AlishaVernon.com

Well Folks,

I’ve been super busy lately with work and helping my mom move from Tillamook, OR to Fresno, CA. I have a lot of work that I still need to photograph and post. I’ve also decided to change it to one painting a week. I haven’t quit already. Just a little speed bump.

Thanks,

Alisha

Today was my first day at Staples; yes, home of the Easy button. I mostly don’t like it because there really is a lot to know and a lot of expectations for my job and they won’t pay me any more than minimum wage. I mean I could go work at at job where I just have to show up and breath, and make the same amount of money. There’s a guy who’s been there for 2 years, who is trained in all of the store departments, and he gets $8.00/hr. Probably one of the more interesting things I learned in my tutorial today is that copyright law is big deal there. If some one wants a color copy of their wedding picture, that was taken by a professional photographer, I’m actually supposed to tell them “sorry, no dice pal.” Well, not in those words, but you get the idea.

Title: Warm 9.9.07

Size: 8″ x 10″ black matted (image size 5″x7″)

Medium: Acrylic Paint

Surface: Cardstock in thick black window mat

I want to be in a pensive, deep thinking mood, but I feel too tired.

Title: Pensive 9.8.07

Size: 8″ x 10″ white matted, (image size: 5″x7″)

Medium: Acrylic Paint

Surface: Cardstock in thick white window mat

My cousin Kimberly sent me this today. It’s probably the best skit/human video I’ve ever seen. I’ve always thought that I’d like directing/creating those someday.

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ee73e63418003b47d7d5

Title: Blue Peace 9.7.07

Size: 9″ x 12″

Medium: Acrylic Paint

Surface: Canvas Board

Today I thought a resale baby clothing store might be a fun business someday. Or a coffee stand. Maybe. But then my sister said she wanted me to make her these special onesies I make, for a friend of hers. I thought, “Wow, she really likes them. Maybe I should start that business.” Oh dear.

I had an interview at a drive through coffee stand today.

Title: Herbert 9.6.07

Medium: Acrylic Paint and Googly Eye

Size: 9″ x 12″

Surface: Canvas board

Title: Looking at Leaves 9.5.07

Size: 9″ x 12″

Medium: Acrylic Paint

Surface: Canvas Board

Staples hired me. I go in tomorrow to “put myself in the system.” Sounds like selling my soul.

They ended up not doing the other interviews and just hired me. I just meant to do medium good, not “whoa nelly, who needs to interview anyone else!?” good.

I hope I look good in a big red polo shirt.

On a much more exciting note, one of my paintings “Beautiful Mother” that was in a show at the Lincoln City Cultural Center won the People’s Choice award. Well, I tied with someone else for the award, but I still get it…like in Blades of Glory. I think I squealed for about 20 minutes after I read the email. Seriously, that’s exciting.

Title: Nurture 9.4.07

Medium: Acrylic Paint

Surface: 8 x 10 Canvas Board

Highlights of the day:

• Taco bell drive through gave us 17 sauce packets for just 4 tacos.

As a side note, I love the sayings they put on sauce packets now. Especially the one that says, “I collect straws” because in 2nd grade I collected straws. Like, ones I’d find on the ground. Someone in my class said it was gross, so I stopped.

• Me and Jim were walking Wiley down by the lake. As we were standing on the dock, checking out some fish I hear a “plunk, blub, blub, blub” Wiley jumped, …or maybe fell, off the dock. He’s not the best swimmer and about the size of an obese guinea pig. So we pulled up his leash and I fished my dog out of the lake.

• The interview at Staples went pretty good. I have to go back again tomorrow for another interview.

I also want to apply to be a barista. The ad says that they want someone cheerful. It kinda makes me second guess my cheerfulness. Like, “I think I’m pretty cheerful….right? I mean, unless there’s a whole other level of cheerfulness that I’m unaware of. I’m not like cheerleader cheerful, but I can still come across as happy,..well, I think so….except for days when I’m really really not happy. Hmmm, I better smile a lot if I get an interview.”

Title: Pink Moon 9.3.07

Size: 8″ x 12″

Medium: Acrylic Paint

Surface: Canvas Board

So, tonight I had a “crisis.” Nothing major. It’s like a weekly thing for me. It usually has something to do with my college major or anything related to the “five year plan.” We’ve all been there. Plans. They’re so funny. Life plans should definitely be renamed “suggestions for the future that could possibly happen maybe.” Like tomorrow, I have an interview at Staples. Who’d of thought, six years after high school graduation I’d be applying for work as a part-time copy center assistant at Staples, no college degree despite my attendance at 5 colleges (including community college), married for 2 years now to my pooky poo, one of my parents passed away, and a spunky 4 ½ pound dog named Wiley. Who’d of thunk? Honestly, on graduation day, I didn’t expect to be married until I was 30 and I thought I was going to be a Spanish teacher. Truth is, things are good and I’m a very blessed and lucky girl, but plans are just hilarious.

So anyway, the crisis. Thinking about my up and coming interview, I started to realize how I’m just not working towards anything very fulfilling. I was watching SNL last night and Scarlett Johansson was on. I was thinking how we’re about the same age and how she’s an actress. I mean she, like so many others, took a big risk and just pursued a dream. And she’s my age! And Matt Kearney. Somehow I got one of his demo CD’s before he even had a record deal. He’s from my home state, so maybe that has something to do with it. When I first heard him on radio, I was like, “Wow, he actually made it.” I was impressed, and I really do like his music. I’m just really inspired by people who take a risk, despite all of the odds being against them, and make it. Tonight is when I realized that I have a risk to take, and a dream that needs to be pursued.

My dream is painting. I don’t know what. I don’t really know why. But I definitely know that I’m supposed to be painting. I’ve decided to do a painting everyday for the next year. Go ahead and join me on this journey as I’ll be posting my paintings and thoughts on this blog. Plus, the paintings will be for sale. So…subscribe. It will change your life. Maybe. : )

-May you always pursue your dream.

Alisha

Title: Red Sky 9.2.07

Size: 8″ x 12″

Medium: Acrylic Paint

Surface: Canvas Board