10 YEARS AGO ...

When I first picked up a Brush

The first time I picked up a paintbrush was ... probably in Kindergarten art class making a mess with color. But I mean the first time I actually got into painting - When?

It was 10 years ago. I remember getting an easel and paint for Christmas and a few canvases. And I've saved pretty much every drawing and painting I've ever done, except the ones all over notebooks, assignments, garbage, the sheet rock that's been painted over, and the many I've given away.

The other day I walked into my closet and saw the stack of old paintings from when I was 10 years old - someday ... yes, someday they will be famous. (If you want to buy one, you may). So I thought I would share them with whomever shall read this post.

Untitled - Feb. 2010

Look at that painting ... It reminds me of a generic Bob Ross. 

Saurus Ranch - Feb. 2010

Look how the sky sits so high up! Just above the dinosaurs head. Even the sky is afraid of that dinosaur.

The Truck - 2010

The sun isn't even in the sky - it's falling.

The House - 2010

This must be my house, either the house is super tall or the trees are tiny.

The Campfire - 2010

Ah, here is my first painting of a person. As they say, you have to start somewhere, and this is where I started, a guy standing by a giant fire. The black is mixed right in with the peach - right from the bottle! - but I was just starting out - I didn't know how to mix colors. I guess it makes it more realistic, it looks like he is covered in soot from the fire.

The Ocean pool - 2010

Now that is a creative name, the Ocean Pool. And look how my portraiture has improved - I've done 2 faces in this one, and an octopus! My faces have come along way since 2010 - if you've seen the latest painting - I know a little more about blending.

The Helicopter  -2010

I think this is one of the first ones, done in January of 2010, so I was 9 years old. A basic helicopter -  a marvelous subject to start with.

The House

Much improvement from my first house above. The door and window are in better proportion.

The Boat - 2010

This is another one from January, a simple boat.

Watery Mountains - 2010

Watery Mountains? The mountains look dry. But I was only nine when I named these.

Wow! And what is this? This is not one of my paintings, but my brothers. He is like my twin but Eight years younger; he can do everything I do, but better. This is a current painting that he did at 11 years old, so about the same age as when I did my paintings. There is so much detail in this.

I remember everything about these paintings ... painting them, how I dipped my brush into the globby paint as it flowed from the tube and how it slid over the canvas so smoothly. But I guess I don't remember how I got my ideas. - probably from Inspiration. Yeah, he was younger than, but Inspiration has grown now and has more sophisticated and complex ideas - You've got to give him credit.

And after I ran out of canvases ... I must have stopped painting. I don't think I painted again until 9th grade. I guess I lost interest - or supplies. Here is the painting from 9th grade.

And then I didn't paint again until my senior year of high school when I took an art class. And even in art class I stuck to drawing until I was forced to paint at the end of the semester ... I didn't think I was that good - Until I tried.

I didn't know I could paint, so the next semester I mostly did paintings in my studio class and continually improved. And after I graduated I started oil painting and here I am now - still painting. 

First Painting of 12th Grade - Monochromatic Dog

So I will leave you with some sketches

Mr. T

The Good Shepard

I did this one while in the car - yes, it was moving and no, I was not driving. I will probably finish this one someday - I need to add some value.

Still life of Staples store

I did this while waiting for my mom to finish shopping at Trader Joe's. Staples was right across the street.

Still Life

I did this because I saw my sister's comb, (I mean brush) sitting on the table so I drew it. Then I decided to sketch some more things commonly found in the bathroom - Not sure about the toilet paper though. No, the toilet paper was not used when I set it on the table just before dinner.

And some past sketches/drawings

Thanks for viewing my past work and current sketches

I just finished my next Saint on 7.25 X 9.75 Paper. After I did Saint Therese, my sister and I decided to do a group project - I am going to draw one female and one male saint for each of the 26 letters (Is that right ... yes, I believe there are 26 letters in the alphabet - or maybe there is 27) and my sister is going to do a biography on them - 52 drawings, 52 biographies! 

Saints on 7.25 X 9.75 Paper Link

You can view her biography's on her blog, todaywithmissk.blogspot.com, and I'm sure there will be lots of history and books and things of that nature you may read about. She's really into that historical kind of stuff.

Here is a sneak peak of my latest Saint on 7.25 X 9.75 Paper: 

It is Saint Camillus de Lellis - Patron of the sick

I don't put a penny's value on this life if only our Lord will give me a tiny corner in Paradise.

-Camillus de Lellis