Category: art

Ginger…

Lab

Ginger
Graphite on Bristol Smooth

About the drawing:
Isn’t she just the cutest!  This is the first commission of a puppy I have able able to draw in quite a while.  I have missed drawing pet portraits.  Drawing animals gives me all the feels and I was very excited to draw this one. She loved it! 

Things have been pretty busy around here.  We bought a new home, sold our primary home and been working from home.  Its been pretty chaotic!  So for some reason, I thought it would be the perfect time to change my domain name back to carolottaway.com. I had to change everything on social media too and it took forever! My account on Bloglovin’ is still listing my site as wordpress instead of .com and I can’t seem to change it.  Not that it is a big deal or anything but I pay to use the .com so I should be able to utilize it but this is an issue that I will save for another day.

Speaking of moving, I can’t wait to share my office studio with you!  Still have a lot to do before everything is set up and my husband is still in awe and amazement of how I fit everything in our little house, lol….(Where there is a will there is a way).  It feels weird being in a different home, but it has really worked out with all three of us working from home during the self isolation. We aren’t on top of each other and I am sure if we were in the other home it would be like War of the Roses at the Ottaway household.

I hope everyone is staying safe and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

signature

 

 

Lighthouse…

Lighthouse

Light House
Graphite on Bristol Smooth

When a commissioned piece is delivered, it isn’t often I get to see the person actually receive the work I have done.  But with the modern marvel of Face time, I was able  to see her reaction has she opened the portfolio of the Lighthouse drawing inside.  I could actually see the excitement and happiness as her eyes took in every little detail.  As I watched her gaze at every little stroke of my pencil….My emotions were as blurry as this picture I have posted….I mean lets face it, if I were a photographer this would be a totally different blog… Anyway, I went from anticipation, to worry, then fear til finally elation.  I am so appreciative she trusted me to make this keepsake  and very happy she loved it.

I really missed all of this.  Art and Blogging.  I have no one to blame but myself and this is my first step….I’m so serious that I am up writing this at 2:50 in the morning. 🙂

 

Stay safe everyone!

signature

 

 

Life is just Beachy!

“Blue Waters”
Copic Various Ink on Yupo

A BIG event happened in the Ottaway household recently… Our daughter graduated college!

I can’t tell you how good it feels to have my little chickie home and how proud we are!

                                                      Look at that happy face ❤️

After graduation was our yearly trip to Hatteras. (Thank you Chris and Vicki!). It was so much fun to get together with the family.

              We spotted this Raccoon carving on a nature walk on Ocracoke Island!

I guess it’s fitting that I am posting “Beach Waters”. I want to do another piece like the one above, but since each piece is unique and has a mind of its own so we will see how close I can get!

What have you been working on lately?

signature

 

The Wise….

img_3214

Graphite on Bristol Smooth

This pooch looks very wise and well acquainted with the ways of the world….Like the Yoda of dogs, lol.  It wasn’t the easiest to render but I think this will go down to be one of my favorites.  The process was so much fun, all shaggy hair!  And I bet where ever he is, his belly is full of turkey 🙂

Do you have your tree up?

The holidays are approaching.  I can’t say that it completely snuck up on me as I have been seeing Christmas stuff since Back to School shopping.  IMO, it is a little much.  So, While everyone is doing their Black Friday shopping, I am going to spend the day in my PJ’s and in the studio 🙂

How are you spending Black Friday?

Be Well and Happy!

signature

 

Hi!

WIP
Graphite on Bristol Smooth

Things here are going pretty well.  Work has kept me pretty busy, but I found this old drawing that I set aside and I have been working on it on and off.   It feels  pretty great drawing and I found it much easier to leave it out handy and work on it when I can steal a few minutes here and there.

I’m not complaining….A little time is better than nothing!  And today is an on day!

So……I have the Hallmark Channel, homemade chicken ‘n dumplings on the stove and my drawing….what’s to complain about.

So, my question for you is:
How often are you able to work on your art?

Be Well and Happy!
signature

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Puppy for Brittany…


“A Puppy for Brittany”-Commission
Graphite on Bristol Smooth

Hello Friends!
This portrait is almost too cute to send to its new home.  Seriously, I wanna keep it, lol 
But I guess, I won’t…my client has been waiting long enough for her portrait.  I think I am so attached because it has been a while since I completed a pet portrait and I really missed it.

Drawing this subject matter again was not like riding a bike.  I had gotten pretty good at drawing animals, but in experimenting in other medias and different subjects, I was more than a little rusty.  In the end, I figured it out and she loves it, but it wasn’t without patience from my client and my stubbornness.

That’s all that is on my drawing table, but on a personal note, things at home are going great!  My daughter is home from college and I have missed her terribly!  I am going to be a great-aunt to a baby girl and the family is so excited! ANNNND I will be celebrating 22 years of marriage to the Mister on July 14th.

I hope your spring/summer is great and you are enjoying sunshine, flip-flops, cook outs and laughs!  Don’t forget the sunscreen  😉

Be Well and Happy!
signature

I’m doing…EGGGGcellent

IMG_1834

Hello!

I hope this finds you guys in happy places…Now that spring has sprung everyone seems to be in much better spirits these days. I am seeing more smiles, more people are out and about in the warm sun….Even I piddled around outside some last Sunday.  My skin burned like I was Vampira, but it was great being outdoors.  Today, it is raining, kinda chilly, and it seems that it will hang around for a bit.  But that’s ok because it is also a good day to sit at the drawing table.

Speaking of drawing table, the above is a little sketch that I did, just playing around. It was a strange subject, but it was easier to practice using simple shapes and only a handful colors.  I still can’t decide if I like watercolor or not.  I really want to, but I guess I will just have to wait and see.  I am thinking maybe I should get a professional grade paint before I decide as I seem to have a very severe problem of overworking the paper trying to get the colors vibrant.   I’m not giving up yet 🙂

What professional watercolor brand do you recommend?

Be Well and Happy!

scan0001

 

 

 

 

 

What’s in my bag…

image11

I like to read blogs and watch videos about what art supplies that artists like to take with them on the go.  So, I thought I would throw in my two cents and show you what I bring with me on road trips.  Even if I am driving, I still like to bring these items with me because you will never know when the mood will strike to create something.   I will admit that this isn’t too exciting, but for now it is everything that I need or want to bring…minus the snacks of course 🙂

I still have a love/hate relationship with watercolor at the moment but I am hardheaded so of course I have a few supplies to curse at while I’m on a trip.

Strathmore Watercolor Pad

Water Brush

Winsor & Newton-12 half pan travel set

My first love….Drawing….can’t forget that!

Casemate Sketch Diary-

General’s Kneaded Eraser

Black Pearl Eraser

Faber Castell Pencils – HB, 2H, B, 2B, 4B

Faber Castell Typewriter Eraser

Blending Stumps

Click Eraser

Pen Mate Duo Expert Lead Pencil

Kol-I-Noor – 24 Color Woodless Pencils – (Artist quality pencils are too fragile for me to bring along. They would probably be okay but I don’t want to risk it.)

 Years ago I use to be into calligraphy.  Modern and Brush Calligraphy has really caught my eye….So, have been playing around with that as well.  I may want to Zentangle too.

U:create Smooth Paper

Speedball Calligraphy Set

Tom Bow Brush Pen – hard

Tom Bow Duo Brush Pen

Sukura Brush Pen

Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pen

Pencil Case- Made for me by SIL Vicki Welsh (isn’t it pretty)

Not pictured that I will usually bring is:

*travel pencil sharpener

*a couple of paper towels

And I can’t forget my kindle and a bit of knitting.

It seems like a lot of projects to bring a long and I may not touch a bit of it but it is there if the inclination hits me.  Its better to have it and not want it than to want it and not have it, lol

So what do you bring along with you on trips?  What are your must haves?

Be Well and Happy!

scan0001

Happy New Year


The picture above is from the Art Show.   I won’t go into detail, but you can read about it here.  It was something else and I saw pieces that  had me speechless!

But enough about that.

I always look forward to the start of a New Year and 2017 is no different.  I guess it’s because it feels like a fresh start or it could be a do over.  And I take Day One of the New  Year very seriously…and by seriously, I mean resolutions.

It’s been a challenging year.  Some things great and  some things stretched me so far out of my comfort zone that I was physically uncomfortable.   But whether the things that I was resolved to accomplish came to fruition or a complete disaster, I did it.

For myself and to make myself accountable I write everything down old school.  There is just something satisfying keeping that crisp piece of paper with me in January and by December that crisp piece of paper has softened  with wear and a full of crossed off goals. Frankly, it doesn’t get any better!

I know I have talked about this before, but its worth another post.  Because submitting my work to a curator was big on my list last year and as I write this my work is hanging in gallery  now.  I didn’t win anything, but that wasn’t my goal.  My goal  was to submit a piece of art  and it happened because that goal was always in my face.

So if you want things to happen, make them happen by making those resolutions and hold yourself accountable.

I am looking forward to 2017 and I hope it will be a great year for you too!

Be Well and Happy!

scan0001

Owl

Owl

5 x 7 Canvas panel in Acrylic

This little panel took me a while, but so worth it!  I find that I really enjoy painting owls.  I think it’s the eyes that I love painting….yep…its the eyes in any subject that I love and in any medium and these stare a hole right through, lol

And I have some exciting news!!!!

 I have been invited to submit this owl in the Miniatures and Small Works by Tidewater Artists show at Charles H. Taylor Arts Center.  I am really excited and I really don’t know what to expect, but come December I will be there 🙂

On a side note:

The palette from this POST worked like a charm.  The paint remained wet for the entire painting process!!!!  It is so worth the money!  But I do have a little warning:  Do not shake the palette or the paint colors will run in to each other, lol

Happy Halloween and have a great…but safe week!

Be Well and Happy!

scan0001