Wild Ozark™

~ Nature Artist using Ozark pigments in Kingston, Arkansas ~

Category: Musings

This is an index of posts that fall into my “Musings” category. Usually it’s on a topic that has no other defined focus, but sometimes these are also my philosophical-type posts. Subscribe to Wild Ozark™ » Musings by Email

What Makes the Art My Own?

I’ve been struggling with a decision about whether to purchase blue pigment or continue using the indigo. While I can source local indigo or grow my own, it isn’t a permanent pigment. Does it matter if I use outsourced pigments? … Read the rest “What Makes the Art My Own?”

31 May 2024
Busy Times at Wild Ozark

Spring ushers in busy times at Wild Ozark. I’ve got a host of things I’m working on, and Rob does too. Most of mine are real estate, art and garden related, and most of his are solar and homestead tasks.… Read the rest “Busy Times at Wild Ozark”

15 April 2024
Four of Wands

This is an example of the imagery that arises when I let my imagination guide my artwork. It’s one of the earlier paintings I did after finding out I could make paint from the rocks here, titled “Four of Wands”. … Read the rest “Four of Wands”

9 March 2024
The Land Inspires

There was a time when I thought it was only this particular place I call Wild Ozark that held such importance in my life. While I do truly love this place I’m planted, over the years, through travel and difficult … Read the rest “The Land Inspires”

23 February 2024
Ephemeral Anticipation

Around this time of year, when the grass starts to green up here and there, it stirs me to watch for the short-lived, earliest spring flowers like bloodroot. It’s the annual ‘ephemeral anticipation’ time.

The vernal witch hazel is just … Read the rest “Ephemeral Anticipation”

21 February 2024
Little Rock Pile on the Counter

When I walk around out here, I’m always finding rocks that I like for some reason or other. Sometimes, it’s a good pigment source. Sometimes, there’s a fossil imprint I like. If it’s small enough, it comes home with me … Read the rest “Little Rock Pile on the Counter”

19 February 2024
Running Errands, Preparing for Bad Weather

The approaching weekend and the week after has foreboding forecasts, so today I spent the day running errands. And preparing for bad weather. That usually means COLD weather out here. The only other thing we get during warmer months is … Read the rest “Running Errands, Preparing for Bad Weather”

10 January 2024
Cutting Firewood, an Endless Homestead Task

Today is Christmas day and the family festivities are over. I had taken some pictures the other day with the intention to write a blog post about firewood, an endless homestead task. But time got away from me and so … Read the rest “Cutting Firewood, an Endless Homestead Task”

25 December 2023
2024 Art & Life Plans

Sometimes art & life plans work in synchronistic harmony here at Wild Ozark, just because everything here acts as inspiration for my art. But, it always feels like I’m flying by the seat of my pants. No routine, just trying … Read the rest “2024 Art & Life Plans”

1 December 2023
My Real Name: Roxann Riedel

Today I went to the Madison County Sheriff’s office to get fingerprinted. I expected to have black finger tips all day, but they don’t do it with ink pads anymore. They use something like a scanner instead, so that was
… Read the rest “My Real Name: Roxann Riedel”

13 November 2023
Art Goals | Baby Steps Towards The Art I Love

One of my art goals is to be able to paint scenes like the ones I’ve admired in other artworks. Now that I’ve begun using my pigments in oils, I feel as if I might actually be able to reach … Read the rest “Art Goals | Baby Steps Towards The Art I Love”

11 October 2023
Picking Up Rocks, Digging up Mountain Mint, & Ordering Art Calendars

Today was a busy day of getting orders processed. The first one took me down to the creek to do a little bit of picking up rocks. That was a relaxing little while of walking around, looking at rocks, stooping … Read the rest “Picking Up Rocks, Digging up Mountain Mint, & Ordering Art Calendars”

2 October 2023
Obstacles in my Art Journey | Painting a Portrait

I find it odd that I can paint an animal fairly well, but throw a human into the mix, and if there’s a face, I balk. Human faces are one of the biggest obstacles in my art journey, and I … Read the rest “Obstacles in my Art Journey | Painting a Portrait”

25 September 2023
Making a Temporary Fix in the Morning, Painting in the Afternoon

I was mending fences with a temporary fix in the morning, painting in the afternoon, and keeping a close eye on Rob in between.

Temporary Fix, Twice and a Dead Battery

Thursday morning, when Rob took his morning walk, I … Read the rest “Making a Temporary Fix in the Morning, Painting in the Afternoon”

9 September 2023
Artist’s Log 2023 | Art, Nature & Homestead

My days are usually filled with a variety of business, art, and home related tasks. This post will serve as my art, nature, & homestead ‘short’ journal entries. More like an artist’s log book, if you will. Some of the … Read the rest “Artist’s Log 2023 | Art, Nature & Homestead”

23 August 2023
Periodic Clearing

Every so often over the years I’ve written about the times when I’ve had to do a sort of mental housecleaning… a periodic clearing of the metaphorical clutter in my life. Sometimes that also involves clearing out a bunch of … Read the rest “Periodic Clearing”

7 August 2023
Long Dirt Road: Why it Takes me an Hour to Drive 12 Miles

This is a post from a few years ago that I love, so I’m reposting it. We live down a long dirt road. This little facet of our lives is the main thing that makes or breaks most newcomers to … Read the rest “Long Dirt Road: Why it Takes me an Hour to Drive 12 Miles”

2 August 2023
Journal Entry | 2 August 2023

My plan with this is to just jot down the little things I do each day that I think will be interesting to someone somewhere. If a Journal Entry is long enough to post by itself, I’ll hit publish. If … Read the rest “Journal Entry | 2 August 2023”

2 August 2023
Changing of the Seasons

It doesn’t feel like it outside, but inside of myself I can feel that autumn is on the way. The changing of the seasons is underway. There’s been a subtle shift, and every year when this point passes, I can … Read the rest “Changing of the Seasons”

18 July 2023
Art Inspiration Moments on a Non-Art-Making Day

Even in a day full of non-art related tasks, there can be moments of art inspiration.

Equine Escapees

In the mornings after I get out of bed, I go outside on the porch to have my coffee and listen to … Read the rest “Art Inspiration Moments on a Non-Art-Making Day”

3 June 2023
Musings from an Ozark nature artist

I’m at an ‘in between’ time at the moment. Between rain showers and rainy days, between things scheduled on my calendar. And since I just finished a painting, I’m between paintings, too. But this is a great time for … Read the rest “Musings from an Ozark nature artist”

16 May 2023
The Why Behind a Painting

I got an invitation from Google to test out the new AI chatbot called Bard. So far I’ve tried it out for a few different things, mostly to draw up outlines for potential blog posts. Today I asked it to … Read the rest “The Why Behind a Painting”

27 April 2023
When I’m not Painting, and Something Woo-Woo About Me

There are days when I’m not painting, usually when I’m between paintings or stepping back from one in progress. On Saturdays when I’m at the studio in Alpena, I always like to at least get something small done or … Read the rest “When I’m not Painting, and Something Woo-Woo About Me”

24 April 2023
A Spiral Day

This morning I walked over to see if there’s grass growing in the horses’ field yet. After crossing over rocks in the creek, as I walked up the hill out of the creek valley, I found this fossil. It looks … Read the rest “A Spiral Day”

19 March 2023
Art Goals | Life Goals, and my Word of the Year – Wild Ozark 2023

The image associated with this post is a single screech owl, but two photos taken successively. In one shot the owls’s eyes were closed and in the other they were open. So I put them together because there’s a lot … Read the rest “Art Goals | Life Goals, and my Word of the Year – Wild Ozark 2023”

31 December 2022