Sunday in the Art Room SITAR

 Welcome to

SITAR is about ANYTHING art. Your art, someone else's art, writing, photography, the art of cooking, the art of sewing and textiles. Sharing historical art, street art, a story about art. Do you have a question or need help with art? Write a blog post and link it up here. We will all try to help with it. My only rule is that if someone asks for critique it must be done with generosity and consideration. 

This is a place of learning, encouragement and inspiration.

 

Just a small a reminder. I am not a master at art. I just love creating.

 

Are you an impatient artist? I used to be. I wanted to get through an art project as quickly as I could. I think  just to "see" the results. Until a few years ago when I watched a video about taking my time to draw. What a difference it made, not only in the results, but my mind set as well. I still do 5 to 20 minute warm ups. 

These are old drawings and the first one is actually a 3 minute drawing.

 

You might ask why take the time to do warms up drawings? There is a good reason for it. It physically loosens muscles, improves hand eye coordination and mentally bridges the gap between daily life and creative flow. Because you are focused only on the art. It also eliminates perfectionism, builds confidence by reducing art anxiety. I have a drawing on my easel right now that I have changed the mouth 4 times. That's art anxiety. 

Let's get back to taking your time. 

On my last FFO Portrait challenge I worked on all 5 expressions. Most of them I took my time on, but this one I did in a few hours the day before the challenge. 

There are a lot of hard lines, and the blending is not great. Compared to this one where his jaw line fades out and his ear is part of his face. The values on the inside of his mouth show depth and his eyes are glossy.  

These are just some of the differences of taking your time. Feeling the piece you are working on. Changing little nuances to the art. Making it your own, even if you are working from a photo or even from life. 

So, my question again, are you an impatient artist?

Let me know in the comments.

 

Create with all of your passion.

Nicole 

 

 

Lupus Awareness Month

Hi Everyone!

May is

 

First for those of you who don't know.

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease where the immune system is over stimulated. This makes the immune system mistakenly attack healthy tissues, causing widespread inflammation and damage to organs, joints, muscles and skin. It's characterized by periods of flare ups and remissions. Symptoms vary widely, including but not limited to extreme fatigue, joint and muscle pain, and a marlar rash that takes on the shape of a butterfly across the cheeks and nose. Giving the Butterfly one of the mascots. The other is the Wolf. Lupus is the Latin for Wolf. I will get into some history in later posts. 

Some more but not all of the symptoms We can have one or a host of these at one time.

Now that you have an idea of what lupus is and how it affects the body, here are some facts.

 

  

 

Here are some myths and facts.

 

If you suspect you have lupus contact your health care provider and ask for lupus blood work, that's where you start. There are a set of criteria questions as well.

For me living with lupus really does suck.

When I wake in the morning I have to gauge what my body wants to do.

Everyday is different. 

Nicole
 

Friday Face OFF Graphite and colored pencil

Welcome To Friday Face OFF (FFO)

This is the place to show off your face art.

You know, ANY type of face, nature, the face of a flower, photography, drawings, paintings, AI. There just needs to be a face in your blog post, a link back to my blog and please use the image below. 

Thank you.

I can't express how happy I am that so many of you talented artist joined in with the FFO Portrait Challenge. I'm very impressed with the art that was created and thank you all for joining in. 

It's an honor to know all of you.

 

Before I get started, most of you know that I share my body with lupus/sjogren's. May is lupus awareness month. I try to share every day of this month exactly what lupus really is.

So to start it off I'm letting you know it's

  

Now for the art I created. This face I did some time ago.

She starts like this. 

 

Then this 

 

And Finally, this. I do like her gently smile.

 

Now for last weeks 

FFO Portrait challenge entries. In case anyone missed them.

Iris 

Violetta

Kwarkito

Tom

Arnoldo

Debra

Erika

Christine 

Maria

Mia

Jeanie

Leeanna

Louise

Carola

Aimeslee

Linda 

Gillena 

Thank you again to everyone who joined in the FFO Portrait Challenge.

I will be posting for Sunday in the Art Room, I promise.

 

Now it's your turn to show me 

this weeks Face.

Nicole 

 

Thursday Schlotsky bread recipe

 

 Hi Everyone!

Here is the Schlotsky's bread recipe.

  

internet image.

You will need;

I/2C warm water 110°F/45°C 

1 T white sugar, 2 1/4 t dry yeast 

1/4 t baking soda, 

1 1/2 t warm water temp as above 

3/4C warm milk temp as above

1/2 t salt, 2 1/2C flour, 2 T cornmeal.

 

1. In a small bowl stir together the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir to dissolve and set aside.  

2. In a large bowl dissolve baking soda with the 1 1/2 teaspoons warm water. Add the warm milk, salt, and one cup of the flour. Beat with a wire whisk until smooth. Beat in yeast mixture and remaining flour. Batter should be thick, sticky, and smooth.

 

3. Prepare 2 pie pans ( or bread pans) with non-stick spray. Dust pans with cornmeal. Place 1/2 dough in each pie pan. Batter will spread during rising time. Spray top of dough with non-stick cooking spray. Cover and let rise for one hour.   

 

4. Repeat spraying of bread with non-stick cooking spray. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F (190 degrees C) for 20 minutes.

 

The recipe reads to allow to cool for 1 hour before slicing. Ha ha ha that doesn't work in my house. Nothing better than home made, warm bread and butter.  

 If baked in a pie pan it should look something like this. 

image from the internet

I'm gong to have to find some small pie pans to bake this bread in. 

If you give it a try let me know how you like it. 

Have a great day 

Nicole
 

Wednesday Baking

 Hi Everyone! 

Every once in awhile I just have to bake. Yesterday was that day. My daughter sent me a recipe for Schlotzsky's bread. If you don't know Schloitzsky's, it is by far the best deli ever and it's the bread that makes it.

The bread is light, airy and just the right chewy texture. The direction say to bake it in a pie pan but every time I've tried that it didn't work out. This single batch I baked in a glass bread pan. The bread is pale on top but it is done and ohhhh sooooo good.

 

I had some Mexican squash that needed to be used. I decided to make some sweet bread with it. I added molasses and lots of spices besides cinnamon.  

 

so moist and delish. Most of it went to my neighbors. 

Last by not least a plate of chocolate chip cookies for Mr.M. At the time of this photo they were still warm.

That's my baking for now.

Have a great day

Nicole 

Tuesday Birthday

 Hi Everyone!

Thank you for all of the birthday wishes. At this age I don't expect or really want a birthday gift or party. However, Mr. M. is just too tricky. He told me we had to go to Walmart. Uhhhggg. For us it's an hour drive. Now we don't really shop Walmart, but there are things there that we can't get anywhere else. Mr. M. drove and as we got close to Walmart he turned on a road that was between Walmart and Staples. He turned into Staples. I asked, "What do you need here"? He said, "Nothing. You need a new computer chair." This is what I got.

It is the yummy red color I love. Much darker than in the photo. The stitching is too cool. 

Then we stopped at Harbor Freight. 

Why? Because a girl can never have too many screw drivers. LOL

I also received a beautiful candle warmer from my daughter. 

The lamp warms the candle to release the fragrance. 

My SIL sent me a large jar of Australian Black Licorice. 

And my Son and DIL sent me a art supplies.

 I received so many emails and texts and comments of well wishes and love. 

I am blessed.

Ohhh and let us not forget google wishing me a happy birthday too. LOL

 Nicole