Great times have been had

I have been so busy these last few months. I have learned so much in both Photoshop and in my mixed media ventures.

I have been participating in a live feed class on Photoshop with a group called CreativeTech. They have some wonderful classes that are free for the watching. If someone wants to watch them at their own convenience, and receive some files that help expand the knowledge, one can buy the programs at a pretty reasonable rate. I am 2 weeks from completing a 6 month course. Give them a look at creativetech.com.

During January I took an online class from DJ Pettitt. It was called Memories and Manipulations. This was a course on Photoshop but from an artistic angle. I learned how to create brushes and to use the opacity and filters and joining layers, and so much more. I still have to go back and finish up.


This is one of the exercises that we did in class.

I also attended a retreat in Los Gatos. I will report on that in the next post.

Synergy

A brand new year. A brand new time. I am feeling uplifted and hopeful for the future.

I was sitting, watching the Rose Parade, looking at the latest postings on blogs that I feel inspired by when one kind of hit me between the eyes. It was from Nina Bagley of the blog Ornamental. She was talking about the forest and individual trees. I will let you read her to get her meaning but it gave me some symbolism that I needed.

I keep getting stuck in my art. I love mixed media or at least the concept because I love doing many types of art. I have all these pieces of things done (think tree) but I have not been able to compile them into some wonderful things (think forest). I don't want to just tack them together I need them to be coherent.

So here comes my word for 2010.
"SYNERGY"
That is where the total is greater than the sum of the parts. This is what I am hoping for this year.

I do not do resolutions anymore. It makes me angry at myself when I do not succeed, however I am continuing to work on my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days. I need to go back and review it again to stay on track.

On a really fun note my DH gave me an online class with DJ Petitt. It is on using Photoshop with an artistic flair. I am so excited. I love DJ's work and I have so many photos that I want to work with. People can sign up until Jan 4.

I also am starting an additional blog to post photographs. I am going to take at least a photo a day this next year (thank you Jane Dunnewold). I will post them each week. I am hoping some of my friend at Mixed Media Mavens will join me. We will see if they decide to play.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Thank you Kathy

A while ago I won a drawing given by the talented Kathy Botsford. Just before Christmas I received my package and I just have to share a picture of the wonderful loot that I received. A beautiful necklace. I love the medallion and the clasp is to die for. The note cards are also wonderful so full of depth. Thank you Kathy.

More zoo pics

Here's a few more zoo pics from my excursion this week.

Zoo time with friends

Within the city there is no place like the zoo for taking photos. Four of us girlfriends went yesterday. It was so much fun. Took over 700 pics, here are a few.
More tomorrow.

Sketching

I'm trying to learn to sketch. I have no formal training but a friend came by and helped me begin. Thanks Linda.

This is my second sketch.