+ Thank you for the outpouring of support and love. I cannot describe how much it has meant to me.
There are no words for what it means.

I'm working on contacts and such to get my health dealt with. I'm hopeful at this point. May have a referral to a top notch place in Birmingham. Finding good health care in the South is difficult. I will have to undergo a battery of tests to get to that point. But at this point its moving forward instead of in circles.

+ Art. I am back to drawing (plus I have some new stuff to scan). There are a couple of local venues that I may be attending depending on how I continue to feel. So, I'm gather stuff. The ceiling tile has been on hold, due to other things I've got going. :/


+Ceiling Tile. (In progress)
+Test paintings on wood. (In progress)


+CSS by `ClaireJones and avatar by ~Kizushik.

+ FMS has been wearing on me. I was on trial Parkinson's meds for about a week (Parkinsons and FMS are both neurological dysfunctions). The first two days I felt great, great sleep, little pain. Unfortunately, it took a sad turn and I started showing signs of the serious side effects. It made for a rough week, full of panic attacks, breathing and heart dysfunctions, severe neuro distress and mood changes, and very little sleep. The meds had to be reduced gradually as coming straight off them can cause even more serious issues. It's been frightening and unpleasant. Sometimes, you have to take a couple hard hits before moving ahead.

I'm not walking well anymore, this bothers me. Before no one could really tell I had FMS, now signs of illness are starting to show on the outside. I limp in my right leg especially, people are starting to notice. It's like being a wounded gazelle on the Serengetti.

+ So since the last week was so difficult, I got very little done. For that I am sorry. I have little to show you for this week. Plus I've got other stuff to do to get caught up this week, so it'll be later mid-week before I can start more art.

Edit: I'm still having some panic attacks. I'm on break for the week I'm afraid unless something changes. I felt great this morning, then all of a sudden it hit me. Due to the nature of the attacks, it makes it impossible to focus and work.

+ That's about it. Everyone's new drawings are looking lovely! Very cool work going on out there. Wish I had time to comment more.

+ I should be at Jackson Comic Convention (Jackson, MS) in July. I'll post details later.


+Ceiling Tile. (In progress)
+New Art Blog Resource. (Hold)
+Test paintings on wood. (In progress)


+CSS by `ClaireJones and avatar by ~Kizushik.

+Six new pieces up in the gallery, 2 photos. Some are just sketches, 1/2 pieces for portfolio in there. This is pretty much what I've been working at the last month.

+Not much in the way of news, just cleaning, gardening, working, etc. I'll continue to work on drawings and paintings. Need to organize my work area, its hard to get anything done without. Still have a lot going on outside of art. :/

+Art Garden resource site is still on hold atm. I think I've added about 6 new entries recently, but I'm still working on other things for now.

+Don't forget to add me to your myspace or twitter so I can keep up with what you have going on.

I hope all of you are well. Things are starting to heat up here, I'm trying to enjoy the weather before it gets hot.


+Ceiling Tile. (In progress)
+New Art Blog Resource. (Hold)
+Test paintings on wood. (In progress)


+CSS by `ClaireJones and avatar by ~Kizushik.

+The new lavoniamartin.com is up and going! I've been working the bugs out of it for a while. It looks good in I. E. and Firefox so far, but I still need to do a good browser check. I still want to add more personal photos, but aside from that and new work coming in this layout stays. If you see in problems in your browser just let me know. What do you think?

Lavoniamartin.com

You can add me to your Myspace if you have one. I've finally gotten mine updated. I use it more for social networking between artists than social networking between friends, but if you send me comments or notes I'll get back to you.

Von's Myspace

Lastly, I now am the proud owner of a Twitter account. I don't know how often I'll use it but I'm signing up for it before someone steals my name. Lavonia was taken already. For shame. I've seen the Twitter widget in a couple of fellow Deviant's pages and I like the way that works out. Neat-O.

Twitter

+ The-Art-Garden needs to take a backseat for a month or so while I get the other things I have to deal with dealt with. I'll be working on the project over the long term so a month isn't going to make a huge difference. So, its on a hiatus. My personal website update has take a tremendous amount out of me, so I need to break from CSS for a bit.

+ I should have another piece up in a couple weeks. So until then, happy arting. Take care of yourselves.


+Ceiling Tile. (In progress)
+Sketches and Life Studies.
+New Art Blog Resource. (Hold)
+Website revamp. (Done)


+CSS by `ClaireJones and avatar by ~Kizushik.

+ Busy, busy. I've been working away lately. Some adrenal support for my overworked adrenal system has helped me quite a bit and I'm getting things done, finally. I have company coming over this weekend, so I thought I'd squeeze a journal update in.

+My image of Vaati was stolen by this person: [link] DA has already removed the image. I do recognize some of the other images from around the internet but can't quite place them. If he/she stolen you or your friend's work, please report. Apparently this person has issues that I'm not even going to touch. Someone very kindly brought this to my attention, or I wouldn't haven't even noticed.

+ Website update is in progress. I'm working at it bit by bit. I'm going to try to get it down this week as I have company coming in from out of town Friday. The resource blog is on hold until my personal website is finished. It's close to being finished as well, maybe 1 full week's work on it. So all is close to being finished but not done.

You can keep an eye out on lavoniamartin.com and the-art-garden.com for updates, but as of now, things are still incomplete or need tweaking in places.

+ I have a ceiling tile to work on for Old Town Tavern, but I've got such a busy week, I don't know when I'll get that started. I think it'll be a good exercise for me, I'll get away from the small scale I've been working at lately and work a little bigger for a change.

+ I've been cooking a lot lately. O.o Idk why. Sweet jeebus, I found an awesome produce stand in my town. I got 50 bucks worth of produce and got one hell of a deal on it. They've got a bunch of local fruit jams, pickles, and the like. I'll be cooking most of today to prepare for next week. I have an eggplant with my name on it.


+Ceiling Tile
+Sketches and Life Studies.
+New Art Blog Resource
+Website revamp.


+CSS by `ClaireJones and avatar by ~Kizushik.

+Added on Feb. 18, 06. I'd like to say something about my friend hakubaikou. I found out recently that she passed away in a car accident. I meet haku through gaia. We've communicated loosely online over the years. She was always tremendously helpful to everyone she met and had a huge heart. Her art was incredibly important to her and it shows. That's what I remember about Haku.

I honestly don't believe in an afterlife; I think most of what we do concerning the death of someone is for the benefit of the living, not the dead. However, I feel the greatest thing that you can do for someone is to remember them, remember and share. So, at this point in time, that's all I have to offer in her memory: [link]



+ Just one journal update before I go back to my hidey hole to work. Things are going busily and I'm back to business as usual. My art resource blog will launch in a couple weeks and I'm also working on a website update for my site as well. Trying to sketch here and there until all is finished.

+ My health...is...much better. The last couple months had been rough and came from a med switch that I had unknowingly done when I switched brand that did not contain acetaminophen. The change did something to my body chemistry and I felt poor for a while. It completely changed the way my body functioned. Acetaminophen does alter the way pain is perceived in some way, hence altering the effects from a chronic pain sufferer (I would assume).

The health news is good news for all, as it should mean a surge in productivity.

+ I'm excited about the new art resource blog that I'm working on. I've got so many artists and resources that I've loved and collected over the years that it will be nice to have them all in one place. The blog will feature artists and cover different free resources for the most part. I've got 100+ of really great links and stuff to share as well. So lots of goodies. (Blog screenshots are in my scraps. If you have any critique or advice of stuff to add, just let me know.)

+Other than that, there's nothing major going on. That's pretty well consuming all my time. ^^ I hope you all are well and have a lovely Valentine's Day.


+Sketches and Life Studies.
+New Art Blog Resource
+Website revamp. (This may take a bit).


+CSS by `ClaireJones and avatar by ~Kizushik.

+ Simplicity. As a young artist, you really do strive to push your limits technically. You spend long hours working and reworking, trying to find yourself. I think as you age you strive to do the same; however, you look for ways to Simplify.

Simplicity for me has been a reduction in images to shapes with emphasis on the focal. My style doesn't lend itself to filling in the whole canvas, my strokes are too strong and my art too meticulous. I think this is why I make a poor illustrator and probably always will be.

I've enjoyed working as an illustrator for a while. I think commercial roots will always be a part of my art and I take pride in it. My dissent into "fine art" will be a personal journey this time instead of the prerequisite conformity. I have to represent what I am instead of what is acceptable. You can count on the fact that I will continue to bring my own style of anarchy to my work. This is the gift that I have received from working as an illustrator for the last year and it's something that is priceless to me.

+ I would like to say thank you for all the support lately. I haven't uploaded much but I've gotten so many wonderful comments and people giving me good feedback.

+ I'm closing on my house on the 24th; probably be moving the following weekend. I'm stuck between packing like a madwoman and working on a big outside project that has taken a toll on my drawing time. Its good money and right now that's important for me.

I basically have no life outside of this, except for a little FFXI at night. Basically solo farming, to upgrade my summoner equipment.

+ I'm working on a website update. I've got the new concept in my head and will be working on bringing it to light. That's probably still 6 months down the road though. It's hard to say at this point, depending how what the move takes out of me.
First I have to get the new work up.

+I will be looking for connections in the ATL area. I need to find some galleries specializing in pop surrealism, lowbrow arts. If you have any suggestions or recommendations for this Georgia peach, please let me know.


+Sketches and Life Studies.
+"Love/Lust" Series. That's basically what I'm calling it now, I'll give it a name later. Charcoals on brown paper.
+Website Revamp. Whole update coming with new photos.


+CSS by `ClaireJones and avatar by *cheshirepanda.