My work at the front desk of the massage & wellness center has made me an admin assistant machine. Most notably, I can effectively BS my way through a phone call. Accomplishment? I think so.

I Can't Draw on the Run

I have trouble drawing when I'm not sitting in my "drawing space." I like to sit at my desk, with my board and supplies "just so," and with low distraction for a few hours. How much time do I have to do this? Not a whole lot. My teacher encourages me to carry a sketchbook, and the books I read encourage me to carry a sketchbook. Yet I can't sketch on a bus or while I'm waiting somewhere. I am too distracted and unable to focus. I'm thinking about buying a book actually made for drawing (instead of using a lined notebook) with the thinking that maybe I can trick my brain into bringing my mental drawing space with me.

Drive Makes Us "Do-er" Squirrels?

You may remember from my post on shape-shifters, diggers, and do-ers that I was complaining about being a shape-shifter. Well, I found a new drive (drawing) and it is motivating me to improve other areas of my life, too. So there you have it - the key to achieving your dreams and becoming a happy human being: find something that motivates you, preferably an activity you are terrible at. The worse the better.

Success for the Talentless!

I have a theory that people who do not have a particular talent for a skill - but like it anyway - are more successful at it than those who do have a talent for it. This is because their lack of natural ability drives them to master it. Granted, there are geniuses out there who find their gift and perform amazing feats with it, maybe because they don't know what else they would do. I can say from experience that I've exercised skills for which I had talent, but I ended up leaving them for one reason or another (loss of interest/burn out).

Drawing, though, is something for which I have VERY LITTLE talent, and I find that exciting. I'm hoping my theory proves true for me... :-/

Volunteering...And Then the Heavens Opened Up

I signed up to volunteer at my art studio and when I looked around, I think I heard Seraphim. I tend to romanticize things, but I had a feeling I had found my second home. I was surrounded by art and its creators. I met Peggy The Wednesday Morning Volunteer and she oriented me to everything I'd be doing. Then she gabbed to me about the different classes and a book she was reading on Sargent's Madame X.

After my orientation, I explored the library. It was like a dream. It was a small room, but there were so many books on art. I could have gotten lost in there if hunger didn't help me find the exit sign. Before that happened, though, I searched for design. Alas, the closest I came was the photography and critical theory sections.

I was about to leave when I saw a book on illustrators' sketchbooks. I flipped through it and came across work by Melanie Ford Wilson and and Kurt Hollomon. Again, I know I romanticize but when I looked at them, I had a similar feeling as the one I had toward the FastCompany magazine...I couldn't take my eyes off of them. However, with the magazine, I experienced awe and desire. This time, it was awe, desire, and probability...I had the feeling I could produce something like this. Except it would be Amy-fied, of course. Illustration felt natural and organic to me. I'd never thought of myself as an illustrator until that moment.

It's still early in the game, though. There's also a good chance I may do both design and illustration like many artists do. One notable thing came out of this experience: I was faced with some complex emotions (from other life things) when I arrived home and - instead of writing for once - I decided to draw. So begins my pictoral journal...

Below are the images that inspired me today. I can't figure out how to rotate some of them so I apologize for the upcoming crooks in your neck.

Some of you are super tech-savvy and probably figured this out already, but if you click on the images, they will appear larger! This is exciting!

Graphic Design

For the past few weeks, I've been thirsty for graphic design. I traveled to different libraries all over town - public libraries and community college libraries - checking out books on the subject. I've been reading about everything I could get my hands on. It started with FastCompany Magazine. A coworker brought it in, and I couldn't stop thinking about it for days. Then I stole it (is it really stealing if said coworker left it sitting in the staff room as though it had been forgotten?).

Anyway, I read it and stared at it. I took in as much visual information as I could hold. I did this for a couple days and then headed out to the libraries. I combed through books on art, architecture, technology, and media. I checked out anything that had to do with graphic design. I was enamored with typology and color, learning about visual hierarchy and white space, and studying what made design work.

This is what led me to take an art class in all honesty. They say that drawing is the foundation of all art and it makes sense - it's pretty hard to design if you can't draw. Ever since, I've been researching schools that have design programs and figuring out the best path to take. The best path comes in the form of another undergrad degree.

But I don't care. I'll go to college again. This is something I want to learn.

It's Hot Again

If 100+ temperatures were a crime, Tucson would be a felon. It's averaging 104 this week with a 108 spike on Friday. I've realized that if I'm not out of my house by 5:15 AM, any chance of decent exercise is gone for 14 hours. Unless I go to the mall just to walk around...which I do.

My diet has also changed because my body is desperate for water. I add lemon to my water now to replace electrolytes and eat celery for salt. I also crave vegetables like crazy...and they are taking up 2/3 or my daily food intake.  This is great in terms of healthy eating, but my refrigerator empties more quickly now. Instead of going to the store twice a week, for instance, I now need to go 3-4 times a week (I can only carry so much in my backpack). Is it really worth the extra effort? My time/money accountants are still working on that one. 

I don't care much for the heat, to be honest. I envy people who head north into the mountains for the summer. The worst part is, it's June 4th and this is only the beginning :-P.