For Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan, see PART 1 So now I’m going to go over some stuff to do in the surrounding regions of Alabama’s gulf coast. First stop: PENSACOLA Pensacola is a historic town with lots to do besides the beach (which is technically in Pensacola Beach, not Pensacola. They're different) There are restaurants, museums, playgrounds, galleries, shops and even a Graffiti Bridge! The Main Street to check out as a tourist is Palafox. There are many great restaurants there and there’s a park that often has festivals. You can find the pensacola events schedule her ..read more

A Local's list of family-friendly activities on the Alabama gulf coast & Beyond If you are visiting the Alabama coast for vacation, and are looking for fun things to do with your kids & family, here’s a list I’ve compiled for you. Many of them are off the beaten path and are things you might not hear of elsewhere.  Yours truly Every guide to Alabama’s coast will tell you to go to the Hangout, the Florabama lounge and Lambert’s. If you’re into touristy stuff then those are places for you. But this guide will go deeper and help you find things to do beyond the tourist traps. Let’s ..read more

My mom is dying. She's had progressive vascular dementia for about six years now and we've done all we can for her. Recently she was hospitalized again and they told us she's in end of life. Which was kind of shocking because she was walking around and eating out with us just a week before. So she's been in the hospital hospice care for the past week. And my siblings all came to see her and to help. Which was the first time we'd all been together in 20 or so years. We all finish each others sentences still after all this time. Anyway as I took my shift with mom and as she slept I wanted to ma ..read more

Q: Why is it so difficult for up and coming artists to make it? A. I’d say one of the leading reasons is everyone seems to think everything should just fall into your lap. But it doesn’t work that way. It takes hard work to do anything. And to succeed at anything. It takes persistence. It takes resilience - failing and trying again. And again. And again. Thousands upon thousands of times We don’t hone those skills here in America. Here we say have it your way. We give participation trophies and we don’t reward hard work. That’s why it’s so hard. You have to break past that barrier before you c ..read more

Q:Why did Vincent van Gogh's artistic style undergo significant changes throughout his career? A: So Vincent Van Gogh is my all time favorite artist. And since I’m an artist I have read a lot about him. I also had the privilege of seeing the Vincent Van Gogh show this past fall that is touring and I believe is housed in New Orleans. Van Gogh started out as a missionary. He wasn’t well liked and he felt like a failure. He took up painting in his late 20s and began teaching himself to paint. Those early paintings were drab, sad and depressing. One of them is called “the potato eaters” and shows ..read more

Draw Partner To the tune of dead or alive By Jon Bon Jovi It's all the same, only the names change Every day I put on my black beret I draw a face The reception is cold I tell them art’s subjective But they aren’t sold I'm a quick draw Better watch who you deride And I'm wanted Dead or alive I'm a quick draw Cuz I’ll draw your face cock-eyed And I'm wanted Dead or alive I draw on the street, all day I hear cliches The people I meet, give no tips but lots of praise It’s one of my apprehensions That I’ll run out of ink At caricature conventions All they do is drink I'm a quick draw You can’t run ..read more

Occasionally I answer questions on quora and I answered this one. I thought it was a good question so I've included it in my blog. Q. Can an artist, writer, or other creative individual maintain their artistic integrity and still achieve success and wealth? A. That depends on what you mean by artistic integrity. It also depends on what you mean by success and wealth. As an artist who makes a living drawing at parties and special events, I would say I’m successful. I’m well known in artistic circles and two of my friends have said I’m famous within my earshot which I find funny because I’m not ..read more

I've been so busy drawing I haven't had time to post! Here's some highlights of last nights fall festival. I'll post more of my drawings from the last few weeks in another post or two. If you want me to come "draw" a crowd at your event, and bring smiles and laughter with me, contact me today at kathybuskett@gmail.com This is one of my students. She and her sister look so much alike I thought they were twins at first, but they're a year apart. This is Susannah. See if you can spot the differences in her and her sister Madeline, who is next up... When I draw twins or kids who look alike, it's ..read more

This was at the first Pentecostal church of orange grove in Gulfport, MS. We had a fun time and a lot of adults got drawn. I let loose a bit and did less cartoony, more caricature- like drawings which I only do if I am feeling it from the crowd. Thanks so much y'all for letting me mess up your faces! She has an interesting face. I like to guess peoples nationality based on their features but I'll be honest I can't place her. Anyone? Starting to loosen up here. These folks were so kind ❤️ And finally... The pastor and his daughter! Thankfully he had a sense of humor Thank so much y'all! See ..read more

Imagine your wedding looking like this! This weekend I drew at a Birmingham Alabama at a lovely venue called the preserve. It reminded me of the White House . Isn't it lovely? Here's a closer look at some of those photos. Boy did we have fun! Rae & Devon - the gorgeous bride and groom! These two wanted a little mermaid theme. How fun! The bride asked me to draw her guests with cartoon bodies of Their choice. I'm the only caricature artist in the gulf coast area that offers this service. Interesting story. The little girl in this picture recognized me from drawing her this past summer ..read more