Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!
 

Pen and watercolor illustration for print. https://sandybock.com/

Though you may not be picking anything out of your home garden yet, no doubt you're outside playing in the dirt this weekend. I learned to love having a home garden from my parents and my extended family. 

As a kid, I remember always being barefoot, climbing trees, and purple stained hands from the long summer days picking elderberries. Yum! I think that's where I grew to appreciate and have compassion for all creatures. Bats in particular seemed to love sleeping in the elderberry bushes, but they also kept the insect population under control. 

As a mom, when my kids were just wee ones, I grew a small vegetable garden and had a couple raspberry bushes. Kids love picking raspberries! I know because it was, and still is, my favorite! As we went through many tough years, as so many of us have, the garden was less nostalgia, and more necessity. The DIY era we are in now has brought many of us back home and learning or relearning, those "domestic" skills. Social Media is now flowing with creative home energy from gardening, to canning, to making your own clothes. I am no different, and I am thankful I grew up in a DIY household back in the 70's and 80's.

So get outdoors this weekend! Go play in the dirt and appreciate all those new plants popping up in your gardens. Take a walk or hike at your community parks and have compassion for all those new creatures who just arrived. Take your shoes off, read a book, draw a picture with your kids, and blessings! 🍅🏡 (Please visit my new site!) https://sandybock.com/

The Art of Good Life

Pen and Watercolor Country Kitchen Garden Goodies

Recently, I switched gears and went back to one of my old favorites, pen and watercolor. I think it brings out my love of country living the best. :) I am working on a series to include in a line up of art I am planning to print on cards, notepads, tote bags, and calendars. These will then be offered in a few Online shops I will be setting up. More on that in the coming months. For now you can follow my art here or on FB and Instagram. I am enjoying all the feedback and encouragement I am getting on social media as I restart my artistry. I truly love art and sharing my love of country life, a healthy lifestyle, a love of all God's creatures, and the nostalgia of living close to the land. Blessings! 🍅🏡🎨

Year of the Dog: Keep Your Soul Healthy

Year of the Dog:Keep your soul healthy! It looks like winter is sticking around awhile. I was born in a year of the dog. Instead of short term new years resolutions, I look at life as a long journey and good health (physical, intellectual, spiritual, and social) are daily goals, but I am in it for the long haul. So go hike in the snow, eat a healthy meal, work/learn with passion, and keep your soul at peace. Blessings.

Pastel Painting 12x16

Country Heart

"Autumn Coon" 12x16 Pastel Painting

Even though I live closer to a city now, my heart will always be in the country. Honestly, the country is where I plan to be again someday. For now, I love taking lots of photos while I am out exploring the many parks here. I am never short of creative ideas when surrounded by all the crisp golden leaves damp with morning dew, smells of apples and pumpkin spice, and squirrels and chipmunks scurrying over the dirt paths as they work hard on this years harvest. I love this time of year!

This kitty is another cutie I have cared for through my pet care business. He is a very regal, affectionate cat and I was able to get some very majestic photos of him to work from for this painting. So this is a rustic, yet sophisticated, country autumn scene. 🎨😊

Black cats are traditionally used in Halloween art and the superstition behind them finds them in more cat shelters than other cats. In reality, their color is just the product of genetics, but their image still goes beautifully among the golden hues of the autumn season. So here I included in my autumn cat series, a regal black cat who would prefer to play in the leaves, eat some treats, and snooze in a pumpkin patch. 🐈🍁🍂

Autumn Play

"Autumn Play" 12 x 16 Pastel drawing

"Autumn Play" Happy Autumn Solstice! Here's my newest pastel drawing inspired by one of my pet care client's kitties. I enjoyed the mimicking of the bark and the cat's fur pattern. It's warm this week here in Ohio, but the cooler weather is just around the corner, and I can't wait! Autumn is my favorite time of year. Not only is the food the best this time of year, but the landscape is beautiful. So get outside and catch some falling leaves, jump in a leaf pile, and then have a slice of  pumpkin bread and a mug of warmed apple cider. 🍎🍂

All of my original drawings are for sale. I am also now taking orders for custom pet portrait drawings for the holidays. Enjoy the season! 🍁

Garden Inspired

"Garden Inspired" 12 x 16 pastel drawing.

Summer is coming to a close, but the garden still has plenty to give. Our first Ohio vegetable garden gave us more than we anticipated! All those tomatoes coupled with all the kitties I pet sat for during the summer, inspired me to combine passions; gardens and my love of fur babies.

I take many photos while I am out taking care of my client's fur children. They make great reference photos for my drawings and their natural poses are genuine moods of the animals. This sweet girl was in a playful mood when I caught this pose. I knew it would be useful somewhere down the line. Once our tomatoes turned into a jungle of colors, I took photos of the garden and inspiration set in.

This drawing was so much fun, but took longer than I had hoped. Summer is a tough time for me to sit and draw as all those fur babies take up much of my time. I love every moment of it though and am grateful to be able to do what I enjoy.

One more week until Autumn, my favorite time of the year! As the colors change and the days grow shorter, I will continue to be out taking care of fur babies and finding inspiration for my art. They say to write what you know, but I think the same applies to art. 🎨🐈🍅😁 -Sandy

Wild Roots

"Wild Roots" 11x17 Pastel Drawing

This week's drawing was inspired by a book I came across at the library called "The Cat Encyclopedia". The book includes a small introduction to the history of cats. I have been hearing a common opinion lately, also expressed briefly in the book, that cats are not truly domesticated. My veterinarian shares this opinion.

The photo I used for this drawing came about because my cat was exploring a small ledge in our basement. She was drawn to its narrow path and its height above the floor. I immediately took some photos thinking this would be her in the wild, scaling trees and keeping an eye on the world below her.

I want to share a statistic from the book that I found interesting. Under the section titled "Cat species around the world" it states, "Wildcats are successful in evolutionary terms in that they were once widespread and found in many different habitats, but most species are now either endangered or threatened. In contrast, there are an estimated 600 million domestic cats worldwide."

I find it ironic that we care more for the smaller version of the wild cats than the wild cats themselves. There must be an instinctual, or perhaps more habitual reason, that humans take compassion for some animals, and not others.

So in the spirit of staying true to our natures, watch your fur baby for signs of  their wild roots and appreciate where they came from. They are survivors, instinctual and probably have a better grasp of the natural world than we do, despite humans imposing domestication.

Cleveland Diversity and Art

A collage of my recent pastel pet art.

One of the things I am growing to love about Cleveland is the diversity. I say this as a vague term because all of life is diverse really, but all species are guilty of segregating themselves from each other. Even so, it is nice to be surrounded by various cultures, food, languages, and especially creativity.

To share in the spirit of diversity and creativity, I am posting a collage I put together of my most recent pastel pet art. It is ironic that humans are far more apt to welcome a variety of species of animals from different parts of the world into their home, with varying diets and customs, and yet so uneasy about doing the same for fellow humans.

My perspective, we all share this amazing place together. I see the differences as a positive instead of a negative. Some people see the differences as offensive and intrusive, but I see it as I see animals differences, humorous, charming, and on a deeper level, educational. We can learn from each other, be teachers to each other, or we can have tunnel vision. Life is art and certainly open to criticism, but it doesn't have to be negative. Perhaps flipped upside-down all we would see, is the eyes of another living soul staring back at us, and we would smile. :)

Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day 2017! Though it should be in our minds everyday, today is a good reminder that we all share this amazing place together, and it's a collective obligation to take care of our home. As we get caught up in our day to day rush to success, whatever that may be, the Earth takes its time and continues to provide us with everything we really need, whether we appreciate it or not. Always take some time to look around at what is being given to us everyday.

If you venture out today, you can take part in the special events, or you can take a quiet walk at your neighborhood park. Either way, enjoy what the Earth gives you for free every day. It asks only that you nurture it, and it will continue to nurture all of us.

If you are here in the Cleveland Ohio area, check out all the fun events going on today. Enjoy!
https://www.eventbrite.com/d/oh--cleveland/earth-day-events/

Spring into Change

Springtime to me always feels like an opportunity for change. If I feel like my life is on repeat, then Spring is a great chance to begin again.

 As many of my followers know, my family and I moved from southeastern PA to the Cleveland OH area recently. I love it here! Despite many unforeseen events since we got here, hey that's life you know, I am having a great time taking in the new sites, meeting new people, and the varied (and much larger) wildlife here.

My fur babies, seen in the paintings here, endured the long drive by car to get here. It wasn't too long before they found their favorite new spots in our home. I think they are also enjoying watching the larger wildlife outside. :)

My pet care business is slow to start, and no new art as of yet, but with Spring in the air now, I am filled with creative inspiration. I look forward to continuing my art work here in Ohio and meeting new clients and fur babies. There's nothing like walking a dog in the Spring rain or working on a drawing until my hands are covered in art colors. Now get outside and get dirty! -SB

The Element of Surprise

The element of surprise has always been a part of our existence. The not knowing, the unexpected around every corner can be stressful or can motivate change. When those moments of chaos, be it good or bad by ones own definition, arise we often are forced to reexamine our priorities.

 Here is my most recent portrait; the surprised kitten. The young explorer loves to investigate the world and get into mischief. Sometimes she falls, and sometimes she leaps to great heights gaining new perspective. It's a simplistic notion I suppose, but next time you find yourself surprised by something, observe if it knocked you down or picked you up. It's not always the surprise itself that creates change, it's your reaction to it, and how we react is most likely dictated by our perspective, our own story. Unexpected moments can be a great turning point in your life, but you have to be willing to explore, investigate, fall down, and chance the unexpected around the next corner.

Cozy Winter Solstice

Happy Winter Solstice! This cozy time of year is my favorite for reflecting and taking some time to relax and be creative. My windows are lit with candles, and my cats are purring, content in their warm winter spots around the house. I curl up in a chair with a steamy mug of peppermint tea (relaxing comfort drink), a good book (always stay curious about the world and everything in it), a plate of homemade cookies (of course), and always nearby is a sketchbook for those moments of inspiration. Even when the winds blow cold and harsh and the snow is piling outside my window, I always stop to appreciate this wondrous place where we live. Let it snow! :)

The Bigger Picture

It has been a historic and turbulent week. Despite the turmoil, I still believe our diversity can find a common ground. I focus on the nooks and crannies of undisturbed peace, like the sweet boy in my painting here I did a few years back. Each of us has a part to play in the world and in our country and no part is too small or insignificant. All of us, including the critters, are vital. Take each step, keeping in mind the consequence of your actions but without the burden of perfection. Each stroke of paint you put down is a piece of a bigger picture. Never lose site of the bigger picture.

It's Harvest Time!

Welcome to my new blog!
There's nothing like a warm mug of apple cider and colorful leaves falling outside to inspire me to draw. I have enjoyed doing pet portraits over the years in various mediums. I am currently doing portraits in charcoal/pastel. I also love drawing my own fur babies. This is our youngest in her favorite pose. When the seasons change and the temps drop, our kitties move to their cold weather sleeping spots in the house. This sleeping position seems to be preferred no matter what the season. I suppose viewing the world upside down keeps a fresh perspective. Perhaps more of us should take the time to see the world as our fur babies do, and then we will be just as content as they are. :)