On One Side or the Other

I have never had one foot in one hemisphere, and the other
foot in the other.  Here at the Equator monument outside
of Quito, you can do just that!

Here's Hannah at 000 Latitude!  They told us the equator only crosses land in a very few places.
It runs across Kenya in Africa.

This is the monument with the globe on the top.  There are beautiful grounds and
gardens, as well as shops and restaurants.

We had another busy day today, going to a large craft market
in the town of Otavalo.  I will post some pics of that
tomorrow.  I am sketching and painting some too...
will try to post those too!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

First Day in Quito, Ecuador

We are here in Quito, Ecuador!  This is the view from my hotel window....a city of
2.8 million  people.

Our first stop was a Catholic church built in the Gothic style...with
Galapagos turtle gargoyles?!

This is Rodrigo...our guide

Along the city square...a woman in traditional dress with her
children

This is a huge statue of the Virgin Mary that sits atop the highest hill
around the city.  She is looking down on them, and protecting them.  She is made
of metal plates that fit together like a puzzle.

  And this is the  view from up there by the statue.  You can see the
mountains in the distance.  We are at 9000 feet in altitude.  It is a
very eclectic place...older, historic buildings mixed in with the
new and modern......just about like all major cities in the world today. 


Today we also went to the monument that marks the equator...you can stand
with one foot in the southern hemisphere, and one in the northern one.  fun.

Tomorrow we go to a craft market way out of town...should be cool.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Turtle Shells and Bees

Sometimes I get asked to do the craziest stuff.  This is an  alligator snapping turtle shell,
and it is about 24 inches long.  The grandmother of the boy who caught it wanted to know
if I could paint on it.  I said I would try...I needed to see it first.  She brought it this week.

The boy is going to Texas A&M university, and she wanted me to paint rheir logo on
the turtle shell.  So, here it is....one of the wierdest things I have ever done.
I delivered it to her today, and she was thrilled.  Now it is
off to College Station to find a home on the dorm wall.

And then I also repaired this yard stake today.  I wish I had made it..it is so cute.
I just had to screw it back together and re-inforce it to be outside in the
weather and the wind.

So, the life of this artist in a small town is certainly never dull.  I also
repaired a 100 year old stained glass door this week.  It's all in a day's work!!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

One Photo, Two Photo, Three Photo, More!

I have been going through some of my photographs (thousands actually).
I am trying to delete some to make room on my little laptop for
more pics from Ecuador!  I found these along the way.

This is in south Louisiana along the road between New Orleans and
Slidell.  I have always loved boats.  And these shrimp boats have
so much character.  I can "see" them in watercolor as I look at them,
picturing how to paint each section, imagining what technique to use.
So, I am keeping these images, to be filed among ALL the others I would like
to paint or draw someday!!  I hear so many artists complain because they do
not know what subject to do.  They have no idea what their next
work of art will be?!  I have so many subjects, I will not live long enough to
do all the pieces I would like to do!

And here I am...off to Ecuador in a few days to take some more!  Stay
tuned for those.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Lotus Longing

Sibley Lake is in Natchitoches, near my home.  There is a large
cove in the lake that used to be full of these graceful lotus plants.
I took lots of photographs of them last summer.  I decided to draw one
of those photographs in colored pencil.  This is the
finished drawing.  I used some of the solvent to help melt
the pencil, and I used the Icarus Board to blend the
background.  I will take this up to the gallery tomorrow, and
it will be on display and for sale.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Passing Gently

This is the opening page in my sketchbook journal for the upcoming
trip to the Galapagos islands.  I wanted to set the wildlife theme right
from the start!  This is watercolor and ink...just a little sketch.

I try to do a digital copy of my journals when I get back home, and offer them to 
the other travelers.  I didn't have time to do a real printed postcard this time, so 
I thought I would use this sketch and make my own postcards.  I added the text using 
Photoshop, and now I am printing them on 4 x 6 photo paper stock.  I can 
hand them out to interested patrons, with all my contact info on there.  
Maybe there will be some takers!

I found a beautiful quote today.  It was in a weekly art email
that I receive from Robert Genn.


"We can ask no greater joy than to pass gently through
this place that has been given to us,
and make something out of it.  Not necessarily to fully understand it, for that might be an
impossible task, but to honor it in our own way."

That really captures how I feel about this wonderful world that God 
has blessed us with. And the chance to go and see these marvelous 
islands, inhabited with birds and animals that live only there, is 
a blessing I am grateful for.  It should be a real adventure, and I 
am ready!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

A Sign for a Friend

I was asked to do two of these signs for a client.  This is the
sign for a local dress shop that is changing hands.  The employees wanted
to give a copy of the sign to the retiring owners.  I did most of it
in black or red marker.  I used colored pencil on the boxes and the
woman's legs and skirt.  Each sign is about 11 x 14.
I told them it would be nice to have all the employees sign these, or on
the matting, or at least on the back.  They are going to let me know.
Should be a nice gift and remembrance for them.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Birds and Blooms

"Ooooh, scary!"  This adorable little baby egret was terrified of me and my
camera!  I made it back down to the rookery this weekend...just to check
on these little guys.

Here are two siblings, not quite filled in with feathers!

And this is an adolescent bird...not quite all grown
up, but much farther along than the fuzzy little guys

More teenagers...

These young birds could not fly yet.  There were hundreds of them...hopping from
branch to branch, trying to get away from me

This was the oldest one I saw...almost all filled out.  He was ruffling his feathers in the
sun ...beautiful lighting.

And this is my latest project...a colored pencil drawing of some lotus flowers.  Just
getting started on this one.

I have been doing some artwork for people...so I haven't
been able to post it (some of it will be gifts for certain clients).
I am always busy doing something...I just can't always share!
I will try to be better about posting more often.  I leave for
the Galapagos islands next week, so you will be able to some of
my photos and artwork done during the trip.  Can't wait!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Composition in Pink and Blue

This is Clara Grace...my only little grandchild.  This was
her first experience in the swimming pool today.
She loves the water...but not quite sure what she is supposed
to do here....

This is her "fish kiss" face...she can do this very well!

I believe she enjoyed her first plunge...we enjoyed watching her.
I am going to draw her soon...just waiting for the perfect picture.
sheltongail@hotmail.com

This and That

This is the last section of the colored pencil show.  I didn't show the whole
thing in the last post...thought I should.  This wall contains mostly flower
subjects.

One day I was walking through Walmart, and these shiny
pinwheels were on display in the toy section.  I bought some
of them, thinking they would make a great drawing.  I arranged
them outside, and photographed them.  I worked from the photo..very
challenging to get all the reflections right.  I titled it, "What Goes Around, Comes
Around". I have prints available.

These are those two new ones that I completed just recently.

This is what I worked on today.  I have these black and white pen and ink
prints of Natchitoches, a historic town nearby.  I sell these to a gift
shop there, and she wanted 10 more.  So I spent the afternoon watercoloring
them.  

And this project, I have been working on for awhile.  These are 4 x 8 signs that
will be installed out on the highway.  They will be replacing some old signs
that are there now.  These new ones match the building better, and will hopefully
bring in some more business!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Strokes of Color

I have been working to get this all colored pencil show all framed
and hanging in the gallery.  There were several pieces that needed
framing or new mats, etc.  But I finally got them all done, and now
they are up.  This section has all the bird images. 

This is one of the older pieces.  It is titled, "Pop Art", and is 100% colored
pencil, 22 x 30.  I used to carry these suckers for my little students when
I was teaching.  One evening after school, I came in and emptied my
pockets, sprawling them on the table.  And I thought it might make a neat drawing.
The lettering was the hardest, since all the white lettering is simply not colored.  I had
to color around the words...tricky!  But this was the piece that I earned my signature status in theColored Pencil Society with; it was accepted into the exhibition held in Memphis over 10 years ago.

And here are some of the big cats...

These are some of my "Riddle Pics"...the ones with the word puns and puzzles.

"Talk to the Horn"...a drawing of a rhino that I took at the
San Diego Zoo.  This one was in the CPSA exhibition in
California a couple of years ago.

I really like drawing water, and this is an example of a water drawing
with a nice dolphin!

I don't really consider myself a "figure" artist...but here are several
people!  The first one is a street musician in New Orleans.  Then, one of
my newer pieces, the clown in the Mardi Gras parade.  The Chinese dancer is
next, and then my great niece, Savannah swimming.  The Chinese Fisherman
is the last one in this section.

The show is open every day...10-5 Monday thru Friday, and 10-3 on Saturday.
It will be up through the summer.  Most of the pieces are for sale, and there are
prints of several of them.  Come by if you get a chance, and view this collection
from over the years.  Lots of colored pencil strokes!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Anatomy of a Dandelion

During my walk this morning, I saw a lot of dandelions along the
road.  It was a beautiful day, and I decided to go get my camera.

I also grabbed a black sketchbook, and tried to hold it behind
the subject to give it some drama! So picture me sitting on the
ground, camera in my right hand, left hand reaching out with
the book in hand behind the thistle, trying to make sure and not block
the sun...awkward

Same photo, just cropped...better

So, then on the computer...playing with some effects.  This is black and white,
with a lot of contrast.

Of course, while shooting, I had some help.  Dewey had to get
under my leg, and snuggle up, shedding his black fur all over
me...lovely.  Thanks, Dewey.

Final image...I would print this one.  That's the beauty of
digital photography.  The computer can enable you to make works
of art from the simplest subject.  You can edit, play, do and undo,
flip, re-color, crop, sharpen, and saturate.

I hope you get a chance to get out and enjoy this beautiful world
of ours this weekend.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Bluebird for Sale

I finished this little drawing today.  It was much harder than I thought it
would be!  All of that background proved to be very tedious.  I had
to draw it around all the branches.  Maybe I should have done the background
first?! But I always do the subject matter first; I feel it is more important, and if
I don't get it right, there will be no reason to spend any time on the background!

This little bluebird lives in my backyard.  I keep several bluebird
boxes on trees surrounding the yard.  I enjoy seeing them go in and out,
taking care of their little ones.  I haven't seen my cats bother any of
them as of yet....but you never know!

I have finished hanging the colored pencil exhibit at the gallery.  I still have
some tweaking to do, but it is all up and ready to view.  I will have the
pricing and details done sometime this week.  I will have this little piece
for sale too.  There are also prints of many of my pieces available
as well.  I look forward to seeing some of you come by!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Bluebird on a Branch  Original Colored Pencil
9 x 12  $75.00