Thursday, December 31, 2015

HAPPY NEW YEAR!


One year ends, another begins.  Sun rises  on a new year - we turn the pages of the calendar, start afresh.

Wishing a joyous, prosperous, creative, healthy  New Year to each of you!

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Friday, December 18, 2015

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Red Barn - Long


A dear friend of mine gave me a pad of narrow long sheets of watercolor paper -- I'm painting small snow scenes on these.

BTW, it's in the 70s, sunshiny, not a hope of snow anywhere ... but somehow for the holiday spirit, I paint snow and dream of a white Christmas ...

Friday, December 11, 2015

Joy Wreath





Journal Tip In - Working small these busy days ... preparing for holidays ....

Monday, December 07, 2015

Winter Creek


Journal - Another rainy day ... Winter rain is different to me than rains in spring and summer.  Somehow, winter rain is darker, heavier, more somber.

And so I paint snow ... for the lightness of it, the joy it brings me ... and because of its rarity ...

Sunday, December 06, 2015

Saturday, December 05, 2015

Chestnuts



Journal -- Always LOVE chestnuts especially this time of year!




Friday, December 04, 2015

Holty




Journal -- my holly is full of red berries, but instead of the traditional colors, thought I'd try something a bit different ...

Wednesday, December 02, 2015

More Fog


Journal - More fog and rain today -- but that kind of light lends to wonderfully saturated colors!

Tuesday, December 01, 2015

My Backyard in the Fog



Journal - Leaves still clinging to the trees - but rain, fog and cold signal that winter will soon settle in.

Sunday, November 29, 2015

View from the Lake



Journal -- Such a colorful fall -- here it is almost December, and still the colors and feeling of fall lingers......

Friday, November 20, 2015

The Old Cabin on Hebron Road


The Old Cabin on Hebron Road - Oxford, NC. Fell in love with this old cabin...

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

My Backyard Trees



Journal Tip In -- My backyard trees.  Though most of the leaves are on the ground, the landscape is still mighty colorful.  The view is looking out from my dining room window.

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Cahors, France



Journal - Still thinking of Paris this morning and remembering the beauty of the French countryside and the kindness of the people ... From my recent trip - Pont Valentre, Cahors France ...

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Cutchogue Old Suffolk Free Library




Journal Tip In - Cutchogue Old Suffolk Free Library -  While in New York last week, I had an opportunity to take a day to sketch with my friend Joan Szalay Tavolott​.  It was a beautifully warm day, filled with sunshine and the brilliance of fall colors.  We traveled to the North Fork of Long Island and visited the town of Cutchogue.  We stopped at what we thought was a church and sketched it before realizing that this building had been converted to a beautiful library.  We went inside to enjoy a terrific art show, and then later explored the Art Guild Gallery with a variety of oils, watercolors, acrylics, sculptures, paper crafts, pottery and more.   Thank you Joan for a really fabulous time!

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

My Driveway


Journal - Returning to North Carolina after helping settle my mom's effects brought me rain and cold -- but still marvelous colors.  There are more leaves on the ground it seems than on the trees ... trying to catch the color before winter settles in.

Tuesday, November 03, 2015

Leaves of Fall





Journal - Despite the rainy days, the trees are so vibrant and the leaves so colorful, that I continue to try to capture them in my journal.

Sunday, November 01, 2015

Happy Fall!


Journal -- Rain greets us as we welcome November and the peaking colors of Piedmont, North Carolina.

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Friday, October 30, 2015

A Window in Frayssinet





Journal - A window in Frayssinet.  On one of our last days, we took a walk around the town and found this window -- bedecked with bright yellow flowers.

Sunday, October 25, 2015

A Bike in Gigouzac





Journal -- After sketching the 'bake house' in this charming village, I walked around the town and found this iconic scene .. I fell in love with all that foliage as well as the 'mode of transportation!'

Friday, October 23, 2015

Some of the Awesome Meals at Le Lieux Couvent



Journal - Some of the foods served at LeVieux Couvent. There was so much more lusciousness than shown here!!

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Monday, October 19, 2015

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Church of St. Peter, Frassinet, France


Journal - Church of St. Peter, Frassinet, France

This church was located across from the convent where our workshop was held.  The bells chimed the time each hour and each half hour -- with an extended 'song' at noon and 7 am and 7 pm.  I LOVED hearing those bells.  

The church tower was chock-full of pigeons that would circle the church throughout the day.

The entire view -- including pigeons -- reminded me from scenes from Mary Poppins!

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Cave Painting - Pech Merle Caves, France



Journal

One of the many highlights of my France trip was a visit to Pech Merle Caves. These caves featured stalagmites and stalactites over 2 stories tall and true, actual cave drawings done 230,000 years ago.
Please see http://www.pechmerle.com/english/introduction.html for information and google Pech Merle for more images. Since we couldn't take photographs, we created our own 'cave paintings' when we returned to the studio. FUN!

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

St. Cirq Le Popie



Journal - St. Cirq Le Popie - I really enjoyed this hilltop village while in France - the artisan shops, the quaint twists and steps of the narrow allies, and always, the rich, incredible gardens, even in the tiniest places!

Monday, October 12, 2015

Our Foods - Le Vieux Couvent, Frassinet, France



























Le Vieux Couvent, Frassinet, France - some of the utterly INCREDIBLE food we enjoyed.