Category Archives: Flowers

Wonky Watercolors

12.07.21, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
12.07.21, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.

This post has been sitting half finished since December. I was going to write about my COVID experience. But I am still mid journey. And for some reason, I have not been able to put that story to paper.

For now, here are the wonky little works I did while in the hospital. They are in my 4 x 6 sketch book. Not on watercolor paper. Christine Brooks made the suggestion, to pass the time. I wasn’t thinking about art at that moment. And at first, it was very hard to concentrate. I would draw, and then paint later.

I put together a list of supplies, and had them dropped off at the hospital. I forgot some essentials. Like an eraser. LOL. I had a larger sketchbook, but 4 x 6 was about all I could manage. I altered a few of these in Photoshop. Blurred a snake plant, to soften. Added a few straight lines. Mostly, they are left untouched.

As for an update. I am plugging along. I am doing great on the whole. My mobility is still mostly limited. My O2 still drops dangerously low. I can get to the restroom on my own now. Without the walker. And I can get up from the seat unaided. Huge milestones! Haha. Sometimes my O2 stays level, until after I have made it back to the bedroom. Then it drops drastically. Fortunately, I often recover more quickly now than before. In the beginning, The O2 would drop as soon as I stood up.
Another milestone. Of sorts.

But every silver lining, I am going to claim. Haha. And thank God for!

12. 02.21, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
12.02.21, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
12. 01.21, Sunflowers, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
12.01.21, Sunflowers, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
12. 01.21, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
12.01.21, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
11.29.21, Snake plant, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
11.29.21, Snake plant, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
11.28.21,  4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
11.28.21, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
11.29.21, Bouquet, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
11.29.21, Bouquet, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
11.29.21, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
11.29.21, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
11.28.21, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
11.28.21, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
11.28.21, Pink, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
11.28.21, Pink, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
11.27.21, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
11.27.21, 4 x 6 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.

We dream to give ourselves hope.
To stop dreaming—well,
that’s like saying
you can never change your fate.
Amy Tan

I simply can’t build my hopes on a
foundation of confusion, misery and death…
I think… peace and tranquility will return again.
Anne Frank

Call It Done & Move On

9 x 9 mixed media on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
9 x 9 mixed media on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.

A wonderful win, this bouquet. I started with a palette knife and gesso. Added texture, and scratch marks. Moved on to the next layers, still with knife in hand. Paint, pen, oil pastel, Q-tips, stylus.

My vase is clearly wonky. And I am missing a stem. But I am feeling, happy with this one. I rarely choose to use a palette knife. And without thinking? Never. But I reached, and grabbed, and started to messily layer paint.

I’m rather stoked that my fear took a hike.

WIP, Chicken and Bear. 4 x 4 & 12 x 12 canvas & acrylic. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
WIP, Chicken and Bear. 4 x 4 & 12 x 12 canvas & acrylic. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.

Some of my fear is still nagging me. The “I can’t paint a chicken in a nest,” fear. That is what has been whispering in my head since May. Truthfully, since last year.

A request from a friend. She loves the first Rooster I painted for her. So WHY is there still so much fear?!

Rooster, 10 x 10 Acrylic on canvas. © 2020 Sheila Delgado.
Rooster, 10 x 10 Acrylic on canvas. © 2020 Sheila Delgado.

The little 4 x 4’s got me started. They lead me to the next, which was a gift of surprise and triumph.

And that led me to,
begin.

When you learn to give yourself a break,
and feel okay about not being able
to live up to impossible standards,
then you can begin to get the worry-free rest
your mind and body so badly need.
Suman Rai

God has promised that
He will provide rest
to those who have faith in Him
so hold on to your faith,
and to His words,
for God’s words are true.
Innah Delos Angeles

Wishing you JOY, great health, and restful nights.

Smooth The Way

Mingus Evening. 10-24-21. SMD
Mingus Evening. 10-24-21. SMD

I’m not surprised. But I still feel guilty. This usually happens after the Gathering. And I always feel guilty. This is the first art I have created in October. After a month of daily art making.

It’s not that I was stuck or uninspired. I’ve just been busy behind the scenes. It seems the tech stuff is never ending. And since it is not always fun, well, sometimes it just seems to take forever.

For the last couple of days, I have had supplies at the ready. Colored pencils, watercolor crayons, markers, paper. On my desk. And yet, I didn’t start. Then a nudge came to my inbox. Carla Sonheim to the rescue. She spoke about “smoothing the way” for creativity. How her plans to create were replaced with to-dos. She reminded herself, to just get in the studio and make something. Anything.

Just another Sunflower. 4 x 4 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
Just another Sunflower. 4 x 4 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.

That’s what I did. I put aside the large sheet of paper I had planned to paint on, and replaced it with a 4 x 4 inch sheet. Just start.

Soon, I was in the zone. Relaxed. Enjoying the movement of the color so much, I started a second small painting.

Just another Mingus View. 4 x 4 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
Just another Mingus View. 4 x 4 watercolor on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.

I’ll show you where these led me, soon.
Happy weekend everyone!

When black cats prowl
and pumpkins gleam,
may luck be yours
on Halloween.
-Unknown-