Artfight has officially started, and now that the website is actually working. A bit. Here's all the refs I've touched up this year, although I have even more characters still on my page as well.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE ISLAND STUDIO

Catalina Island is a beautiful remote island and my home.  As a professional artist based on the island, it is both inspiring and challenging.  Of course, I give myself the challenges so I can't put full responsibility on the the island ;)   For example, my current project is shown in the picture, the watercolor painting of the American Bald Eagle which can be seen above the twinkling waters around the island.  They tend to build nests on the high rocky cliffs above the ocean's edge and can be spotted by kayakers and boaters swooping in to pluck fish out of the water.   The live cam of the an island eagle’s nest is here: http://www.ustream.tv/west-end-cam

  This art project is a commission , and the design and procedure I've chosen to carry out this commission are my challenges I've given myself and the challenges I mentioned the island has given me as well.  Right now I'm close to finished, but as you can see there is still more room for the writing in the background. Alas, I've run out of the material I use to do the writing.  Now, I must order online and pay $14 for an item that is only $4 at an art store, and I'll have to wait about a week for it to ship.  This is when my brain starts to attempt to concoct others ways of getting the materials sooner and in a more cost-effective way - could another islander who happens to be traveling on the mainland right now possibly take the time to stop at an art store and grab what I need (in the gamble that they do get the EXACT item requested- not often the case ;).  The only way to find someone like that is start asking everyone I know- small towns are great, the grapevine is VERY effective.  Then the hippie inside me says "Hey, why don't you use the things given to you naturally here on the island?"  And to that, I say- good point!  There is a naturally occurring red clay found here on the island, in fact, there was a tile factory here years ago that was famous for using this clay in their tile-making.  My conclusion- order the materials, patiently wait and pay up the wazoo, and begin experimenting with the red clay on the island.  

 My next project is similar in every way- except the subject matter is different, it will be the island buffalo, yes, there are buffalo randomly on the island.  A herd of about 14 were left here after the movie "The Vanishing American" was filmed on the island in the 1920's .  Now we have about 150 buffalo roaming our hills.  Subscribe to keep up with my work, feel free to message me if you have any questions about the island or commissioning a piece of art.  Links to my online features are below.

WEBSITE: http://RainDanceArt.com

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/RainDanceArt

ORIGINAL PIANO MUSIC: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/porschiadenning2