My 10 Year Blog-aversary

Woohoo! Here we are. Ten years! Kind of a BIG DEAL for me!

This is post number 311! 

My blog has been my patient friend. It knows that sometimes life gets distracting. Even when I'm not paying as much attention to it, it doesn't go away. It's there for me when I'm ready. My friend waits for me to work through creative block, and doesn't roll its eyes when I promise to blog once a week. My friend says, "you do you, Tracy." 

I started Wet Paint primarily to be able to participate in Illustration Friday. Unfortunately, no longer with us, it was a site with a weekly one-word prompt. Illustrators had a week, from Friday to Friday, to create a piece based on the prompt, then share it, receive comments and encouragement, and dole out the same to other artists. It was great!  And it existed at the perfect time for me. I was getting away from fine art and working to be a little more creative, free, and illustrator-like.

Ten years is a long(ish) time and I've been through ups and downs with my creative work. I had 45 posts in 2018 and only 6 in 2020! I'm up to 39 this year already, well on the way to my best blog-year yet! 

I've shared paintings, and craft projects throughout these 10 years. I've written a few children's book manuscripts: a chapter book, that I shared here in February, and 2 other picture books that I plan to share before the year is up. 

Wet Paint is my catchall. It really doesn't care what I'm doing as long as I'm happy doing it. It's here so that I can share with you. "You do you, Wet Paint." Thank you! 

And thank you to everyone who stops by from time to time to check it out! I truly appreciate it. 

As usual a couple steps in the process:

Inspired by some pieces I found on Pinterest. I did this just for fun. 

A zen type of doodle/coloring project with sparkly gel pens.

I dropped it into Procreate and started playing around,

and that's when I thought it would make a nice congratulatory card for myself! 

Below is the blog post (image) that has had the most views. 

From January of 2016, it's another piece that I did just for myself and for the fun of it.

As of today has 622 hits. 

A Pinterest sensation! Haha! Thank you Pinterest! And thank you, Goldfish!

My Bedroom Wall. Yes, Still a Teenager at Heart.

I am approaching my 10 year anniversary with my blog and have been busy with so many things: preparing for a big family staycation in July, a project painting ceramic fish, and pieces for my yearly calendar. (Sorry, but it'll take the fun out of the calendar to share those things ahead of time. I do promise to post later.)

I just wanted to share another little piece of myself, my bedroom wall, with some of my favorite works, and invite anyone reading to stop by on the 23rd of June as I celebrate . . . me! 

That big swirly painting in the center was a piece I did in oils, just for play. Within its swirls are words of inspiration I paraphrased from Martha Graham. I doubt you can read from the photo so I'll share here with you.

There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening

That is translated through you into action

If you block it, it will never exist through any other medium,

and will be lost into eternity.

Believe in yourself.

Believe in the possibilty.

Take a step into the unknown.

Only you can do it.

If not now . . . when?

Her version is a bit longer. Click here to read it in its entirety.

Here are the fishes by the way.  A fun commission I just finished up.

Before

After

Thank you for stopping by!

Happy Birthday, Tonnya!

Today is my sister's birthday, and here she is! Happy Birthday, Tonnya! She's somewhere a bit upward of 39, but who's counting?

The photo I worked from was taken by my niece, Tara. Last August she hosted a dinner party at my mom's house for me and my daughter Louisa, her mom, and her grandma. It was an absolutely lovely evening, thanking us for supporting her and the handbag she designed that had just been released. She is so incredibly talented. (Click here to see it and check out her website). She brought all the food and tableware, and took photos of all of us.

We felt so pampered!

The table setting!

The food! Delicious, and with the exception of the chicken breasts, 

most of it was vegan for Aunt Tracy.

We didn't get photos of the desserts. 

Trust me, we had dessert. Just forgot to get the photo.

We all share genes and the same humungous sweet-tooth).

The girls!

Here are some steps in the art process:

I did this piece in Procreate on my iPad. I began by working over the top of the actual photo, outlining the important areas. I had a vision of what I wanted it to look like and didn't want to spend all my time getting proportions right by freehanding. 

Then, the fun part of dropping in the color and doing the "painting".

And then . . . Tada! 

The wine is poured and we have the finished piece at the top of this page.

Thanks for stopping by!