AAR Dogs

This is my fifth week in Chicago. In some ways being here seems so normal, in some ways it seems extremely surreal. There is so much here that I want to do and explore, but in reality I've done very little actual exploring. Exploring who I am though, yeah a lot of that is still happening, always happening. I work full time, have an hour commute, and am in my third week of summer training for cross country--so more than anything else I am tired. Being in a city is very different for me--and for Panic. They say that city life moves at a faster pace, but overall I've found myself slowing down a lot, thinking a lot. I don't drive anywhere here which gives me a lot of time to walk and think, wait for the bus and think, sit on the bus and think. I am always busy, but I'm also always moving at a surprisingly leasurely pace.  That isn't to say that things are really leasurely, I've actually been experiencing a tremendous amount of stress and exhaustion. As typically happens when I'm stressed out, I cut my hair. But this time I took a buzzer to it all...goodbye to my remaining five inches or so.



In the mornings before I leave Panic and I often go to the dog beach. Love it there, especially early when it's mostly empty and there is a mist over the lake. My internship is fantastic. I can't believe how much I'm learning. I love working with Liz and Gabe, the owners. I love the community they are a part of. I love their mentality. I love the work--even though it is often extremely tedious and exhausting. I'm getting to work on some of my own things, so once I have completed those prints I'll be sure to share them. I just finished carving a woodcut and I'm going to start an etching this week. Mostly I get to work with other artists on their pieces, and that has been a fantastic and inspiring experience. I'm currently helping addition a piece by Kyla Zoe Rafert, a 7-layer print that uses lithography, woodcut, and screenprinting all together. Last week I assisted with a lithograph by Raeleen Kao. Raeleen helps out at the studio quite often and is extremely talented.



Liz and Gabe from Hoofprint Workshop

Whoops, a whole backlog of drawings from my Etsy that I keep forgetting to post here.  Now that summer is here I definitely have way more time to spend on things like this, so orders won't take as long as they have in the past. It's been really fun to practice drawing so many different types of dogs, and I do hope I'll continue to improve. I used to do this type of drawing all the time, but probably as evidenced by my last post, I have two pretty radically different aesthetics going on.



Merrell was really fun to draw. She's such a cool dog, and her coloring was quite the challenge.

( 3 more pups! )

Most apartments I'm looking at in Chicago have a 40 pound weight limit for dogs. Panic weighs in right at 40 pounds most of the time, but he's tall, bigger that what most people would think of when they think of a 40 pound dog probably. Would it be risky to bring him with me? 

I'm still alive, but only just. Lots of big things are happening right now. So many things all at once! This is life.

I actually made some more modifications to these before I sent them out earlier this week, but for the most part these are the finished products.

I'm in Charleston, SC for the week. Last week at Wooster I was delighted when the temperature hit the low 50s. Snow melted, and I felt grass between my feet for the first time in a LONG time. But here it's the in 70s and 80s, oh my gosh so wonderful. It's a beautiful place, and so warm, and so friendly. That is one thing I do love and miss about the south. Nice people that talk to you. Walking around downtown yesterday with Panic--I haven't talked to that many strangers in a long time! And I saw dolphins! Real life wild dolphins!

Today maybe I will take pictures. This is the only one I've gotten so far. Panic found the best sleeping locations, up against guitar cases. Weird dog.



Maybe it's because he's getting older, or maybe it's because he's not around other dogs as much as he used to be, but Panic has become VERY social. Inevitably walking around a city or park with a lot of dogs means that people's "friendly" dogs will frequently greet you, and while I don't really like this Panic has decided he LOVES meeting other dogs now. And he wants to PLAY with other dogs. What the heck Panic? I bet he would even play with Rumble, given the opportunity. Personalities are always in flux, I have to remember. 

Two more drawings that went out a few days ago. I did not get a chance to go scan these in before I sent them, so I took photos instead, making them look a bit odd. I've been enjoying the opportunity to draw different breeds and different types of coats. This was my first attempt at brindle, and the first time drawing any of these breeds!

Ginger and Echo, a cute duo.




And the Brews Brothers, Stout and the famous 2014 4" PNAC Porter

I'm making a real effort to document things I make now. It's sort of an important thing, I suppose.

Here's my first comissioned dog drawing, a goldendoodle named Boomer who sadly passed away this past winter.



And here's a drawing I did of Panic for practice. I don't like to draw my own dogs because I'm never quite satisfied with the results, but I gave it a shot anyway.




Like I said before, I'm delving into the world of custom dog portraits over on Etsy. Coupon code LIVEJOURNAL gets you 25% off! I've been having a lot of fun with it and I'm hoping that I will improve and develop over the course of this endeavor. I still don't quite know what to do with the background of these drawings, but I decided to try some swirly stuff out on these guys. 

I don't have class Friday mornings, so it's been nice to be able to get up and relax. I hope I can make my Fridays productive.

I've been sitting here watching a stink bug crawl around the table. They actually are quite interesting, beautiful even. I like watching it. It's doing some weird thing with its front legs. Insect behavior, something I don't know anything about. It takes me back to my time in Portland, poor Freddie's crippling fear of them. Sorry Fred. It did remind me to go comment on a lot of posts here. I read LJ almost every day, but mostly don't think to comment. Then I go on a commenting binge. Sorry everyone.

I've been back at school for almost a week now. Things are good and things are difficult. I love my classes. I'm more excited about them then I've ever been. With some people studying abroad this semester and those that moved out last semester, we have four new people living in the house now. A full house, full of people I love, but still so full and so different. It will take some adjustment as we all learn how to live together.

I am trying to stay balanced. It is hard, but I'm learning how to be patient and kind to myself, and that's pretty awesome. Ahh, but I do miss this.



photo by Tammy 

In 2014, I learned that it's ok to be scared. I learned how to accept my fear and jump straight into it.



I learned to let go of my ideas about the future, to embrace the uncertaintly of where I am in the present, even to thrive on the unknown.

I learned what family means, and perhaps more importantly what is does not mean.

I learned to find comfort in the counsel of others, but to always trust myself above all else.



I learned that compassion is always the right option--especially if it is the hardest option.

I learned that it's ok if I'm not the person I want to be right now. I get to decide who I want to be and work towards what I want for myself.

I learned to forgive myself, to be gentle with myself, to never give up on myself and the things I believe in.



I learned that I even though I've learned all these things, I still have a lot more to learn--on all these topics and much much more, and that is pretty exciting.

I do not have resolutions for the year, but I like the path I'm on and I will continue forward along it, excited to see where it takes me.

Obligitatory song to ring in each new year.

After staring from the back of the couch yielded no results, Panic decides he needed to try harder to communicate his message to me.