My China Cabinet Doesn't Just Hold China...

These are a handful of the hundreds of drawings that are works in progress in my dining room/studio. They are the last couple of weeks quirky doodle drawings that are propped up in my china cabinet drawer and against it where I can look at them...and they can look back. :)

I thought this morning that it looks like I'm working on illustrations for a children's book. Maybe that's what they'll turn into. Who knows? ;)

I've been doing these since April 2008, at least one a day, sometimes two or three. I have several sketchbooks filled and lots of loose ones. Some are still only pencil line drawings. The rest are in various stages of painting, mostly watercolor for now. Some need fine tuning. A few may be finished. We'll see.

Each one has a story that I look forward to telling in the next phase. As much as I've loved the challenge of pulling images out of doodle marks, I feel the pull to change directions and do something else for a while. I will never stop doing these, because I've learned so much from them and they are so relaxing to do.

I've gained confidence in drawing and watercolor, and most of all I've learned to relax and have fun with art. I've stopped trying to be perfect. I'm just trying to be "me."

These little doodles serve many purposes aside from paintings. I look forward to turning them into illustrations/stories, but some will become patterns for oil paintings, some will be turned into stamps or linoleum block print patterns, some will become greeting cards, a few will become part of a collage, I would love to make some prints if I can find out how, and I'm sure I'll think of other projects to include them in. Every time I look back through the sketchbooks I am inspired by endless possibilities. It has definitely not been time wasted.

Their journey won't stop here. They have given me tremendous pleasure and challenges over the past year or so, and I look forward to sharing whatever direction my art journey takes me on, whether it includes doodling or not.

Thanks so much for your visits and comments. You help and inspire me so much. Hope my art attempts continue to make you smile. :)