Helping Out My Artist Child

I had some of my art supplies sent over from the house that I was living in to my new apartment in Salt Lake City, Utah. Then I had to arrange my art supplies with my graduate school gear in an apartment that is not all that big, but big enough.
I love this place, but it was missing something. I also was missing something in my life. After doing the assignment with the hands for one of my graduate school classes, it dawned on me that I was missing a key element in my life. ART! My artist child was neglected for way too long.
Now that I have some of my art supplies, I can create art. Even if the creations are just doodling as I am taking notes in class, at least I am creating and satisfying that drive to create.
My next goal is to arrange my little basement so that I can bring over the rest of my art supplies. Then when I need some bits and pieces to go in or on an art project, I can simply go downstairs and gather what I need.
Now go create!

Drawings~36th World Wide SketchCrawl-July 14 and Creating Art with my Son-July 19

 Last weekend I participated in the 36th World Wide Sketch Crawl with other artists at SketchCrawl.com.  I had just finished my first semester in graduate school and needed to treat myself to something. Instead of food as a treat, I took myself on and Artist Date.
I posted a notice on the SketchCrawl.com forum inviting other artists in my area to meet me at a local library to draw and then travel on to another spot to create. That was the whole point of the activity. Gather some friends and go out and sketch together. At the end of the time agreed upon the group is to meet at a local coffee shop or whatever to share their thoughts and drawings.
I posted a time and place to meet and then waited to see if anyone wanted to get together. People read the post, but no one posted that they would meet me there. Well, I decided that I would still show up and hope that someone else would also.

1st drawing~Sugar beet sculpture

2nd drawing-Fireplace inside of library

3rd drawing~Emigration Creek

I arrived at the library a little after 9 am and started to draw the Sugar beet sculpture that sits in front of the library. No one showed up, but at that moment I realized that it did not matter to me if anyone would. What I wanted was to draw, to add art back into my life. Yes, it would have been nice to have an artist friend to share with, but it did not happen. However, I really was not alone, because all over the world there were artists sketching, painting and so forth at the same time that I was. They have shared their artwork on the forum and I will also. It was a great day and I enjoyed every minute of it.

4th drawing~Annie, my dog hanging out by the creek

 July 19, 2012~ Creating Art with my Son

My son and I created these drawings of a Purple Coneflower that was found near us.
We both created our works of art using Prismacolor drawing pencils and paper that my daughter makes. (Walk Through Water Creative Arts) 
Once again it had been a long time since I had used colored pencils, but the flower turned out great, but not as well as my son's drawing. I like his better. He had not done any creative work for a long time either. I really do not know why we ignored our Artist child for so long. We will not be letting that happen any longer. The Artist child in us needs to be given more opportunities to create. We will create and have a lot of fun doing our creations together. Here all along I thought that I did not have anyone to go out and about to draw with. My drawing companion was right there in my son and I should have had him go on the sketch crawl with me. Now I know better and we shall go and create.

My Trailer Went Camping Without Me!

This is true, my trailer or Parnassus on Wheels did in fact go camping without me. Rude! I guess he did not want to wait for me to go because he knew I was hard at work doing my graduate school assignments.
Parnassus let my oldest daughter and my youngest son take him camping for a week. They had to dry camp and tote their water in containers. Apparently, one of the pipes in Parnassus cracked during the winter. I did not think there was any water left in the pipes and plus there was that anti-freeze stuff in them. Of course, I am going off of what others have said. I have not been able to go over to Tooele to check the situation for myself. The water could be coming from something else.
Despite this Parnassus and company had fun camping. My daughter took this photo of him and you can see the new paint job I gave him at the end of last summer. I love the thin red line and the fresh green on him. If the door was closed in the photo you would be able to see the red around the window. There is much more I need to finish on him, but for now he is pretty just the way he is.
I hope to go camping a least once this season, but that is still up in the air. Graduate school takes a lot of work, which I love and does not end until July 12. There is another major holiday coming up in Utah and by the time I get set to go, it might be time to start a new semester of school. ;-(

Anyway, I hope y'all get to go camping and have fun!

I Love Camping! But not the Flies;-(

We have gone camping a couple of times now and have enjoyed the time in the mountains. The big problem we have had this last time is flies. I really do not like them! The flies will land on my legs and cause me to itch and that makes me not so happy.


~This is the grotto that I love to camp at, very peaceful~



Our camping grotto that we  had last time was taken by other campers. We had to pick a place up the canyon and unknown to us, a place where the herd of cows love to hang out. Yes, real cows, cowboy cows and what do cows leave behind? You got it, cow pies;-) What loves cow pies? Yep, flies! Buzzing and annoying flies. No worries though, because my lovely oldest daughter went down to Walmart and bought a cheap, but nice screened tent. After my youngest and his big sister put up the tent, I was (we) were happy campers once again. We left the trailer up the canyon to come home to take a shower and will be going back up tomorrow.

I did manage to finish a complete journal dedicated to my wild trips in the mountains the last time up the canyon. Got started on a new journal this time around and wrote a lot. There are times when I am in bed and want to jump up and start writing, but I do not. What I should have is a notebook by my bed, in my bag, the car, bathroom, and here and there...well everywhere I am there should be a notebook. That way I can write when the thoughts come to me. Write! Write! Write! Leave your thoughts for those you love! Create, go now and have fun!

Too Much Time Between Entries, My Bad!

I am finally getting ready to go camping! However, my favorite campground (see photo) to go to is probably still covered in snow and/or too many people. What I really want to do is to go camping and where I go, as long as it is in the mountains, does not really matter. I will take my trailer, books, writing stuff, art stuff, dogs, bird, a child or two, husband, misc. camping gear and of course food and head to the canyon near my home.

The camping is rustic, but not too far from home, which means my husband can come and go to work and home (he likes to take a daily shower, not much for getting dirty;-) taking care of business. My trailer does have a potty, so camping would not be too rustic;-) The key is, we just want to go camping!

I hope you all are having a wonderful summer with your families and taking time to be creative or relaxing with a good book. If not, take the time to do something for yourself, it fills the creative well.

I will post more often. I know that I have made that promise before, but now that I am not working there is more time. In order for my writing to get better and read by more people, it is key that I write more. My goal is to write more, plain and simple, right? So, hold me to it and I will. Now go create!

Merry Christmas and Happy However You Celebrate to My Blog Friends!

My Dad took us up Kolob Canyon and I was able to take some cool photos. (Note to self: Add more photographic trips in order to take artistic and fun photos to my New Year's Resolution list.)

    I know that it has been a very long time between blog entries, and I am sorry for that. Many changes have taken place in my life that has taken me away from updating my blog. There really should be no excuses for slacking on keeping my Blog Friends updated. I will add keeping my blog updated more often to my New Year's Resolution list.

    Now, back to what I have been doing. I believe that many of you know that I have gotten back with my Mom and Dad, and in doing such has helped me tremendously. We went down to S. Utah to visit them twice, once to see them after their long summer travels and another time was for Thanksgiving. Both times were fantastic.

    My parents took us to Zion Lodge for Thanksgiving dinner and even though my lovely Mom tried to add some weight on me with all her fantastic baking, I lost weight. In fact, between working and watching what I eat, I have lost three pant sizes. Yeah!!!!!!!!!! Still have more to go, but I will get to the size I wish to be and shall be, (not going to add it to my resolution list because it may sabotage my path to a smaller me;-)

    I know that this blog entry is short and I promise that I will be better at adding more in the future, plus more often. My wish for you all is that your Holidays are happy and filled with love. That your future in the new year is bright and filled with all that you and your families need.

With love, Rhonda (aka: The Philosopher Artist)

Now go create and be happy!

I Have Been a Busy Girl!!!

Hi to all my blog friends,
I know that it has been a long time between posts, but a lot has been going on this summer.

First, we did manage to redo the trailer, not completely, but the floor, wall and the decor is really nice. There is just a few more decorations I want to do. They will have to wait. We got to go camping a couple of times and will be going the weekend after Labor Day.

Second, I am getting healthier by the day! In fact, I got a job outside of my home and it pays money;-) not much, but that is not the reason I took the job. I am a Classroom Instructor (teacher's aid) at our local charter school. My son went there last year and he really wanted me to be a substitute, but the instructor job came up and I went for it. They hired me before I got home to read my email. My son was so excited he did a little happy dance. I work about 34 hours a week and I drive there by myself. Many of you who have been following my blog know what a major deal all this is. The only sad part is, now I do not have much time for art. I will save my Sundays for art and perhaps Saturday, too.
I worked on my Partnership Artist Art Journal today and that was fun. Need to let it dry before sending it off to my partner in AZ.

Finally, the best part of the summer is getting back with my father and my mom after nearly 15 years of not speaking to them. It is a long soap opera story. Long story made short; I just thought that my dad did not want to have anything to do with me after marrying my mom (step-mom, she is now my adopted mom). I got to see them for a bit and hug my dad and mom, plus we talk every weekend (they are a retired traveling couple). Just that little bit of time with him (them) helped my health a great deal.

So, you see it has been a busy summer. Now fall is coming and then winter, but there is always time for love and art. 

Now go create beauty! 
     
(Top photo is of Mt. Timpanogos one of the highest peaks in Utah, over 13,000 ft above sea level. The campground is around 8 to 9000 ft. a very beautiful place to be. One of my favorite spots in Utah. I love Aspen Trees. In fact, I have several in our yard.
Bottom photo is of a blooming Iris in my backyard up against the fence. We had a cold spring that lasted into June and my tulips never really bloomed much.;-( maybe next year.)