It’s now September as if I needed to tell you. I thought I’d jump back into blogging a few days early. Months ago, I thought I would wait until after Labor Day to start things up but I decided to go ahead because at some point this month, DH needs to use some of his vacation time which means I won’t be around in Blogosphere. We don’t have plans to travel anywhere much to our disappointment thanks to something you can’t see with the naked eye but know it exists and is quite dangerous. Whatever we do, we’ll have fun as long as we’re together and we’ll be safe doing it. 
This week Rain’s art prompt is Fine Art Expressions: Expressionism. I had an art class in my later elementary years, maybe early junior high but I do recall taking art two years in high school but I consider myself more a a self-taught artist. After graduating high school I rarely did any drawing. This side of me laid dormant for 37 years. Expressionism uses intense colors to express one’s art. Unbeknown to me, one of the most famous expressionism art pieces is a self portrait by Andre Derain. I thought, okay, maybe I can try to do a self portrait for today’s sketch. I’m going to show you my original Procreate design and then a second one drawing I used vivid color overlays.
I played with various filters in Pixelmator on both of the above images. I thought the Cosmic filter was really quite interesting so I’m going to share how these turned out using that effect as you’ll see in the below side-to-side comparison, just slide the arrow to see the differences.
I spend way too much time playing as you can see and then I can’t help myself to share my creations. The Vivid Cosmic image might be my favorite of the two, what about you?
This week’s Thankful Thursday…
I’m thankful tropical storm Ida wasn’t too bad in our area. We got some rain on Tuesday and Wednesday but it wasn’t heavy in our immediate area. I’m also thankful for the cooler temps that Ida brought in with her which is a lovely treat with it now being September. The change puts me in the mood for pumpkin spiced lattes and donuts. Two treats I hope to indulge in before too long.
I’m thankful while the problem with the tingling in my lower back and leg hasn’t gone away completely that it’s tolerable. Keeping any activity that aggravates the condition down is the key. I don’t like the inactivity and restraints on what I can do but I’ll survive. I’m just thankful I don’t have small ones depending on me or that I have to work outside the home which makes me doubly thankful. I’m thankful for a husband who pitches in to help when needed and isn’t demanding about new meals being made every night or for the house to be completely tidy.
And as always, I’m thankful to have friends such as you for your continued support and encouragement. Thank you for including me in your day!
I won’t be joining Kat’s Writing Workshop today and despite her wonderful prompt, inspiration eludes me. If things change then I’ll throw something together to share later today, but please no breathe holding. You may just turn blue, then pass out, and I wouldn’t want you to get injured when you fall. See that’s what a good friend does, she warns you ahead of time to not put you in harms way. For those of you who have a knack for creative writing and love a good challenge then be sure to visit Kat Bouska to join the fun!
I’m going to wrap things up with the #1 hit from 1978 September by Earth, Wind, & Fire for TBT. I’m heading over to Rain’s Garden to browse the gallery of artistry. Following this post today, I plan to contribute to Kat’s Writing Workshop weekly prompt, so you may want to see if I was successful in doing it. I will say I’m getting my blogging legs back under me again so if nothing more shows up today then I bombed. That being said, I definitely have things lined up for Friday’s newest edition of Feline, Friendship, Friendly Fill-Ins Friday! Have a doodletastic day! X
X, Cathy
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I’m totally grooving to September as I type this!!!
I’m glad to hear your tingling is at the least tolerable. I’m sure that would drive me nuts. Your self-portraits are groovy too! I LOVE how you play with the effects, I get carried away with that too! My definition of Expressionism was quite condensed and it’s more broad than what I wrote on my blog. I think you got it right!! And I think I had that hair colour at one point in my life lol! (The pink that is)…that one is my favourite!! ♥
I am so late in my comments that I hope you don’t miss it. I love your self portrait and you really look just like you sound (personality wise, that is). I pictured you as pretty and perky and you are indeed that. Like you I like the Vivid Cosmic version and since green is my fav color, I especially like both the green versions. Your “Thankful” comments bring to mind my own thankfulness, for many of the same things. I like the idea of stopping to think of what we are thankful for as the world we live in has a tendency to make us forget the good parts
Loved your choice of music … My FH and I have been watching old bands on YouTube while we eat dinner every night. The music was so good during our lifetime and we still enjoy listening to our old favorites. And, in the process we have picked up some new more current bands that we enjoy, like Dave Mathews and Muse … totally different takes on music, but I thoroughly enjoy all of it. So I am happy for you that you are getting to take a break with your husband. Those times are special even if spent at home. Stay well Cathy and keep looking for an answer to your tingles … someone out there somewhere must know a way to heal them. It is a neurological issue … always the hardest to deal with but science learns new things every day. Don’t give up …
Andrea @ From the Sol
Andrea,
Your visits/comments are always so appreciated and I’m glad you found time to come by. Oh you’re the sweetest! I’m happy to learn the way you envisioned me as being pretty and perky. That made my afternoon.
YouTube is an excellent source for rediscovering the oldies while picking up a few new music interests. I prefer the oldie stuff over most of the current songs/artists but sometimes I find an interesting talent begging for me to share with others. I agree spending time with DH even if it’s at home is special. We make of the situation what we choose to. I like to turn the mundane circumstance we find ourselves in with Covid still lurking around into something extraordinary and one way I do that is by cooking something new for us. I try to find ways to celebrate our time no matter what we’re doing and where we’re at. Finding blessings in the moment makes for a lot of happiness and fun. You might be interested to learn I have a MRI scheduled for the 13th. When I saw my doctor for the evaluation, he seems to think it’s a bone pressing on a nerve. The MRI will tell more and if he’s right then he says the thing to do is to have steroid injection in the back to help with the tingling/numbing sensation. I’m trusting God in all things and praying for the best outcome with quick healing of this once we have a solid diagnosis. Thanks for the return visit, my dear. Don’t ever stress about being here at any particular time. My blog door is always open! 
I love your self portrait, Cathy, and the effects are super cool! Thanks so much for the shout out and have a fantastic weekend!
Eugenia,
I loved the special effects in Pixelmator. It made my color illustration fun!
Your portraits are very good and i really enjoyed the whole post, thank you!
Thanks, Mimi! I appreciate you saying so and it’s always nice having you to visit.
You did a grand job with your self portrait Cathy, you should be brave and just go with that pink hair, it’s just hair after all and it works so well with those beautiful green eyes. Good news about the storms being kinder to you all in your area, now that’s really something to be thankful for. Stay well..
Happy creative TAD Tracey xx
P.S Freya is still in search of squirrels
Tracey,
You’re using logic “it’s just hair”. You’d think someone as easy going as me would throw caution in the wild to color my hair pink or purple but I am really quite reserved and that side has its thumb on me. Needless to say, there won’t be any pink hair in my future. The digitized self-portrait will have to serve my wannabe wild child for now. Thanks for dropping in for a visit, my dear!
Great sketch work, Cathy! and I really loved your TBT song!
Thanks for the return visit, Mary. I’m glad you enjoyed my TBT pick and my artwork. You’re a sweetie!
How nice to see the artsy you, a beautiful sketch. Those were really good thankfuls too and thanks for joining our Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!
Thanks, Brian! I’m glad you enjoyed and as always I love that you pawsed what you were doing to visit me.
I told you that you’re beautiful and I meant it. You know how much I love your sketches. I wish I had half your talent.
Love the video. I remember that song.
Have a fabulous day, Cathy. Big hugs. ♥
Sandee,
You’re such a sweetie! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! You always make me feel so good.
Your nose is fine. You never saw my grandmother’s, which Dad inherited and thanked God that none of us got it. And I wouldn’t have had Grandma or Dad any other way. I think the term is “aquiline.”
John,
Yeah, my nose isn’t particularly long but I drew it longer than it needed to be for sure. lol There was a time when I thought my nose was too long. It took me a long time to realize that it wasn’t especially when comparing to others. But, thank for saying my nose is fine. That’s sweet. My maternal grandpa had a bit of crook but I wouldn’t go so far to saw he had a bird’s beak. My mom inherited a bit of that crook and in turn got a little of it but I didn’t get their high cheek bones which I really liked. Oh well…it’s interesting to think about facial features and how they pass or skip generations. I’m glad to learn that you didn’t get an eagle’s beak.
Love your art today Kathy, and enjoyed playing with your creation, really special! Have a great day, hugs, Valerie
Valerie,
It’s fun to experiment with Pixelmator. Thanks for the return visit, my dear!
Happy Thursday
Enjoyed your self portrait
Ah Yes Earth Wind And Fire, luv the video
much
love
Gillena,
Thank you for stopping by, my dear! I’m glad you enjoyed the music and my doodles.
Nice job with the self-portrait, Cathy. And, I love the special effects. That side by side comparison is very cool. What kind of a program do you use to create that?
Debbie,
You asked about the side by side comparison. It’s built into WordPress. I know WordPress various depending on if your site is free or your host site but in mine it’s called “Image Compare”. Which allows you to display two pictures in the same block and it then allows you to use the slider to go between the two images which is quite cool. Thanks for stopping by, my dear!
Thanks for popping by my blog today, Catherine. I like all the filters you used for your self-portrait! They make me think of those replicated Andy Warhol portraits that were so big at the height of his fame!
Debra,
Yeah, I see what you’re talking about and you know I think that came to mind a little when I playing around with my images. Maybe that’s why I’m partial to how these turned out. Thanks for the return visit, my dear!
Lovely expressionist piece Cathy! Glad Ida spared you.
Christine,
Thanks. I don’t think I nailed Rain’s theme but it was fun to try. Abstract art form escapes me.
Hi, Cathy!
Happy Thankful Thursday Art Date with Rain, dear friend! Looks like you are rapidly getting back into the swing of things in Blogland, dear friend.
Yessum, you are in good shape. You have a spouse that you love spending time with, no matter if the two of you are traveling afar or simply staying home. You are the envy of many people… believe – you – me!
I’m fascinated that you were able to look at your reflection in the mirror and create this self portrait! It’s quite good, Cathy. I would recognize it as you immediately, even though I have only seen one picture of you as an adult and that one was posted at least a year ago. Just now I clicked to your About Me page to refresh my memory. You look striking with flaming red/pink hair! I also enjoyed tinkering with the effect created by the Cosmic filter which makes your lips and hair glow in the dark.
Yessum, I just learned from my blog friend in Eastern PA that Ida hit them pretty hard up there and resulted in flooding in many areas. I’m glad your city was spared the brunt of the storm as it swept northeastward from the Gulf states. I am also happy to hear that the tingling sensation has subsided a bit to where it is tolerable and not as annoying as it was.
I enjoyed watching that video and listening to EW&F’s quintessential song for the 9th month of the year -. “September.”
Are you saying that your Friday Sillies feature is being changed to Feline, Friendship, Friendly Fill-Ins Friday? Either way, I’ll be back tamale to visit you. Have a safe, happy and Thankful Thursday, dear friend Cathy!
Tom,
I will have two separate posts tomorrow. Friday Fun Stuff which has everything the sillies. I’m moving it to it’s own post which I am now calling Friday Funnies. I only mentioned 4F because it’ll published first followed by Friday Funnies.
I’m delighted you see the resemblance in my self-portrait. I’ve always shied away with trying to draw myself. I’m not good capturing someone’s likeness but I decided to accept the challenge anyhow. I don’t know about being the envy of many but I do know I’m blessed that DH is more to me than just a husband, he’s my best friend. Thank you for your sweet words. It warms my heart.
Gee, I’m sorry to read of your blog bud in eastern PA. We were under a flood warning but right here where we live there was no evidence of anything serious. We haven’t been out so I’m not sure about other parts of town.
My post published later than usual because I had the wrong time set but I changed it as quickly as I could this morning. Thanks for dropping by to spend some time with me, my friend. Have a terrific Thursday!