Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving this year was spent at my Dad's house. This is his barn. This painting was done in the summer, I do not remember if I posted it when I made it.  At one point I did some research to see if there are resources available to help them fix the roof.  If they lived in Iowa they would have some options, but in Minnesota, not really.  

We have had a wonderful time here with my siblings and their families and friends.  I think we had 18 for the big meal.  My stepmother really went all out.  Soon it will be time for the long drive home.

Amnity Creek 2013

This is not done, but it is all I have at the moment. I was glad this bridge survived the flood last year.  I did this painting almost a week ago.  This past week has been a bit crazy. Not sure how or if I will get caught up, but I am thankful that my challenges are only related to time, not anything more serious.

Water and Time

On my way home from the Conference in Duluth, I stopped at Jay Cooke State Park.  The swinging bridge that was washed out a year ago is repaired. I felt like a kid walking across it again. I was excited to be able to get across the river again to places that were forbidden this past summer.  This spot that I painted using only gray is one of my favorites.  The water falling into a bowl shaped rock and splashing out again forms an unusual shape.  It seems to defy gravity.  It has been almost 5 years since I painted this spot, I think.  It struck me as profound how over the past 5 years I have had many anxieties, joys, struggles, projects... but this spot...has remained.  It is different water but it looks the same.  As I remembered memory after memory, it occurred to me that this spot during that time looked just like this.  The exception would be during the flood.  Here it is back to the way it was.

Forgetfulness

Anxious to get outside while the daylight lasted.  Found a great spot by the big lake.  Rocks, water, a very cool twisty tree.  Pulled out my paper, brushes, paint....water? No water container. Luckily I had a pen.

Earlier this week I was having a hard time motivating myself to do the basic daily stuff of life.  Balance is lacking.  I have had some art time, now my attention needs to shift to all the things that have been neglected or more forgetfulness will probably follow.

I have lots of great talks with friends lately.  In between those great talks I have had alone time.  That back and forth between alone and not alone has been just what I needed.

Frontenac leaves in blue

I started this about a year ago when I went on a painting trip by myself to southeastern Minnesota.  Frontenac State Park was beautiful. I walked and walked and walked. The River was far below.

Today I saw the artist Cheng Khee Chee talk and demonstrate what he called "monkey painting".  Let the colors go where they will and then pull out part that looks like something and add details.  I thought it looked like so much fun.  Actually it was just the right mix of fun and challenge.  Now I am about to bring some of my work to the DECC in Duluth to sell.  I am feeling inadequate.  Especially after seeing a master at work.  I am where I am.  I have to remember that.  I did not publicize this sale because I did not know what to expect.  It is at the Art Educators of Minnesota convention.  Here I go.

Lunchtime

I was able to take a walk at lunchtime today.  The morning meeting was a good, productive meeting although the conversation included a wide variety of topics going in many different directions, sort of like the branches of this tree.

On Sunday,

I was at church for both services because my kids are in bell choir.  I saw them ring at the first service, so during second service I sat in the comfy green chair in the library and drew my purse.  This is how far I got in the time I was sitting there.

I enjoyed doing that.  I was in the zone, just watching the picture appear on the paper.  Hopefully I can practice this more to build up my attention span.  At this point I was ready to stop.

Unfinished Sepia Tree

This is one I started yesterday.  It is going to take a lot of frisket to finish.  I wonder if there is a better way.

Escape from Traffic

People who live near me might recognize this spot.  Our area has had lots of traffic issues lately.  Wouldn't it be nice to just pull off the road and sit by the water for awhile?

I finally used the new jar of frisket I bought about a week ago.  Love it.  No more trying to paint around things.

Leaves on a glass table

The leaves on the glass tabletop cast a shadow on the cross bar a few inches below.  The stick looks like a person to me.  

I put drawing ahead of my job today.  Finally.  I was in the car on my way to school to try to get some things done.  It was such a beautiful day.  I drove past school to a park and found a lovely spot near a bridge over a stream.  I stayed there until I was good and ready to go to school.  I only worked at school for about an hour.  I will deal with the consequences on Monday.  I plan to start ink drawing with 5th grade.  I have taught the lesson before, but I will need to prepare the supplies when I get to school Monday morning.  All will be well as long as I remain healthy and no crisis arises that causes me to need to call a sub.

A little tea pot

I've said it before and I'll say it again.  If I wanttobe a person who exercises and creates art I need to exercise and create some art.  

October 23, 2013

No words today

Throw Away

The volume of clutter in my house has been an issue for some time now.  I am making an attempt today to get rid of as much as I can.  This is something I made in architecture class in about 1988.  I really enjoyed making it and I still like how it looks but it takes up space.  Now I have a photo of it and that is enough.  

Hopefully others in my family will be inspired to also get rid of clutter.  It is not all mine, but I can make a positive impact.

San Francisco de Asis...again

Not quite sure what material this is either.  Some color sticks I had around the house.  Colored pencil, I think.  I promised myself I would draw today.  Kept that promise.

San Francisco de Asis Church in Taos

I worked from a photograph I took when I was there in June.  Light and shadow on simple forms is fun for me.  I'm still working out the texture and how the edges come together.  I found that the two colors do not behave the same.  The black is charcoal.  The brown is some sort of conte crayon.  I do not have the cardboard from the package anymore, just the plastic tray that they both came in.  Why package them together if they do not work well together?  

Trying this again in another medium would be a good thing.

No sketchbook handy

I can only do what I can do.

Backyard, day 1

Usually I do not sit in the backyard.  It is overgrown and not many nice places to sit.  There is a large fallen tree that has been there since we moved in.  It has moss and little plants growing on it.

There were some things about the way I painted the first one that I would do differently.  I started a second one, but decided that was enough for one day.

Long car ride

I never seem to have uninterrupted time of more than an hour or so lately.  Yesterday I was in the car for a two-and-a-half hour ride.  I made this picture on the iPad.  It is from my imagination.  I still enjoy pictures of water.  It is more interesting if there are rocks to force the water to change its path.

Edinburgh Castle

I'm glad I made myself do some sketching today.

I hope to do more art tomorrow.

Sketch of leaves

I just like to draw leaves.  I did not want another day to go by without time to draw or paint, so I made this sketch in the few minutes I have before I set out for the day.

Como Park Waterfall, sort of.

I did not think it important to make it look like the scene before me.  What was important was that I was outside painting.  I tried to just enjoy the process without judging the result.  Now that it is done, I can look at it and say that I want to use some of those same techniques again, but not the rocks.  I overdid the rocks again.  I really liked the first layer, but now they look too outlined.  

I was in Como Conservatory a couple hours ago.  I love it there, but it is too crowded and hot to paint.

Free Day

I am finding myself with some unscheduled time and no car today, so I am sitting on the deck enjoying this glorious morning.  I wanted to draw but don't feel like drawing trees and leaves today.  I have drawn my hands and feet many times before.  I looked around and decided to draw my reading glasses and journal with Sudoku pages stuck inside.  My need to make an appointment with the eye doctor is in the back of my mind.  I'm pretty sure that will mean prescription glasses.  It is hard to accept.

Near Hexham, UK

The landscape of northern England is so beautiful.  Rolling hills, fields edged with trees, simple buildings.  I hope to go back there someday.

Yesterday I went to a memorial service and art show of a former colleague.  I wish I had known her better, I think we would have had a lot to talk about.  ideas described at the service about spirituality and art rang true with me.  Her art was personal and varied.  Time is so short.  No time to agonize over whether or not this is the best use of my time.  It is a good use of time, and that is enough.  Sharing art and ideas is a good use of time.

Maya!

My kids both recognized this sketch as the dog from the bed and breakfast we stayed at in Edinburgh.  That made me happy.

Boy Scout camp

My son and husband are at Boy Scout camp.  I was there also for one day and night.  I enjoyed seeing what camp was like, and hanging out with my son in that setting.  When he was off doing merit badge work, I sat in a lovely spot by a pond and painted.  For a while there were some scouts on the other side of the pond working on an ecology badge.  

Later I sat by the fire pit in the campsite and painted the path to the latrine.  

Scouting is a good thing for my son, but I do feel uneasy about sending my son to a place with a name that refers to Native Americans without having anything to do with the Native community.  The same is true of the school he attends.  Should I be doing something about this?  I think many people would agree that the names should change, but probably most people are not willing to take action.  I'm not sure that I am willing to take on that fight either.   Maybe it could be part of someone's Eagle Scout project.  That Eagle Scout name could change too.  Girl Scouts call the highest level the Gold Award.  I think that is better.

Clutter

Trying to attack the clutter today.  Yesterday I helped a friend with her clutter and found myself motivated to do the same at home.  I planned to post paintings from the other day, but ran out of time.  There's always tomorrow.

Big Ben, Bill and David

We were gone for most of July on Holiday.  I was too tired to paint or draw most of the time.  It was a good tired.  We saw so many wonderful things.  I was glad the kids had the experience of navigating London and the British Rail system.  And I am glad we made it home safely.  These two are already off again at Boy Scout camp.  I visited the camp yesterday and painted a bit while I was there.  I plan to post those pictures tomorrow.

7 leaves

I finished this one while at Johnson's cabin.  Great time with part of the church family.  Storms added some excitement.  I hope everyone is able to get their homes and routines back to normal soon.  We have a friend staying with us who is without power.  So glad they are safe.

Can't win 'em all

I went for a walk the other day, about two miles.  It was a lovely day.  I paused to paint as I walked through Snail Lake Park.  There was not much of a view, but that was fine because I wanted to focus on something close up.  I closed up the paper block before it was dry and the tip of the one leaf is now messed up.  

I find my attention span is getting shorter.  I bought a smaller block of watercolor paper.  Even on the 7x10 paper I stopped before it felt done.  I think I just want to start it a different way.

Juniper Tree

This is the last New Mexico painting. It was almost time to head out to the airport, but I wanted to do one more quick painting. I do not know why Junipers grow all twisted like that but I really like that. It makes such interesting lines.

More San Juan Mountains

Here is a painting of the view from my mom's house minus the garden. Yucca plants, and small green plants with tiny yellow flowers and purple grassy plants grow here and there on their own in the dirt that matches the color raw sienna. There are also lots of Juniper trees, but not in this picture. I think Northwest New Mexico is lovely. One house in her neighborhood has a small patch of green grass and it looks out of place. When I came home again it was surprising to smell the rain and green-ness as soon as I stepped out of the car. It is too bad we can't send our extra rain their way.

Mom's Garden

My mom has a view of the San Juan Mountains in her backyard. She also has a garden that she works at pretty hard. The plants are not this big yet, but someday...

The warm, dry air, the cool mornings and evenings, perfect outside weather.

Island Lake Park and 694

Island Lake Park and 694

I'm getting ready for the Art and Garden Sale this Saturday.  I'm working with photos and inventory lists, stuff like that.  This is a painting I made back in '08 but never had it in a show because I thought I wrecked it when I put a huge tree on the left side that was too big and dark and threw off the balance.  The other day I cropped it so just a branch of the tree remains.  I like how the bridge turned out, and the suggestion of a car on the bridge.  Often I am on that bridge in my car wishing I was on the bench where I made this painting.

Imaginary landscape

Wasn't today fabulous? I walked near Island Lake and painted an oak tree. That painting is not ready to show anyone yet, but this what I painted on Wednesday when it was raining. I was so tired of all the gray outside I had to invent some color. This one is from my imagination but it reminds me of a park near my house.

Still life lesson

I managed to draw a little bit during class today. I like it when that happens. The para also made a great drawing.

Florida

I painted this while sitting in my father-in-law's backyard back in March. Finally we are having some similar weather here in Minnesota. I hope to have some container gardens around here soon.

Greeting cards

   

St. Ben's New Life and Old Moss

Island Lake Park Bridge

Side Lake Dock

Island Lake Fishers

Perfect Day

Locke Park Leaves

Orange Pansies

Shoreview Fisherman

Side Lake Beach

http://www.friendsofislandlake.org/

Here are the pictures I am currently using for greeting cards.  Contact me if you want to order.  They are $4 each or 3 for $10.  Shipping is $2 for orders under $20.  All orders placed before May 18 will be considered part of the "Friends of Island Lake: Plant and Garden Art Sale".
Use the link above for more information.

Comments on this blog are seen only by me until I publish them.  If you want to use the comment feature to give me your contact information that will work.  Of course I will not publish your contact information.  If I ever decide to make this more than a hobby I will get more professional about the ordering process.  For now I am just trying to help out this environmental cause.  They help to protect one of my favorite close-to-home painting spots.

Pine Springs Journey #1

There was no time in my day today to paint, so I am posting a watercolor I made last year but never posted (I think). This one will be in the Friends of Island Lake sale which is two weeks from today.

Pine Springs is where I lived when I was 4-6 years old. Now there is a bike path where the railroad tracks used to be. A common thing in Minnesota. The area looks nothing like I remember. There are lots of new huge houses and new roads. Of course there is change. There is always change.

We now have a new countertop in the kitchen. I am thrilled with that change. I spent the first half of today working at school. An example of a habit that needs to change. At least I now have a clean desk and some materials prepared for the coming week of classes.

And now I bring this post to a close and wonder...sleep?....or paint?...or?...