New sketch!

“Radar”
2 1/2” x 3 1/2”
Beth S. Macre © 2008

Well I was able to get in one sketch this afternoon. It started out just as a quick pencil sketch that I planned to put colored pencil to, but then I decided to add black pen outline...and 30 minutes later I had this much ink. So I'm calling it finished. I may do another using colored pencil. This little fella is more than happy to pose for a picture any time. He is one happy little Papillon!

More sketches...

'Pink Painting' journal sketch
2004
Beth S. Macre




'First Baptist Church' pen & ink commission journal sketch
June 2004
Beth S. Macre


'Cooks Barn' colored pencil commission journal sketch
'Farmer's Bank' pencil and ink commission (on table)
Fall 2005
Beth S. Macre

More Sketches...

I'm still working on the portrait commission, so I will post a few more journal sketches. These are distractions that kept me from spending much time drawing that year.


"Ready to Shop"
Beth S. Macre
2/7/2004
I really hate to shop actually, but back then it was a regular distraction.


"Where is the snow?"
2/16/2004
Beth S. Macre

Every year I hope for a pretty snowfall. I guess I need to move farther north, because it has become rare for us to get more than a dusting or just flurries around here. 20 years ago it was much more common to get several inches a few times a year.




"Baseball Season"
6/28/2004
Beth s. Macre

Another activity that took up alot of my time up to a couple of years ago is my son's baseball games. He still plays on the high school team, but I'm not able to go to all of their games because of distance and work.

More sketches...

Why did I become a teacher?

I've been drawing and painting since I was a child, but I was never really got serious about it until I went to college. I took art classes in high school then in college, but I changed my major a few times, not thinking I could make a living from being an artist. I didn't, after all, know anyone personally that actually did that. So being the type person that plays everything safe, I decided that art degree needed a steady job to go with it. So I made the decision to become an art teacher. I know, most people say that they teach because they want to work with kids. Well, I have to be honest, that was not my motivation. I wanted a steady paycheck. I have enjoyed working with the older (high school) kids. But I also must say that it can be frustrating to get them motivated to work to their potential! (I'm sure my teachers thought the same about me, come to think about it!) Its great when the students really get it, enjoy it, and work at it! So I have taught high school art now for over 20 years and I've really learned alot from my students over the years. I think I have grown and evolved as an artist because of my teaching career. I have really grown to love working with the kids too! But on the other hand, it has limited my time to work on my own art, to the point of being frustrated by never having enough time to do what I want to do. I hope to have that time to work on what I want to do someday...but for now I have to go to work...I have duty this morning.




Here are a few more pages from my 'Artist Block Journal':











Ready to draw...
1/10/2004
Beth S. Macre









Ready to Go...
1/19/2004
Beth S. Macre


Sometimes I don't create because of other distractions...like having to go to work, grocery shopping, kids activities....







'Lizie and Lexie'
1/24/2004
Beth S. Macre

Sad and lazy. Sometimes I just get sad and lazy and don't do anything for a few days...especially this time of year!

Artist Block Sketch Journal

Artist Block Journal

About 4 years ago I decided to make art a bigger priority in my 'spare' time. My children were in high school and did not require as much of my time...they were going out with friends, going to events without me more and more. Before high school, they were more dependent on me and my transportation, obviously. Anyway, in 2004 I wanted to start drawing more regularly, as time allowed. But taking an hour or two of my busy daily schedule is harder than it sounds, and even harder to have inspiration to draw on demand! So I decided to start a sketch journal. I call it my "Artist Block Journal", because I only sketched in it when I couldn't come up with an idea for a 'real' sketch or drawing. I decided I would use a simplified figure in all of the sketches. That figure would have characteristics similar, but not exactly, like me. So I came up with a very rough charachter with a round head, that I named 'Lizie'...short for Elizabeth.


While I am working on the portrait commission that I have to finish in another week, I will post some of these sketches from that journal. Fortunately, 2004 has the most posts. Since then I have gradually been able to spend more of my spare time on actual sketches, drawings, and some paintings. But I enjoy looking back at the evolution of 'Lizie' and some of the projects that I have illustrated in those sketches. I plan to continue this sketch journal as much as possible.

Here are the first few pages of my artist block journal:

Page #1 in my Artist Block Sketch Journal

Lizie 1/1/2004

Beth S. Macre
Notice the very round head. She has evolved a little since then.

Page #2 ~ Artist Block Sketch Journal
Lizie 1/1/2004

Beth S. Macre

Notice the Turtleneck?

Page #3 ~ Artist Block Sketch Journal

Lizie 1/10/2004

"Wanting to Draw"

Beth S. Macre