Daily Graces 2023 #764 #107

The art is from a work in progress for Ivy Ivette Newport‘s August Studioworks lesson wherein we were to create a self-portrait using collage. The background is the first layer that I photographed which was done with graphite with my non-dominant hand using the photo taken that I used as the main image in the collage. The smaller inset is from the work in progress meaning I am not done with it yet. I photographed my piece and then brought it into Photoshop where I played with quite a few different filters from Filter Forge. This filter is called Freehand Hatch 1. As an older woman it is always a challenge to want to work with one’s own image. Unexpectedly found this an interesting process even so.

Daily Graces 2023 #760. 111 days and counting down…

One of my close friends used to add a number to her digital pieces counting down the days until she got to visit with her grandchildren when they lived across the country. Mine are halfway across the country which means we don’t see them as often as we would like. 111 days until they visit!

Quote by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Background is a hand-stencilled vintage text page.

Daily Graces Return #479


“I lied and said I was busy.
I was busy;
but not in a way most people understand.

I was busy taking deeper breaths.
I was busy silencing irrational thoughts.
I was busy calming a racing heart.
I was busy telling myself I am okay.

Sometimes, this is my busy –
and I will not apologize for it.”
Brittin Oakman