Canoe Painting

One of our favorite ways to spend a summer afternoon off is to rent a canoe from the nearby state park, and paddle up the small lake. The peace of nature, the calming influence of the water and the adventure of seeing the woods from the water put me in a happy mental space.  

Sometimes, I take my nature journal and watercolors, and paint quickly while David paddles me slowly up the lake.  Having very little time to complete a scene keeps me from getting precious with my artwork, and I like the result. 

Now that we're entering fall, I treasure this little watercolor sketch -- a taste of sunshine and warmth to return to in the coming winter.

Inktober in an Enchanted Woods

I spent a few hours sitting in an enchanting pine forest at Raccoon Creek State Park with my nature journal.  I used Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils and a Micron pen, touching some of the drawings up with a wet brush to create washes of color.  I love the intense colors of the Inktense pencils against the bold black of the Micron pen.

Here are the pages from my nature journal. 

I felt the cares of daily life wash away as I sank into the pine straw and connected with nature.

Here's a sketch of the cozy spot where I tucked away, sitting against a massive pine tree among the ferns.

I hope you get a nature break today!