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I have a pleasant enough view out of my kitchen window, but I don't think of it as particularly paintable. In Concrete, however, there are tall and graceful cedars. One morning was mid 40's and a bit drizzly, so I decided that painting from life but indoors with tea was the perfect solution to getting in a day's work.
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I took another hike in Rockport the other day and tried a new and lovely trail before coming back around to the Evergreen one. I'm going to have to do some more serious painting in there, but in the meantime, here are two sketches from my journal.
I fell in love with this enormous, dancing cedar tree and had been thinking about it. The second time past I had to stop and sketch. I may go back out with oils as well.
I fell in love with this enormous, dancing cedar tree and had been thinking about it. The second time past I had to stop and sketch. I may go back out with oils as well.
Here is a photo of me painting at Rockport that Jude Dippold took.
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Jude took me to Hilt Run waterfall yesterday. It's a mad scramble down a slope to get a good view, and I'm only just learning to use poles. It was raining a little as I painted, and then I had to close the book to put it in my pocket for the climb back out, so all my nice white areas got splotchy. Watercolor just doesn't dry at all quickly in the humidity here. I do at least have this memory in my journal, though it's not as pristine as I would like.
The lower part of the falls is 90 feet, and it was stunning to sit there and drink it in. Here's a short video I took so you can hear the water.
The lower part of the falls is 90 feet, and it was stunning to sit there and drink it in. Here's a short video I took so you can hear the water.
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We took the ferry today as a day trip to San Juan island. It's a bit over an hour's ride, and it's utterly beautiful. The ferry weaves between tiny humps of islands that dance on the water. I sketched almost nonstop. Here are the full set of sketches from the outbound trip.
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The trees at Rockport State Park in Washington State have been calling to me. I came back out this time with a set of oil paints, a portable easel, and other on site painting equipment. I've done pastel and watercolor plein air painting for years, and all of my work begins with at least a sketch from life, but I haven't done oils on site since I was in college. The richness of the forest, though, made me decide to try. I set up and did two quick ones this afternoon from the easy trail next to the ranger station.
They're both quite small. 10x11" paper or so. I'm hoping I can get them back home with me on the airplane. I'll be leaving all the gear, however, for my longer trip this spring, once I get my show done and seminary work in a good place.
Here's my set up as I was cleaning up. The brushes are back in their holder already, but you can see the rest. I was sitting on the ground because my lightweight travel easel isn't tall enough for me to stand. I'll try to bring the French box back with me later, but it's too heavy to hike terribly far with. It would be nice to have options though.
Here's my set up as I was cleaning up. The brushes are back in their holder already, but you can see the rest. I was sitting on the ground because my lightweight travel easel isn't tall enough for me to stand. I'll try to bring the French box back with me later, but it's too heavy to hike terribly far with. It would be nice to have options though.
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I'm in Concrete, WA, again painting and working on some illustrations as well as having a little much needed vacation time. I started the trip off well with lots of tea. Since I left 73 degree weather for 37 degree weather, it seemed called for.
5b's bakery here is delightful and does a pot of tea just right, which is rare. They also have a quite lovely cinnamon roll, and it's a beautiful place to sit.
It's been rainy, but I got some landscape sketches in today as research for the book illustrations I'm working on. I'll post them when I get them scanned in. In the meantime, I also visited Sauk Pottery, a local potter who uses enormous wood fired kilns that hold 300 pieces each. Just amazing. Not surprisingly to anyone who knows me, I also bought a tea cup.
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The Memphis Urban Sketchers met at Rhodes college in their gorgeous library on Saturday. I'm a sucker for celestial imagery, and I love their ceiling with stars and the crescent moon. It's a lovely spot to sit, with big windows and big comfortable chairs.
Elizabeth Alley and I ended up sketching each other simultaneously, which was neat when we compared notes later and realized.
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I am having so much fun doing oils again. I'm doing them on paper, which is more immediate than canvas. It's a firm surface you can leave bare, draw on, wipe back down to white. Elizabeth Alley said Saturday at our Memphis Urban Sketchers group that it's more like drawing, which is exactly right. After all the deep patience printmaking requires, it's fun to just be able to play with paint again and not worry about technical issues.
Above is Deception Pass in Washington State, from my favorite journal sketch of the trip out there before Christmas.
The self portraits have me thinking about both Hopper and Wyeth. I pulled out my books on both of them and did a quick sketch of the book in my lap and Mr. Darcy on my feet. I think I'll call it "Self Portrait under Book and Dog."
The last is from an old journal sketch I really like and that keeps calling my name to do something with. It's from a special place I go and paint sometimes over in North Carolina.
Above is Deception Pass in Washington State, from my favorite journal sketch of the trip out there before Christmas.
The self portraits have me thinking about both Hopper and Wyeth. I pulled out my books on both of them and did a quick sketch of the book in my lap and Mr. Darcy on my feet. I think I'll call it "Self Portrait under Book and Dog."
The last is from an old journal sketch I really like and that keeps calling my name to do something with. It's from a special place I go and paint sometimes over in North Carolina.
I'll have a bunch of these in my spring show "Autobiography" at WKNO.
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I finished printing the first batch of "Midnight" this morning. The print is based on a journal sketch I did of Amanda Parer's art installation Intrude at the Brooks Museum in Memphis. I did a number of color tests on this one and ended up with a lighter sky and paper. I had thought that perhaps a darker gray would be nice, but it didn't pop as much.
I was completely enchanted with this lit up installation. I have a major illustration project in house right now for the national Presbyterian Church, and I have a show to hang March 1, and all my brain can think is "BUNNIES!! I want to make art about BUNNIES." You can see that I caved. Sometimes you just have to go with what's calling your name at that moment.
Here are the color tests I did.
I was completely enchanted with this lit up installation. I have a major illustration project in house right now for the national Presbyterian Church, and I have a show to hang March 1, and all my brain can think is "BUNNIES!! I want to make art about BUNNIES." You can see that I caved. Sometimes you just have to go with what's calling your name at that moment.
Here are the color tests I did.
And here is the original sketch.
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I am so enjoying the Intrude exhibition at Brooks by Amanda Parer. It delights me. Mr. Darcy and I stopped to sketch again yesterday on our way home from the forest. I like the nocturne better, but it was fun to do this one as well.
For some serious happiness, treat yourself to two minutes of Bard Cole's marvelous video of the bunnies, beautifully edited and set to music. He caught me there sketching, but of course Mr. Darcy is the real star of that small clip. Thanks to WKNO for putting this out.
For some serious happiness, treat yourself to two minutes of Bard Cole's marvelous video of the bunnies, beautifully edited and set to music. He caught me there sketching, but of course Mr. Darcy is the real star of that small clip. Thanks to WKNO for putting this out.