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I'm enjoying the new-to-me wildflowers here and have been taking photos to look them up in field guides. On the left is Vanilla Leaf (though I can't tell that it smells like vanilla), and on the right are flowers that just popped out all over the place. At home I would say Forget-me-nots, but I can't find quite the right identification in the small field guide where I'm staying. I'll have to stop in a ranger station at some point and do further research. But I love the blue and pink combination.
It was an unexpectedly gorgeous day yesterday. Sunny, warm (I walked in a tank top, which has not happened here before), and beckoning. I'd turned in a bunch of work for the editors' meeting the day before for the book project, so I gave myself a day off, packed a picnic, and headed to Rockport State Park. Mr. Darcy and I worked our way around several different trails (it's not a big park, but there's nice variety), ending up at a picnic table overlooking the river and mountains. I carried my book as well as lunch and sketching gear, and we had a lovely, relaxing middle of the day.
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I went up Mt. Erie (to the mild dismay of my hill-challenged Prius) on a rare gorgeous morning to sketch the view. I'm hoping to do something from these sketches, but even if it doesn't pan out, it was a lovely site to visit. I was huddled in a down coat as I worked. I keep hoping spring will arrive in Washington. We've seen a few lovely flashes of it, and the wildflowers keep coming out, so perhaps I will be able to sketch without chill here soon. In the meantime, I have plenty of indoor work on the prints going along as well.
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This is a poem by Jude Dippold that I illustrated in my journal for fun. Most of my work continues to be the book project that I can't show yet. It was nice to step away from the prints for a little and just do something for myself.
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Most of my working time is going to the book project, but the sun coming out the other day necessitated a break to enjoy that rare event. I'd been wanting to sketch the carpet of dandelions in the meadow at Rasar State Park anyway, so Mr. Darcy and I took a break and headed there. It was windy enough to make painting difficult, but it was lovely to sit in the sunshine a bit.
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Friday we went to Deception Pass beach. It's the third absolutely stunning Washington State Park I've spent time in lately. It's a rock beach (and I love those) with a gorgeous view. We walked and rock hunted, and I sketched two quick watercolors. I'd love to go back on another nice day. Part of the joy was just sitting in the sunshine after so many rainy and cloudy days.
Jude Dippold took a photo of me sketching that captures the color and pattern of the place, as well as the peace.
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As well as Rockport, my early love of a park here in Washington, I've been taking walks at Rasar State Park. It's about 8 miles in the other direction from Rockport, so both are quite easy for daily walks. Rasar has more changeable scenery and is flatter, which lets me do my brisk powerwalking without as much danger of turning an ankle.
The topography goes from wooded trails to river beach to mountain meadow, all of which are lovely. I stopped and sketched along my walk the other day, and I will definitely go back to paint further as the weather allows.
The topography goes from wooded trails to river beach to mountain meadow, all of which are lovely. I stopped and sketched along my walk the other day, and I will definitely go back to paint further as the weather allows.
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I got a perfect afternoon in the Badlands of South Dakota today. I'm heading across the country to Washington State, and it was a gorgeous afternoon to stop. Plus it was early enough that almost no one was there. I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful afternoon. The place is transporting. It's hard to believe it can exist even as you're standing in the midst of it. To top it all off, and afternoon moon was hanging low over the rocks.
Mr. Darcy has been unsure about this whole traveling thing, but he's decided he likes having his own hotel bed, and he was utterly fascinated by the prarie dogs today. He also just looked good against the backdrop of the Badlands.
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I got to spend one lovely night at one of my favorite places on earth recently and catch up with old friends there. It was great to sit and paint the mountains before breakfast with a pot of tea.
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My friend Mark Goshorn Jones was shooting a movie short at the Annesdale Snowden mansion in Memphis not long ago and invited me to sketch on site. I submitted a sketch for my sketch feature in the Daily News, but I stayed a while and had a good time doing several sketches. Here is the full set. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the cameras and working action with the grand old house.
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I've had rotating house guests lately, plus my sister has been in town, mostly for our annual dance weekend (which explains my recent silence here). I managed a hat trick of teas/chai out being festive with people and sketched all three. It's nice to have happy memories in my journal.
