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  • Jun10

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    “Waiting for a Scoobie Snack”

    Posted in: aceo, art, artist blog, dog portraits, drawing, graphite, illustration, pencil, pet portrait

    “Waiting for a scoobie snack”
    Graphite on Bristol smooth paper
    Sunday was Drawing Day!
    Here was my little drawing.
    I hope they got to 1 million worldwide!
    What a fun goal, and to see the drawings everywhere, on facebook, flickr, youtube, imagekind, deviantart, you name it, they were everywhere!

    Join in the fun next year! Until then, check out the results of the day here!
    drawingday.org

  • Jun3

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    Prayer; admission of a semi-secular girl

    Posted in: colored pencil, painting blog

    “Saying Grace”
    “Thank you for my Mommy, and my Baby Monkeys, and my Daddy!”
    ACEO: Prismacolor Pencil on Bristol


    I AM NOT INTO RELIGION.

    I constantly say I am not a religious person. I often mention my distaste for organized religion and the hypocrisy that makes company beside it.

    That being said, if I break down my day, hour by hour, and record my thoughts and utterances, (aloud and under my breath), the truth is that I pray all the time!

    Wow. I pray all the time. And I mean, all the time!

    “Thank you, Lord!”
    “Oh, please, God, help that person!”
    “Please, Lord, help me get through this!”
    “Lord, Thank you for this day!”
    “Thank you, Lord, for showing my humility!”
    “I am so grateful for such an understanding partner!”
    “Lord, Thank you for bringing what I need exactly when I need it!”
    “Oh, Thank GOD!”

    I am quite proud of my good parking Karma..my ability to get parking spaces just about anywhere when I need it. I also have an incredible ability to win concert tickets. It’s almost crazy! We only paid for one of the last 6 concerts we’ve attended. Positive thinking, praying, it’s in the wording. The power may come from within myself, from the Universe, wherever…but it does come. I can’t explain it, but I believe in good luck. I believe in goodness.

    I am not one to discuss religion at all, and really hate when people try to shove it down my throat, but I think you ought to know what I take from all this….

    What comes around, goes around. So, catch yourself next time you are about to yell at someone, or say unkind words to them or do something wrong. Instead, find one good thing to focus on and try a smile. It may get you a lot farther. If not right this minute, in the future. Take a breath and say “Thank you!”

    I am so lucky!

  • May29

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    Familiar, Funny, and Demonstrative

    Posted in: Writing, aceo

    Buddy Giraffe
    Colored pencil on bristol smooth

    Tonight, I read my friend Alexia’s regular newsletter, full of daily wisdom, funny and familiar. She that she was writing her morning pages, and made note of the vital 2500 word a day challenge that is out there. She also mentioned having hurt her knee while attempting to train with the couch to 5k program.

    She reminded me of a story. Well, 2 stories, really. My knee was defiled by a fucktard snowboarder in Tahoe 4 years ago. But more recently, my hip is suddenly WHACK! It’s so tight even bending over can be a problem. (probably also the fault of the snowboarder). All this physiological self-discovery came to pass when I started my own couch to 10k program a few weeks ago so a bunch of us could do the Peachtree Road Race (the largest 10k in the country, I’ve been told). My hip is so tight the chiropractor said, “NO running!” Find a swimming pool instead. and YOGA; do some of those sunrise poses.” So, now I have to nurse this aging hip, instead of just running on a whim, with no prior training or exercise, like I did when I was 25. I don’t understand why Maker’s Mark and TV can’t prepare me for that kind of thing.

    Back to the snowboarder, briefly. Whoever the hell invented snowboarding should have his own damned mountain to board on, and bring the rest of the boarders with him, because they don’t belong with skiers. I don’t say this to be mean, I say this to keep skiers safe and to keep the slopes uncluttered from the discourteous, etiquette thrashing, malevolent effing teenagers who just stop for no other apparent reason right in the middle of a downhill slope than to ‘take a break’ as skiers are actually attempting to use the slope for SKIING! But maybe worse still are the wobbly snowboarders who grab people and drag them down when exiting the ski lift because they can’t control their own balance, and have to completely destroy the cartilage of totally innocent skiers because they are too fracking clumsy and self-absorbed to just fall on their own off to the side somewhere!

    Soooo, the other story…yea, this is gonna chew off a few people, but here goes, (and this is the really demonstrative part): The fracking morning pages. That book, specifically. I stopped reading the stupid book on chapter 4 or 5 when it said, “don’t read this book for a week!”…I never went back. Then, like 4 months later, I decided to start again. whatever! Stopped again after the second night falling asleep thinking, ‘yea, see, now I’m bored.’

    Hello? What book says, “Stop reading me for a week, now that I am sure I have your attention!”
    I seriously think the writer or editor should change that part. New Editions are good, mkay?
    Anyway, had a yard sale with a girlfriend a couple months later, and her book was in the yard. (I chuckled under my breath).

    I liked a lot of ideas in that book, though. I have always journaled, and I liked the suggestion that you always do your morning pages, just get up and get it out right away. I rarely do first thing in the morning, but I do write, and I think that was more the point for me than getting out my expletives before my second cup of coffee. I thanked Alexia and said, “Now I am going to go put this in my blog. Thanks for making me write tonight. he he.”

    Have a great safe holiday weekend!
    Rebecca
    Ps. I really do still write the pages, just not every morning.

    Alexia is a terrific person, has a great site and is a very intuitive and helpful observer, and coach. Read more about Alexia Petrakos.

  • May25

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    Don’t be ridiculous…

    Posted in: aceo

    “Fat and Happy” ; Colored pencil on Bristol smooth

    I have often felt that I would never be taken seriously if I created only cartoon-ish-y art. In fact, that has been true, as I have been rejected at times as a serious artist. I have even canceled listings because when I looked back, I felt it just wasn’t good enough. But, there is plenty of “serious” art that doesn’t make me feel good, so what good is it after all?

    Eh, who cares anymore?!!! I think the goal here is to do what makes you happy, and what you seem to be good at performing. I’m still not sure what I am best at performing, but I’m turning a new leaf and I am no longer going to pout that I haven’t really painted a still life since college, (and I’m not upset about it.)

    I’ve been afraid to say I would begin my painting a day challenge just because I know I’d be bound to miss some days. Screw that charade as well!

    So, to start small, I will create an aceo a day! Maybe I’ll work up to the oswoa size for the Daily Painter’s site! I will post some and throw in some more Rhinos and history lessons! yay! I hope you will follow my blog for a little fun now and then!

    For all of you who are illustrators and whimsical artists, power on!

    Have an inspired day!

  • May8

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    Reluctant Trip To The Casino

    Posted in: Uncategorized

    The Rice/Kusel Family
    Circa 1998

    Yesterday I woke up to the email you never want to read.

    My cousin, in an obviously grieving state, sent out a broadcast to the family that her Dad had passed during the night. It was early in the morning, but I think even if she had been able to muster the will, 10 phone calls would have been beyond the abilities of a daughter who just lost her Daddy. Cy Kusel was her Daddy and my Uncle. He is pictured furthest to the right, nudged between his daughter and his wife.

    Next week, I will drive to Indianapolis, pick up my Mother from the airport and spend the time needed to add a little love to the situation, and share some fond memories of my dear Uncle.

    Cy loved to tell stories about how much his favorite niece (me) liked to talk. He said my Mother would constantly complain to her sister and brother-in-law (my uncle Cy) that she was getting impatient waiting for me talk. She wont say anything, Mom would say. I made plenty of noise, I’m willing to bet. But behaviorists will tell you that often the youngest child will be the last to talk as a result of the older children speaking on her behalf. I had 3 older brothers, who, I’m guessing, were able to look at me and tell Mom exactly what I wanted and needed, thereby making my work at communication quite literally, unimportant. This may explain many things, now that I think a little more about it… like, for example, my desire to be completely taken care of, not ever lifting a finger. (or is that a consequence of being female?)

    Anyway, back to the story. So Uncle Cy would say to my Mother, “Don’t worry, Carolyn, one day you will miss the silence. That one day came when I was 4, and all at once, I was speaking in eloquent and demanding full sentences. Uncle Cy was happy to recount the end of the story …”Then, we couldn’t shut her up!”

    I’m afraid not much has changed.

    On the way home from my unfortunate family visit, I’ll stop by another cousin’s, who is is near Louisville, and maybe play a slot or two at the Riverboat Casino there. Hey, you have to find the best in any bad situation.

    Now, time for a little silence.

  • May8

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    Joe The Thug

    Posted in: Uncategorized

    My friend Christy wanted her cat, Joe to be fat cat! So, in the spirit of Al Capone, with the gangster car, the city background, and the patent leather shoes, I painted Joe, immortalized as the lazy thug that he is.

    Christy Dekoning is a watercolor artist living in Ontario, whose portraits will become an heirloom in anyone’s family. Visit Christy’s blog: Travels in Watercolors

    Visit Smelly Rhino Studio or order a Custom portrait!

  • Mar24

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    #16 The New Yorker; 31 days of rhinos

    Posted in: 31 days of rhinos, Rhino art, Uncategorized, art, art history, art techniques, artist blog, ink, prismacolor markers, rhinoceros, smellyrhino

    #16 Ode To The New Yorker; 31 days of Rhinos
    Prismacolor on Bristol Smooth paper

    #16 in the series, yet another ripoff of one of the iconic images of the 20th century; The New Yorker’s highly hatted Mascot!

    Since 1925, when the New Yorker began publishing it’s famous magazine, cartoons have been an integral part of it’s legacy. So much so that most identify the magazine with it’s cartoons! They recently compiled a book of all All 68,647 cartoons ever published in The New Yorker! That’s a lot of cartoons!

    Cartoons, in fact, have become such an important part of our culture, that their influence on us is barely fathomable. Consider that many of our greatest cartoonists perhaps were inspired by The New Yorker growing up, and that alone makes it formidable. Great cartoonists, illustrators and satirists abound here!

    Regrettably, and it pains me to say this, but Wikipedia is down today, so I can’t give you a fun wee history on The New Yorker and it’s indelible mark on art history. Perhaps I can add some more tomorrow. For now, below are some of the greats.

    Roz Chast is one of many to influence us, and it’s great to have a female cartoonist in the mix, because it seems that not many women take the path of cartoonist. Roz first contributed to The New Yorker in 1978 and became a staff cartoonist in 1979, and has contributed over 1000 cartoons to the magazine. [from CBSnews.com: "     Editor David Remnick wrote that her cartoons convey a comic sense of "domestic anxiety." ]

    Robert Mankoff,     is currently the cartoon editor of The New Yorker. He captures that cross section of American business and politics with his humor, as well as every day life in the US. Robert is also the creator of The Cartoon Bank, which is the largest cartoon licensing business in the world. So, if you are a cartoonist, maybe you should start there!

    Charles Addams, adored by many as the creator of the Addams Family, spent most of his career drawing for The New Yorker! It all started as the Gothic, dark, bizaare, macabre but humorous cartoon in the New Yorker, which resulted in the beloved TV series and 2 movies! Aren’t tidbits fun?

    James Thurber, humorist, cartoonist, writer. A distinguished figure of American Literature, He wrote “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”, and others, which put him in the history books as more than just a cartoonist!

    Saul Steinberg, among the most prolific artists of the 20th century, appeared in The New Yorker for nearly 60 years! Now that’s a career! Visit his site and be awed by the archives!

    Their cartoons were political, controversial and funny. Satire at it’s best! Maybe not that well known to the average person, but if you grew up with this magazine, you were influenced by them! And, well, maybe you do really know a few!

    The New Yorker has had a profound effect of US Popular Culture since it’s inception, and I think it is fitting to mention in my 31 days of rhinos series.

  • Mar18

    1 Comment

    #15 Cave Painting; 31 days of rhinos

    Posted in: 31 days of rhinos, Rebecca Salcedo, Rhino art, Smellyrhinostudio, art history, artist blog, cave painting, humorous blogs, mixed media, rhinoceros, smelly rhino, symbolism

    So easy, a Caveman really did paint this!
    #15 Cave Painting (also mixed media)
    Media: Textured stone, acrylic


    [Fake excerpt "This amazing piece was discovered in a remote cave somewhere in Arizona. People mistakenly believed that the great Merck's rhinoceros or Rhinoceros merckii must have existed in North America at some point. A better explanation is that the ancient people built really good boats and traveled; and this cave painting was a story of their voyage to Africa or Asia or Eastern Europe. How the heck did they get there? Maybe alien visitors aren't so far fetched after all!

    It was originally believed that the markings on the bottom of the picture were fire, but it was later determined that this is grass, because rhinos are herbivores, and at the top of the picture, there is a sun and a moon to depict the cycle of the day. The two rhinos are not mirrored, (although abstract art could have existed then.) Instead, these are a mated pair of rhinos, the male on the left. They come together and touch horns as a gesture of affection. Possibly the early people of the land believed that 'Rhino Love' was an example from the gods to be honored as part of the cycle of the seasons; Love is, essentially, part of the cycle of life.

    It is also believed that this painting has much more than symbolism, like that of others found nearby. It's symmetry reflects a desire for ordered decoration, and almost resembles ancient Greek pottery examples. Could it be that these people were the lost potters of the Macedonia and this drawing is not a prehistoric example after all, but a cool illustration borrowed from the cave drawings, to be used on the water jug of a soujourner? hmmm!"]

    Seriously,
    [Wiki ” Cave paintings are paintings on cave walls and ceilings, and the term is used especially for those dating to prehistoric times. The earliest known European cave paintings date to Aurignacian, some 32,000 years ago. The purpose of the paleolithic cave paintings is not known. The evidence suggests that they were not merely decorations of living areas, since the caves in which they have been found do not have signs of ongoing habitation. Also, they are often in areas of caves that are not easily accessed. Some theories hold that they may have been a way of communicating with others, while other theories ascribe them a religious or ceremonial purpose.

    So, were cave paintings merely decoration? Was it history being recorded? Or perhaps a vigil by shamans to create a larger hunt for the people? We will never know for certain, but Please Read more because it’s really interesting!

    See you tomorrow.

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