Nature Journal Update

 The beauty of a nature journal is that you can pick it up and make a quick sketch -- whether in watercolor while floating around in a canoe on a lake as above, or with a Micron pen while hiking the Appalachian woods as below.

These quick watercolor sketches of spring wildflowers allowed me to experiment, connect with nature, and make a quick sketch when a Ruby-Throated Hummingbird appeared briefly.  These sketches capture the memory of the moment.

I hope you can find a moment to steal away with a journal and connect with the calming power of nature & art!

A New Color Journal!

 After reading Expressive Sketchbooks by Helen Wells, I was inspired to embark on a color journal.  The whole purpose is simply to explore colors & patterns in an intuitive way.  Here are a few pages.

I used Dr. P.H. Martin's Liquid Watercolors, Uni Posca Paint Pens, and some acrylic paint.

Figure Drawing Update

The spring modeling and teaching season swept me away.  Here are a few recent figure drawings from Spring events. 

Model Emily inspired me and my Osher class with this long pose.  I laid in a ground of vine charcoal, then lifted out highlights and added vine charcoal shadows.

Cozy created inventive poses with her willowy form during an open studio session for the Pittsburgh Figure Drawing Meetup

I enjoyed Cozy's storytelling gestures.

Many thanks to models Emily & Cozy for their inspiration and creativity!

Plein Air Painting & Potluck

 

After years of teaching art via Zoom, my students wanted to visit our farm and studio to see where the classes originated from.  We held an Osher Plein Air Painting on the Farm class on a recent Friday morning, and invited students to bring a potluck dish to share for a picnic lunch.

Our weather was lovely & sunny, and the sight of artists in folding chairs spread about the farm, painting brought me joy.  I managed time to make this quick sketch of the June trees and field.  

Our event closed out after lunch with time for sharing artworks and stories.  Wonderful to see the creativity of everyone gathered there.

My New Studio!

The last two years have seen my living room evolve into a Zoom studio.  My art studio used to be in the hay loft of my old barn, but the heat and cold up there made it uncomfortable to work in except during spring and fall.

With our Zoom sessions mostly over, I'm using the space for my painting, drawing, art journaling and preparations for classes.  It's lovely having a comfortable space with room to store my art materials!

Along the walls, we've hung gallery railing that allows me to admire artworks from my work table, and to easily change the display without drilling more holes in the walls.  Notice the portrait that I use as my avatar on the left -- an oil painting by Pittsburgh artist William Pfahl.  You can see more of his work here: https://williampfahl-fineart.com/

I'm loving being able to stop in and play in my art journal for a few minutes, or for hours, and having the space to leave projects out without concern for little mouse feet running over them while I'm away!

Painting at Sunset

 

The most dramatic lighting for painting is early in the morning, and at sunset.  One recent evening, these leaves -- backlit in the long, low angles of the setting sun -- caught my eye.  The contrast between the shadowy woods behind, and this brilliant cluster of cherry leaves drew me in.

I worked quickly with my Winsor & Newton Watercolor paints to capture the scene on Fabriano cold press paper, skipping the usual pencil sketch, and simply sketching with the brush.  I found I liked the effect of mixing the colors right on the page, especially for the dark shadow colors.

You don't have to select a large area for a landscape.  Just a simple cluster of leaves will do if they inspire you!

Spring Color & Art Classes!

I've been teaching Watercolor Flowers at the Community College of Beaver County the last few weeks, and have noticed how the spring sunshine has been spilling into my paintings. I love the way that a class can focus my art-making so that I build my proficiency and grow as an artist.

Taking a class can help you to create in a series and get your artistic practice rolling along, too!

I invite you to join me for art classes at CCBC this spring!  I'll be teaching Nature Art for Self Care starting April 23rd, Art Journaling starting March 26th, and Make Your Own Rubber Stamp starting March 23rd.  

All classes are designed for beginners. Everyone is welcome!

You can find more information here under the "Arts" tab: https://ccbc.coursestorm.com/

I hope to see you in class!