One year blogiversary

Ok, I'm a day or two late, I'll admit (nothing like coming down with a nasty cold within the first month of classes), but hey, I've been doing this for a year now! I accomplished a fair amount this year- more than any other while I've been at college... but am hoping to do more this coming one. I was even responsible and made a list. It's up on my tumblr if anyone is inclined to keep up when I post there instead of here.

-Magic girl coloring book

-Wanderbones tarot

-Finish crystal linoleum block

-Design sun bear print

-Make handkerchiefs/bandanas

-Sew scrappy quilt

-Finish Star Beast painting

-FinishthetigerdrawingIstartedalmostayearago

-Fill up sketchbook

-TERRANIUMS

-More photography

-Draw people until good at drawing people

-Use up last pages from 18X24 inch sketchbook

-Draw original patches on scrap fabric

-Big kolrosing of that monk guy

-Fleurs de mal inspired series

Some bits are going to be finished sooner than others, like the linoleum blocks, others like the kolrosing are going to take a lot longer. I'm going to the woodsmen's field today or tomorrow and I'm hoping that there will be some larger wood pieces in the dump pile that I can use for that.

 Trying to use up the last pages of a big sketchbook I have. My goal is to paper my apartment walls with these. As I am currently taking mycology (the study of fungi), most will probably be fungal related. Because mushrooms are awesome.

 I love when Hobby Lobby has stuff on sale. Snagged these wood boards for less than $1 each. I'm planning the third to give to my younger brother for his birthday.

 Angels inspired by the podcast Welcome to Night Vale. They are both named Erika, and one was used as the inspiration for a larger piece that I submitted to the second alumni art show. It was a last minute thing (as I forgot my salamander painting at college- I was a week late turning it in), but it turned out pretty well. The gallery opening is this coming Friday so I'll have pictures of it then.

 Rough sketch for a larger piece.

 I'm going to be trying this again. But I might make the deck much simpler, probably done in charcoal and conte crayon.

My last goal for this year is to be more professional. Admittedly this might be difficult as I am a student of ecology and not the fine arts, so I don't have that resource. And I don't have access to a scanner. Small battles I suppose, but there's a whole year to work on it. I'll be back later this week or early next with some new pieces, so keep an eye out. :) 

Friday flashback overtime

I forgot to do this last week O.O Guess I was a bit too excited to be able to spend three days at my parents house. Here are some extras to make up for last week.

Just a PSA

     It's ok to not do something if you know it won't end well. It isn't quitting; it's knowing your limits and having a healthy respect for them.
     My case, for instance, and I'm sorry if I get a bit ranty here. I punched my limits in the fall of last year and the stress manifested itself as a baby eating disorder. There were days I needed to force myself to eat because, well, the human body really does need nutrients and calories to function. I lost almost ten pounds and generally felt like shit. Over the course of winter break I got over the anti-eating mechanism (just in time too if you think about it) and began to feel better. However, upon returning to my apartment in January The Beast reemerged from its little hole and while my diet was back to normal and I had the energy to feel emotions normally again, I could no longer sleep. The stress of Being In The City was back; the death echoes of sorts from the semester prior. I'm still figuring out how to deal with this one, but it is getting better (coffee helps, although I did have two panic attacks over the summer, oops).
     Anyways, my last first day of classes was today and I found out that the senior capstone class for my major- arguably one of the hardest classes offered at ESF for undergrads- had been upped to 5 credits. One credit is 45 hours of work over the semester here, or 4 a week. So that's more like 20 a week now and this is just a more accurate representation of the time put into it (example: the first assignment is a 10 page paper utilizing 40 references on a single organism such as white-tailed deer. Due the second week of September with proper Journal of Wildlife Management formatting).
     Needless to say I dropped an Environmental Journalism class because I know I won't be able to give my all (or even my leg...) and maintain my sanity. Not to mention it's my last chance to have some fun here before becoming An Adult in December with impending graduation.
     That was longer than I intended it to be. My apologies. If you read it all you deserve a cookie or something...
     Anyways, I've found my limit and do not intend on ever touching it again. I would really like to enjoy my last semester here without losing my mind and maintaining some semblance of mental stability.
     Allow me to reiterate: It is ok to not push yourself to your limits all of the time. A person isn't weak if they know when to stop and do so. Now go, and listen to some music I've come across recently that's pretty awesome. :)

Disappearance of the Girl- Phildel

Brighter than Gold- The Cat Empire

Fire Fire- Steam Powered Giraffe

     If anyone is starting school of any sorts around this time, I wish you the best of luck, *hugs and kisses and cookies for the road*

Friday flashback

Classes start Monday, my last first day of classes; possibly forever as grad school isn't exactly appealing at this point... What is appealing however is listening to Welcome to Night Vale (you can find it for free on iTunes) while painting. Or other menial tasks, like counting collembola and mites.