A Bird In Your Pocket

A Bird in Your Pocket

I have had a very challenging year, health-wise.  The fibromyalgia flared up around New Years Eve, and has kept me lying low many days.

Last fall, while we were in Maui, I started sitting up all day.  This was the first time in over 18 years that I didn’t spend 99% of my days in bed.  I also got dressed every day.  This may not sound like a lot, but when you’ve lived in a nightie in bed for so long, it is huge.

When we got home in November, I continued sitting up in my art studio.  I was doing so well that at Christmas, I got a new, 27″ screen for my computer!  It makes a huge difference to paint on that rather than my laptop computer.  But then, the first of the year, I found myself back in bed more than in my studio.  It has been a real battle to get enough rest and still sit up as much as possible.

But, I feel like I’ve won the battle.  In the last few weeks, I’ve been able to go to my studio at least three to four days a week.  I’m even taking small walks down to our mailbox.

Now a Bird In Your Pocket.

I started this piece in the new app I bought, Rebelle.  I used acrylics and then added lots of water on top of them and to get drips running down all over the place.  I also added some inks for even drippier drips.  I’m having trouble getting the light values I want in Rebelle.  When I bring the painting into Painter, I am focusing on the lights to make sure I get good values of light and dark.

I am using oil brushes in Painter.  A friend asked me recently how one can mix watercolors and oils in the same painting.  In actual media, this can’t be done.  But while I’m in Rebelle using inks and acrylics with water, I use a textured watercolor-like paper. Then when I bring the piece into Painter, I go back to a background that is for oils.

I have a lot of fun with Painter mixing media in unusual ways.

This is another painting done in the new style I have finally started using for my art.  These last few paintings are what I’ve seen in my mind.  I just haven’t been able to get on paper what is in my head.

Some of this is due to the neurologic deficits I have as a result of the lyme disease.  This is something that many are unaware of.  For me, it is a lot like I had a stroke.  I had to learn to write again and, of course, I had to learn to draw again.  I had to practice circles forever to make them turn out right.  I’ve spent hours and hours sketching just to be able to draw the things that are in this painting.

I had so much fun making this painting, I hope you enjoy it.