Fall Foliage with Watercolors

 

Autumn has arrived at my home on Hawk's Hill, and I recently spent a morning painting the first splashes of color adorning our Grandmother Sugar Maple tree.  This ancient tree brings beauty to our lives in any season, but particularly this time of year.

My recent lessons with Pittsburgh artist Yelena Lamm taught me so much about how to approach painting landscapes, how to control edges, and how to see colors.  What a pleasure to dive into painting this scene with a new focus and new skills!  Many thanks to Yelena for her instruction and the inspiration it brought me.

Autumn is a great time to take a class and pick up new skills.  Art classes are a terrific way to bring focus to your art practice and to gain momentum -- and to connect with other artists.  

Click here for a link to my upcoming classes. I hope you'll join me for one!

Color Journal Update

I've been painting in my color journal over the last few weeks. 

When I have a little time, a few colors or materials I want to explore, and I want to simply sketch rather than create a full painting, my color journal is an easy place to play.

Sometimes I explore mark making with India ink.

Inspired by the color and shapes of pumpkins, I started this one with a white crayon, added India ink, and finished with layers of wet-in-wet watercolors. 

Other times, I layer different media -- here watercolor forms the lower layer, and after the paint dried, I added lines with a permanent fine line ink pen.

Each page is different.  Each page is low-risk, because I'm just exploring and doodling.  So picking up this journal and trying something new is easy.  And relaxing.

Give yourself the gift of time to play with colors.  

You don't need to buy new materials, just gather what you already have. 

Follow the small voice of your intuition.  

You'll be surprised at how creative that part of you is.

Fairy Lanterns

 
I found an inspiring Pinterest photo of a small jar covered in moss, natural materials and paper butterflies, and lit from within by flameless candles.

What a delightful way to admire the feathers and dead leaves that I collect! I bought the dried moss & butterflies, and used Aleene's Original Tacky Glue to fix everything on a plastic gellato jar. 

I made several lanterns with pint-sized salsa jars.  I found that I needed 2 or 3 battery-powered candles for the light to escape through the luscious moss. 

One of these fairy lanterns will be a great addition to my Renaissance Festival costume!

Art Journaling in my Trader Joe's Grocery Bag Journal

I often write a journal entry on a piece of lined paper as part of my art journaling page.  Making pockets to tuck these folded pages feels like play!  The above pocket design is created with book pages & watercolor paper decorated with Indanthrene Blue & Burnt Sienna watercolors and India ink.

I recently was inspired to try intuitive painting after watching this YouTube video by Jackie Schomburg.  When I finished, I realized my painting represents how I feel about the autumn and the coming winter -- a last celebration of the summer sun, warmth & color.  

Yin & yang.

Sometimes, I doodle in my art journal. 

I picked up some watercolor crayons in an art supply swap I held in one of my Osher classes, and played with them on gesso-covered pages.  I love the rich, bold colors and the way they blend with a wet brush!

An art journal is your space to explore whatever you desire -- from a new set of paints to the thoughts and feelings within you.  I hope you get a chance to play with art supplies just for self care soon!

Upcycled Art Journal from Trader Joe's Grocery Bags

I'm a big fan of Trader Joe's grocery store.  I love the staff, and the food! 

Over the last few years, I amassed a collection of their sturdy paper bags.  Determined to recycle them, I turned them into a journal.

I got the idea for creating a faux leather cover from an idea I saw in a YouTube video.  

I cut my paper bags into pages, wet them and crinkled them for some extra texture. 

After letting the pages dry, I sewed them into a journal and added a cover.

On the pages that have print, I gesso and paint over, or simply collage. Here I've used music sheeting and old book pages, acrylic paint, homemade stamps, and Sharpies.

I copied a wonderful "permission slip" from The Unexpected Gypsy.  It's helpful to write down your intention in a journal, and to remind yourself that you are allowed to create without judgement.

I love the brown craft paper surface of the unprinted pages. I can use white paint pens and black ink to contrast. I've sewn in a string of battery-powered lights to this page to remind myself that nurturing myself helps my inner light to shine.

The beauty of upcycled materials for me is that I've saved something from the landfill, so it feels like there's no pressure to make anything "pretty." 

A beautiful way to slip past perfectionism.

Why not create your own art journal from materials around the house?

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.

Transatlantic Crossing Travel Journal: Dreams for the Future

Back to being a full-time landlubber, I find myself dreaming of visiting the UK again.  I love the friendliness and kindness of the British people, and the beauty of the countryside.  An artist I follow lives in Glastonbury, and speaks of climbing the hill to the Tor in her YouTube videos.  

I Googled Glastonbury and found photos of the town and the Tor to explore with my paintbrush.  My art practice extends my delight in traveling, even at home. 

I hope you'll get a chance to explore someplace you'd like to visit, even simply with your art supplies!