30 Days of Gratitude - November 5th

I am grateful for the friends that haven't let me forget that deep down my artistic talent is still there.  "It will come back in time" Well the time has come my friends.  I making time for art again. I'm planning again and coming up with ideas for new projects again.  There's no doubt it will take time, I'm not going to like everything I create right now, but I am trusting in the process.  I love you for believing in me.

A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails. Donna Roberts

30 Days of Gratitude - November 3rd

Day 3 - Thankful for Family & Friends & the courage to Create

Have you been following my Cindy Rippe - Artist page on Facebook?  I have challenged myself to sketch and post something I'm thankful for each day in November. It's kind of a big deal for me.  2 years ago I passed out here at home (Dr over-prescribed a medication) and sustained a concussion near my brain stem.  Post Concussion syndrome (as well a few Auto Immune issues) has been interesting to say the least. Things are SO much better.  I wasn't prepared for the loss of my Creativity though.  There's this "fear of failure" thing that I've been fighting for the last year.  So, again, sharing my sketches with my facebook fans is a huge step for me.  My family and friends have been so encouraging and keep telling me that I just need to get started and it will all come back! So this blog post is dedicated to Lee, Jon, Jason, Sarah, & Bella, Bev, Alice, Lauri, Jeanette, Kelly Hoernig & Madeline Faiella.   Thanks everyone!   LYM

“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.”  Desmond Tutu

Sketching Orchids - Flora's Art Adventures

Flora gets up close to check out the details of the orchids.©CindyRippe2014

Today I took Flora with me to the Chicago Botanic Gardens.  It's the last weekend of their Orchid Show and I didn't want to miss it.  There were thousands and thousands of flowers and even though the March winds were chilly today,it was nice and warm inside the greenhouses.  Flora and I want to thank Amy Litner for helping us get up close to the flowers and take this picture.

Relaxing by  the greenhouse where it was nice and warm. ©CindyRippe2014

Actually this is just one of my 15 minute sketches.  When you sketch a flower it makes you look closer at the details and you learn more about the plant. Why don't you try making a few sketches?  They aren't meant to be a perfect, finished, drawing.   Just a way to "see" the shapes that make up an object.  No pressure, just fun!

Great art picks up where nature ends. Marc Chagall

Busy Week in the Garden and the Classroom

Bee sculpture at Morton Arboretum - May 2013 - ©CindyRippe

I've had such a busy week!  There have been gardens to visit, garden shopping to do, a convention to attend and finally the first full day of working in my own yard.  This oversized bee by David Rogers in front of the Visitor's Center at Morton Arboretum is the perfect picture for the day.  I stopped there on my way up to drop off my class sample in St. Charles for the Society of Decorative Painters annual convention.

The rest of the week I tweeked my class prep (I always end up thinking of more things to share with students at the last minute), worked in the yard, shopped for plants, and then taught the Intro to Botanical Illustration class on Saturday.

I had a wonderful group of students with skills that ranged from a complete beginner to a CDA (Certified Decorative Artist through SDP).  They did an amazing job completing my Daylily Study on Yupo paper with graphite.  Each was interpreted with their individual style and talent.  It was fun to share my techniques for drawing original designs and I hope that I've encouraged them to go forward to create their own original sketches.  By learning the basics of creating form and finding shapes in a objects (in this case a flower) you learn to draw what you SEE, NOT what you THINK you see.  I know that when I finally figured that out I became a better painter and designer in all mediums.  Great job class!  Thanks for joining me.

Well, my "To Do" list is long again this week and I can't wait to get started.  Here's to a fun, busy week for you all!


Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it. Henry David Thoreau

One of my "almost" Daily Devotional sketches - Daily Guidepost inspiration

May 7th Devotional Sketch - Inktense Pencils and Black Pen in Daily Guidepost book - sketch and photo by ©CindyRippe2013

You might remember that I try to sketch in my devotional book "almost" every day.  It gives me a few minutes to think about the bible verse and message after I read it.  Sometimes I sketch something that the message reminds me of and other days I just draw something that's currently blooming around here. Lately, it seems, that it's the only painting/drawing that I get to do.

I like the translucent coverage of the Inktense pencils.  That way I can go back and read the message again if I want to.  They also blend beautifully with very little water which means  I don't have to seal the pages to prevent bleed through on the other side.

The devotional message today in my 2013 Daily Guidepost book was about 3 good friends and their plans.  Things didn't seem to work out the way they wanted them to.  It wasn't easy but Sam Adriance, the author, tells how God made it so he could fit the pieces together himself and make it work.  It reminded me of my struggle to figure out my design business and how I've let life's craziness keep blocking my path.  I'm so grateful that I'm figuring out how to work around things and move forward with my creative and business goals.

His message at the end "Thank You, Lord, for always showing me how to create what I want."  Had me thinking about how lucky I am to have the skills and opportunity to combine my love of nature and art.  What a wonderful way to start the day!

 The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; Psalm 37:23 (NIV)

Have a Cup of Mrs. Olson

Finding Details in the Background - Daylily Study and Botanical Illustration Class

Botanical Illustration-Daylily Study ©CindyRippe2012-13

I prepared the background images for the Botanical Illustration class that I'll be teaching next month at the Society of Decorative Painters Conference.  It's an important part of the design and helps to frame the finished Daylily Study.  It was trimmed out of the catalog image, which was a little disappointing, but that's life I guess. The class still has plenty of students that are planning to draw a daylily and they'll get a nice surprise when the background photo is included in their class supplies.  If you haven't signed up yet, check it out at; Society of Decorative Painters Conference Special.  There are still a few spaces left.

I love to take pictures of flowers and leaves that can be used for a background, a frame, or even a repeating pattern.  Even if I never do anything, other than use it for my own reference material, it becomes an important part of my body of work. It's another excuse to study the details and I guess I think there's beauty in those details.

Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it.  Confucius

I'd rather Draw Flowers with this Giant Pencil than work on Taxes!

Pencil Sculpture near Tiffin, Iowa along I80 ©CindyRippe2012

I'm getting bored with the whole Income Tax paperwork job that I hope to have finished today.  Boring......... Of course, there are lots of pretty pictures on this external hard drive along with class records and receipts to keep help keep me entertained!  (I think the better term would be driving me to distraction and encouraging procrastination.)

Here's a picture of me from a few months ago at a rest stop along I-80 in Iowa.  Giant writing instruments and inspiring quotes designed to reflect the importance of literature and education. It was cold and windy that day.  We were only there for a few minutes (and had fun racing to see who would get back to the car first) but I still managed to take about 10 pictures.  Imagine that! 

Well, I guess I'd better get back to work !

Distraction and procrastination come in a variety of flavors... when I'm distracted and I walk over and stare out the window, it's a very different experience than when I feed the distraction by cramming in a few emails or make a phone call.  Linda Stone

Fabric Painting - The Artist Palette Design Fail (AKA "stepping into the puddles of creativity)

I'm currently designing patterns for my fabric painting classes and books.  My goal is to make it as easy as possible, target beginners, and take the fear of failure for this technique out of the picture.

In my mind this was such a cool design. Combine my love of flowers and art.  I figured that I'd continue the color wheel with this combination of paint and flower colors.  Since I was using a VERY limited palette of fabric paints I just couldn't get it right!  The more I mixed and blending the muddier the colors became.  I was so disappointed. Ugh!  Finally I gave up, started over (for the fourth time) and just kept it as simple as I could.  A little bit of blending and layering, less detail, and I gave up on using so many colors.  As I finished I realized that I had been struggling with those puddles for a few hours when the completed design and pattern would take less than an hour to complete.  The colors are still darker and more intense than I normally paint with but I think it's OK. Adding the little gem drop was a good finish as it combines the idea of paint drips or water dripping off of the tulip.

If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing. Marc Chagall

A Peek into my Creative Process

I found this picture in the archives today and thought you might like a peek into my creative space.  This is actually a table at an artist retreat I attended but it looks a lot like my own painting table in the studio.  (Minus the water fountain, floral arrangements, vintage turntable filled with terra cotta pots of brushes and much more.  I should probably take a picture of that space too some day.)  We spent the weekend working on our own projects and pretty much just had uninterrupted creativity time. Whenever I'm working on a design I tend to spread out in as much space as I can and end up with a sort of organized clutter.

I bought a potted hyacinth and miniature daffodil on the way to the retreat and spent time sketching different views of each.  I then created the "Daffodils in a Row" design by painting it with acrylic washes, pen and ink details and then layered on the colored pencil accents.

From left to right:
- Hyacinth and Daffodil pots in front of my water basin and behind the pencils I was using.
- My colored pencil case behind the Daffodil painting on Bristol Vellum.
- 3/4 inch Wash brush that used to paint all those tiny leaves and petals.
- Blending tools, sanding block, erasers and sharpeners
- Ott Light, acrylic paints, camera battery case behind my cd player.  (Still use this one once in a while) and loose batteries.  I go through a ton of batteries for my camera and usually use the rechargeable kind.
- on the far right is my basket of brushes and tools with my original sketches of the daffodils in front.
- Usually my camera is sitting right there since I take step by step pictures as I work..... oh! I was using it to take this picture!

A picture is worth a thousand words. Napoleon Bonaparte

Basil Beginnings - Colored Pencil Cultivation

Cultivating Basil Beginnings in Colored Pencil - ©CindyRippe2013

While working on collections for my online classes and ebooks I found this Basil plant drawing.  I taught it several years ago, as an introduction to colored pencil techniques, and it's part of a series of herbs.  I haven't seen it for a while so I was surprised to see that the perspective on the rim of the pot was wrong. It's not perfect but I don't mind. My original drawing is correct.  I'm sure I was distracted when I worked on the metal tag which I really like.

It reminded me that we are all growing, like the basil plant. The steps we take, the lessons we learn, are all a part of becoming who we are meant to be.  Maybe we're not perfect......but we all have good qualities that make us happy.  Concentrate on the happy and keep growing!

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Philippians 3:12

Happiness - Mixed Media Daisy

Happiness Daisy in Mixed Media ©CindyRippe2013

As I listen to the wind howling tonight, and know that the outdoor temperature is dropping like a stone, I think of how lucky I am to have learned to draw the flowers that I enjoyed in warmer weather.  And how happy I am that it's my job to do that.  I just don't do it often enough!

I sketched this daisy in pen and ink, then layered acrylic paints, colored pencil and added the digital quote to finish it off.
The daisy is such a happy flower.  Probably because it smiles at the sun and the petals dance merrily in the breeze. I hope that it gives you a moment to remember something happy in your life.

I came that you may have and enjoy life and have it in abundance, until it overflows.  John 10:10

Sketching Flowers - Learning to Draw

Botanical Art/Sketching ©CindyRippe2013

I listened to the weather forecast this morning (bitter cold heading in), checked the calendar (exactly 4 months until my Daylily Class at the Society of Decorative Painting Convention) and watered my Amaryllis plant (the stem has grown 4 inches this week with a new bud peeking out from the base) then I sketched a few apple tree flower buds in my devotional book (working on the stages of fruit growth this year).

Yep, flowers are a big part of my day. Never the most important - family comes first, but they are a lovely addition.  I decided to share a quick collage of the drawing classes that I'm teaching (or have taught recently).  Maybe you've made plans to improve your drawing skills in 2013. This would be a step in the right direction and it's not too late to sign up for the Daylily Sketching class.  It's designed for beginner to intermediate students. (After drawing techniques and "how to's" beginners can use my pattern to practice their shading skills - Intermediate students can draw from reference materials) I'd love to have you join me in class.  Click HERE to register.

Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. Luke 12:27

All art requires Courage

Autumn Harvest - my first Charcoal Still Life ('96) - ©CindyRippe2013

All art requires courage. ~Anne Tucker

I've started working on my interactive online Botanical classes again.  I've been teaching drawing/design/technique classes for over 20 years.  If you've followed me at all (or read the name of this blog) you know that I'm inspired to create images of flowers and botanicals.  Most of them have an inspirational theme but it's always about nature.

Last year about this time I recorded two online classes with Interactive Artist Magazine with the intention of launching my own online classes immediately after that.  I had already planned to take my business in that direction and have so much experience in the creative industries as a national teacher, professional demonstrator, author, consultant and even a stint as a guest on QVC.  I figured it would be "a piece of cake" and allow me to work from my home studio more.  The travel across the United States was getting harder while caring for my family (and myself) so I thought was a great idea. Well, here we are.  It's almost a year later and I've been working on my classes VERY slowly.  I've let life and all of it's chaos take center stage and put my art business on the side. I'm still teaching at a few national conventions but I've become an expert at excuses.

This morning, as I walked past the china cabinet, my charcoal sketch caught my attention.  I don't usually look at it because I can see all of my mistakes, but today I could almost hear it saying, "Last year you made the choice to change things in your life to allow you to focus on your art business.  This year it's about accomplishments. What are you afraid of?  Get busy and share your knowledge with other artists that want to grow too."  A powerful thought for a 16 year old charcoal sketch to inspire!  I guess all artists are growing in one way or another.  Either by brushing up on their skills, learning new techniques or getting over the fear that nobody will be interested.  I've decided to do it for myself, with hopes that thousands of artists will come along for the ride, and I hope that I'll be able to get them past their own art fears. 

“For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. (He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.)”  Romans 11:29 (Amplified Bible)

September Flower of the Month ©Cindy Rippe 2012

The Morning Glory is one of the birth flowers for the month of September.  Aster is the most common but I used it last year and since the arbor near the Conservatory at Pilcher Park Nature Center is still loaded with these magnificent flowers I couldn't resist. 

The meanings for Morning Glory from The Language of Flowers book and other sources include: Love in vain, Loves you, affection,flirtation, and admiration.  Each flower only lives for one day.

This little group of flowers remind me of close friends making the most of the short time they have together. The sun was perfect, creating a glow of joy and happiness.

Please take the time to enjoy even a short visit with your friends and make sure to let them know how much you care.

Love one another with brotherly affection. Out do one another in showing honor. Romans 12:10

Creativity in a Quiet Moment

For the past several years, during summer mornings, you could find me sitting in the swing on the deck.  I would take a few minutes to read my devotions, sketch a little or eat breakfast. It was the way I liked to start each day.  Not so much this year though. I haven't been home enough, or I was too busy, it was too hot, etc, etc.  The past month was worse than ever. 

When I woke up this morning the weather was perfect and the sun was shining just right.  I grabbed my sketchbook and headed out for a little quiet time.  I'm so grateful for those special moments.


I have stilled and quieted my soul.  Psalm 131:2

Sweet Pea for April's Flower of the Month

The flower of the month for April is Sweet Pea or Daisy.  I chose the sweet pea for my daily devotional sketch today.   In the Victorian Language of Flowers the sweet pea represents shyness or blissful pleasure.  The latin name, "Lathyrus odoratus" means 'pea' and 'fragrant'.

Sweet Pea Mixed Media - Cindy Rippe 2012

I remember my Grandfather, Faw-Faw, proudly showing me his sweet pea vine, years ago, when I was able to visit in the spring. My favorite color was always pink but I know there are many colors available now.  I remember they smelled so sweet! Each flower didn't last very long but we enjoyed them every morning.

Perfumes are the feelings of flowers.  ~Heinrich Heine

Don't forget to click through the rest of today's DCC Blog Hop for more Spring inspiration.
 

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Devotional Sketch for Palm Sunday

I've already shared a few of my Daily Devotional Sketches in earlier posts and have been asked to share more of them with you.  I'll start with the one I did for today.

Palm Branch - Mixed Media - Cindy Rippe 2012

I usually sketch flowers.  Sometimes, like today, I'm inspired by the bible verse or the story in my devotional book, Daily Guideposts, but many times it's just the flower I feel like drawing that day.  It gives me a few minutes to think about the verse and get lost in the sketching process. Most of the time I used Mixed Media (acrylics or watercolor, colored pencils and ink.

You can keep up with each day's sketch by "following" this blog if you want.  I hope my doodles give you a few minutes to be inspired too!

But Palm Sunday tells us that … it is the cross that is the true tree of life. Pope Benedict XVI

Shamrocks - Devotional Sketch March 17

St Patrick's Day Inspiration - Daily Guidepost - © Cindy Rippe

"Top o' the mornin'! This is the day for the wearin' of the green and the celebration of the shamrock." *

In my Daily Guideposts devotion today Fay Angus tells how St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the mystery of the Holy Trinity and that the leaves also symbolize three great virtues of 1 Corinthians 13:13, faith, hope and love.  She says that when there's a fourth leaf it symbolizes the blessing of luck!

I enjoyed sketching these little shamrocks and, of course, included one with 4 leaves to wish you luck!

* quoted directly from page 126, Daily Guideposts 2012 - Fay Angus

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.   1 Corinthians 13:13

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Sketching in Color - Daily Devotional Experiment

Cindy Rippe - Daily Guidepost Devotions - Botanical Sketches

My Mother-in-Law, Alice, gives us a Guidepost Daily Devotion Book each year for Christmas.  I look forward to the Bible verse, the story that accompanies it and a prayer each day.  Of course, I can't say that I've read it daily, especially in past years. Life can get hectic at times around here. I find myself catching up, sometimes a week or more at a time, but it gives me a moment to pause and think about my blessings.

A few years ago I realized that I wanted to do more than just read the story so I set a goal for myself.  Each day (again sometimes I had to catch up) I wrote a note on the page.  The notes contained my thoughts about the verse of the day, the story, or just what was happening to me that day.  Maybe one day I'll go back to read it, maybe not.  I was just happy that I completed that goal and felt that I got a little more from the inspiration on each page.

This year, as part of my goal to sketch more often and allow myself to be creative I've decided to use the pages of the book as a Botanical Journal after I've read each devotion.  I don't have the 2012 book yet (just a mix up in shipping) but while I wait I've been experimenting with a previous edition.  There were a few problems to overcome but I think I have it figured out now.

This one is with pen and ink with watercolor. I would have added a layer of colored pencils but I don't have them with me today. I look forward to using mixed media techniques, to be inspired by the Word, and to sketch a year of flowers. 

'Tis my faith that every flower enjoys the air it breathes!
~William Wordsworth

Sketching Roses at Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL

I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.  ~Claude Monet