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Category Archives: making a living
I’ve got a Patreon Page!
I’m getting ready to begin teaching, and so, drumroll…. I launched my Patreon page! Yes, here I am asking for your support and money… I support two artists, one on Patreon. For the cost of a coffee out, I contribute … Continue reading
Creative Blocks: What does that Nagging Voice Want?
When I am stuck, I play in color and texture. I see where materials take me without expectation. To have the feeling of blah, no vision, heavy, stupid, dim, is hard on any creative. Especially as being creative — at … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, creativity, journal, making a living, memory, process
Tagged child's play, color, creative block, critic, critical voice, materials, play
20 Comments
Overworked / Failure
Dan recently blogged about failures: “So many people try to hide failure. Sometimes, they want to hide it out of embarrassment and sometimes they want to hide it out of fear. I don’t want to fail, but when I do, … Continue reading
Posted in art, art journal, creativity, making a living, painting, pen & ink, process, watercolor
Tagged anniversary, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, failure, floral, flower, Lamy Al-Star, pan watercolors, Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Sennelier, struggle, Sunflowers, watercolor
4 Comments
Whats on Your Workdesk? Wednesday
I don’t know if I’ll do What’s On Your Workdesk? Wednesday as a regular thang, but here I am on humpday wanting to post about my new space and I happen upon this weekly challenge….. When not painting *sigh* I … Continue reading
Software Geeks Who Change Things Just Because They Can
Remember when life was much easier at WP? For instance, remember when all you had to do was click on the little chain-linky-symbol to do it all, above? You’d highlight the link phrase, then hit that chain-linky-symbol, choose your I-want-it-to-open-in-another-page, … Continue reading
Creativity: Stumbling Blocks + Play
Creatives get blocked. Creatives need play time! It has been a long time since I’ve been involved in a project — I’m not talking about recipes or art challenges but real projects — a couple of years of learning watercolors, … Continue reading
Doc Youping Qin
Dr. Youping Qin is my acupuncturist. My images here are part of a larger set, depicting the history of acupuncture and Chinese immigrants to Oregon. (This post is about the painting, not the story!) Doc Qin has been a Portland … Continue reading
Posted in architecture, art journal, calligraphy, creativity, drawing, making a living, painting, pen & ink, pencil, portrait, process, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor
Tagged acupuncture, Alphabet District, art journal, Daniel Smith Masking Fluid, Daniel Smith watercolors, Dr. Youping Qin, Golden Needle, Holbein, Holbien, NW Portland, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Pentel Brush Pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Oregon, Portland Urban Sketchers, Primatek, Strathmore journal, urban sketchers, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor
16 Comments
Washington State DAR Flag
The State of Washington DAR Flag (DAR = Daughters of the American Revolution) is my subject today for the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge, drawn from an image taken while assessing the flag for the State of Washington curatorial … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, furniture, history, journal, making a living, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor
Tagged art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Greenleaf & Blueberry Watercolors, MPF Conservation, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Strathmore journal, Super5 ink, virtual sketchwalk, Washington State Capitol Legislative Building, Washington State DAR Flag, watercolor
6 Comments
My Secret Journal: Eleven, Shellacking
Note: I am writing a story/journal that I don’t want to show before it is published in full. These are some of the illustrated pages in the sketchbook for the story. Shellacking an oak table in the first finish room; … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, drawing, furniture, journal, making a living, memory, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor
Tagged art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Kate Powell, Moleskin Watercolor journal, MPF Conservation, Noodlers ink, NW Portland, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Oregon, QoR watercolors, shellacking, table
2 Comments
My Secret Journal: Ten, Sammy on a Sofa
Note: I am writing a story/journal that I don’t want to show before it is published in full. These are some of the illustrated pages in the sketchbook for the story. Sammy lounging as he is allowed to do occasionally … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, challenge, creativity, drawing, making a living, memory, painting, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor
Tagged cats, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Greenleaf & Blueberry Watercolors, Hero pen, Holbein, Moleskin Watercolor journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Sammy, upholstery, White Uniball Signo
4 Comments
Holiday Memories at Hearst Castle
Our business gets us in the back door to some amazing places. We conserved the Gothic Sofa for the Hearst Castle, near Cambria, California. We visited just before Christmas to see it installed in William Randolph Hearst’s private library (between … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, cards, furniture, making a living, memory, museum, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor
Tagged art journal, Christmas, Daniel Smith watercolors, Greenleaf & Blueberry Watercolors, Hearst Castle, Holbein, Mitchell Powell, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, watercolor
9 Comments
Sketching Memories of Our Staycation, 2 Work Happens
Small business owners rarely get to really take time off. You can’t ignore a new client (or they may go elsewhere) and you can’t ignore the absolutely only time for a delivery, in our case. Crater Lake is one of … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, color, drawing, furniture, journal, landscape, making a living, memory, painting, pen & ink, pencil, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor
Tagged art journal, CCC table, Civilian Conservation Corps, Crater Lake NP, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Greenleaf & Blueberry Watercolors, grisaille, Holbein, Moleskin Watercolor journal, MPF Conservation, Noodlers ink, object conservation, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, Platinum Carbon pen, QoR watercolors, staycation, Super5 ink, watercolor
4 Comments
Sketching Memories of Our Staycation, 1
I love sketching in journals because I love making our memories come to life. Mitchell and I are staying in Portland for our vacation; I am told the hip thing to call it is a “staycation.” Mostly we are working … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, cards, creativity, journal, making a living, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor, writing
Tagged #inktober, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Delta journal, Lamy Safari pen, MPF Conservation, Noodlers ink, NW Portland, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland planning issues, staycation, Stillman & Birn, Super5 ink, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor
15 Comments
Inktober, First week
I feel like I am cheating with this challenge in that my drawings usually begin with ink then watercolor is applied — though sometimes more ink is applied — hell, I dunno. Feels like cheating not to do a separate … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, challenge, drawing, furniture, making a living, pen & ink, pencil, sketchbook, virtual sketching
Tagged #inktober, art journal, De Atramentis Document ink, Moleskin Watercolor journal, MPF Conservation, Noodlers ink, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Platinum Carbon pen, Platinum Preppy pen, Portland Oregon, Super5 ink
15 Comments
My Secret Journal: One
Well as my brother’s used to say, I AM blonde! (Sssshhh, so are two of my brothers.) I am writing a journal that I don’t want to show before it is published in full. This is why I have not … Continue reading
Posted in animals, art journal, drawing, india ink, journal, making a living, memory, pen & ink, process, shellac, sketchbook, virtual sketching
Tagged art journal, cats, De Atramentis Document ink, NW Portland, OE sketchbook, Pitt pens, roast chicken, shellac, studio, Sunflowers, tip-in
5 Comments
Gratitude Journal: Back to Studio Work!
It is good to be back in my finish studio working on paying conservation projects. I have a NPS project due this month. Historic Mason Monterey paper and iron “chandeliers” for the Chateau need to be reproduced. The original historic … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, furniture, handmade paper, making a living, paper, pastel, process, shellac, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor
Tagged De Atramentis Document ink, Diamine Ancient Copper Ink, hemp, Holbein, kochi mashi paper, Kozo, lampshades, Lamy Safari pen, Mason Monterey, Moleskin Watercolor journal, MPF Conservation, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, Sheaffer calligraphy pen, Urban Sketchers Portland
28 Comments
Sketchpack Project: Week Four
ABOUT SKETCHPACK: The project began in 2011. The original idea was to get folks to draw daily. The Sketchpack is a small zigzag journal with two usable sides, allowing one to sketch on both sides of 15 ‘pages’ to complete … Continue reading
Posted in art journal, challenge, drawing, making a living, painting, pen & ink, series, watercolor
Tagged anvil, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Dritz, Houles Tassel, leather strap cutter, Lie-Nielsen, Noodlers ink, pincer, Platinum Carbon pen, Sketchpack Project, sony camra, Super5 ink, watercolor
8 Comments
D.Katie Powell Art 
NW Portland Industrial Sanctuary
Our studio sits in the NW Industrial Sanctuary. When most think of a sanctuary they think of preserving bird and wildlife habitats, but there are other kinds of sanctuaries. Once this was a gorgeous waterway and lake , used for … Continue reading →