Dean-Guitar Reverie for Edward

Close ups

Acrylic, Pitt Pen, and a skosh of colored pencil. Approx. 8 1/2 x 6 3/4 on paper.

This is my entry in Edward Burton's sketch book.

Edward's theme was "Music". I used to play guitar in country rock bands many beers...err..years ago.
My favorite guitar was a Fender Stratocaster...which I still own. This painting is an attempt to show the musician playing in a reverie. Practically seeing the notes drift through the air...Very much like you artists when you get caught up in the flow, and magical things happen from out of nowhere upon your canvas.

I don't know how successful my attempt was, but that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Hope ya like it Edward!

Clever Like a Fox

 "Red Fox"

by Michelle Burnett

9"x 5 1/2"

colored pencil on paper

This is my contribution to James Parker's sketchbook for his wildlife theme. If you know James, you know that he is a amazing artist and has a wonderful sense of humor. What you may not know (or maybe you do!) is that he is a very talented and clever writer and poet as well. 

This is the last sketchbook for me to complete and I have thoroughly enjoyed being apart of this project throughout the year. It's been a great experience with a wonderful group of artist that I am humbled and honored to be a part of. I thank each of you for their contributions to my sketchbook and cannot wait to see it in person. A big tremendous THANK YOU to Dominique Eichi for starting the project and inviting me to participate.

Pink Scarf and Pigtails - Michelle Burnett

Pink Scarf and Pigtails

colored pencil

This is for the wonderful Liz Holm for her theme: "portraits". I was at the rodeo several years ago and had my camera ready to take action shots of the bull and bronco riders for art reference photos, but I saw this girl working at the concessions. I admired her pigtails and scarf and thought that would make a more interesting subject for a painting. (By the way, every year the rodeo has one day dedicated to breast cancer awareness called "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" and everyone is supposed to wear pink, thus the reason for the pink scarf.)

I chose to draw this time because I've had a lot of "hurry up and wait" moments lately that are better for drawing. I drew the initial sketch while I was sitting in the waiting room at Jiffy Lube while my car got serviced!

I would like to spend more time on this because I love to work on portraits and I see a few things that need tweaking, but I will fuss with it forever if I don't stop so I think I'm going to send it on its way to Camille just in case she's got nothing else to do :) . Then I can get to work on her sketchbook next!

"Blue" by Michelle Burnett

Blue 

colored pencil on paper

10.5"x8.5"

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This is my contribution to Adebanji Alade's sketchbook. Since Adebanji chose such an important theme: "Homelessness", I wanted to convey the somber mood and sense of despair of the subject by using the color blue. For this sketch, I used Faber Castell Polychromos in Indianthrene blue and Dark indigo.

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I greatly admire Adebanji's drawing skill so I was inspired to draw this time. All too often, I have (mistakenly) seen drawing as a chore that is necessary to get past so I can get to the fun of painting. I had forgotten the pleasure of drawing itself and really enjoyed this using this medium again.

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Thank you, Adebanji for this thoughtful theme.

Michelle Burnett - Daydreaming

This is my contribution to Dana Cooper's sketchbook for her theme "Dream", done in colored pencil. I also added a favorite quote: "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams...live the life you've imagined." ~ Henry David Thoreau.