Multi Part Story of The Ro Fo Sho Part 1

Yesterday sucked. My mama shared some concerning news from home and I had to work at my normal person job. I'll write more about the family worries at another time when I have more information. Normal person job needs no other mention.

Today I would like to get some photos taken of my new art and organize it all...ones I want to share/sell, ones I want to keep, ones I have no idea if anyone will like except for me...that type of organization. I need to have a day where I focus on the business side of The Ro Fo Sho Art and Photography. My friend, Stephany, took me out for lunch the other afternoon and I was telling her how I wish I could just focus on the creative process and have someone else manage the practical side, and she said she would love to do that for me someday! In truth, I've been imagining her as a business partner for some time now, so the idea sounds great to me! It will take some time to get to that point I'm afraid...a few have shown interest in my art, but I have no idea yet how well it will be received once it's really out there for all the world to see...which brings me to my next point...

I've loved art since I was a little girl...I can't remember a time when I wasn't drawing. My very first dream was to be an artist, but, as I've said before, I also realized at a young age that it wasn't exactly a guaranteed paycheck. Yes, I know children aren't necessarily supposed to worry about such matters, but I was different dang it. That is all I will say about that for now. Moving on! Art simply stayed a hobby for years and years. I didn't take the advanced classes in school and I never did perfect any skills. I watched and admired my friends progression and the creations they produced; they wouldn't even call me an artist! They were extremely talented in my eyes, so it never occurred to me that I might someday have a place in the art world.

In college I started developing my own style. It began here...

I grabbed my sketch book and oil pastels and started scribbling...I call this one "The Beginning," because it was the very first time I let my emotions direct the drawing...I let the images in my head fall to the paper as naturally as they possibly could. This was done in 2002 I believe...holy crap...15 years ago!

Unfortunately, my train of thought will have to take a pause for a bit...normal person job...ugh...had to mention it again. This may turn into a multi part story, dear readers, so please stay tuned...

Before I sign off, here's a selfie as I've composed this for you lovely people:

The internet world seems to respond better to selfies. Yes, there may be banana nut bread in my teeth.

Have a great Friday, y'all! I'll be doing the normal person job all weekend and try and continue this train of thought whenever I can!

Hugs and love, my lovelies!

Ro Fo Sho out!
Amy

Mars on My Mind

When I was a little girl, I had several ideas of who and what I wanted to be when I grew up. My longest running dream was to be an artist; and I believe that, although I'm not exactly making money or have any sort of reputation in the field, I can call myself an artist. The second longest running dream was to become a photographer, and in 2004 I graduated as a certified professional photographer...check that box! In college I went from a biochemistry major, to journalism, and then to elementary education. Before and throughout my academic years I also dreamed of being a ballerina, Olympian ice skater, pilot, doctor, singer (still dreaming haha!), archaeologist, and more! But there is one dream, the third longest running dream, that I still think of...an astronaut!

Although I know I won't ever become one (at least in this lifetime), I continue to dream of going to space. The movie Contact always makes me cry and the movie Interstellar swept me away! I'll always be in love with Han Solo and the Star Wars movies of course, and Doctor Who is my all time favorite show. When I walk Kakashi at night, I'm always looking up more than ahead...I wonder about aliens and life on other planets...and yes...I'm constantly thinking about how I would react if the Doctor did indeed show up in his blue box in front of my eyes haha! Nerdy and proud right here, y'all!

And then there is Mars...sigh. I read and loved The Martian by Andy Weir (he is also a Doctor Who fan by the way), and I saw the movie...it was great, but y'all know how it goes...the book is better! I almost bypassed the February issue of Glamour until I saw in the bottom right hand corner the catch line, "Would YOU go to Mars?" Hell yeah! I picked it up and read about the awesome women scheduled for future Mars missions...yes I'm jealous! I asked my husband if we could apply to go to the red planet, and he very adamantly said, "NO!" Oh but what an adventure it would be!

So there it is, dear readers...Mars on my mind these days! My last two art pieces have been with the red planet in mind, and I just wanted to share those with y'all. The first is with oil pastels on pastel paper and the second is with watercolor cakes on watercolor canvas. As far as The Ro Fo Sho Art and Photography is going these days, I have a renewed energy to get my name and art out there, so hopefully you all will start hearing more about that endeavor soon...any prayers, well wishes, and positive vibes will be greatly appreciated!

Hope the rest of your week is delightful, my friends! Hugs and love, my lovelies!

Peace out!
The Ro Fo Sho

I don't want to go to work!

Today is a 4 out of 10...just because I have to work at my part time job instead of stay home and create.

I have so much enthusiasm for my art adventure that I wish I didn't have to go to work today :( I won't go bashing the company I currently work for because that's just rude, but I will say that it just isn't the right fit for me. Therefore, I have been a terrible employee, and it has become embarrassing! I gave my resignation notice, and I'm pursuing another job where I will be doing at least a part of one of my passions...photography...I think I will do much better and be much happier! Fingers crossed! Knock on wood!

Well, I didn't really have anything interesting to say, and I need to start getting ready for work. Boo. Sniffle. I share these two pictures because my next couple of projects will be with oil pastel and my graphite pencils. I've been working with my Prismacolors a bunch so it's time to move on! I'm also trying a new thing involving crayons and watercolor...it's been a trial and error type of experience! I can't wait to share all of my new art with you all!

Hugs and love, my lovelies!
The Ro Fo Sho

Tommy's Windmill

i wanna go ahead and share this next oil pastel drawing...it's my least favorite...i still kind of like it though so there must be something my brain finds pleasing about it! :) i started with the idea of doing something along the same lines as "amanda and jack" but it took on a new direction. when tommy came home from school, he told me it looked like a windmill...so i built off of that when i saw that it wasn't turning out like i wanted it.

so here is "tommy's windmill"


he frustrates me when it comes to art. he doesn't understand art and why people would pay so much money for art. for example...i own three 16x20 photos that 2 well known photographers gave me permission to print for my own personal use. i only had to pay for the cost of printing which was less that $6 a print...i spent about $75 all together to have them framed. i went to the gallery exhibit at their studio where they were displaying and selling several framed photographs including the 3 that i own...each framed photo was priced at $350. i felt lucky to have gotten the deal i got...but also proud and honored that these photographers cared about me enough to share their art with me. i told tommy that they were each well worth the price they were asking and he was totally stunned at the idea. since that exhibit, tommy and i have had countless discussions on the topic of art. to make a long story short...he finally came to understand that art that is sold for seemingly high prices are done so because they are truly "one of a kind." there isn't a mass production usually unless we start talkin' stock photos and art. an artist has to make a living! :) he may frustrate me with his lack of interest in art...but i know he supports what i do and i know he wants me to achieve success with it too...this is all i need from him.

so how much would you pay for a piece of art you really like? or what is the most you ever paid for original art? remember that jewelry and hair accessories and one of a kind clothing are all forms of art too...just to name a few that is:)

Amanda and Jack

well, it's taken me a while to get this blog going! i apologize to those who have been waiting eagerly to hear from me...'cause i know there are so many of you! ha! well anyway! like you can read in my "about me" section, the concept of this blog has changed numerous times...but i finally settled on it being a part of my art. i want to share the process and my thoughts along the way that lead to the final results! not like an art lesson though...there is nothing to be learned in my drawings and paintings and such except for maybe composition and the inner workings of my mind...if anyone even really wants to go there! i've got quite a bit to share now...but i'm going to spread it out and try to stay ahead with something new as often as i can...this seems like it will also help keep me motivated to keep creating! yay! so it's a win win for everybody:)

okay so here's a brief summary of the most recent transition in my life. i married tommy in december and followed him up here to illinois due to his current life as a navy man. but i'm not going to write about married life specifically...not now anyway. it's been challenging and dramatically different than what i expected...but i'm not gonna write about that right now either. i haven't made any friends, haven't gotten a new job, and haven't joined or volunteered for any military support groups or such...but i'm not going to write about that either...not now anyway. i've wallowed around in depression, cried buckets, seen doctors, and a bunch of that crap but i'm not goin' there either. not right now anyway. what i have done and what i will write about...is art:)

this first piece was created on a night i was drinkin' jack daniels mixed with some coke in one of my pretty blue glasses...the details are always relevant to what i create. sometimes because of being a direct inspiration and sometimes because i just...well i don't really know. moving on! i was also talking to my dear friend amanda. it's important to note that she is my favorite. truly. i must also say that i have more than one favorite:) anyway. she was the first friend to call me when i got up here...we spent the most time together before i left so withdrawals were totally expected! while we talked and i drank i felt compelled to grab my sketch book and oil pastels.

here's something y'all might like to know. well, somethin' y'all should know actually! don't ever ask, "what is it?" or "what does it mean?" my art comes from an abstract place in my head. sometimes there's a tangible object and sometimes there's not! it might just be a bunch of shapes or colors or lines or doodles. each creation has a special meaning for me...but it's only an interpretation of what i'm thinking about or feeling...i can't make the viewer experience those same thoughts. so! whatever you see is whatever it is to you! if you happen to see what it is to me, then my thoughts came through nice and clear or you got lucky or you're on the same wavelength. so please don't ask me to define or explain.


i don't have a title. i might go with something obvious like, "amanda and jack." we'll see! this was the first drawing completed in illinois and remains one of my favorites. i happen to have some viewer opinions! here you go!:)

amanda: "I see a dog figure up in the swirls and reddish area near the top left."

bryan: "I got nothin. I suck at Magic Eye's. ;) Seriously though, I think it's well composed!"

sarah: "I see a woman with blue spiky hair, a worm with a bib and sailors hat and a scary Ursula looking chick. That's just me though ; )"

joyce: "A bear being carried off by an huge eagle to the purple mountains as the world explodes in volcanoes. Looks a bit angry."

i hope readers will find entertainment in my coming posts. i'm excited to share more art! a friend once told me that it seemed i was lucky enough to use both sides of my brain with equal strength...that i could be practical and impractical...i considered this a compliment! since i don't have a job right now, i feel like i'm constantly in a state of impracticality and it's total bliss! i haven't had a creative surge like this in years! i hope it is enjoyed! goodbye for now! here's amanda and me:)