MERRY CHRISTMAS!

WISHING EVERYONE A JOYOUS AND BLESSED CHRISTMAS, AND HOPING FOR A HEALTHY, PROSPEROUS, CREATIVE 2021!!!!

 

Wilmington Urban Sketchers - Chicken Piccata

Wilmington Urban Sketchers - Our challenge was to sketch a recipe (from life) for our next Zoom meeting on January 6. This was really fun - and got me not only out of my art funk, but also got me to cook a meal -- much to the delight of my husband who usually does the cooking. And the bonus -- it was delicious!

 

Holly

A simple holly leaf in ink and watercolor from a class at the Winslow Art Center -- Thank you --- it helped get me past my art block ...

 

Last of the Feathers and Nest

Last of the nests and feathers ...

 

Nest and Feathers

Nest and Feathers from a class with Jean MacKay

 

Nest 1 - Hummingbird Nest

Bird Nest #1 - From a class with Jean MacKay ... Hummingbird Nest

 

Journal - Persimmons

Journal - Hachiya Persimmons - We have been most fortunate this year to find Fuyu persimmons ---! I LOVE that variety - they are sweet without needing to soften -- and I can eat them like an apple. But the Hachiya -- and other varieties like them, -- require softening before they are edible without leaving your tongue with a blanketlike feeling and a mouth puckered like a prune! Still, the Hachiya are the persimmons my mother loved and we had them each Thanksgiving and Christmas -- so I bought 4 for the holiday -- and HOPE they are ripe enough next week to eat. (Yes, spelling wrong on my journal page -- lol)

 

Journal - Mushrooms

Journal - After the Rain - Mushrooms. With all the rain we've had, the mushrooms in our sideyard are have a heyday .... Here are a few...

 

Journal - Rose Hips - Splash and Splatter and more

Journal - A mixed media work of splash and splatter, acrylic paint, permanent ink and watercolor -- Rose Hips

 

Journal - Vereen Park, Little River, SC

Journal - Took a much needed break from politics, motorhome repairs, and the general malaise of Covid to take a lovely walk along the boardwalk of Vereen Park, Little River, SC. Calming, peaceful, quiet, lulled by the sunshine, warm weather, birdsong, watery fields of golden spartina, reflections on the water, oyster wishes on the wishing tree, the rich green of a maritime forest .... such a welcome pause.

 

Journal - November Woods

Journal - November Woods - a quick watercolor of late fall using Krylon webbing spray. (For questions using this method, I'll refer you to Rae Andrew's new class - https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=4007692242588897&set=a.713247845366703).

 

Journal - Splash and Splatter - A softer Approach to Fall Leaves

Journal - A soft Approach to Fall's Leaves - Splash and Splatter -- Here on the coast of North Carolina, our leaves are 'just' adding color (unlike those we saw in our travels) - so to honor the 'quieter' colors we have right now, I did a soft approach to our leaf color change ....

 

Journal - Splash and Splatter Pumpkins

Journal - I LOVE the fall --pumpkins, haybales, colored leaves, apples ...! With the traveling we've done, it was hard to just stop and paint a bit of the fall outside of my travel sketches. But, finally home, I had a moment to sketch a bit of the things I love about fall -- like these splash and splatter pumpkins.

 

Travel Journal - Old House in Wake Forest, NC

Travel Journal -- In our recent trip for an emergency dental visit, we had the opportunity to boondock at a lovely small farm in Wake Forest. On our way back and forth to Oxford, we passed this old log home that reminded me of the decaying barns I love ...

 

Travel Journal - Dreher Island State Park, SC

Travel Journal - Dreher Island State Park - Had a wonderful opportunity to finally see my daughter and family! Beautiful campground.

 

Travel Journal - Another view of Stony Fork State , VA

Travel Journal - Another view of Stony Fork State , VA

 

Travel Journal - Southern Virginia roadsides....

Travel Journal - Southern Virginia roadsides....

 

Travel Journal - Dismal Falls, Virginia

 

Travel Journal - Dismal Falls, VA

When we first got here in the southern highlands, we saw mostly yellows in the trees.  But with each cold evening and warm afternoon, more and more reds appear...love those autumn colors!

Rae's Flower

Rae's Flower

 

Rae Andrews Porch Lesson

 

Rae Andrew's Cascade Lesson

Rae Andrew's Cascade Lesson

 

Journal - Coastal Integrative Health

Journal - Finally sketched on site while my dh had his doctor appointment. Having been indoors for so long with Covid precautions and excessive summer heat, I'm a bit rusty -- but at least had a chance to get back into sketching on location. I've missed it.

 

Travel Journal - Pisgah Covered Bridge

Travel Journal - Pisgah Covered Bridge - on the west fork of the Little River in Randolph County, North Carolina.

 

Rae's Abstract Shells

Rae's Abstract Shells -

 

Travel Journal - Nifty Rocks

\Travel Journal - One of the most fun hikes we took while away was the "Nifty Rocks" trail in Uwharrie National Forest, NC..... We found the trail well enough where we encountered boulders and rock formations that were indeed "Nifty"! However, somewhere along the loop that went past the lake and was to 'return' us to the trailhead, the blazes got a bit, shall we say, hidden???, and were got ourselves pretty much lost at the 'top' of this incredible, almost cleared rock center. While we circled the space looking for our trail blaze, we thoroughly enjoyed what might have been a settlement of some kind (never found out), but the rocks were truly impressive and beautiful. Charles finally found the trail, and we were back to the trailhead in no time. I'd love to return for another trail hike -- The Uwharries are now incredible "hills' - but mountains to us flatlanders ... full of forests, water, streams, and those incredible rocks.

 

Travel Journal - Whittles Mill, South Hill, VA

Travel Journal - Whittles Mills, South Hill, VA - The mill and small park had been closed for quite a while, but the falls were still active and beautiful. Funny, too, how the sediment ran only in the middle of these falls ....

 

Rae's Door

Rae's Door - Another Rae Andrews lesson ...

 

Rae's Sunflower

Slowly catching up -- Rae's Sunflower - I think I could do more negative work in the background - but I sort of like the simplicity of this ....

 

Travel Journal - Rudd's Creek, VA

Travel Journal - Rudd's Creek Campground - So many of the places we stayed had beautiful lakes -- NEXT year -- we hope to have a kayak to take advantage of these water offerings...

 

Travel Journal - Pennyslvania Farmstead

 

Travel Journal - We truly had a great 2 months away -- but ran out of data to post any of my travel paintings. Also, we were caught up in the hiking trails available to us at the state and national parks we camped, that painting became difficult in the busyness of the trip .. I did manage several, though, and I"ll be posting those this week ...

I loved the farmsteads we passed as we traveled through Pennsylvania - Here's one of them ...

Morning Glory

Morning Glory/Rae's Flower Lesson - Just back from an awesome 2 month RV trip that took us to TN, KY, IN, MI,WV, VA, NC ... and trying to catch up on so much ....

My granddaughter grew some wonderful morning glories and asked me to paint them -- so, with just getting back, catching up, and trying to fit in Rae's lesson, I created this combination ...

Rae's Splash

Travel Journal - Kidds Mill Covered Bridge - Shenango, PA

Travel Journal - Kidds Mill Covered Bridge - Shenango, PA

Travel Journal - Pennsylvania Farmstead

Travel Journal - Pennsylvania Farmstead

 

Travel Journal - Sunset on Shenango Lake, Shenango, PA

Travel Journal - Sunset on Shenango Lake, Shenango, PA

Travel Journal - Tionesta Lake, Tionesta,PA

Travel Journal - Tionesta Lake, Tionesta,PA

Travel Journal - Bonneyville County Mill Park - Indiana

Travel Journal - Bonneyville County Mill Park - Indiana

Travel Journal - Viewed in Ohio and Indiana

Travel Journal - Viewed in Ohio and Indiana

Travel Journal - Amish Farmstead

Travel Journal - More Amish Farnsteads - such a peaceful countryside...

Rae's Chickens

Need to do this again after I get back home -- fun project!

Travel Journal -Lake Erie Lighthouses

Travel Journal - One rainy day we took off for Lake Erie to see the lighthouses.  The weather cleared...but the lighthouses were far from shore...so my sketches have as much detail as we could see....

Travel Journal - Amish hay stacks and barn

Travel Journal - Amish hay stacks and barn

Rae's Car Lessons - Versions 1 and 2

Version 1

Version 2

Still need more foliage practice

Travel Journal - Western Kentucky barns...

 Travel Journal - Western Kentucky barns...

Travel Journal - Dog Creek

Travel Journal - Dog Creek, Cub Run, Ky... Nolin Lake...peaceful and placid this morning

Travel Journal - Dog Creek, Cub Run, KY

Travel Journal - Have had limited cell service ... but better for the moment - a small painting of our view from Dog Creek, Cub Run, KY - beautiful lake .. just off the Green River!