me that says save your money, you are about to have a baby... and the more impetuous me that says spend the money- start making prints... maybe something special will happen....

Caya and the Bunny

I am not exactly sure what this painting is about. I just like drawing rabbits- and love drawing caricatures of my daughter:-) Everything I paint tends to be a bit dark... even when I try to paint something fun for my daughter. I guess you can never really take the goth out of the girl. The painting is acrylic on canvas- 10" x 20". I generally paint in oils, but since I am pregnant I have to use a less toxic material.

all best laid plans...

Okay, So I started this blog so that I could take part in a community making Frida clothes... I got a beautiful sewing machine, started planning my design, and then... my ADHD set in, and of course I forgot about the whole project. I also forgot about this blog.
So what has happened to me in the last few months... well lots. I seemed to have gotten pregnant- I guess that is the biggest news. At 41, it seemed unlikely- but then you just never know what the universe has in store for you. Our family is expecting a little boy on September 30th- just eight days after my daughter's third birthday... and only four days before my 42nd birthday. We are all very excited- and my daughter is already loving the title of "big sister".
What this pregnancy has also done is really put into light the fact that although I am so happy with many aspects of my life- there are lots of things that could be better. One of the biggest things is that I need to make art.
Being a therapist is an amazing job- sometimes. I have worked with adults and children- men and women - and I feel like I am a changed woman for all of the amazing stories that I have been a witness to. But with cuts in programs and a more stressed out work environment - I am feeling more and more disillusioned with this work. I am sure that I will at some point regain the passion that I used to have... but for now, I need a break.
I was telling my husband last Friday how I hated the idea of going back to work on Monday... and then I had an asthma attack... and I broke my rib. I spent the night in the Emergency Room, big pregnant belly sharing the gurney with my daughter as we slept waiting for tests. I got some time off... it wasn't exactly the break I was asking for... but oh well.
This week off of work has been difficult. I am in a lot of pain and using lots of pain medicine that the doctors assured me are safe. But I have been driven to make art. I finished two paintings this week- and I am evaluating how I can make art a larger part of my life...
so... I decided that will be the new emphasis for this blog.