HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2018!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 2018! Wishing everyone a prosperous, joyous, creative, healthy 2018!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Hoping yours is filled with peace, love, joy!

Holly

A bit of holiday holly --

FIRST DAY OF WINTER - HAPPY SOLSTICE

May the light and joy of the season be yours!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Journal - Walking in a Winter Wonderland - from imagination

Back Home!

Journal -- We are finally back in our home. Four months ago we had a pipe burst in the piping that led from our downstairs to upstairs, flooding the entire first floor. We lost few possessions, but the first floor was gutted to replace plumbing, air condition ducts, cabinets, some parts of the ceiling, floors, all appliances - large and small. We were fortunate to have just purchased an RV, which became our residence for those long, arduous months as our home was put back together. We moved back in last week, and though we are still working on a punch list and paint issues, it feels wonderful to be back 'home.' I haven't felt much like sketching (though I've kept a daily journal) since I was dealing with contractors and sub-contractors for endless weeks.

We're expected a brief dusting of snow, and as it flies (a bit too warm still to stick and accumulate), it helps brings me a bit of the Christmas spirit that all the moving, cleaning, reorganizing, and general stress, had eroded.

Marsh

Journal- Sketching the marsh from our trip to the beach last week.

Rocks and Stream

Journal - More small practices of fall's beauty

Beach Stones

Journal - This week I had the marvelous opportunity to get away with my painting friends at Topsail Beach, NC. We had two sunny, one cloudy and one mostly rainy day --- but had a great time, and everyone got back to painting. During our beach walks, I became enamored with the beautiful beach stones strewn everywhere - so I painted a small watercolor sketch of several to add to my journal.

Gifts from my Garden - Persimmons!

I LOVE persimmons - and this year, my trees provided a bounty!

Celebrating Fall - Journal

Journal - Celebrating Fall

Pumpkins at Duke

Journal - A trip to Duke Gardens - and an small sketch of one of their displays ...

Journal - View from our RV, Marion, NC

Journal - Small sketch inspired by the view this weekend at Mountain Stream RV Park, Marion, NC

Bougainvillea

Journal - More Pen and Wash

Journal - Farm Sketch

Journal - Pen and Wash Practice - Farm Sketch

FIRST DAY OF FALL

Journal - Happy First Day of Fall!

Pen and Wash - Fall Squash

Journal - Pen and Wash practice - Fall Squash

Splash and Splatter Rose Hips

Journal - With the cooler nights and the fall tinting of the roadsides, I was inspired to try another splash and splatter of my rose hips ...

Splash and Splatter - White Flowers

Journal - Another small practice work for Splash and Splatter Class.

Himalayan Poppies

Journal - I love poppies of all kinds ... those that tend toward blue are even more intriguing ....

Splash and Splatter - Roses

Journal - Splash and Splatter Roses - practicing another splash and splatter for my upcoming class.

Tom's Sunflowers

Journal - My sweet neighbor invited me to paint the flowers he planted, and though I did (I'll post later), these forgotten sunflowers, camouflaged in grasses and weeds, caught my attention.

California Poppies - Splash and Splatter

Journal -- I love doing splash and splatter - even when the composition isn't the best ... here's my "California Poppies"

The Marsh

Journal - The Marsh - added to my journal ... Missing those soft salty breezes on this hot humid day .....

Sunflowers - Splash and Splatter

Journal - Splash and Splatter Sunflowers. This method makes it very challenging to do in a bound journal - thus I will have to staple this small work into my journal.

Lavender Festival - 2017 - Journal

Journal - A small remembrance of lavender from the Lavender Festival last week ....

Hay Field

Journal -- Hay fields and hay bales - it's that time of year again -- I love to document the seasons with the natural events going on ... and so, spring returns, and with it, my beloved hay bales ...

Pink Poppies

Journal - Love poppies of all kinds and colors!

Spring Daisies

Journal - Daisy season -- love how they add brightness to the roadsides!

Purple and White Iris - Journal

Journal - Purple and White Iris - Examples done for my watercolor class

Yellow Fields

Journal - Yellow Fields - This time of year I dash around my county hunting those golden, sunshine-filled fields of mustard and buttercups. I try to capture a few of them for my journal.

Apple Blossoms

Junk/Sketch/Watercolor Journal- Finally getting to post my apple tree blossoms ...

Copper Iris - Journal

My copper iris have bloomed before my purples!

HAPPY EASTER!

HAPPY EASTER!!

Pond at Ledge Creek

Journal - One of the ponds in Ledge Creek Park - filled with duckweed and azolla (a water fern).

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING!

Found on my walk ....

Wren from the Window

Journal - Last week when I went into the garage to get into my car, I heard a bird, singing like crazy -- and so loudly, I thought s/he might have been trapped in the garage. I looked and looked, but when I glanced out the window, I spotted this Carolina wren singing his heart out --- what a cheery fellow!

Sunset on the Lake - finished painting for my daughter.

At the Nursery

Journal - Looking for more spring color, so visited a local plant nursery - sketched these while there.

Mahonia

Journal - my Mahonia in bloom.

Daphne

Journal - Another see-saw of a week, temps falling to 20F at night, rising to 50F and 60F in the daytime. Sat outside and sketched my Sweet Daphne as it begins to bloom...

Lake at Sunset - Prelim

Journal - a 5 x 7 preliminary painting of a photo my daughter sent - sunset by the lake .... Waiting to hear what size she wants this ....

Farm View

Journal - with all the hubbub lately, I painted a rural farm scene to find a bit of serenity.

Sunshine after the Snow

Journal - Sunshine after the snow - my front area

SNOW!!!

Journal - Painting the snow ....snow covering our grasses, trees, roads ....

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wishing everyone a joyous, healthy, creative, prosperous and joyous New Year!  Here's to 2017!