The kit includes: A high quality signed archival print with a certificate of authenticity, a GST tarot deck signed on both the box cover and the little white book or "LWB", a signed "extra" card, and a custom original colored pencil drawing using a keyword of your choice. Everything is wrapped with loving care to assure safe delivery.

I’m offering a Ghosts & Spirits Tarot limited edition kit numbered 25. As of this writing, nearly 10 orders have been placed by individuals from as far away as Thailand. I’m always excited to put packages of my art creations together for people. For the custom colored-pencil drawings, the keywords so far have included: raven, enchantment, cat, Rainbow Bridge, dreamer and reincarnation. I don’t pre-plan these pieces, but allow the automatic function of my subconscious to deliver the image or mental “impression” onto the page. The results are undiluted energies that reflect the unfettered creative spirit. I love making art and hope the recipients will connect with these snippets of vivacity.

"Enchantment", "Rainbow Bridge" and "Raven". These "impressions" were rendered using colored-pencil on cold-press watercolor paper.

The print is of excellent quality and perfectly captures the richness of the original paintings. I’m quite pleased with the quality of the paper and inks and thank Kort (hubby and assistant) for designing the layout of the images. Also, the Ghosts & Spirits Tarot deck feels nice and sturdy in the hand. I’m happy with the results and hope you will be too! If you would like to order a limited edition Ghosts & Spirits Tarot kit, visit Lisa’s Ghosts & Spirits Tarot page for availability and ordering information. Please be sure to include a keyword for the “Impressions” drawing.

***

Meanwhile, I finally finished the Grouse-Shapeshifter watercolor painting. I posted the initial sketch back in December, but allowed this piece to rest until I felt compelled to tackle the rather challenging subject matter. After spying the finished drawing from the corner of my studio, feelings of guilt started penetrating my internal muse. I couldn’t ignore the grouse any longer. I picked up the art board, placed it in on my art table and got immediately hooked. Once I started painting, that was it. I lost myself to the drumbeat of the intriguing forest dweller and felt myself yearning to bring it to vivid life.

It took a long time to capture depth and detail. I don’t know if it was the watercolor paper’s sizing (or if it was because I let the stretched paper sit around for months), but the surface kept sucking in the pigment as if the forest was thirsty. This made color application somewhat tedius, but the end result was a richness and warmth that really helped elevate the image’s luminosity.

sequence of painting-in-progress

Part of being a watercolorist is learning how to work with the unpredictable. For me, this is partially what makes the medium exciting! There is no erase or undo button, there is no opaque savior and there are no do-overs. You either get the medium to work with you or you don’t. I find it has a rather anthropomorphic quality to it—and feel that going-with-the-flow is the most effective relationship you can establish with these wonderful paints. In my humble opinion, if you don’t feel challenged or a wee bit on edge when using watercolors, you’re probably doing something wrong.

In other Hunt-Kramerville news:

May has been an exciting time for the kids: Kyra accepted her ‘Reflections’ art award with her other school-mates as our local Congressman Ted Deutch stood by. For those of you who have been following Hunt-Kramerville news, Kyra spent hours upon hours, days, weeks working on her “Sunset Sea” entry. We were so proud that she placed 2nd in her age group. Yeay Kyra!

Kyra and the other winners being recognized for their work. BTW, Kyra insisted on wearing a purple tu-tu to the event. Who am I to argue with an aspiring artist's wardrobe choice?

And here’s Kyra playing for the Spring piano recital at Lynn Preparatory. It’s the first time she admitted to having butterflies in her stomach before going on stage. The boy behind her cried his eyes out before entering the auditorium. I believe going on stage is a frightening prospect for most people and our usually confident 7 year old was no exception. I’m impressed with anyone who can perform in front of a live audience. Fortunately, once on stage, Kyra handled herself with complete composure, even when her music sheet flew off the piano. Watch the video to see her flawless catch. The “technical difficulties” are definitely grooming her for future performances.

Last but not least:

Connor, the more solitary artist (like his Mom).

I think this is kind of a cute piece, despite the typo.

~ Lisa 

You can order Ghosts and Spirits Tarot at the USG website under "New Releases"

Ghosts & Spirits Tarot is now available for purchase! I would love to hear what you think about my latest tarot creation and am looking forward to receiving your comments and feedback along the way. Thank you everyone who has watched this project grow and flourish over the years.

In other Hunt-Kramerville news:

Connor has been dazzling the neighborhood with his driveway chalk art. Our UPS man stopped dead in his tracks and gazed at the drawing of the spaceship—I thought something was wrong, but then he gushed about how AWESOME the drawing was. It was the first time I had ever seen that delivery man truly smile from ear to ear. Did my 11 year old’s art trigger some wonderful childhood memory for him? Or did the unexpected of seeing a rendered rocket on just-another-driveway break his hurried routine across miles of tarmac? Art has a way of inspiring people in surprising ways. If anyone questions the purpose of art—look no further. Connor’s drawing certainly proves that a drawing of a spaceship can create momentary sacred space and happy smiles!

Connor creating chalk art on the driveway

My 7 year old daughter Kyra has been busy working on her “Animals Talk Back” project for school. Gifted Education has proven to be quite demanding when it comes to the big assignments like this, so time management is essential (good training for freelancing and deadlines). She had the option of creating either a mask or paper-mache sculpture, along with requisite research and “interview”. Kyra decided to build an elephant! I have to admit I was intimidated by her ambtious ideas, but willingly prepared the supplies and let her go to town. I am not a sculptor and was unable to offer any valid advice, so I was relegated to clean-up gopherness as such artistic endeavors are obviously messy!

Kyra building her elephant using styrofoam, wire mesh, paper-mache, toothpicks and glue. After drying for 5 days, she spent many meticulous hours painting "Pooky", as she affectionately named it, using various shades of purple and gray. She was determined that "Pooky" have a purple cast. Note: Yes, that is "Spock" in the background.

"Kippers" wanted to claim the finished masterpiece for his cage. He has impeccable taste.

Art is life! Treat everything you do as if it’s a new adventure.

~Lisa

Finished drawing of Hawk-Shapeshifter - graphite on watercolor paper.

Vancouver-based author and bird expert, Lesley Morrison: "Learning to respond to your inner visions in the physical world is likewise something you will develop as you grow in hawk/falcon vision, as well as your ability to trust in that which you see."

Hawk-Shapeshifter is another piece that evolved rather spontaneously on the page. I began by drawing the head, using my friend Lesley Morrison as inspiration. Lesley expressed interest in being portrayed as hawk and the more I progressed through the drawing, the more I can see why it’s a good match for this bright, young woman. As I drew (in radiating motions from the face outward), it became apparent that this piece would encompass vistas and layers of landscapes—internal and external. I wanted to capture a sense of adventure, hope, creative thinking and optimism by merging feather, flight and inspiring glimpses through a daydreaming lens. To me, these are fundamental components for writers, artists, musicians and anyone who chooses a creative path.

“Hawk is considered a visionary in many cultural traditions, and is often a totem of those who have bold and original ideas. Those with a hawk totem have sharp minds and keen intellects, and are able to detect the slightest movement of energy around them. Many hawk totem people have acute psychic abilities, and have mastered their inner vision by trusting what they see. Part of the visionary power of the hawk totem is using its power to help the world in some creative way”~Lesley Morrison from her book: The Healing Wisdom of Birds: An Everyday Guide to Their Spiritual Songs & Symbolism (I highly recommend this book!).

Are you a hawk totem person? Are you helping the world in some creative way? Are you learning to let go and trust what you see?

In other Hunt-Kramerville news.

We have given our house a name! For those of you who have ever visited my home or who have glimpsed pictures of “cozy corners”, our home is our fairy tale sanctuary.

Here we believe that creativity is essential for an inspiring life.

We all love toys including Timmy. We encourage imaginative play and enjoy watching kids and cat engage their storytelling senses.

Art follows all of us everywhere, even out on the driveway.

Who need video games and expensive gadgets when you can just give 'em chalk!

Here's Connor drawing one of his amorphous characters.

Some of the kids' chalk drawings

Meanwhile, us parents sit on the sidelines and watch the chalk show!

And what does Connor do to relax and recharge his batteries? Well, draw of course. I truly believe my preteen processes his anxieties through this creative outlet. Anyone who knows Connor says he’s a “great kid” though some might think otherwise if they judged him by his “scary” drawings!

This is Connor's latest artistic direction. He calls this one "Combobulator".

And here’s Kyra with her latest school project. She was required to choose a famous woman in History and decorate a can in the woman’s likeness. Kyra went “overboard” and created an entire scene including a panoramic landscape painting inspired by the art and writings of Beatrix Potter. Kyra had read the entire Beatrix Potter “Little Books” collection in addition to her requisite biographical research.

Kyra's love for Beatrix Potter shined through her creative efforts.

Art is life! Treat everything you do as if it’s a new adventure.

~ Lisa

Kyra gardening in our yard

Yes, Florida has seasons though the one’s I experience here in South Florida are subtle and less dramatic than other corners of the world. But having been a resident of the subtropics for a good portion of my adult life, I am familiar with the harbingers that signal new cycles. As April approaches, mango trees begin to bud, tomato plants flower, the days are getting longer and warmer, and snowbirds (both animal and human) begin to migrate North. The days of open-window freshness will soon shut with the arrival of the hot, humid, rainy season–a period I call Florida hibernation and long days in the studio. I love all the seasons and feel every month has its special charm and sources of inspiration. Oftentimes my artwork will reflect how I feel about the natural world and how it mirrors our own cyclical tendencies.

Finished Robin-Shapeshifter watercolor painting

Robin-Shapeshifter signifies the “dawning of the new, resurrection, and birth”. It is a hopeful piece serving as a reminder that nothing ever really ends but merely changes form.

Bluejay-Shapeshifter watercolor-in-progress. What a fun painting to work on! The finished painting should be posted at the end of March.

With the changing seasons, I’m also working on giving my entire Lisa Hunt Art website (with the help of webmaster Kort) an overhaul with simplicity and clarity being my main objective. If anyone has any suggestions/ideas about what she/he would like to see on my new site, please leave a comment. It would be greatly appreciated. I think a good rule of thumb is to renew a website every 2 years or so, reflecting changing styles and technology. Over time, what I have now has become obsolete and woefully disorganized.

I’ve also finished up over 50 Spirit Drawings. What an inspiring adventure it has been! Check out my growing gallery of drawings commissioned by people from all over the globe. Thank you to everyone who purchased a one-of-a-kind drawing from me. Keep an eye out for a future offer as the Ghosts and Spirits Tarot release draws near. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter if you haven’t already.

Spirit Drawings ready to be shipped out.

Speaking of which, my 3-part interview for US Games is now live. If you leave a comment, you will automatically be entered into a drawing. The winner will be announced at the end of the month. For best viewing results be sure to use Firefox as your browser when reading the USG interview otherwise the images will look like film negatives.

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In Other Hunt-Kramerville News:

Kids, cats and books: sharing in the joy of reading. This is the one room where the kids are quiet for long periods of time. When books and toys ARE the clutter, that's okay by me.

Life as art…

When feelings get hurt, what better way to help patch things up than giving a little art? This made Kyra's friend Emme very happy. Now they're back to being BFF. Good job, Kyra. Too bad you can't see the long ponytails here. They are really cute.

Kyra and I taken on March 11, 2012

Wishing everyone wonderful thoughts of Spring!

~Lisa

Watercolor painting-in-progress: Robin-Shapeshifter

No, none of us were instant rock stars. Our success is an ongoing journey where evidence of our wayfaring hopefully runs deep into the roots of lasting impressions. The successful people I most admire are those that keep on trekking without looking over their shoulder; those who elevate others in the process and who see “competition” as inspiration rather than a source of contention or an aberration. I’ve always thought and said, (especially while I was a teacher) “Be who YOU are and don’t worry about what you think you have to be!”. Make your own mark and people will notice by default.

Lisa in the early 1990's

Lauren Mills, award winning author/illustrator of children’s books, sculptor, painter, and instructor

Jeffrey Zurawin, A.P., D.O.M, Acupuncture Physician and Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Owner, Lifegate Acupuncture

Tara Larsen Chang, Children’s book illustrator,  Event Organizer for TLC Workshops/Professional Art Series

Gary Lippincott, Gary A. Lippincott, Artist & Illustrator specializing in fantasy and historical Illustration and children’s books

Joanna Powell Colbert, Artist ~ Writer ~ Teacher

"Stroll into a Fairy Tale" by Kort Kramer

Sell sheet for Ghosts and Spirits Tarot. To be published in April 2012

Connor created a cool 3-D Animal Cell Project for Science class. It was a good review for us rusty-brained parents too. I almost forgot what Mitochondria was! Thanks Connor.

Kyra did a timeline report on one of her favorite Jazz singers, Billie Holiday. I highly recommend you search "Fine and Mellow" on YouTube to get a taste of live Cool Blues/Jazz of the 1950s at its finest.

She was also chosen "Super Star Student" and was allowed to take home the class mascot "Coconut" home for the weekend. Part of her selection required that she/we create a poster of her achievements and snapshots from her life and family. Coconut approved.

~ Lisa

In the case of Magpie-Shapeshifter, I spent my days (mostly while kids were in school) slowly formulating color patterns as I saw them in my mind. I never know exactly where a painting is going to take me. In the case of Magpie-Shapeshifter, the only thing I was conscious of was my desire to achieve a sense of dancing birds, dappled lighting and a forest full of animistic energy. I documented the progression of this painting by making daily scans of my work.

The first few days of painting focused on establishing a value pattern

After the first day of painting, I decided to change the position of the Magpie-Shapeshifter’s bird eye. It didn’t make sense to use a side view of a bird on a front view of the shapeshifter’s face. You can decipher this change on Day Two.  The bird’s eye shape takes on a more elliptical form. The shapeshifter’s face was inspired by a Facebook friend who kindly sent me a lovely photo of herself to use as inspiration. Thank you Cesca!

Cesca's eyes are striking and served as a wonderful source of inspiration.

Days three and four included lots of dry brushing (more paint, less water) in the foreground and a slow buildup of warm yellow/greens in the background.  I loved working on all aspects of this painting. I would bounce between painting rocks in the foreground and creating dappled lighting on the trees. If you look closely, you might discern a face or two in the tree bark.

I love to achieve a sense of elemental integration in my paintings—the approach has Jungian overtones with its metaphorical ties to the psyche. The roots, the water, the trees, the sky and of course the birds–all can be seen as symbols of the mind and thought processes.

Here’s the latest scan. I may work on the foreground rocks a wee bit more, but overall I’m satisfied with the results.

Just about finished--maybe a few more touches of dry brush and it's done!

In other art news:

As many of you know, another facet of my creative journey has entailed creating special “Spirit Drawings” for fans and friends around the world. Here’s an updated gallery showcasing the many visions brought to fruition with the help of my creative customers’ keywords. It has been a wonderful way to connect with fans of my artwork in a personal way. Thank you to everyone who has participated in this fantastic creative process!

Here's a recent set of wrapped Spirit Drawings.

Spirit Drawings

If you would like to be a part of this gallery, I’m still taking orders. My goal is to complete 50 drawings before the release of my Ghosts & Spirits Tarot deck in April. Yes, it looks like April is the month we’ll finally get to hold this long-awaited deck in our hands!

In other Hunt-Krameville news:

Hubby turned 41! Kyra and I saw to it that he had homemade goodies for his big day. I made the homemade pizza and Kyra decorated the requested carrot cake and cream cheese frosting.

Kyra, the triumphant cake decorator.

There I am working the pizza dough. I have a long way to go before I master the technique!

Life is art. Treat everything you do as if it’s a new adventure!

~Lisa

January is turning into a “studio hermit” month as drawing and painting have slowly supplanted the hullaballoo of the holidays. The Swallow-Shapeshifter painting-in-progress had been on the board for a while due to other pressing commitments. But the “break” allowed its after-image-glow to seer into the depths of consciousness and materialize into a more thoughtful, well-executed image. I like this piece as it encompasses everything I love about doing art. It’s always hard to explain exactly what the creative drive is all about, but in the barest of explications, I think it’s a transverse humming of the soul; an intersection of energy that coalesces into something penetrable and emotive.

Finished pencil drawing and initial watercolor washes.

Washes are followed by the drybrushing of details.

The finished Swallow-Shapeshifter watercolor painting

In other Hunt-Kramerville news:

A creative life is anything but a pristine one, as many of my author, artist and musician friends would concur. As much as I would love to maintain command of my surrounds, I often have to make choices that exclude household fastidiousness. I probably take the “A clean house is a sign of a wasted life” too much to heart. Given how jam-packed my days are, negotiating studio time and/or practicing piano or well, just being mom; dusting and other mundane labors are allowed to languish on the backlog of to-dos.

The happy corner of the kitchen and the magical realm that is Kyra's bedroom.

My mother-in-law, who has the “perfect” home,  passes on her House and Garden-style magazines to me—often somewhat butchered by her gregarious scissor hands, but with enough intact to provide me with sensual escapism. I don’t really read these periodicals, but I will leaf through dreamy pages of idyllic perfection as I proceed to fantasize about my own interior decorating choices. But more times than not, rather than being dazzled by overall layouts, I will hone in on nooks and crannies and the details that give personalized expression to one’s domicile. In between piles of chaos, I nurture cozy corners in my home; little pockets of pleasure that tell stories about the inhabitants and offer temporary reprieve from the debris of a life well lived.

The corner of my bedroom, a space of quietude and good fairy tale reads. On the shelf I have a book entitled "Colors" that friend/fan Lloyd Goatee had made for me. You can also see my dear friend Kris Waldherr's portrait of Isis and a gorgeous Waterhouse poster that she had sent to me. The teddy bear is one of my oldest possessions circa 1970--full of patches and holes from a lifetime of adoration. Every single object in this photo tells its own story.

This is all I seem to be able to maintain without big fuss—a small blissful exercise in nesting. Do you have sacred spaces in your home? Do you pay close attention to the apexes that bring a room together and perhaps serve as subconscious stability?

I think for me, my cozy corners help to balance creative distractions and smatterings of overwhelmed-ness. I notice that our furry, feathery creature companions tend to gravitate to these comfort zones. I think this says it all.

Kippers and Snowy in the corner of the library. Elsa with her alligator friend on the corner of our bed.

When I walk into my studio, the first thing I see is one of my cozy corners. That seems to set the right balance for a day that will certainly be filled by messy creative activity.

Kyra doing what she loves to do the most: reading fairy tales.

In this house, we all like to curl up to a good book in a cozy nook.

~ Lisa

A Yuletide gift from my dear friend Cindy Coombe

The transition from 2011 to 2012 was a mix of excitement and tumult. We finally finished our kitchen, with a mere few days to spare before visitors descended on Chez Hunt-Kramerville. During that period of “out with the old/in with the new”–my press proofs for Ghosts & Spirits Tarot finally arrived. The smell of new kitchen and fresh press proof sheets were acute reminders of how life is constantly changing. It feels good to enter 2012 with a sense of newness and fresh opportunities. We also added a few home accouterments that helped to enhance our abode including the above new message on our reading room wall. My friend of 25 years sent this incredibly thoughtful gift to me as it so encapsulates what I do. I toyed with putting in my studio, but felt it was an important message to share with the whole family. We’re a wee bit creatively eccentric here, so this quote resonates for us all.

Dark, rich and delicious. The proofs are stunning like sinfully mouthwatering chocolates, at least that's how I feel!

Meanwhile in the studio, my family was as excited about the Ghosts press proofs as I was. These are by far my darkest, rawest, most subconsciously driven works to date. I really surprised myself with this body of work. I didn’t know I had it in me! But obviously things had to come out, and boy did the ghosts pour through keyholes in the mind.

Kort and the kids holding up the Ghost goodies.

Here I am holding the cover proof. This is what a box would look like if flattened. Lots of careful planning for the designer! Also, my fans chose the cover art! Yup---we had a vote on Facebook and "Snow Ghost" prevailed. For those who voted for "King Hamlet", it was decided that his presence would grace the back of the box, so everyone wins!

I’ve also been “letting go” of some original watercolor and pencil artwork, much of it published as I realize I can’t hold on to them forever and prefer if they would be in the hands of those who would truly treasure my creations. Here are some samples of reasonable offerings I’ve made exclusively through my Lisa Hunt Art Group Facebook page. So far, everything I’ve posted has sold which is really nice. I also know that my customers are getting wonderful deals for original art with an added personal touch. Thank you for your continued support. Keep an eye for future art postings!

This is a watercolor illustration for a book entitled Magickal Mermaids and was sold to Mary.

This one was a book cover image for "The Guide to Little People" and sold to Kelli.

This monochromatic watercolor painting appeared in D.J. Conway's Elemental Magick. I added a remarque on the mat board. As of this posting, this piece was still for sale.

In other Hunt-Kramerville news:

The kids have winter break, so it was nice to see Kyra being creative as she was teaching herself how to draw fairies, elves and princesses. She is adamant that I don't help her as she thinks she's already better at drawing them than I am. Hahahah!

Connor, having just earned his Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do "Foot and Hand Way" has been studying anatomy. He did a pretty good job drawing his own arms on notebook paper. I like the fact that he colorized them with his new colored pencil set.

And last but not least…

After 15 years in darkness, Kort has finally graduated to an office with a window. He seems much happier these days as a result! Congrats Kort!

Happy Hunky Hubby in his new workspace

Wishing everyone a fabulous 2012!

~Lisa

My 30th Spirit Drawing!

After taking a week off to work on remodeling the kitchen, I came back to the studio with an abundance of stored-up creative energy. The result was successive, almost explosive dances with my pencils. It was like entering a traffic-less highway with just miles and miles of open roadway ahead; the horizon serving as an endless canvas of ideas.

Here are some Spirit Drawings I worked on during this fortuitous week

Spirit Drawings based on customers' "Key Spirit Words".

After creating 30 drawings for wonderful individuals around the world, I’m still excited and fresh with every new drawing. If you would like to order a Spirit Drawing, I would be happy to create an original pencil drawing based on YOUR ideas. Visit my holiday specials or Spirit Drawings page for more information.

http://ghostsandspiritstarot.com/spirit_drawings.html

And here are a few drawings I’m working on for the bird project. This week I’m focusing on drawing Robin-Shapeshifter, Grouse-Shapeshifter and Bluejay-Shapeshifter (not pictured here).

Spontaneous drawing on watercolor paper. Works-in-Progress

My kids picked up on their fiery mama’s creative vibes and were decidedly studio companions after school. Kyra did her first drawing for Alphabeasts, an open submission online gallery of fantastical beasts.

Kyra's submission for "G" (age 7)

In other Hunt-Kramerville news:

A display of Rankin/Bass figurines. The 1960's stop-motion animations were among my favorites as a child.

Connor absconded with "Herbie the Elf (dentist wannabee)" and built him a lego machine.

Also, both Kyra and Connor made honor roll this past fall semester. I’m very proud of my children’s good studying habits. I made it clear that creative ideas come more easily when one reads and studies a lot! So far, my parenting strategy is working.

Connor's honor roll certificate. He's now a viable candidate for AP classes.

And last but not least, Mom aka “Omi” turned 70. Happy Birthday Omi!

Mom with Kyra and Connor on her 70th Birthday. 70 is no longer old age!

~ Lisa

Artist and model Tamara Newman sent me a beautiful photo of herself to use as inspiration for a bird shapeshifter piece. I immediately knew I had to draw her. I loved how she pulled up her hair and looked to the sky as if she was about to open her wings and fly into the heavens of endless possibilities.

Tamara, hailing from the United Kingdom exhibits her work at various art festivals and has had work published in FAE Magazine and The Magical Times. Her magical creations are also sold in specialty shops in Glastonbury and Cornwall. Tamara boasts a strong following of admirers and fans with her versatile presentations. I love her dragon font!

Tamara, a beautiful lady and an accomplished artist in her own right.

Everything about her posture, her countenance, her coloring and even her fantasy artwork made me gravitate to the barn swallow. Lesley Morrison, who is writing the companion book for the “bird project”  (to be published by U.S. Games) e-mailed me some thoughts about the swallow and the powerful energies that they possess:

“The swallow is a herald of many interesting energies. It is precision of flight, innocence of spirit, upward movement, and a link to many powerful deities. Swallow has mastered agility, whirling in flight and changing direction in midair to capture its prey.

Swallow is a harmony, balancing the peaceful and chaotic faces of life. It is a hope that wherever our dreams may dance we will master the instincts to catch them.” ~Lesley Morrison, author of The Healing Wisdom of Birds

Painting of Thumbelina flying with her swallow friend from The Fairy Tale Tarot (Llewellyn 2009)

I’ve always loved the swallow and relished painting one in flight for the beloved fairy tale, Thumbelina. I’ve always viewed this bird as a harbinger for a happily ever after, with its fantastical fae-like presence. It darts as it flies with its swift, incisive movements—almost as if it is in play, teasing human observers with it’s unpredictable movements.

“The swallow is an auspicious symbol of hope and renewal. It glides over the waters of the unconscious, where dreams and collective myths flow. The bird and girl fly through mists, leaving their troubles behind.” ~excerpt from The Fairy Tale Tarot

I started with a sketch, taking design/layout and anatomy all into consideration.

Then I refined it by working out the anatomical kinks. Photos tend to distort and in this case, the arms are largely obscured by shadow and fabric, so I drew out the bones and muscles and adjusted their size to give the drawing an elegant, aesthetic quality. Once I felt I had a solid drawing to work from, I rubbed the back of the tracing with graphite before redrawing it onto a stretched sheet of ARCHES 140 lb. watercolor paper.

The traced-down image serves as a basic template for the final drawing. After many hours of intense rendering with a fine arts mindset accompanying every stroke, I felt the drawing was finished. As you can see, much of the drawing is created spontaneously on the watercolor paper. These days, I rarely over plan the tracing—I just let the details emerge without formulaic construct. This helps me connect with the image on a deep, soulful level without distractions.

Detail of face

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In Hunt-Kramerville news:

Goodbye old kitchen! Little do people know that the woman behind the soft pencil drawings and delicate watercolor paintings has been slowly remodeling her house the frugal way–with her own hammer and nails.
I grew up amid construction, having helped my family build their house when I was a little girl (now my wise old Pop advises and helps me with my house). Believe it or not, the physical demands of home improvement tasks actually feed the intense creative spates in my studio. It’s the act of renewing something that breathes fresh air into cognitive streams. I don’t get artist’s block because I build blocks, so to speak, between brainstorming sessions. This balance between home improvement and artistic expansion is a satisfying way to move through my middle years. My feet are solidly on the ground, yet I can still spread my wings.

Connor will be taking his black belt test in December. Cutting off the *padawan* braid will be part of Connor’s transition to Junior Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. Poor Kippers won’t be able to perch on it anymore.

~ Lisa