Oxford Barn in the Snow

Oxford Barn in the Snow, a photo by linfrye . on Flickr.

Watercolor
Arches 140#CP

We're not quite out of the winter yet as our temps have fallen to the 20s and we're expecting a bit of sleet tomorrow. This painting is from our last snowfall. When the roads cleared I was able to capture my favorite barn covered in winter white ...

Though we may have sleet this weekend, I saw my first cherry tree in blossom yesterday, my friends an hour south of me have daffodils throughout their yards, and the grey cast of my woodlands is hazed in early bud break.

Spring is heading my way!

Recycle Tulip Grace AT5 week 9

Recycle Tulip Grace AT5 week 9 sm, a photo by linfrye . on Flickr.

The Documented Life Journal
Week 9 "Recycle/Collage"

I've been painting tulips for my demonstrations in preparation for my upcoming watercolor classes -- and I've struggled with getting just the right mix of realism and abstraction. So I have a large pile of 'misfits' that I could use for this week's challenge.

My pile of disappointing tulips was growing as was my frustration -- when I went to teach Thursday's class. We're finishing up garlic and will work on pears this week -- so imagine my surprise when one of my students in that class opened her book and showed me a tulip SHE was working on... and it was just PERFECT for breaking the block I had formed on this topic. I was so relieved and grateful ... and so wrote about that event on this journal page ... Grace.

I like the tulips I've done here but the background I had painted became too dark and murky looking .. so I cut out the tulips, painted a light blue background, glued down the tulips .. and used it as my challenge and journal page.

Grace indeed.

(Tulips I like better to be posted later.)

Daffodil

Daffodil, a photo by linfrye . on Flickr.

Watercolor
Arches 140#CP

Snow is gone, spring is 'almost' here, seeds are germinating in their little trays, and temperatures are teasing us with intermittent warm spells.

Though we're due for another 'Arctic Blast,' I think we're all ready for some sunshine, clear roads, a riot of bright colors --- and spring ....

The View from my Front Porch - Whiteout

The View from my Front Porch - Whiteout, a photo by linfrye . on Flickr.

Watercolor
Arches 140#CP

It's raining as I type, and between the warm up (close to 50F yesterday) and the rain today, our 8" of snow will soon be a memory ....

This small painting though will be my recording of that historic storm as well as the winter white, the fat, soft flakes falling fast, the coating of ice turning everything crystalline, the magic hush the snow gives us....

We had a full moon last night too -- and the glisten of moonlight on the remaining snow was so breathtaking ...and so rare ....

We're to warm to almost 70F next week ... crazy weather indeed, but filled with such memorable moments ....

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!, a photo by linfrye . on Flickr.

Despite the wind, rain, snow, and ice, despite the power outages, the aching back from shoveling snow, despite the wild weather conditions and discomforts ....

Love really does conquer all ...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!

Polar Experience

Polar Experience, a photo by linfrye . on Flickr.

Alcohol Ink
Yupo Paper

We are in the throes of a blowing snowstorm .... We have already 3" of snow and it's been snowing only 3 hours .... so we're going to wind up with a bunch ... It's cold, wind is blowing, and this is a MAJOR storm for my part of North Carolina!

Stay and warm!

Against the Orange Sky

Against the Orange Sky, a photo by linfrye . on Flickr.

Alcohol Ink
Yupo Paper

Playing with alcohol ink and various colors ... enjoying the flow and spontaneity of the medium ...

A Dash of Spring Color

A Dash of Spring Color, a photo by linfrye . on Flickr.

9" x 12" Watercolor
Arches 140#CP

After beginning last week with temps in single digits, frozen pipes, school closings, numb fingers and a gorgeous blanket of snowfall, the week ended on a note of teasing spring warmth with temps in the mid 60s, blue skies and sun bright enough to rid one of any winter blues or cabin fever.

To celebrate this small burst of warm weather, I was inspired to splash about some bright colors and crack open the seed catalogs. Though our furry weather predictor, the ground hog, saw his shadow and says we're due for another six weeks of winter, and quite truthfully I wouldn't mind another snowfall or two, I was ever grateful to have a bit of warmth again and the sunshine cheering the landscape.