February 9, 2011
In
art, drawing, imagination
A Tail Gets Scales
One must work gingerly when fooling with a dragon’s tail … especially when poking and tickling with a pencil.
February 6, 2011
In
art, children's books, drawing, illustration
A Tail is Born
Rough sketch. Just a tease, that’s all.
Stage One of another illustration for the next book …. with other postings, you’ll see it come to life. Maybe even breathe fire.
January 31, 2011
In
appreciation, drawing, illustration, inspiration
A Plethora of P's / #6: "Presence"
Presence is a medium-sized word with larger than life impact. Presence is a simple act, but a very big deal. Presence is about being mindful, being aware, being completely, undistractedly, present right here and now.
Presence is granular. It’s thinking the thought, it’s feeling the feeling, it’s tasting the taste.
It’s not about “showing up”; it’s about being attentive. It’s a decision to listen, to see, to intentionally connect. It’s a very deliberate action based on the deliberate thought to be present. Presence is to choose, in this moment, this moment.
I would go so far as to promise you’ll feel a positive difference in your day when you consciously choose to practice being present. … You will truly enjoy that cup of coffee. You will appreciate the comfortable chair. You will experience an unexpected delight somewhere that you otherwise would have missed. And by allowing yourself the opportunity to make simple yet mindful choices each hour, all day, you even may find that you will slow down time a little bit. You will also give others one of the best gifts you can give – your sincere attention. And if you need to move on, remember that that sincerity ~ your presence ~ even in small doses ~ is far better than any amount of “yea, yea, uh-huh”.
Our world is fast-paced and gaining speed. I say, don’t let that fool us into passing by on the powerful thought, and simple action, of presence in our own lives.
•••
Note: the complete series of positive P words can be seen unfolding all together on the “Plethora of P’s” page of this blog,
January 17, 2011
In
art, creativity, drawing, illustration, words and language
A Plethora of P's / #4: "Purpose"
“To every thing, there is a purpose…”
Ah, but what’s it all about? On a grand scale, few of us are lucky enough to know with certainty what our life purpose is. It’s interesting to ponder, but much of the time that kind of purpose seems more fated than planned.
On the other hand, there’s practical purpose, like getting an education or giving the car an oil change. Useful things that can smooth life’s wrinkles or deliver a better shot at living well.
Then there’s the daily, more personal kind of purpose that comes from deliberate, purposeful thought. Acting with purpose. Speaking with purpose. Changing-the-course-of-a-moment kind of purpose.
Purpose is really just intention. And with some muscle behind it, it can breed greatness. With consistent, conscious positive thought, it can BE greatness.
Moment by moment, purpose lies waiting to be tapped; ready to be tipped and poured.
January 11, 2011
In
art, creativity, drawing, illustration, inspiration, words and language
A Plethora of P's / #3: "Perseverance"
Have a dream? A goal? A path to follow? Go for it! … one foot in front of the other, one task at a time (or several; which we all do, although I sometimes think multi-tasking is highly overrated!) And if you falter, know it’s not failure but a sidestep, just a lesson.
Stay positive. Stand firm. Pursue. Persist. Persevere. Saddle up and keep on keepin’ on!
January 9, 2011
In
art, children's books, drawing
Year of the Dragon?
We had breakfast with my sister-in-law this morning and she asked, “How’s your Dragon Book coming? I’ve been telling people about it!”
Hmmm. Well… Sometimes life and the universe conspire in taking over the best of intentions; in this case, last year’s intention to finish my next children’s book.
It’s far from forgotten though, and really is in the works. I’m just getting warmed up, but who knows, maybe this year will be the year of the dragon!
© Patricia Saxton
And it all makes sense really. You see, according to the Chinese calendar, 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit. But 2012 is the Year of the Dragon … so if I’m able to stay on task, my book will be timed just right. (I knew there was a reason for the delay…!) Don’t you love it? Dragons and “2012”. Kismet!
December 22, 2010
In
animated video, art, children's books, communication, creativity, drawing, illustration, imagination, inspiration, presentation
New & Improved Mermaid Video Debut
Sorry to post this again, but it must be done!
I wasn’t satisfied with the sound quality on my Magnetic Mermaid Toy video. The music itself was excellent, the problem came with the translation inside the video editing software.
Thanks to the collaboration with musician and master whistler (& fellow perfectionist!) David Santucci, a new track was prepared that worked MUCH better in the editing process. Our ears are much more pleased ~ and we think yours will be too. Please enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx7BY6EwKs4
December 12, 2010
In
art, drawing, illustration, words and language
The Power of Cartoons
A fantastic talk from TED Talks: In a series of witty punchlines, Patrick Chappatte makes a poignant case for the power of the humble cartoon. His projects in Lebanon, West Africa and Gaza show how, in the right hands, the pencil can illuminate serious issues and bring the most unlikely people together.
November 10, 2010
In
communication, creativity, drawing, imagination, music
Andrew Bird: One-Man Orchestra
In a word: impressive.
From TED: Musical innovator Andrew Bird winds together his trademark violin technique with xylophone, vocals and sophisticated electronic looping. Add in his uncanny ability to whistle anything, and he becomes a riveting one-man orchestra.
On a personal note, it’s interesting that I discovered this, and a few days later, my teen shared one of her favorites songs from … Andrew Bird. Bells went off, and I thought about how cool that we unknowingly shared this appreciation. I also happen to really like the cover of his CD. I’m a fan.
October 19, 2010
In
art, children's books, drawing, illustration, writing
The Artful Joy of Appreciation
Literally.
Appreciation is always a lovely thing. But how can one not be thrilled by one that’s hand-drawn?!
I was raised by a writer and learned early on to write out my thank-you’s. Friends may even think of me as a bit of thank-you note nut. Just the same, there’s an art to it, and over my lifetime I’ve seen the dwindling of that art. First there was the phone call, then the email note. Add to that the inundated-with-to-do’s, fast pace of people’s lives that doesn’t allow much room for proper thank you’s ~ especially challenging for people who don’t have a natural affinity for writing ~ and the way of thank you note gets lost.
But of course it’s important to realize that appreciation takes many forms. Not everyone draws a picture, or writes a beautiful note. Sometimes they say just the right words, or do something marvelously selfless and generous. People are good at heart; they show it in different ways.
Still … there’s nothing quite like a real thank-you! So I’d like to show a little appreciation for a very special one, by sharing it with you. It’s a card I received from a young girl I’ve never met, who’d received my books and toy as a gift. Hopefully the exuberant art will brighten your day, as it did mine!
(I especially enjoyed the serious, unassuming cover opening to a delightful surprise inside.)
