The First Signs of Autumn

 

I sat outside with a pot of tea and my paints to capture the first tinges of autumn coming into the landscape.  A cluster of scarlet Poison Ivy leaves climbing a cherry tree stood in stark contrast to the lush greens of late summer.  

First, I warmed up with pen & ink sketches of "Things Leaves Do." Then I made a quick pencil sketch of the scene, laid in color washes and details, and finished the page with leafy shapes, limbs and shading with a Micron pen.

Pen & Ink Nature Sketches

I've been playing with Micron pens and an ink brush in my nature journal, following the contours of the lush late summer vegetation. Beauty in abundance waits to be captured outside. 

Whenever you draw, you connect with the energy of your subject.  Right now, we could all use more of the peace that nature offers.

Sunflowers!

 The sunflowers around my home are blooming gloriously in spite of the drought.  Bumblebees, butterflies,  and Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds visit the blooms from dawn to dusk.  Goldfinches, Titmice and Chickadees are already dining on the seeds from older blooms. 

While the flowers feed a plethora of wildlife, they make my heart rise whenever I see them and feed my soul as I try to capture them on the page.  

New Classes for Fall!

Join me for these in-person classes at the Community College of Beaver County in Monaca, PA.  Explore your own creativity this fall with an art class!  CCBC requires all students to wear a mask while in classes and campus buildings, and has reduced class sizes to make sure that there is space for students to practice physical distancing.

To register for these classes, visit ccbc.edu/conedregistration or call the school at 724-480-3575.

You can see the entire Continuing Education catalog here: https://ccbc.edu/community-education  Select from the subject headings in the gray box on the right side labeled "Community Education." These classes are under the "Art" heading.

NEW! Creating Calm Through Art Explorations

All human beings are artists. Discover your natural creativity to help create calm in your lives. No previous art experience is necessary! Play with watercolor paints, create vision boards, and give yourself permission to try new art explorations to see where it leads you. All that is required is a willingness to play with art supplies with the intention of self-care. All materials provided. 

Date: S. 9/19-10/3                              Cost: $59 + $30 Lab                         Sessions: 3/Hours: 9

Time: 10AM-1PM                                 Room: VFC, 3007                     Code: ARTS03201


Drawing People

Have you ever wished you could draw life-like people? All that is required is practice, a little instruction, and more practice! In each class, you will draw from real people who will hold poses from everyday life. No experience necessary!

Date: M. 9/14- 10/5                      Cost: $62 + $49 Lab                      Sessions: 4/Hours: 12

Time: 6-9PM                                  Room: VFC, 3007                          Code: ARTS01601


Inktober:

Capture a natural scene with watercolor & colored pencil, and make it pop with pen & ink touches. Experience creating outdoors and take inspiration from the brilliant autumn colors. Join us for a relaxing immersion into nature and your own creativity! Beginners are welcome!

Date: S. 10/10 – 10/24                 Cost: $49 - $10 Lab                      Sessions: 3/Hours: 9

Time: 9AM-12PM                         Room: VFC, 3007                         Code: ARTS01602


New! Pen & Ink

Learn to capture natural scenes with the simple, sharp lines of pen and ink. Learn a technique to minimize the stress of inking, and allow your creativity to flow. You will draw natural scenes and subjects using reference photos or natural objects brought into the art studio.

Date: R. 10/8 -10/22                   Cost: $49 + $10 Lab                      Sessions: 3/Hours: 9

Time: 6-9PM                                 Room: VFC, 3007                      Code: ARTS02901


Recycled Papermaking

Create your own artsy & unique papers out of a variety of upcycled materials in the first class. You will craft your paper into a journal, stationery or other creation. All materials are provided, though you can bring dried flowers, glitter, a favorite essential oil, or other items to include in your paper.

Date: W. 10/7-10/14                            Cost: $39 + $10 Lab                  Sessions: 2/Hours: 6

Time: 6-9PM                              Room: VFC, 3007                  Code: ARTS02801

A Light in the Woods

A lovely August evening found me hiking out into a quiet woods in Raccoon Creek State Park, my supplies tucked into a backpack.  The crickets chirped.  Acorns dropped through the foliage, and a Blue Jay called from overhead. The act of painting connected me with the peace of the woods and gave me the space to see a larger picture in my life.  I love the feeling of being lost in the moment, and trying to capture what I see with my brush.

Feathers & Old Books

Nature has provided me with some amazing feathers -- primary & secondary wing feathers from a Wild Turkey, a primary feather from a Great Horned Owl, and a variety of unidentified plumes.  

And, I have been drawn to using pages from an old dictionary that was gathering dust in my barn loft art studio.  In my collection for years, I had never cracked the old tome open to read it. Now that I am putting it to artistic use, I find that I search each page I pull out for interesting words before I create -- drawings, India ink brush paintings, letters to friends, even grocery lists.  The extra layer of text creates a toned background & a pleasing complexity.    

Nature Journal Update: Hiking the Late Summer Woods

Since April, David & I have hiked over 400 miles through Raccoon Creek State Park --I've logged each mile. On many of those treks, I had a nature journal tucked under my arm.  I'm ever amazed at how keeping a nature journal ties you to the land.  You see subtle changes, what's in bloom -- now Joe Pye Weed and goldenrod take the fore, as Bergamot and Bee Balm fade.  You notice how the oak leaves have become pock-marked with insect damage and how the Wild Turkey young have grown almost as big as their parents, and have smooth plumage.  

Lately, I guess every bird must be molting for the fall as I find gorgeous Wild Turkey, hawk and owl feathers on the trail.  Can't help but scoop them up and try to capture their essence on paper.  Pretty soon it will be acorns and colorful autumn leaves.  Sketching what's going on right now, following the seasons, has it's own calming effect.  The wheel of the year rolls on regardless of what is going on in human realms, and its consistency is a balm to my soul.