Just Jonna

So what happened to August?

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

So what happened to August?

Crazy isn’t it
How fast
Time seems to
Pass us by

August was full
Of
Art festivals
Art fairs
Family and friends

September seems to be
Following in August's
Footsteps

Bookmark for a friend

Lazy Weekend & doodles

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:17:00 +0000

I worked on this little guy this weekend. I used some watercolor pencils I've had forever and not sure I like working with them...I also don't like the way his eyes turned out. It looks like eyelashs on the dark brown but they are not.

This little rabbit is sitting on the bottom of a journal page that is in process. Love the way he looks.

And this little cat is in a small book I'm working on. Not sure yet if I'm going to do any color or not. I know I won't be using the watercolor pencils.

Full page face in the journal. Ink and colored pencil. I don't use colored pencils often...they just seem to take forever. My friend Brenda does amazing things with colored pencils. The last piece I saw took her 3 months to finish. I do not have the patience to do something like that so my colored pencil work I only do in my journal and I do it quickly.

Well I can smell dinner calling....turkey meatloaf, squash from a friends garden and a salad. YUMMY Yum. As much as I like my job I sure wish I didn't have to go to work tomorrow. sigh!

Doodles everywhere

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:29:00 +0000

Doodling makes me happy. And when I can share that happiness it's even better. I made this doodle into a card and send it out into the universe and it is now loved by another.

I was daydreaming about totem poles when I created this one. Not quite what I thought it was going to turn into but I like it.

And of course birds. I do love birds and drawing them in all shapes and sizes.

Have a great day.

Some journal pages

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:01:00 +0000

Hoping everyone had a great 4th...we had a pretty lazy one. Watched the fireworks from a neighbors back yard.

Finally getting around to posting some journal pages.

This one isn't finished as you can see. The colors on my snail look orange in this photo but it's really a vibrant red. I think he turned out pretty cute if I do say so myself.

Doodle's into Art work

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:03:00 +0000

Sometimes while waiting for a process to finish up at work I will doodle on some scrap paper. This little guy was from one such doodle. I did do a painting of him but he is hanging at work and I haven't scanned him yet.

Other doodles are done while watching TV, I hate watching commercials so doodle instead.

This little guy was done in my journal. I'm still working on the page and hope to show it when finished. I really like this little bird I think he turned out cute.

And this is a doodle that ended up on canvas. I finished him in time for a show we did at a local winery a few weekends ago and I got loads of comments on him. So many folks really liked him. So we may be seeing more of my doodles making it to canvas sometime soon.

I do love to doodle.

Japan - Part Two - Nijo Castle

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:52:00 +0000

Nijo Castle - was built as the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa Shoguns.

The Front gate.

Inside gate before the castle

Detail on the gate.

Ninomaru Palace -

the most amazing thing about this palace were the "nightingale floors". When walked on they made the most amazing sound, and because there were quite a few visitor's the day we went the floors sounded like hundreds of birds singing. It was amazing. I so wished that we could have been there alone for a few minutes to play on the floors to see which boards made which sounds. The floor was built this way to prevent sneak attacks or assissins from sneaking up on the shoguns.

The paintings on the paneled walls were also amazing, but we could take no pictures

I think this building was a guard post. It was at the corner of the wall/moat that surrounded the castle and gardens.

From the top of the wall that surrounded the whole complex. Over looking the palace itself with Kyoto in the background.

In the garden were many of these little decorations. The garden was huge and we did not get to see it all.

Garden pond.

Some unusual trees in the garden.

Nijo Castle was probably my favorite place that we visited while I was in Japan.

New member of the family

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:32:00 +0000

A few months ago we lost one of our 4 legged family members. It's still to painful for me to talk much about but it lead to the addition of another member to our family.

My husband is a bird hunter (among other things which we do not see eye to eye on) and Arko his main hunting dog (who is really my dog unless it is hunting season) turned 12 years old this year..where does the time go. (all my pics of Arko were on the old computer....)

Anyway we decided that with Arko getting up there in years it would be a good idea to get someone to start training to take his place (which we did not really want to think about but....)

So....here he is:

Dylan at 8 weeks old.

And Dylan after I came back from Japan at 10 weeks:

He's a handful and is keeping everyone on their toes.

Japan - Buses, Bicycles, Subways and Trains

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Sun, 24 May 2009 21:23:00 +0000

So many things have happened since I last posted:

Have been to Japan and back. What a trip. I walked more than I have in the last 10 years and rode a bicycle which I haven’t done in probably as long…

Things that stand out:

Hardly any homes in Japan have lawns. They have small rock, tree and flower gardens, if they have more room they have a vegetable garden and if they have even more room they have a rice paddy. Even in the cities.

If the bus, subway or train is crowded it is very quiet other than the announcements. They just don’t talk to each other, even groups, even the school kids. That was amazing to me. It seem that the more crowded the system was the less noise from the crowds.

Bicycles everywhere. Riding right down the sidewalk among the people or out in the roads with the cars and some really flying along.

Motorcycles. Do not obey any laws of traffic that I could see. They zipped in and around cars, buses and people and were always speeding.

The Japanese people do not stare. While on the train one day a little girl of about 3 years old was staring at my daughter and I…her mother quickly reprimanded her and told her to quit.

Other Americans or none Japanese people also seem to ignore you. When we would pass someone on the street, subway or bus they would not look at us, or acknowledge us in any way. I found this rather odd and ask about it, DD said it seems to be some unwritten rule that you do not acknowledge each other???? She didn’t know why but has found more than just herself has noticed it. I only ran into a few people who actually looked at me and returned my smile. They must have been tourist’s also.

I don’t care much for traditional Japanese food.

After a while all temples and shrines look the same. My daughter had said this before but for some reason I didn’t much believe her, but found it to be true.

I have way more pictures but haven't gotten them all downloaded and reformated...hope to post more this weekend.

Finally some new art work

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 18:21:00 +0000

A few months ago I taught an art doll class here in town. We had so much fun. Here is the one I demo'd and worked on. It's not completely finished, I'm wanting to do something to the wings - maybe some black netting and possibly add some eyes. Just not sure yet so it's hanging above the art desk.

To see two other dolls created in the class go look at
Brenda's Art Dolls. She's the art teacher at the high school here in town and has asked me to come in to her summer art class and do an art doll class for them. She's hoping to have a robot theme. I'm pretty excited about doing it.

And once a month a group of us here in town get together for "Arty Party". Last month we had it at Bobbi's place. She is the retired high school art teacher and a very popular watercolor artist here in Idaho. We craved little eraser stamps and did some abstract watercolor paintings. Here are the paintings I did.

This one isn't completely finished it needs more white detail work.

More Doodles

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 21:32:00 +0000

It's been a strange month. Weather and emotions up and down, cloudy and gray, sunny and warm...

And more strange doodles

I haven't worked on much else this month, just seem to be holding tightly to the end of the rope, keeping the nose above water.

But spring is here. The first day of spring here was gorgeous...sunny and warm. but the rest of the weekend has been gray, drizzily, windy and cold.

Hopefully spring will bring a lift in spirits.

She's come and gone

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:30:00 +0000

But it was so nice to have her home even though it was a short stay. She is safe and sound back in Japan. And I can't wait to go in April to see her and go exploring with her.

In the mean time I go to work and in between phone calls, processing reports and at lunch I doodle.

Week before last I decided to use the same scarp of paper for the whole week and just add to it every day. Here are the results:

And this was last weeks doodles

On Friday last week I had already run out of room on the original paper so started another....

I can see some of these doodles showing up in some future paintings. I may have to make myself a little doodle journal to keep at my desk....

Does not do a mother's heart good!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 05:12:00 +0000

Subject line of e-mail I got from my daughter today:

At 6:50AM

Upon opening the e-mail:

"we had a small earthquake! It was kind of exciting. I woke up before it started and was trying to go back to sleep. I heard like a large boom sound and then everything started shaking but nothing fell onto the floor it was kind of long though. Here it was only a 2.0 but at the center it was a 4.8 by the Sea of Japan. Anyways that was my excitment for the day.
Love ya"

Thank goodness she's not near the epicenter....it looks like it was on the other side of the island...but still in the one of the blueish areas. Here is the link I looked it up on to see how far away she was from it

she doesn't remember it but when she was about a year old we had an earthquake here in Idaho. It was pretty minor where we are but at the epicenter it killed two children on their way to school when the side of a building fell on them. At the epicenter it was pretty bad.

Just one more thing for me to worry about.....sigh. And I was doing so good about not worring about her (most of the time).

I'll be there about 2 months....lets hope there are no earthquakes then.

Where I've been and What I've been up to

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:59:00 +0000

This drawing says it all.....so many things going on at once, swirling around me keeping me dizzy.

New job, new position as co-chairperson for our local visual arts committee, chairperson for one of our annual art shows at a local winery on Feb 7th...ekk that's next weekend and helping my dear friend and 'former boss' close her framing shop/art gallery business (17 years in business). I have inherited all kinds of wonderful fun things....tons of mat board, all shapes, all sizes, all colors. Many will be showing up in my artwork for sure.

I so totally dropped the ball on the Jan daily art journal challenge....but I did get some things drawn, doodles really mostly done at work during down time....I have the cutest little 3.5 x 4.75 sketchbook that my 'former boss' gave me after Christmas and it is so handy to carry in my purse and pull out to sketch and doodle in.

Missed the deadline for entry into this years We Art Women art show. Something had to give and that was it....I'm a little sad about it, it is a wonderful show and for such a good cause but just could not get anything ready in time.

Crazy doodles.

I also wanted to say THANK YOU for the e-mails and inquires as to where I was....and the concern shown. Thank you thank you thank you. I so enjoy hearing from you all and visiting everyone when I get the chance. It still is amazing to me how technology has opened up our connections. the inspiration and encouragement I receive from all over is so amazing to me and I thank everyone of you for it.

Thank you one and all.

January 5th Journal Page

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:52:00 +0000

Day 5.

this feels so flat to me sometimes things just don't come together but I'm posting it anyway and maybe will revisit at a later date to see what it becomes.

January 3rd & 4th Journal pages

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:50:00 +0000

I totally forgot to post these up last night...hopefully tonight I can get on track and post on the correct day and not be a day behind.

January 2 Journal Page

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 15:12:00 +0000

Finished her late last night but couldn't get it uploaded. Done with colored pencil.

Hope I can get todays done in time....off to the big city today for some second hand treasure hunting.

Art Journal January

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 04:35:00 +0000

Misty Mawn commented that she was going to do a page every day in her art journal for the month of January and asked others to join her. Visit her blog to see who has joined her.

So for today, Jan 1, 2009 this is my page.

My daughter's package from Japan arrived on New Year's Eve. She sent all kinds of wonderful things. Japanese snacks for her Dad, papers, stickers and a wonderful brush tip golden pen for me. Along with all kinds of other little items that if I get around to getting a photo of will post.

A few other pages from another of my journals. Playing around with watercolor crayons.

Snow snow snow

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 19:56:00 +0000

It has been snowing all day today. I'm not all that fond of snow, or cold for that matter. But it can be so beautiful and serene. I love the quietness when the snow is falling as long as the wind isn't blowing like crazy which of course it is today...

I'm sure the ponies don't care much for it either. I snapped this from the window as I did not want to go out in the wind. Mother and daughter (mother on the right) braving the storm.

And some journal pages I've been working on. Not finished yet just a work in progress.

Ilka's Attic giveaway and some journal pages

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:05:00 +0000

Susan Tuttle over at Ilka's Attic is having a giveaway for her new book Exhibition 36: Mixed-Media Demonstrations & Explorations Check it out. I scanned the book at the bookstore the other day and it looks awesome.

Visit her blog to see how to enter. Ilka's Attic And good luck.

And some journal pages. Ink and watercolor crayons.

These next two were done with watercolor crayons while watching some television show. The walking man may end up on a canvas some day with different coloring.

Background on this one was acrylic with the watercolor crayon on top.

Acrylic and pen.

Voodoo dolls and drawing eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:47:00 +0000

I taught a voodoo doll class this weekend for a few friends. Of course I didn't get mine done yet I was working on three at the same time but Brenda got her's done and was kind enough to post it on her blog.....

Brenda's voodoo dolls

She managed to get two finished and they turned out so awesome. We had so much fun and I feel like they taught me as much as I taught them...

It just amazes me that a few years ago I barely knew any artist's in town and now I feel we are creating quite the little artsy group. We are discussing getting together once a month to do something creative. I can hardly wait.

Eyes: The eyes are the window of the soul.

I love drawing eyes. Today while sitting at the computer reading blogs, I ended up on Youtube and found some tutorials on drawing eyes....so here is what I sketched on some printer paper...so much fun. Youtube is awesome.

Next noses and mouths....will be sketching some tomorrow as I'm taking my friend Cindy in for out patient surgery on her shoulder...so I will be sitting at the hospital and plan to take my sketch book and journal for company...and maybe a good book to read. I'm not sure how long it's going to take....wish her luck, I know she's pretty worried about the surgery.

A Day of Sharing Words

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:38:00 +0000

disillusioned

you're sitting there you're disillusioned
and you're hoping i'll get to you in the end
how can i? your disillusion
makes you find a broken heart and take a friend

i don't only love you
when you're standing by my side
i don't only love you
when you see things my way
i don't suddenly not love you
now you're up in your own tree
'cause i'll always love you me

times at night you're tearing pages to the post
worry calling all your true loves home
that's no way no way to spend your time
you can catch that lightning on your own

time is passing by
take a good look now what do you see
i don't even know if that's a crime
you can be the judge and i'll just be me

in agony we drew a circle with a stone
what's the colour of the raindance i don't know
when it closes in i know you'd rather be alone
in the day's disguise night's howling at the moon

i don't only love you
when you're standing by my side
i don't only love you
when you see things my way
i don't suddenly not love you
now you're up in your own tree
'cause i'll always love you me
'cause i'll always love you me
'cause i'll always love you me

words and music by sinéad lohan

The CD the song is from:
No Mermaid

The idea: We have words that touch us, move into our hearts and resonate, creating a feeling, taking us some place- past, present, future- perhaps some place we have never been and may never go, but for whatever reasons, the words pulse in our blood. Meeting new words, new poets, new poems, new ways for my heart to beat, is an intruiging concept. Want to go on this adventure with me? It will be easy to travel along.

Many of us already do this sharing; this idea is just to help us find each other and hear the words we have to share.

The Date: Wednesday, November 19.

The Plan: on your blog, post a poem that moves inside you, touches you, reaches you. (quotes and song lyrics welcome). Include the author (or composer or musician) and source (book, album)- perhaps also the amazon link if there is one. no explanation required, no other revelation necessary.

One last thing- Perhaps add an image. a photo. a video. a painting. a collage., if you would.

Then go here to leave your link and comment:
LK Ludwig's blog

Enjoy...

2nd post of the day....

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:48:00 +0000

But found this cool list on Kira's blog and just had to give it a try....bold or high light the one's you've done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (and DisneyWorld)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - at one time not now...:(
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

journal, art and giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:47:00 +0000

The giveaway first.

Head on over to A Little Imagination and a Pile of Junk for a cool journal giveaway.

And speaking of journals....

My SIL called the other day. Seems she has filled the little journal I gave her earlier this year. It was a little leather journal that was about 3 1/2 x 5 inches with 140lb watercolor paper. She requested a new one. Having seen some lovely cloth covered journals lately I dug into my stash of material and made the following. It's 8 x 3 1/3 outside, pages inside are 6 by 3 and the pages are card stock this time. she only writes in the journal so card stock should work great for her.

So here is her new journal:

And some recent artwork. Newest abstract. Really had fun doing this one.

And a journal page. A demo I did this weekend at a journal class I taught.

It still needs something else but not sure what yet. I love the way the transfer turned out and the way the eye stands out.

What a tea cup!

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:18:00 +0000

My girl attended a tea ceremony the other day that one of her students invited her to. Here is a picture of my daughter taking part. Can you believe this tea cup? Or rather tea bowl... it's huge. The teapot was also just as huge. She said it was really heavy.

She is off tomorrow to Thailand. Her boyfriend (works for Alaska Air, wish I did) flew in a few days ago and she is flying out of Nagoya Japan to Bangkok. She sure loves to travel. They are going to have so much fun I'm sure.

As for me, we did one of our annual local art shows this weekend. I usually do very well at this show but didn't do so hot this time? I'm sure everyone is holding tighter to their dollars this year than in previous years.

Here are two of the newer pieces I had for this show. Think I'll get my etsy account set up to sell and see if we can do any business there.

Brr must be close to winter time....

noreply@blogger.com (Jonna) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:43:00 +0000

I'm not a big fan of winter. I've never liked the cold. I don't care much for snow, unless I'm warm and toasty inside by a fire and do not have to go out unless I want to. I don't like the shorter days that winter brings with it. Though the mountains out back are beautiful with the snow blanketing them it just reminds me of how the short cold days of winter have arrived.

So I hole up in the warm cozy (okay chaotic but cozy to me) studio and let my imagination take hold and paint.

Two pages from my recent visual journal.

Stay warm and cozy by the fire.