Arting and The Princess Bride

*Waves* It's Monday, so time for the art stuffs and things. I'm feeling a little stressed about my personal life finances as a check we are waiting for (A LARGE one, so if you owe me money, don't think that's about you LMAO...I don't think anyone owes me that kind of money?! Well, if I'm wrong, and you do, I have a paypal *cheeky grin*) is taking it's sweet time through the mail services... Waiting, waiting...I am waiting for Vincini...you surely are a meanie. Okay, okay, I couldn't help it :D Love The Princess Bride.

Why?

There are many reasons, but, besides the well honed script--seriously, helps to be able to see the costumes than hear about them lol--we have fun characters, and sumptuous landscaped scenes. It inspires me deep inside. Now, that may sound silly, but think of it. Which books or movies do you enjoy the most? I think you'll find that all the things we enjoy the most, well, art wise (yes movies and books are art endeavours), touch your heart and soul. They can lighten it, put a burden on it, stroke it, soothe it, piss you off, make you think...it touches you. And, I believe the best art doesn't just touch your mind, or your heart, but also, the soul.

The pieces of art that last, that become classics, are those that do all three. The Princess Bride wasn't released yesterday, yet, I betchya that a large portion of peeps got a smile reading that bit about Vincini! The Princess Bride doesn't just tell us a love story, it gets us to live it with them, despite the impossible things. The Cliffs of Insanity? Yeah, every author and artist has been there. LOL The ROUS's. Well, those are a bit much, but still, we laugh, we worry, we smile, we feel... Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die. Who didn't feel that satisfaction as the sword grazed the cheeks? As he said, I want my father back, you son of a bitch. How could you not feel that. Not only was the acting well done (another form of art!), but the line was intense.

One of the ways it touches us is in the repetition. The repetition of him saying that built it up. In oil painting, it's much the same way. The balance of repetition and contrast can make or break a painting. I have one that the repetition has dulled the power down. I'm going to have to apply a fix. Also, I still have more glazing to do, but here, see this:

 

I like the original way I did the underpainting better for the shell, though, when I'm finished glazing, It *should* look more like that but with depth. The outer sand, I want more abstract, and I do love the bits, but it's too much. I'm going to scrumble a bit. Problem is, choosing a color.... LOL that will break up the monotony of the brush strokes, and I think both add to the abstract and get it looking how I want it to look. I don't want it to look like individual grains of sand, but I want you to THINK of individual grains of sand when you see it.  Something I hadn't considered when starting this painting was of the very repetition of the sand. However, I love the texture of sand against the smooth shell, so that's where I'm going to focus.

In my art, despite set backs like these, I not only think of the technical bits, but of the emotional bits. Truth be told, I think of the emotional bits first. And that, my friend, is what makes my art different. I focus on the emotional aspects of the art. I want them to be good, no, excellent, but more, I want you to feel touched in the depths of your soul. I want it to inspire you to smile, to feel peace, to feel love, to go out and follow your dreams. I want to empower people.

That's not asking for much...

Who inspires you to feel with your soul?





My repertoire of online presence :)

Time to update all the ways you can stalk follow me :) I have a website where I post some free writing (I know! I'm behind. Haven't posted free stuff in a while and not enough posts!) and updates. It's more formal than my blog as I go on and on adnaseum on my blog :D LOL but then it is about the road to publishing (and after!) as a wife and mother :D so, ANYWAYS.

Here is my FB author page to follow me as an author and I have a bookmark giveaway. Have spent last few days with SOMEBODY, including me, sick. Hopefully will get the bookmarks made :D Or could give them the ones I already have made...

I have my artwork here. It's how I make a little money to try and support my family, especially with all of our medical bills. It's also a great compliment to my writing as I've mentioned a few times... :P

And soon, very very soon, I'll be on this website :D It's my publisher and they have some awesome talent there! Writers, editors, artists, it's amazing. They're wonderful people who really care about their authors. They have m/m and f/f and interracial romances as well. And more than a token selection. Go support them. And trust me, when my book comes, you'll see it :D
Also, on twitter @L_Bushman you'll find me bitching, witching, and stitching. :D I go on about EVERYTHING on there LOL

Whew. I think that about covers it...oh wait. I'm on Goodreads, LinkedIn and Tumbler too. Idk where or how to get to those though :P LOL I finally caved and did them cuz too many of my peeps were on there, but it's just too much trying to keep up with all the sites.

Ta ta for now ;D

Days 26&27 almost done

Well, I have to admit, that Blogger's new look has made it hard to WANT to post or blog about anything :S I hatez it precious. Yes, I still do. I've hated every step of Google's changes and I don't understand why they took something that WAS so easy and made it difficult!!

The challenges now are Black and White and Somewhere you went. I'm going to use photos I took this month, just not today. :) I was thinking.... LOL Actually, I took new pics of my painting, Multnomah Falls and put it on Etsy early this AM. Or late last PM but either way, it'll count :) as for Black and white... I did that one a while ago. Thought of doing another one and maybe by the time this post is finished, I will :)

Except for very last one, these are all pics of the painting I did. I went there on the way to and from Cannon Beach last year after a very stressful April/May. Had a lovely time, took some lovlier pics, and now have started painting some of them. :) (So obviously, the somewhere I went) (And this painting is for sale! Comment here if you're interested or email :D

The last one is a study I did in charcoal of Picasso's Two Children. I sometimes look at my sketchbook in awe. This is one of those times. Whatever it is about Robert Fisher, he brings out skills I don't know I have. I sure miss art classes.

I'm currently editing Ulfric's Mate, have written a bit on The Midwife's Moon, but mostly, I'm just playing, networking and enjoying my boys... :) This week has been a rough one, but it ended much better than it started ;) I'm happy and content in my family I claim, which includes many "non blood" family members! I wish I'd written a few thousand more words... I don't think I'm getting my amount done in next 4 days. Sigh. It was a nice thought though.

Plus, the goal made it so I did get another one finished. Right now, I feel the pressure of about 80k words that I HAVE to finish and that's not counting the new shinies.

Hope you all have a splendid weekend. I shan't be posting tomorrow night as I need to finish edits by tomorrow night... See you Sunday ;)

Day 16

I know. Where's 15. Lord knows. LOL The 15th was sunset day and I STILL HAVEN'T GOT A SUNSET even though I thought that day was like DAYS ago LOL Just to prove I have taken a picture of a sunset, which is kind of an entry ritual into becoming even an amateur photogropher, I'm posting an old one:

Ocean Shores, WA

 My husband and I went to Mercer Island for a work thing for me and we decided, hey, let's go to Ocean Shores...we arrived just about sunset. It was beautiful. I don't have all of the pics I took then posted here. A couple I don't plan on selling as prints, but may end up painting. We'll see. I offer one of the other one's for sale from my Etsy shop. Which reminds me, I'd better check if it's still listed. :/

A painting by me.

Well, today's assignment was a flower. So I took a pic of the first O'keefe inspired painting I ever did. :D We had just finished a section which included O'keefe in art class. That was when I made a big jump in my art skills. She speaks to me. Apparently it was noticeable, since my professor asked, "So, how long you been channeling Georgia?" LOL He'd taught me off and on over the years as I could afford the class. I'd like to take another class from him. Indepnedent Study. Le sigh.

Anyway, I love this style of painting. I'm not sure why, but I do. This was done with a pallette knife exclusively. My first for that as well. I'd used it in bits and pieces before this. But not exclusively. Tomorrow's assignment is easy--too easy. There's going to be too many choices and I'll end up freezing not sure what to choose.

I'm writing. *thunderous applause* yay!! got over my uncertainty, then lost my rhythm, but found my rythym again!! Yay!! so, between yardwork and backpain, I'll be plugging away and getting not only edits, but writing done!! Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. :D I love finding my writing groove!

Thanks for a thanks :)

http://vampwritergrrl.blogspot.com/2012/01/lbushman-studios-on-etsy.html

This linke will send you to Robin's blog. She's encouraging everyone to buy home crafted items, to support families like mine, and thanking me for the items she has received.

This woman has, even through her own personal turmoil, helped me when I most needed it. We lost a lot of money when my daughter was in the hospital. My husband didn't lose his job, but he was only 6 months in and had already used most of his sick/personal days up. He had to take the one extra day he had of personal time before FMLA kicked in, so he did get a bit, but other than that, he didn't. Between the extra gas, money for me in the hospital, his time off work, and a medical garnishment that started that month, we were down about 3/4-1month's pay. That may not seem like a lot, but to us...it hurt. So I started trying to sell my paintings. My friend told me about etsy, how to go about everything, was my first customer and told me so dos and don'ts.

I didn't make much, but I did get enough to get gas money for my husband to get to work before the next payday. What I gained though, was confidence. Confidence to put my stuff out there. I still haven't made as much as we lost at that point, or enough to pay for any of my other medical bills, but I have had that little bit come in when I needed it most. Almost *all* of my money I earned has gone to gas and groceries. Very little back into my art. I need to do that now and my next sell, I'm buying yellow and green paint LOL She's also been encouraging in my writing and a fellow groaner as we cut/edit/look for just the right word, and dream!

Between her and my MIL, I can believe in myself even when I don't.

Thank you!!

Hello!!

So, it's been another crazy week. Shows opened, I had an interesting time with the sound a few times!! LOL Turns out my asthma decided I neeeded to pay attention to it. I've been seriously fighting it lately. I had a visit to the hospital. They decided to let me go home because, a) I wasn't panicking, b) I had good vitals, and c) I'm not an idiot :D LOL Pretty much was the long and short of it. I was given meds for my machine, combivent to take 4x a day, prednisone for 5 days, and a different daily allergen med. It's making me feel like I have an angry lioness under my skin ready to claw its way out. I keep reminding myself (and everone around me!) that I'm on prednisone. :P But at least I have these things to help me through it!!

I am looking forward to a weekend of painting and sewing. It'll help offset all the cleaning we need to do!! Show times always end up putting us behind. I didn't think it was going to be so bad this year since only Nate is in the show, but...painting set and running sound have put me in that position! LOLOL

I'm also writing. Started the novel that's due Oct 1... yeah, cutting it close, but this novel has a much involved synopsis with lots of the twists and turns already written out (making it harder for me to start!) so once I get through the "why write it, I already know everything that's happening" issue I always get if I do that, I'll be  cracking! Anyone who's wanting to help with the whip, is more than welcome. :P Plus, I've gotten CP Edits back on my paranormal and started on that a bit. Now that I'm feeling better, and will hopefully continue to improve on that, I'm thinking I'm going to rock the house down this next month!!


AAAAND---it's my birthday and I've had a blessed amount of wishes on my facebook and I'm grinning from ear to ear! What a blessing the writing community is! So thank you to all my friends and family who've wished me glad tidings so far!! It's made me feel good :D

'Til next time...

It's Friday

It's Friday and I'm feeling so much better about my writing then yesterday. I have a ton to do. My serial writer partner for Splintered Lands has bowed out, so I'm going to be doing it by myself. And I have to do my short rewrite and novel for them. I have a lot of other things going on--I'm helping with set building for husband play he's involved with for community theatre. That should take care of the bulk of my weekend :P plus I started my new job, which is not a huge time thing, but will become more and more so. Dress Rehearsals start this week, which will be a big time suck for Nate and I won't have a car for most of the week because of it. Major bummer.

I've been taking the kids to the park every evening this week because I know the next three weeks are going to suck big time. If I had a thousand dollars, it would be supremely awesome and easy. I could pay for a sitter, get Papa Murphy's and lots of premade food (ie shredded cheese, sliced mushrooms, that kind of thing) to save time. As it is, I'm going to be hellaciously busy and trying to find time to paint.

The itch to paint isn't so bad since I'm painting "murals" for the set building, but I have things in particular I want to paint. Problem is I need my varnish and some more canvases. I have a few left, but they shall be gone after my next painting frenzy.

Thinking of making some flapper dresses for Etsy sizes 18-20. I've been looking on there and MOST dresses are small or custom made (which is cool). But that will take some time. Not too much money though. I just have to watch for pattern sales. I have fabric that I'd intended for medieval dresses, which I could make as well. Having trouble with the sizing though. I've noticed that the sizing isn't consistent. Course could put that in the description...ie. sized according to McCalls pattern number XXXX or something. Anyways, working hard to be creative, make money, and write :D

Art Auction

Okay, someone suggested something awhile ago, and I have no idea the proper way to go about it, but I'm going to try anyway. I'm going to auction off some of my artwork..There will be minimums, yada yada. I need to raise some money. We've promised the boys Harry Potter and now need to deliver :)

Here's the deal:

Three paintings, all with minimum amounts. One week to post amount you're willing to pay. This will be open auction in comments as well as silent through email due to blogger's BS re: comments. I will post the latest auction amount either in comments, blogger willing, or will edit the post to announce. Also, they all have a buy now price on Etsy, which is where I'll be linking for the pics. Please do not pay until auction is over, unless you go through Etsy and take the buy now price.

Auction item number one: Lily of the Green The pics are a littly fuzzy and I'm going to try to take better ones today, but you get the idea. FYI this piece was done with pallete knife. Starting price is $200 payable by paypal.

Item number two: Purple Vase This piece is custome framed. Also done with pallette knife. Minimum on this is $300 payable by paypal (due to the frame) and there is little to no medium used in the paints when I do it by pallete knife. Buy now price is $750 through Etsy.

Item number three: Free to Roam This is large painting, done with thick paints in some places and not others. This is a favorite of mine (as you'll see when you read the description.;) Starting price is $400 payable by paypal. The Buy Now price is $1250



NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT PAY UNTIL NOTIFIED YOU'VE WON OR BUYING DIRECT THROUGH ETSY! Paypal charges me a percentage of all incoming funds and you will only get back what Paypal actually delivers to me.

This is a non-refundable auction. All proceeds go to benefit my family. I made a comment about Harry Potter, but really, we need so much more or I wouldn't be doing this. Thanks for your support!

This auction goes from now until 3:00 until Tuesday, July 26th, PST. or whatever I'm at in WA state LOL Bids after that time will not be accepted. You may make an offer on any of my artwork available on Etsy as well. The items on this list are gauranteed to go at the minimum prices, the others are not, but I'm willing to negotiate it.