My First Mini-Sketch Crawl

After learning that Laura lived nearby (YEAH!!) we arranged to meet at the JC Raulston Arboretum today for a mini-sketch crawl (MY VERY FIRST!). What a DELIGHT to finally meet the beautiful woman behind the artwork I drool over!

We found a quiet spot and sketched while we chatted. Laura's painting of the area is INCREDIBLE! The sketch I did of ONE of the twisted wisterias looks as though it were on a diet! The tree I sketched (hackberry with partial vine covering a bit of branching) is the large one toward the background of Laura's row of wisterias.

I don't remember spending a more enjoyable afternoon! THANK YOU, Laura!

The Woodlands

Though it's still cool outside, the trees have begun blooming in earnest in a glorious display of color -- from pinks to ochre to orange, their minute flowers offering an awesome array of varying hues after the somber grays of winter.

I have in my mind's eye this image of gray tree trunks, branches, and twigs, all in a haziness that is dolloped with splashes of magenta, orange, red, emerald -- not in the panorama of fall, but rather in the delicate emergent quiet that is spring.

I've made three attempts to take what's in my eye and put it on the page ... none of them EXACTLY what I SEE or FEEL ... DRATS!

Redbuds

As spring continues to unfold, I am ALWAYS jaw-dropping when I drive past a woodland and come upon the bright magenta/pink of the redbuds peeking out from a thatch of gray tree trunks. They seem to dot the woodland edges and remind me of one of my favorite photographs by Eliot Porter "Redbud Trees in Bottomland, Near Red Gorge, Kentucky, 1968."

I've been marginally successful at rendering what I SEE of this bright, pink-blooming tree, but when I got to Rebecca's this week, she had gathered a few branches of the Redbud and added it to her floral arrangements. I sketched a quick close-up of the flowers.

EDM #58 Sketch a Hat

It's pretty pathetic when you can't find a hat in your entire household! But my husband and I are "hair to the wind" kind of folks. I did manage to find an old straw hat of his that was bedecking his corner of the bedroom. Had to dust it off before I sketeched it since it has seen little use in the years he's owned it!

However, when I got to the B&B, Rebecca's husband, Ken, had several hats he ADORES and proudly shows me whenever he can. So I sketched one of these in two views as well as the straw hat.

My Forsythia

When I returned home from running errands today, the bright lemon-butter yellow of my forsythia just about blinded me. It's in full bloom and just getting its green leaves.

A Day of Rest

Schizophrenic weather is not uncommon this time of year, and yesterday and today are no exceptions. When I returned home from my daughter's, the weather was glorious and HOT! In the 80sF, sun bright, a slight breeze, I opened every window in my house and let the fan move the new air in and the stale air out! I left the windows open all night and awoke to a chorus of birdsong and the sweet smell of spring! Well, a day of spring anyway.

I had car repairs to have done today so I was home instead of work ... and a much appreciated day of rest, even with dozens of errands to get behind me before jury duty tomorrow.

Still, with the sun bright and waiting ahead of me, I walked around my property to be continually amazed at the blossoming going on! This time of year, to me, when the world awakes from it's gray, winter slumber, my eyes can't take in all the bright colors of spring! WOW!! The orange/brown of the blooming oaks, the darkening magenta of the maples, the bunny pink of the saucer magnolias, the white of the Bradford pears, the butter-lemon yellow of the forsythia, and that indescribable orange/pink of the flowering quince. MAN, it was heady!

What a gift today! My car's repaired, washed and cleaned, I sketched and sketched, rested and walked, and the bird's are still singing.

To Spring! My humble scratchings.

More in Bloom

The Bradford Pear on my daughter's property was in full bloom when I arrived there this weekend.

And whenI returned home today, our young peach tree was in bright, pink bloom.

With temperatures in the 80s, spring is truly on its way!

EDM #57

This unusual picture frame, given to her by her brother and sister-in-law, belongs to my dear daughter. The photos are of her ultrasound (baby due in May) and her two nieces.

Visiting My Daughter

This weekend was my daughter's baby shower.

We spent Friday shopping and visiting ... a great catching up time. My goodness, the baby is growing, as is she!

Yesterday was her baby shower. What a wonderful, generous and supportive group of friends she has! Relatives from all over came to bring gifts and wish her well. The baby shower was two hours from her home so most of yesterday was spent driving and visiting relatives and friends, eating some scrumptious food and opening gifts.

Today was the long drive home ... already I miss her! I didn't get too much of a chance to sketch, but I did a few things-- her bottle of water and drink of choice. She had one of these at hand all day, all night, and everywhere we went. Needless to say, we also spent a good amount of time checking out the restrooms! LOL

With all the activity, Michelle also needed a bit more rest, so I was able to capture her as she relaxed with a magazine before the television.

EDM Challenges - Hand 10, Foot 23

While visiting my daughter I was able to catch up on a few EDM challenges while she rested. I've completed #10 Hand, #23 Foot (feet are in hose).

Two More Bloomers

With the few days of warm weather, the saucer magnolia and Carolina jessamine have brightened into full bloom. Before leaving to visit my daughter this weekend, I was able to capture these in sketches.

Arance Rosse

When my husband and I visited Sicily last May, we had the supreme pleasure of being introduced to blood oranges (Moro oranges) and fell instantly in love with this very seasonal fruit. We loved their sweet juice, so much less acidic than naval oranges, bright, cheerful color, and even found some marmalade to purchase.

While I was in Florida, my sweet husband 'went to town' (for us, that means a grocery store with MANY choices -- unheard of in our part of the woodlands) and found these same variety of oranges, currently being grown in California. To surprise me for my homecoming, he bought several bags, and when I called to say I was enroute, he was as excited as any child with a secret, teasing me with "I have a BIG surprise for you!" LOL

After unpacking and settling in, he cut several of these luscious fruits for me -- his fingers turned purple/red with the juice, and both of us enjoying not only their flavor but also the memories they evoked.

Even though I had a mere 4 hours sleep, I was buoyed by Charles' enthusiasm and quickly finished my stacks of laundry and began jam production.

After my first batch of jam, Charles pronounced it "better than" we had overseas, and promptly returned to town to buy a CASE of the oranges! OH MY!!!

I used my recipe for raspberry jam for the Arance Rosse jam and was rewarded with wonderful, sweet/tart jam in a bright red/purple shade.

I then found a Siclian blood orange marmalade recipe in a book Charles gave me years ago -- "Sweet Sicily" with recipes to all my favorite sweets. This yielded a more 'orangey marmalade' tasting confection, again with that wonderful color and sweeter taste.

So in between jam and marmalade I knew I just HAD to put this fruit into a sketch.

I certainly need a nap, though!

Trying a portrait again

With two hours before my flight home from Tampa, I tried again to capture my granddaughter in a sketch.

It's closer ...

EDM #11 Glasses

While waiting at the airport in Tampa to return home, I did another EDM Challenge - drawing my glasses.

The only problem with this is that I NEEDED the glasses to sketch! LOL

The Wichie Wachee Washout

When my sisters returned from their run and we had lunch, we decided that the hour was getting late and the time spent driving to Tampa to see one of the gardens, zoo or museums would be lost in anticipated heavy traffic. So we decided to try a more local venue - the famed Wichie Wachee.

Having no idea where it was (just closer than Tampa!) and what it was (more a theme park than a place to walk), we headed out one more time, directionless, on Highway 19. We saw signs along the way and felt confident we were 'close.' After about 45 minutes when the signs disappeared, we again made one of our famous "U-turns," filled the gas tank once again, stopped and asked for directions.

Sure enough, we had passed the entrance--right on Highway 19. Apparently, it's still winter in this part of Florida, even with temperatures in the 70s and 80s, so many of the venues are on winter hours. And that's what we found.

After driving yet another hour and a half, we arrived at the entry gate at 2:50 pm, and with winter hours, the park closed at 3:00 pm. We begged the attendant to let us in for a quick 'looksee,' which she kindly did.

Wichie Wachee must have been one of Florida's earliest theme parks. It offers mermaid shows, a waterslide, riverboat ride, and a few gardens for strolling, a tiny gift shop. This time of the season, all they could offer was a mermaid show (we missed it) and the walk around about 3 acres of gardens (all in need of weeding).

I asked the attendant about the grounds and she assured me that next week was their opening season and much repair work would be done. The grounds could be lovely and I photographed many of the trees and azaleas just beginning to open. The mermaid show was letting out and so I snapped a few photos of the mermaid who was there for photographs with audience members, and asked one of the passersby to snap a photo of us. (and yes, that IS a sketchbook in my hands! LOL)

Although the venue didn't work out, and we wound up driving AGAIN, I am still laughing, along with my sisters, about how map and direction challenged we are, how much FUN we have just being together, how much we loved visiting mom, and how soon we can do this again.

It all went by too too fast!

The Pond

While my sisters did their 12-mile run and mom was visiting with her friends, I sat on a bench and sketched the pond scene behind her apartment.

Palm Trees

Before I left for Florida, I told Laura I'd try to sketch a few 'trees' to follow her monthlong focus on tree sketches.








I sketched two in particular that I was happy with -- one, a view of the palm that creates music for my mom as it sways in the breezes and strokes her windowpanes.

This second sketch is of a group of palms that welcome visitors to her apartment building. They stood in their own little 'island oasis' and were just a wonderful greeting.

Trip Back to the Gulf

Sketching at 60 mph as we whizzed by trees of all kinds was a challenge this sleep-deprived individual JUST couldn't do well, and at this amount of sleep loss and reunion excitement, neither would my memory serve me well.

I did manage sketching a few citrus tres, a live oak with moss, some of the dead, moss-covered trees in the swamps, and more palms than anything else. I sketched better the next day after a full six hours of sleep!

Strawberry Festival continued

We took in some of the free shows at the Festival - some singing and some of the best Chinese Acrobats I've ever seen. Their flexibility, strength, tumbling acts, and the animal costumed acts had the audience on their feet! GREAT DAY!

Strawberry Festival - 2

What a wonderful day! We weren't quite sure what to expect from the festival since no one had ever been before. It reminded me of a small state fair -- only with an emphasis on strawberries! Holy FRUIT! There were strawberries everywhere - and made into ever concoction one could imagine! Ice cream, cakes, pies, fresh, with cream, plain, with sugar, on waffles, sodas and floats - my oh my!

We walked through the midway without stopping. I've decided I get dizzy enough just standing quickly, and so viewed the crafts, the folks playing pan pipes and flutes, saw some great artwork, and exhibit aftaer exhibit.

We rested in the one of the exhibit halls and treated ourselves to bowls of strawberries and whipped cream. (Is fruit considered a sweet during Lent?)

The Strawberry Festival

I find the roads and traffic on the gulfcoast side of Florida to be the most frustrating dance of stop and go, lights and skids, construction and detour that I've ever seen -- and that includes driving in Sicily!

My sister (the one with the broken hand) has decided she's a better driver than navigator, and I, the sister who loses herself in a paperbag, has been designated the navigator. Truth be told, every female in my family is horribly geographically challenged - no matter WHAT the circumstances!

So off we go, my two sisters, mom and I, for a one hour trip that involves a breakfast stop at I-Hop (I really want to add color to this breakfast, but not tonight! LOL), a bit less than four 'oh I don't think THIS is the right road's', finding the festival where we all remove our sweaters in deference to the 85 degree weather, and promptly line up at the port-a-potty before heading to the fair. (Doesn't everyone?? LOL)

Sketchin' at Mom

Though my mom lives in an apartment for retirees and has no place for a garden or ample sun for the flowers she loves, she manages to eek out sufficient sunlight on one windowsill to grow some fantastic Christmas cactus.

Here's one that's been blooming since December!

She also has a China cabinet FILLED with Lladros ... I only had time to sketch one, and I'm thinking I'd like to add a touch of 'remembered' color to this one. The statues don't have a lot of color, but I think an addition of some soft blue and pink would spark this a bit.

At the airport

I was so excited heading to Florida to see my mom and having my sisters meet me there from NY for a two day get-together!

I arrived at the airport early only to find that there was a mix-up with my ticket and after standing at the ticket counter for over an hour, found I hadto file a 'missing ticket' form, buy ANOTHER ticket, and then file for a refund.

THEN, because things were going so smoothly, my plane was delayed an hour, then a half hour more, than an hour more as it finally found its way to Raleigh from Florida, only to have a mechanic called because there's a problem with the bathroom. We have to wait for the mechanic to arrive, then fix the plumbing, then AIR out the plane, then board and then leave -- now 2 1/2 hours late.

Here's my 'passing the time' sketch.

OH, I did arrive in Tampa, FINALLY, at 10:30 pm -- almost 3 hours late. My sisters, flying in through the snowstorm in New York, arrived 3 hours late from their scheduled time to arrive at my mom's at 2 AM. But all safe and ALL at my Mom's at one time!! YEAH!!
We didn't sleep much that night as we were up early the next morning to see the Strawberry Festival in Plant City.

Oh yes, we were feeling quite a bit like zombies!

Beginning of the Bloomin'

Last week was incredible gorgeous --! Temperatures in the 70s, sun shining, and the trees and flowers begining their colorful display.

As I walked around campus I found the red maples in full magenta bloom, the Bradford pears a luscious white, spirea and forsythia in bloom, and the pink/purple of the loropedalum also in bloom.

I had time to sketch a few of these before heading to the airport for my visit to my mom's.

Beginning of the Bloomin

Beginning of the Bloomin

Mardi Gras

With the focus this week on preparations for Lent and the Mardi Gras in Italy (and elsewhere--New Orleans), I decided to sketch a Mardi Gras mask. This one is a from a photo of a Ventian Mardi Gras mask.

Fat Tuesday

Fat Tuesday is the day before Lent begins--the day one cleans one's home of all the rich and wonderful things we typically indulge in as we prepare for the 40 day Lenten season when many folks fast and sacrifice some of the things they love as part of their preparations for Lent. I typically give up sweets, and as such, that means on the day before Lent begins I seek one of my favorite desserts -- cannoli!

Since I was working outside of any area that typically carries this favorite of mine, I had (big GRIN here) to settle for a Cold Stone Coffee Lovers ice cream !! But I did miss the cannoli and so sketched this from a photo.

List Mania (hats off to Pomegranates and Paper)

My friend, Loretta, has begun a "List Friday." This Friday's list topic is "Arts and Crafts." But not those crafts we do NOW! Nope, these are, in her words, to be "the silliest, funniest, most extravagant, outrageous, and simple arts & crafts."

So Loretta, since I will be sans computer on Friday, here are mine a day early:

* Embroidery and crewel on every stitch of clothing I owned, jeans, sweatshirts, blouses, jackets. FLOWER POWER to be sure!

* Gum Wrapper Chains - HUNDREDS of feet long! Whatever did we do with those??

* Stretch Looped potholders - Doesn't every female begin their lives with these??

* Crochet teen doll clothes - hats, scarves, sweaters - in the teeniest of sizes

* Leather chains - those flat, thin pieces of leather than you crossed over and over each loop to make a square thingy for key rings and such

* Tissue paper flowers -- OH YEAH!

* Whatever those 4-pronged plastic gizmos are (I still see them every once in a while, and some were fashioned from discarded wooden spools), where one "sort of knits" by wrapping yarn around the spool and pulling one loop over the other to create a round tube of sorts that comes out of the hole in the spool and which one fashions into rugs or circles or whatever. Yep -- did that a LOT!

* Paper dolls and all their paper clothing, all housed in cigar boxes.

I'm sure there are more that I can't recall at the moment ... but here you go -- flashback to the 60s!

Mini Reunion

It's going up to 80F degrees today -- YEAH!!! Already things around me are blooming like mad - Bradford pears, forsythia, spirea, daffodils, red maples ... man ... the show has begun!

My sisters live in New York, my mom, in Florida. We try at least once a year, to all get together for a few days. This year, my sisters and I are flying to Florida to be with my mom and attend the Strawberry Festival near Tampa. I leave for Fl this afternoon -- so I'll be a bit quiet without a computer ... I'll get back Sunday night .... and try to scan whatever I have time to sketch.

I hear NY is going to have a snowstorm this afternoon!! so I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that my sisters can make it out of LGA on time to get to Florida for our 2 day mini family reunion ....

Have a great w/e everyone! (and I hope to too!) lol

Lin

Another Portrait Attempt

Trying again to get closer to sketching a likeness. BIG SIGH!

EDM #56 Self Portrait

The Everyday Matters Group has set this week's challenge as a 'self portrait.' OH MY GOSH! I've tried this before with horrible results.

The chatter on the list was about the difficulty of this challenge, which it definitely is. But undeterred (or just plain INSANE) I decided to ATTEMPT yet another portrait of me. SIGH.

To add to the challenge, I'm away from home and sans scanner and leaving to visit my sisters and Mom and thus will be away from a scanner until AFTER the week's challenge.

So, I decided, what the heck -- SOMEONE has to be risky -- maybe if I got this posted, everyone could have a good laugh and realize that their portraits couldn't be worse, and maybe we'd all do several of these and get better at it.

So here it is, in all it's simplicity and error ... and a pix of me to compare. Remember, I only have a camera to take a photo, it's dead dark outside, and I promise to attempt more of these to improve.

And hey, someone's gotta be brave!

EDM#18 - View OF and FROM my Window

The theme for Kate's online alumni group for March is windows. In keeping with with finishing the EDM challenges, I decided to sketch both the view OF my window (my office window) AND a bit of what's OUT the window (the woods). I sketched this in pencil to try (SIGH) to capture the lace curtains (got a LOT to learn there!! LOL) and a bit of the tree trunks I can see when I'm siting at the computer. It's not very obvious I think, but I've tried to capture the plaid cushion on this window seat I infrequently sit in to read or view the birds at the feeder. I scanned my sketch and darkened the lines in Photoshop Elements. Then changed the color of the lines to sepia just for fun.