Hi all who read this. I am so glad i found DA - have been having lots of fun looking at all the great art. i finally put up some art in my gallery, and to my surprise and delight i got a few favs and watchers and comments!!

wanted to introduce myself and state some goals that i hope to achieve with my art and to get some help from some friends on DA.

I am a 41 yr old stay-at-home mom - and totally thrilled with my life. i feel so blessed to be able to afford to stay at home with my kids (boy - 18 months, girl - 5 yrs) and nothing has ever come close to making me happier. the only thing i would like to do to make my life better is to improve my art skills so i can get a creative job i enjoy when i go back to work (in @ 5 yrs from now when kids are in school full time - and hope to go back part-time until kids are teens).

my art background and autobiography - i have a BFA from the School of Visual Arts in illustration and graphic design. i almost flunked out of school for my 1st BFA (illustration) because of emotional and confidence issues in my 20's (ill go into more detail later, dont want to get toooo darn personal in my first journal ) basically, i hardly showed up to class, rarely did homework or artwork. i did a million odd jobs for years (did no artwork at all for years - again ill explain later) i started dealing with my issues and getting my life in order by the age of 29, got married and a few years later went back for a BFA in Graphic design. i worked a couple of years doing mostly print production, got pregnant, had my daughter - took a couple years off, went back to work part-time for an eyeglass design/ manufacturing co drawing eyeglasses for designers, and assisting designers because i new illustrator and photoshop (basically i was a software person, not a creative person). got preg again, and am now at home.

now - i feel more confident, have gotten over my previous emotional issues and want to make some art. i feel like i have a second chance to do something i like!! so i want to give it a shot - i have 5 years to improve my skills. i did a few paintings (see gallery) over the past 3 years.

goals - get better and faster at painting / illustrating. develop a style. learn illustrator better and try to make some vector illustrations. i feel is i just keep drawing and painting and trying different things a style will naturally come. i want to have a web site up by end of 2008 - plan on taking an eve. class at SVA next summer

sorry for the incredibly lengthy journal - hopefully someone read it. it felt good writing it - plus i feel since i sort of spilled my guts a little and set goals, if i get lazy now - ill look really bad.

patty