I have been following a few art supply companies(Koh-I-Noor USA, Clearprint, and AD Marker) on Facebook, which has turned out to be quite a good thing for me.   I recently won a few free art supplies just for responding to one of their questions about what city did we live it.  I have yet to play with those pigment powders, but am excited to give them a try. 

Well, Clearprint announced a Clearprint Cross Country collaborative art project.  Artists who sign up are sent a clearprint sketchbook to create an art work on one page and return to them.  In addition, they are sent a second book to keep for themselves.  I could not pass up this opportunity.  It seemed a much more do-able project for me to participate in.  I've done the sketchbook project twice.  The first time, I rushed through it to meet the deadline and the second time, I completely forgot about the project. 

I really love the Clearprint Vellum books.  I like how rapidograph ink looks on it.  Also, I love how you can play with the front and back to create depth.

My book arrived on Tuesday.  I'm the first person to draw in the book.  I feel a little pressure being the first one, but I feel inspired.  I finished the page today and will mail it out tomorrow.

This is my contribution to the front cover.  Of course, Stargazer has to be on the cover.

I took one of the daily drawings I did last year for my page contribution.  This is the front of the page.

This is what the back looks like.

I used a .18 rapidograph pen and prismacolor colored pencils.  I haven't worked in colored pencil in a long while.  It felt nice to work in that medium again.

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The past few months have been all about living a happier life and working towards a much better me.  Living by the beach was the first step.  Life seems so much more pleasant and relaxing.  I was running and walking on the beach a lot, but I found a workout location to go to, Transformation Center in Huntington Beach.  It has been great!  I love my fitness trainer, Alex.  He is just the right mix of pushing us past our comfort zones, motivation, and support.  I'm happy to have found him. I think what I like most about him is that he explains the reasons why he has us train and eat the way we do... AND he gives examples.  Being a teacher, this seems to work for me. I do have to admit that I feel like I'm cheating on Brea Fit Body.  I thoroughly miss them, a lot!  But this is for the best.  I feel so much more healthier and stronger!  I think part of it is that I have nothing to distract me from focusing on creating a healthier and happier life for myself. 

Plus, I'v been showing my Mizzles and paintings of their adventures at the Santa Ana Art walk the past few months with Orange County Creatives Gallery.  Jason and Maggie Tockey have been so great to me... and to my best friend. I am looking forward to showing with them again in December.  And I might be showing some work in their new Laguna location!!!  I'm a little excited about that opportunity. 

I joined the Huntington Beach Art League in September and this past October meeting I submitted my first entry to be judged.  I entered Mizzles Camping in the Mixed Media category.  Whoever demonstrates an art technique at the meeting gets to judge the artwork.  To my pleasant surprise, I took 1st place! 

So, with all of this healthy living and positive feedback from showing my work, it only makes sense that I have renewed energy and determination to complete my children's story about the Mizzles.  I have to say I have a few doubts, but those are just compositional kinks that I will work out.  Other than that, I'm pretty happy with the progress I've been making. 

It seems that the specific location I moved to is filled with people who hit a "rock bottom" and are finding themselves, or finding ways to make them a better version of themselves.  We are all creative types, who enjoy living by the beach.  I can't help to think how perfectly meant to be this all has been.  I can't wait to see what the next year has in store for me!

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Summer has sadly ended and the school year has begun.  But before I had to go back to my regular scheduled program of being an art educator,  I was able to have some architecture/ art fun with one of my best buds, John. We explored the Architecture and Design Museum, where they had designs of buildings that were proposed for various locations in Los Angeles, but were never accepted.  Some of the design concepts were extremely futuristic, but it gave an interesting perspective of what LA could have possibly looked like.   During our adventure we saw the Wall Project, which are grafitti'd portions of the Berlin Wall.  It was really cool seeing it up close.  I remember being in middle school when my brother told me he was helping with taking the Berlin Wall down.  I thought it was the coolest thing that he was apart of a historical moment.

Then we went to the Geffen Contemporary, where we saw a great Architecture exhibit.  The structure below was one of my favorites.  It looked like it was made of the mesh material from lawn chairs and light/patterns were projected onto it.  Standing in the structure had a calming effect.


As for making things, I had made a lot of new Mizzles and Mermizzles for the show, but I have been working on a few paintings here and there.  Since Operation Relocation, a lot of the Mizzles have been exploring the beach life along with me. 

This first one is not one of my favorites.  It still needs a lot of work and turned out to be more yellow than I had planned.  I might have to redo this piece, but I thought it would be fun if the Mizzles had a beach bonfire.



After looking at this piece on the computer screen, I feel if the background was darken more then perhaps it would unify the piece more.


 This piece was a commission from one of my new neighbors.  She bought a Mermizzle for a friend's baby and wanted an artwork to go along with it.  This is probably one of my favorite pieces.  I have a lot of fun drawing the Mizzles exploring underwater life and meeting sea creatures.  I began by inking the outlines of the characters with a .18 rapidograph.


Then I used Derwent Inktense pencils to paint the foundation colors for each character.


  I used regular watercolor paint to develop the shadows and background.



 I mounted it to a 4"x 12" canvas and coated it with gel medium to seal it all in.


 This is the doll and painting together.  Since I loved it so much, I plan on recreating it. Hopefully, I can remember the correct color schemes I used.

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Since "Operation: Relocation", I have been enjoying my new life...the beach life.  I find it very surreal.  It is not something I'm used to, but I'm becoming very accustomed to it quickly!  I have been enjoying my runs/walks on the beach with my occasional shell collecting; riding my rust-bucket bike; hanging out with my new neighbors; listening to lots of music; and making art.

This has been my life:

My first time at the US Open of Surfing

The crowd after the Modest Mouse concert @ US Open

The trees around here are amazing!

Favorite part of my workout is taking my shoes off and then walking in the water.

I love these birds.  Someone told me it's called a Long Billed Curlew.

Hiking Bolsa Chica wetlands

more of the wetlands

If you look closely, you will see a squirrel friend :)

Listening to local band, The Originalites

As for my artwork, I've been working on random things.  It's been a bit challenging to get into a work habit that has been successful for me.  I know when I'm like this it means I'll be producing some of my "bad and ugly" artwork.  So, I decided to just paint.  I had attended the Kustom Kulture exhibit at the Huntington Beach Art Center.  Here were some of my favorites:

Mark Ryden

Audrey Kawasaki

Shag

The Pizz

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I have always wanted to live by the beach.  My fondest childhood memories occurred at the beach.  I was always happiest when I was at the beach, but who isn't? But life has seemed to lead me farther and farther from the beach.  I know I was never really that far from the beach, but it felt far.  It just seemed time to make what I wanted happen.  With that in mind, I began my adventure looking for a new place.  It seemed that the universe was thrilled with my idea of moving to the beach because within a few days of searching I found a great home near the beach.  It is amazing how different I feel.  Being able to get up in the morning and run on the beach has become a dream come true. Side note: Sand is colder than the water in the morning.

Next, I will be working on a large 3' x 4' canvas.  This is inspired by the "man-cave" that is in the garage below me, which reminded me of the dogs playing poker painting.  This painting is clearly not for the kids.  Here are the Mizzles drinking and playing a game of poker.

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I was talking to a former student a few weeks ago.  Somehow we got onto the subject of my paintings in college.  One was a fabric collage with paint and dream catchers attached.  It was based on one of my favorite poems by Nancy Wood.  It is called The Four Sisters of Everlasting Beauty.

But I have another poem of hers that is my absolute favorite.

Why the Great Spirit Made Hands

The Great Spirit made hands before he made
     eyes or feet, so people could learn to hold
     one another. Hands were useful for touching
     the hard ribs of trees or the soft tongues of flower petals.
     Hands discovered the dry uncertainty of snakes, the
     slipperiness of fish, the mystery of feather. Hands found
Other hands and clasped together to embrace the oncoming world,
     unafraid. Two pairs of hands, burned by fire and cooled
     by water, felt their way along unfamiliar paths and then
     reached out and found they needed one another
     to make a home in the wilderness of their minds.

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I had been extremely exhausted lately. Life has overwhelmed me this year with choices, and responsibilities that have helped me to get over things that have always made me uncomfortable or have even feared. I've had more honest and open conversations with my mom and dad about family stuff that has bothered me. I've become more comfortable in allowing myself to be more vulnerable and to ask for help(I'm still taking baby steps, but its happening a bit more). And I've come to realize and accept some of my flaws that I never wanted to see before. But the journey of all of this and the process has been draining. It's like an emotional roller coaster that gives you no breaks from the ups and downs. The small changes that I thought would be easy to handle and adapt to had more of an impact than I could have ever imagined. As a result, I have felt drained of all the happy magic that makes me feel whole. I desperately needed to not be home. So I packed up and flew out to see my best friend in Chicago. Our other best friend was able to join us and we had a brief, but wonderful girls weekend. Laughing, talking about some real issues and digging a little deep into ourselves, and walking, walking, and walking was the agenda for this weekend. It feels like there is a lot of enthusiam, hope, and new starts that are happening or are about to happen.

As I'm sitting on the plane flying home, looking out the window at the beautiful world below me. I find myself thinking how much this activity used to terrify me. I used to hate flying, especially the take-offs and landings. I especially had difficulty sitting near the window and looking down. But I'm sitting here absolutely LOVING IT! I even requested the seat to begin with. I'm also wondering at what point did I stop being so afraid of this. I'm starting to realize that there are many things that I've "feared" and have allowed other things in life to become excuses for me. And I know I have to stop doing that. My body is itching for me to make changes. This trip was just the start. I'm feeling recharged and ready to start running down the path I was originally mapping out for myself. I've fallen a bit behind and need to get caught up.

I've attached a few photos of Kelen Mermizzle and Larry Mizzle, who went with me. Unfortunately, they didn't get to see that much of Chicago. And a photo from my flight home. I haven't done an email post, so I'm not sure if all of the photos will post. I guess we'll find out soon enough. Almost home :)

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I like how certain things in my personal life inspire my latest creations.  I feel like it helps me honor or show my appreciation for the things and people I have in my life.

I have been going to Fit Body Bootcamp in Brea since October.  I love it!  The workouts consist of 1-2 exercises per section and we rotate.  I enjoy the workouts because they can easily be tailored to your needs.  Everyone there is extremely encouraging and supportive.  It's like having an exercise family.  Well, we had this one workout a few weeks ago and I was just motivated to draw it.  It became one of my daily sketches.   The sketch was fun to create, but it didn't look right to me.  It felt really scrunched together. 

I thought it would be fun to do a color version.  I rearranged some of the characters and added a few more. 
I am working with Derwent Inktense Pencils. 
  I am working in acrylic, so this painting is taking longer than I had hoped. But that is because it is not really a portable painting, where I can just work on it at any time or location. 

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I've been quiet lately.  Part of it is that it is that time of the school year when life gets crazy with AP testing, state testing, award ceremonies, trying to finish murals, trying to help those students who are failing get a passing grade, dealing with changes within my department, and helping out with family stuff.  It amazes me how a few small changes has a huge impact on your life. I've been pretty exhausted lately.  I've been in this state of not wanting to think or have to make decisions, which is never good.  Laziness has been my enemy lately, but I feel like I'm putting up a good fight.

In the midst of my busy schedule, I participated in my 4th RAWartists showcase.  This time it was located in Costa Mesa at the Shark Club.  The venue was much larger than the previous locations.

Photo by Alex Gomez

To be honest, I was a bit disappointed with this showcase, but I guess those details really don't matter considering this was my most profitable show. It seemed like the whole night I was making a sale. I sold mostly prints and dolls, but a few originals went to good homes. I like doing these shows because I enjoy meeting other artists...or realizing how small the world is and running into familiar faces.  I like hearing the stories of other artists and their journey.

Mom's paper weight on her desk

As for my art journey, I've been creating a lot of small pieces.  Carpooling with my mom a few days a week means having to kill time waiting for her to get out of work.  So, I've been working small, so that it is portable and I have something to do while I wait.  
Some of the drawings were done on her post-it note pads because I was really bored and forgot to bring something with me.
 Most of the other drawings were done in my sketchbook.  Here are a few of the sketchbook drawings:

































The sketches I like the most, I would redraw them onto mixed media paper and begin making color versions. A lot of them are incomplete, but they keep me busy as I wait.  By the way, I'm in love with my Derwent Inktense pencils!  The color is so vibrant!  It doesn't work well for large areas, but I'm figuring out ways to work around that.

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Every year, the school I work at does a fundraiser.  Actually, we do many fundraisers and are considered one of the top 5 schools in the nation for fundraising.  This time of year we fundraise money for a non-profit organization called TLC, True Lasting Connections, who provide health care, dental, vision, clothes, etc. to students in our community.  To know that we are helping our own students, and to see our students care so much about doing something great is quite a sight.  To contribute, I make about 13-15 Mizzles and auction them off for a week.  They each are given fun names and stories.  It is fun to see my students and co-workers compete over who will win their favorite Mizzle. 

Here are the Mizzles who have found great homes and provided close to $300 for TLC:

 

 

 

 








 







 













All of the characters found wonderful homes.  Thank you to all of the students and staff who participated in the auction!  And a special thanks to my storytellers: Kimberly Vance, Geovanna Torres, and Joanna Lee, who helped give them additional life.

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I only draw in such small details when I am extremely stressed.  The drawing is not complete, but since it is my therapy piece, I guess it doesn't matter.

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It was 6th grade when I had to begin wearing glasses.  At that time I was a little too big to wear the children's frames, but still too small for the adult frames.  I remember having to go with these pink Mickey Mouse glasses because they were the only ones that fit my face well enough.  I hated them.  One, they were pink and I was never really a "pink" girl.  Two, there was a Mickey Mouse face on the sides of the glasses.  When you are in middle school, it is the transition of not being a little kid anymore, so that made me feel very child-ish.  I was very self conscious wearing glasses and only wore them in class to read the bored.  But the moment I didn't need them I immediately took them off.

In high school, I still refused to wear my glasses all of the time even though I had transitioned into frames that were more appropriate for my age.  But now that I'm an adult, all of the concern about how people see me seems pointless.  Not that I'm unaffected by what people think about me, I think it is just human nature for it to impact us a little.  I am just more concerned about how I see myself.   And I love wearing my glasses!  I do wish I could wear contacts for some instances, but I've come to terms with the fact that I can't.

So, imagine the amount of joy I had when Firmoo asked me to try their glasses and write a review!  I was extremely excited about choosing new frames!  In the past, I have always bought my glasses from Kaiser or Lenscrafters, which means I would spend close to $400 on prescription glasses. Ordering online was a different experience and a bit frightful because I am responsible for entering in all of my information.  But, I enjoyed the process of ordering my glasses online from Firmoo.  They have a really easy to use format.  Plus, you can upload a photo of yourself and select glasses to try on digitally. Or you can use one of the photos they provide.  They provide easy and simple to read steps throughout.  Again, normally I spend about $400 on my glasses, but the glasses from Firmoo would have costed me somewhere from $33-$86, without taxes and shipping, depending on the type of lenses I chose.  I, especially, loved the service they provided.  Immediately after placing my order, they contacted me about my glasses prescription to verify it.  I was feeling a bit unsure about ordering my prescription glasses online, but I felt more assured about receiving the correct prescription after talking to them about what I was reading on my eyeglasses prescription.

As for my glasses, I call this new pair my nerdy glasses!  I have never been so happy to live in time when looking nerdy can be considered fashionable!  :) My glasses are light and fit snuggly on my face.  I like them a lot. I do, however, wish there was an option to purchase those UV Transition lenses that darken when you go outside.  I do love that about my old pair of glasses.  I never had to switch from my glasses to sunglasses.

Overall, I am extremely happy with Firmoo's product.  I am actually thinking of buying another pair...or perhaps get some sunglasses!

Here is my latest look!

I recommend you try out Firmoo, especially if you have kids or teens who lose their glasses all of the time because they were like me, who felt insecure about wearing them.  Glasses are never cheap, but you won't be spending quite as much having to replace them.

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This past weekend I attended a women's conference called Merge.  It was a place for us to discover our passions and figure out a way for us to "merge" them with a career or business we will love and be passionate about.

To be completely honest, I'm not sure how I feel about the conference.  It wasn't horrible and I don't feel like I wasted my time, but I don't feel enlightened or enthusiastic about it either.  I feel like the conference was truly meant for someone who was unhappy in their current career and needed help figuring out how to transition into a meaningful creative career.  I am not in that position. One, I love my current career as a high school Visual Arts teacher.  It is through my search of creating fun, interesting, and inspirational assignments where I find my own personal inspiration.  I might have mentioned it in a previous blog, but I often times inspire me instead of my students...who my hard work and research is intended for.  Two, I have somewhat of an idea of what I want to do next or in addition to my current career.  I'm just looking too closely at the bigger picture that I frighten myself with all of the possibilities and/or I'm just very exhausted at the moment from being the "rock", the "glue", or the "strength" for the people around me.  I'm tired of taking on projects for other people and making their visions come to fruition.  I need a break to recharge my batteries, and then I can go full steam in my own projects.  Or that is what I'm hoping for.  At the current moment, I look at my list of commitments and am realizing that might be happening for a little while.

I loved that the conference was just for women.  That created a safe environment for everyone to share and not be judged.  Everyone was extremely supportive and seemed to instantly become friends.  I didn't like the conversation of male v. female.  It seemed that many women had a difficult time working with or communicating with males.  I sat there thinking "I LOVE WORKING WITH MY GUYS!!!! THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!!!"  But maybe it is because the group of men I have surrounded myself with are supportive and trusting where they have no problem taking direction from me because I trust them to do their best as they do in return.  I have learned to not be afraid to ask for help, and I learned to accept the best people can give me, or to utilize their strengths.  I never ask people to do something they don't already do. If I do, I attempt the task with them and solve the problems together.

I didn't learn anything in particular that I didn't already know about myself, but the conference did reinforce what I already knew and made me realize I need to get over my fear and begin in small steps.  I did find it interesting to people watch.  That probably sounds really horrible or judgmental, but I enjoy observing people interaction.  I found it fascinating that some women cried when sharing.  I know people do this, but it always amazes me when people are so happy or overwhelmed by appreciation that they cry.  I have never experienced it, so I don't truly understand it.  It does fascinate me.  It makes me wonder "why"?  Did they grow up around people who never believed in them?  Were they never told they were smart, creative, fun, beautiful, or wonderful? It's a little sad to think about, but it does occur. 

I feel like being an artist helps me be the survivor I am.  Diving into my art is what helped me when I felt lost in life.  It helped me rediscover myself and figure out where I'm going next.  It has taken me on this incredible journey that seems to always lead back to a specific thing.  There was a woman in one of my groups who felt like she knew her passions, talents, and what she would like to do with them, but didn't know exactly what that career or business would look like.  Some of the others felt like her journey to discovery wasn't done.  My recommendation was to embrace her "inner child" to play and explore the areas that she wanted to make a difference in, but for herself.  Through her exploration for herself, she will discover what she is meant to create or do; and to know that when things look or feel wrong it is okay to stop and move on to something else.  Mistakes are good.  I shared with them the conversations I had been having with my AP students about the good, bad, and ugly art.  Everyone in my group seemed to agree with me about this process.  It seemed like a foreign new idea to a few, but I think it is because I'm trained to think and process in this particular way.

Nevertheless, the weekend provided an interesting experience.  I'm still not convinced I learned anything in particular to benefit me, but perhaps I just need more time to process it all.

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I feel like I have either written about this topic, or I have wanted to in the past, but never got around to it. But I believe there is a lot of value in creating bad art.  I feel I learn more from a piece that went wrong than one that turned out well. And part of us having the desire to create is usually in search of discovery... a new technique, a new style, enlightenment on problems we are trying to deal with, or discovering a new passion that engulfs us in the need to be creative.

Lately, it seems I have been having this conversation more and more with my students. Being a high school art teacher has it benefits.  It makes me reflect on my own personal beliefs in my own art and what I am teaching my students.  Sometimes they are not exactly the same thing.  I have noticed my teaching style and beliefs have changed since my journey has begun.  I believed that it was only about create great pieces of work, or building up to that.  Within the last few years, I have begun to transition on the importance of play, experimenting with materials, and just drawing no matter what it looks like. 

Today, one of my AP studio art students asked me about my education background and how did I end up teaching.  She began telling me that she doesn't think she is a good artist and that she can't see herself drawing her whole like.  I explained to her that her feelings are of a true artist.  I don't think any of us ever think we are good enough.  It really takes a lot of effort for us to stand back, look at our work, and notice what we have done right.  I told her that I feel as though she has found that medium, or technique, or subject matter that lights that fire of creativity within her and drives her to mass produce.  I don't think she'll never draw her whole life.  She has lots of talent.  This might not become a career for her, but I think she will continue with it as a hobby.  I shared with her how at one point in my life I felt unbelievably lost in life, where I didn't even recognize myself in the mirror.  I told her it didn't feel sad. It felt empty.  Art saved me from that feeling.  I began creating and creating more.  I explained to her that I have many pieces of work that are never finished, or turn out really bad.  I just keep producing work.  I have an openness to ideas and trying new techniques, which allows me to just play with my work.  If I stop creating for 2 weeks that empty feeling comes back and I begin to feel lost again.  But now that I've been creating more and more work, I have fewer pieces that turn out absolutely horrible. 

I know she doubts herself and as we get closer to the AP portfolio due date I continually try to get her motivated.  I told her that she needs to just keep producing work, collecting images of animals, or things she likes, and to just trust her and create.  And in that mass production of work, there will be art work that is horrible, ugly, okay, and absolutely beautiful!  But it takes making a lot of work before the beautiful begins to show up more than the ugly work. 

Here are a few unfinished or unhappy artwork that now occupy parts of my home until I decide to finish them or throw them out.

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Just a quick drawing for today!  Happy Valentine's Day from all of the Mizzle to you!!!!

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The La Habra Art Gallery is going to have a Small and Miniature Art Show during the month of March.  I've been excited about the prospects of this show.  This was a just an idea in case one of our scheduled shows fell through.  It's been that kind of experience working with the La Habra Art Association.  I think things are starting to come together though.  Each time we meet, there is a bit of energy and excitement with small new ideas.  I have had this set of blank nesting dolls for a few years.  I have always wanted to paint on them, but I never have. I think part of it was fear of messing them up and having to coat the entire surface.  I really love seeing the grain of the wood.

Outer most nesting doll

So I took the leap of faith and began drawing on them with pencil.  I ran into the problem of smudging the pencil as I drew around the form.  I decided to ink the lines with my rapidograph, which some areas bled a little.  I should have prepped each surface with a thinned layer of gel medium.  That would have solved all of my problems.  Regardless of the small obstacles, I am happy with how they are turning out.  At some point, I have to decide whether to color or not to color. 

2nd nesting doll, next level down

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Next month, the OC illustrators will have a group exhibit at the La Habra Art Gallery.  We have chosen the theme "A bunch of malarky."  It should be a fun and exciting show.  There is so much talent in the group. I have been working on a few pieces.  I'm still creating more pieces, but I've been playing with my Mermizzle theme.  Elsie has created a lot of inspiration and motivation in me. 


 This was the first piece I began working on immediately after creating Elsie the Mermizzle.  I thought it would be fun for my Mizzles to discover an entirely different world from theirs up in the tree. I used Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils, Inktense pencils, and a 3x0 rapidograph pen.



Whoa!

This second piece was inspired by my need to play with paper collage.  I like the paper collage pieces I create because I go in with no plan and never know what it will look like when I'm done.  The characters and sandcastle are cut out of watercolor paper and collaged on, but I used watercolor pencils to color them in.

Day at the Beach

Lastly, I wanted to create a simple image with very little background.  Here I used mostly Prismacolor watercolor pencils and a 3x0 rapidograph pen on watercolor paper.

Hello Friend

Which one is your favorite?

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Tomorrow, I will be introducing the final drawing for my beginning students.  It is a surrealistic city in one or two-point perspective.  I've spent a good amount of the morning thumbing through my favorite surrealism books, scanning, and printing photos for inspiration.  Of course, it led me to one of my absolute favorite female surreal artists, Remedios Varo.  I found her by accident when I was in college working on my single subject credential.  There is something magical about her work.  I look at it waiting for the hauntingly sad characters to move and interact with me.  I am captured by the textures, colors, and the transparency of the figures that seem to move with such ghostly grace. 

Here are some of my favorites:

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This morning was a surprise I did not expect. I went into my classroom and found a piece of paper on the floor with bird poop on it.  With a very confused look on my face, I picked up the paper and threw it away.  I proceeded to my routine: turn on computer, put lunch away, and put my rolling cart away.  Then I went to the office.  When I came back, I opened my storage room and found a tiny brown bird flying around.  I stood there in absolute shock.  First thought: How on earth did it get in there?  I couldn't figure it out.  Second thought: How do I get it out of the small room inside my classroom?  Then, how do I get it out of my classroom?  I remembered I had an Audubon toy bird that makes an actual bird noise.  I squatted in front of the room and made bird noises with the toy trying my best to entice the bird out of my storage closet.  After a few minutes, I gave up.  I walked to the office to find someone who might help.  As I walked back to my room, I found my friend and made him come with me to my room, where we found the little brown bird sitting on a stool.  I rushed to my storage room and shut the door, while my friend tried to sweep the bird out.  It didn't work.  The bird flew somewhere and we couldn't figure out where.  So, I went in search of more help.  One of my fellow art teachers came in my room in search of the bird.  We saw "A" bird outside of my room.  We think that might have been him or her.  As we searched my room, we found tiny little spots of bird poop on desks throughout my room.  I think the little guy had been locked in my classroom all weekend! The poor thing!  It was a little disgusting, but I laughed so hard this morning! I felt a little bad as I discovered the bird had pooped on a few student drawings.  The good thing is that my students were able to laugh with me about the whole scenario.

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I have to say that I have been having a lot of fun drawing my new Mermizzle!  It is nice to regain my drawing mojo.  It has been feeling a bit forced... until now.

I'm having a great time introducing Elise Mermizzle to my regular cast of characters. There seems to be a natural flow in drawing her.  It feels as though I have been drawing her for years.

I have been slowly making more Mermizzles.  I'm finding they are a lot easier and faster to make than a regular Mizzle. Here are a few that are in progress:
 In addition, I have been working on some new pieces as possibilities for our OC Illustrator group show next month.
I'm falling in love with Larry in the bubble created by the Mermizzle.  It isn't finished, but I am pleasantly surprised by it.

This second one is a paper collage that I began yesterday.  The Mizzles will be making an appearance in this soon. Stay tuned to see how these projects turn out!

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I find it interesting how inspiration discovers me. My friend, Cory, and his wife are expecting a little girl soon.  While I was taking care of their dog, they had asked if I could paint a few things for them in the nursery.  They wanted a sea themed room, but realized everything they purchased was blue and they wanted to "girl it up."  They gave me an image of a mermaid they liked, but told me what they didn't like about her.  So, I went at it and within 5 hours finished a cute little mermaid with a few friends.  At the time, I hadn't made their baby a Mizzle doll.  I had waited because I wanted to know if there were specific colors or themes they were using in the room.  Once I knew about the sea theme, I went on a search for cute socks.  I found nothing that screamed "make me a Mizzle!"  I just gave up looking.  I think the idea should have been obvious from the beginning, but it didn't.  Perhaps I wasn't listening carefully enough to hear the idea scream.  But since I couldn't find cute socks with cute sea creatures or mermaids (and I wanted to stay away from the Disney mermaid socks) I would make the Mizzle with a mermaid tail.  She would be a Mermizzle.  A Mermizzle!  Genius! 

There is something about this idea, perhaps a new creative fire lit, but I have decided to make it a series.  For the year of 2013, I will be making mostly, if not only, Mermizzles!

Meet Elsie Mermizzle!  She is the very first Mermizzle.  She is adventurous and spunky.  Her loves to gently touch the surface of sea urchins to watch them close, then slowly reopen.  During the day, she blows bubbles  to tickle fish and swimmers above her.  Her best friend is Mr. Octopus, who helps keep her out of danger.  Her favorite color is brown and she loves to eat veggie burgers.

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I love reading inspirational quotes, especially if they are from artists or about creativity.  A few years ago, I began writing them down on post-it notes and stuck them all around my computer monitor or on the wall near my desk.  Mostly, they are little affirmations for my own personal creative process, or I find them amusing.  But, sometimes I find my students reading them.  Since I've changed rooms, my collection of quotes has been sitting aside waiting to be displayed in their new home. 

I thought I'd share what I've collected.

Live out of your imagination, not your history.
-Stephen Corey

As children, we all live in a world of imagination, of fantasy, and for some of us that world of make-believe continues into adulthood.
-Jim Henson

We wish to bring joy to your heart that the reality of who you are is far greater than anything you have imagined.
-Unknown

Have no fear of perfection, you'll never reach it.
-Salvador Dali

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.  Art is knowing which ones to keep.
-Scott Adams

Nothing changes until something moves.
-Albert Einstein

If you don't jump, the wings will never come.
-Bruce Coville, at SCBWI summer conference 2011

Creativity is not rearranging; it is transformation.
-Viola Spolin

I believe that we form our own lives, that we create our own reality, and that everything works out for the best.
-Jim Henson

I'm creative --you can't expect me to be neat, too.
-Unknown

Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.
-Edgar Degas

Perhaps imagination is only intelligence having fun.
-George Scialabba

Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.
-Pablo Picasso

I'm enough of an artist to draw freely on my imagination.  Imagination is more important than knowledge.  Knowledge is limited; imagination encircles the world.
-Albert Einstein

Life is not measured by the number of breaths, but by the moments that take our breath away.
-Maya Angelou

Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.
-Thomas Merton

Art is not a thing; it is a way.
-Elbert Hubbard

And, the quote that makes me smile every time I read it is from my former student, Ayana Pepaj.

"I'm not judging. I'm just saying it's disgusting." 

I have no idea what the topic of conversation was, but I remember working on the murals and garden with my art club students and hearing her end the conversation with that statement.  It made me laugh then and it still does.

What are your favorite inspirational quotes?

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My family always has a lot of fun when we are together.  You can always find us laughing.  I love watching TV or movies with my family because we always add sarcastic commentary. But, I love it when my family decides to go out dinner.  It is filled with so much laughter.  We used to only go to Olive Garden as a family.  Over the past few years, we've explored other places, but they were always restaurants where we each order our own separate meal.  Then we discovered Korean BBQ.  I, especially, love it when go have Korean BBQ. We eat in harmony.  It is almost like dancing, the way we pass the food around.  We have been there enough times as a family that we no longer need to ask for someone to pass us a particular food item. No one fights over any part of the meal.  We eat and we laugh.  

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