Confessions of a Scatterbrained Artist

It has been an utterly crazy week.  And if I didn't have every single appointment, task and errand in my Google calendar, I would probably forget to eat.  Sadly, I actually have a reminder in there to make dinner each night.  Because if I don't, I get sucked into working on my art and forget to make dinner.  The kids would probably happily play until they got hunger pangs.  I happily work straight through mine.

Actually, over the years, I've got to the point where I don't even get hunger pangs anymore.  I only notice I'm hungry when I feel like I'm about to be sick.  Unfortunately, that happens all too often as I will forget to eat both breakfast and lunch, then wonder why I feel sick after not eating anything for nearly twenty four hours.  Steph does a good job of making sure I eat when I'm with her.  And she still shakes her head every time she asks if I'm hungry, I answer "I don't know", she places food in front of me and I devour it ravenously then look up and say "I guess I was hungry after all".

So, I keep my Google calendar filled to the hilt on the days when I have my kids.  Every morning is the same and includes wake up, get Tristan showered, make breakfast and even brush teeth.  Monday we don't have any appointments, but I've got nap for Ellie, lunch, wash the dishes, pick Tristan up from school, etc logged in there.  Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we have errands and appointments scheduled so the calendar is altered to fit those in.  Friday is shortened by two hours as they go see their dad for the next seven days on Fridays.  Sometimes it feels really hectic as I seem to always have a reminder going off to tell me to move on to the next task at hand.

Maybe if I bought this shirt for one of my kids, it would remind me to eat breakfast!

Cereal Killer by JessicaInSeattle

On the weeks when I don't have my kids, my calendar is almost completely wide open and it always takes me a couple days to adjust to the lack of a schedule.

I was just reminded tonight (by it falling off my desk) that I kept my old cell phone which has over 100 notations in it about artistic ideas I need to put to the page so I can sell or donate my old phone.  Guess I'll have to add that to my calendar!

One of my major issues is that when I add something like that to my calendar, I tend to hit the procrastinate button.  You know, the one where you edit it so it appears the next day instead.  And I will do that time and time again.

I'm actually sitting here shaking my own head at myself over that one.  Definitely something I need to work on.

Tonight we had my sons 'big brother' from the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program come over to play with him.  While they were hanging out and Ellie was occupied, I pulled out my paints and brushes to finish a piece I started over a month ago.  I've finished it, but I'm not at all happy with how it turned out.  I think it's sort of cute, but it is so far off my usual style, it doesn't feel like my work at all and I don't think I did a very good job at it either.  It just looks to me like something a grade school kid would paint.

I was trying so hard to create something cute I could put up in my Zazzle store for Easter and I just don't think this is going to do it.  I just don't think I'm a "cute stuff" or a cartoon type artist.

So, I'll have to go back to the drawing board on this one.  I'd love to paint something, but I'm always afraid to add colour to my sketches.  I can remove pencil and charcoal, but I don't know how to fix an error with paint.

I did discover that I can paint ambidextrously though.  Both my left and right are quite steady with the brush.  As a matter of fact, the side of the painting that looks all tidy and smooth was done with my left hand and the side that looks textured and choppy was done with my right.  So on second thought, maybe I should just stick to my left hand when painting.

Hmm.  Something to ponder.

Until Next Time,
JessicaInSeattle