30 Day Flower Challenge.

 

I'm still in learning mode. This is from a lesson my Annie Mertlich. I don't know how I feel about being this loose. But the movement and colors are nice. 

High Metabolism Bird

 

30 Day Flower Challenge Fiddle Faddle

 

I am taking a watercolor class and this is the result or lesson. Not exactly my style but it was good to learn about mixing colors and figuring out what I should copy and what I should add of my own. This is definitely a combination. I am happy to say I am learning, and that is what counts. 

Flying Above

I starting taking a water color course in hopes of painting better flowers. This was from a value study. I learned quite a bit about soft edges and trees. This painting brings up so many emotions about beauty and being alone. I thought that it paired well with this Irish Tune that Joe Donavan sent me. 

"The Parting Glass"

Of all the money e'er I spent
I've spent it in good company
And all the harm I've ever did
Alas it was to none but me
And all I've done for want of wit
To memory now I can't recall
So fill to me the parting glass
Good night and joy be with you all

If I had money enough to spend
And leisure time to sit awhile
There is fair maid in the town
That surely has my heart beguiled
Her rosy cheeks and ruby lips
I own she has my heart enthralled
So fill to me the parting glass
Good night and joy be with you all

Oh, all the comrades e'er I had
They are sorry for my going away
And all the sweethearts e'er I had
They wish me one more day to stay
But since it fell unto my lot
That I should rise and you should not
I gently rise and softly call
Good night and joy be with you all
Good night and joy be with you all 

 

30 Day Flower Challenge Lily Pads of Richmond Pond

 

Last night I went to see an Avant-Garde Dance troupe at Meany Hall in Seattle. Inspired by Mark Morris and his dancers, I took the playbill home and cut it up to make these dancing lily pads of Richmond Pond. Where sat my parent’s summer cabin in the Berkshires.  I played there for over 35 summers. It’s a place I return to in my mind when I seek meaning and solace. During the day I would paddle in our inflatable canoe around the lilies which meant curiosity could arise at a moment’s notice And observation could take a front seat while restless body would have a job to do keeping me moving through the cool blue waters. During the nights we went to see the famous Berkshires summer music, dance and theatre. Just like last night, it was the best life had to offer. 

30 Day Flower Challenge. Sea Flower

 I took a break from painting to spend the day with my grandson, Mateo. We went to the aquarium.

The anemone looks a lot like a sea flower non?

30 Day Challenge. Splish Splash of Color

 I perpetually ask myself this question. Why are you wasting your time? Is your art a Passion or an Obsession? Is this a security blanket or an unhealthy attachment? Surely there are more valuable things to do in life. Perhaps a little more reading, writing, house cleaning, yoga, help someone in need? Perhaps a job at home depot? I tell myself I can stop anytime, but I don’t. Instead I listen to the leaves rustle in the morning, look at the various hues of green and yellow out my window, watch the clouds and just immerse myself in the morning quiet. I’ve always been a dreamer. My mother told me my head is “toujours dans la lune.” And now after a life of fighting the dreaming, I have become a first class drifter. Swept away by beauty. Finding bits of focus then grabbing my arsenal of tools that scatter my desk to try once more and capture the moment. 

30 Day flower Challenge. Hellebore - A Winter's Joy

Hellebore a winter joy - This watercolor was created with a paint-along-you-tube from the de winton paper co. You tube tutorials are awesome. My hats off to all those amazing teachers willing to share what they learn. And so much is for free. 

 

Here the stamens are in their glory. They are massive, long and showy. This is the only winter blooming plant in the Seattle area and by now they are getting ready to fall away until next winter.

 I did take a look in my own garden and found a hellebore still in bloom. The stamens are gone and now only the fused pistils are there, getting ready to bare its seed.

30 Day Challenge Cosmos

 

In honor of the cosmic universe, I give you cosmos to celebrate the eternal gift of now.

30 Day Flower Challenge Calla Lilies for Good Friday

 

I did this with the help of a you tube tutorial. I am wondering if it is time to take a real class with this teacher Maria Racynska. She has pays great attention to detail and I think I could learn a lot. The goal of the month has been to improve my water color skills. And I feel the progress happening. Good teachers multiply time and effort. 

It  was a good day, Alex and I spent time in the back yard preparing a raised bed for tomatoes, squash and green beans. We rode through the day with the promise of spring at our heels. 

30 Day Flower Challenge. The Calla Lily

 

I think this may be a case where the still life set up is better than the art work. Clearly I copied the model all the way. But my imagination is rock bottom when it comes to dressing up people. I don't know why those sort of details bore me to death. Although when I see good outfits on other characters I go crazy in love with them. 

What I like about this composition is that the man has made himself small to better appreciate the details. .   Is he swept away by her beauty? Or a botanist and filled with questions. 

I don't know what to do because I feel the same way. Do I study the science or enjoy the beauty? I certainly feel that both could feed each other.  But a good diagram demands the art be informative. And art that asks the viewer to enter the see beauty that should NOT be too informative. This is like a map vs the landscape. Both have different purposes. 

Over the years taxonomy has taken on more complication in hopes of achieving greater accuracy. Family, Genus Species isn't enough. Now we need Clades and Tribes! 

30 Day Challenge A Pansy for Steve

 A Pansy for my brother Steve.

RIP in 2009. He took his own life and I just wonder if he new how much he was loved. Life isn't just about the beautiful and whimsical. You are not alone if you struggle with your humanity. True we are amazing but we are also a hot mess. He loved flowers and it was something that we both enjoyed talking about. He was a member of the Mensa society and was indeed quite knowledgeable about botany. I am not such a member, and in fact as I get older I struggle to learn new things. But for some reason Botany calls and I am responding.

30 Day Challenge It's show time!

 

30 Day Flower Challenge Day 9

 

Violets with out a cause. 

30 Day Flower Challenge Day 8. Sweet Violets

 

My dad's idea of the perfect flower is the violet.

On my 21rst Birthday Alex took me to Tavern on the Green in Central Park. By far the nicest restaurant I had ever stepped into thus far in my young life. My dad phoned  me at the restaurant. Back in 1977 that meant that the waiter would lug over a phone, cord and all to the table. He said he sent over some Violets and they would arrive shortly and that he loved me very much. I felt like a princess. 

 

They never came, but that didn't matter. It was the thought that counted.

 

Now the wild variety grows in my yard. If you are from the NW you might think of them as a weed. But for me they are confirmation of my Royal Veins.

30 Day Flower Challenge Day 7 The Primose

I dragged this pot of Primroses from my front porch. They have been in bloom since late January. I thought I would observe and paint them. Primroses are such troopers. Wilth the bulk of annuals waiting until the good weather, these hold their bloom in the cold. 

 

 

My mother gave me primroses  the day after my son Keir was born. She went to take a walk and  probably pick them up at a gift shop. It was September and although out of season, nursery's find ways to force their bloom. Coming from a family of five childen getting a gift from mom was special. I cherished the plants for months. Until the very last bloom fell off. Then I was at a loss of how to get them to keep blooming.

 

These primroses will head back to the front porch and will no doubt be tossed in May and supplanted with geraniums that come out around Mothers' Day. So be it. 

30 Day Flower Challenge. Day 6 Hocus Pocus Crocus

 

30 Day Flower Challenge Day 5

 

Petunias

30 Day Flower Challenge Day 4

 

30 Day Flower Challenge Day 3

 

Early Bloomer

30 Day Flower Challenge Day 2 Spring Fling with the Five Petal Flower.

 

I have no idea of the variety here. I just painted these flower following a tutorial on  you tube. I like the loose look and papery feel. Below is a list of possible five petal beauties

1. Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus)
2. Prince's Pine (Chimaphila umbellata)
3. Swamp Candle (Lysimachia terrestris)
4. Forget-Me-Not
5. Baby Blue Eyes
6. Columbine Flower (Aquelegia canadensis)
7. Sandwort (Arenaria grandiflora)
8. Four O'Clock (Mirabilis jalapa)
9. Hibiscus
10. Plumeria
11. Lenten Rose (Plumeria acuminata)

30 Day Flower Challenge Day 1

 

Here is a morning glory.The first of what I hope to be many flowers for the month of April. 

Family Convolvulaceae

It is a funnel flower with a star like pattern

made up of 5 united petals

5 separate sepals

The leaves alternate

The ovary superior

There are over 1,600 varieties world wide.

 Growing up in Maryland, my mother had morning glories just next to the railing of our  front porch. They trailed all the way up white string to the top of the porch providing the perfect amount of dappled shade. She shared with us her fascination for their opening in the morning and closing at night. Th morning shade buffered the hot easter sun and the closing at night allowed for the last rays to touch our faces.  She took great pleasure showing them to all of  her five children and even to the neighbors who passed by.  We in turn were quite proud of the display as well.

I can still remember standing in the dappled sun just behind the backdrop of open flowers. It was morning and my mom was having her very hot strong coffee and admiring this plant. I would look at each bud and watch the way it tangled itself around the string. They were plentiful. Audacious even.

When I moved to the Seattle area, I was told they were weeds. It's so wet and lush here that it is true what they say. I see them growing on the side of the road and on top of other plants. I have even gotten rid of a few vines myself. But secretly I want to grow them again, Have them vine up my back porch to remind me of this precious childhood memory. 

I have many memories of hanging out on that front porch. It faced South and I would see  rolling hills beyond the single row of houses that stood opposite our street. We grew mint on one end of the porch and had a rose bushes as well.  My brothers Luke and Steve loved plants as much as I did. Steve even earned a degree in botany. 

Four Corners Knocked

 Our  3500 mile trip in a nut shell. The destination was the four corners area which encompassed the Navajo reservation, many many ruins of the early native populations, a 50,000 year old crater and geology stretching back as far as 500 million years ago. Paleontologist have been having a field days for generations. There was no shortage of fossiles anywhere. It as certainly more than I could absorb in a few short weeks. 

Our first stop was in Baker CIty. I just had a little bit of time to sketch myself in front of the hotel mirror. I am afraid that I had little time to sketch much more during the trip. Everyday was jammed with exploration. I am going to try and make up for it now that I am home. But we all know how that goes. A trip soon becomes a memory.

 The next morning we stoped at the Bear River Wild Migratory Refuge out side of Brigham City.

It was just hovering over freezing but the birds were out there. Many swans, herons and all manner of ducks. I was able to sketch two American Coots  from a photograph later that night in my much warmer room. 

Arches National Park was a real treat. These old sea beds made from sandstone were uplifted in long fins. And then worn away by the wind. I felt as if I entered a time traveling zone. From a mere 100 year human life span to a millions of years life of a rock span. 

Luke was whispering joyful sounds to me from this formation.

I could see a mother Dachshund dog and her pup going nose to nose. 

What do you see?

All morning, while walking the arches trails I wanted to stop and sketch. Finally in the afternoon when the clouds brought a sizable rain/hail/sleet storm, I sat in my car and spent 15 minutes on a quick sketch. I drew what I could see. No matter the result, it was a good break.

After Moab we took a ride to the canyon lands. We hiked the Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah.

A great hike full of surprise. It was cold but we dressed to stay warm. The Dead horse part is too sad to write about, but I am sure you could look it up. 

On our way we stopped at Canyons of the Ancients in a ruin called Painted Hands. And yes we did find the painted hands pictographs. They are not easy to find but it is always a thrill when I find them.

We stayed in Mancos to spend a few days in Mesa Verde

It snowed outside our cabin. What a delight to just hang out and watch the still shadows cover the snow.

Sketching is a way of mediating. Again 15 minutes was all the luxury I took. 

Mesa Verde had a wonderful 10 mile loop of many ruins spanning several hundred years. We only saw a small portion of the park. There was so much to see and just not enough time to see it all. 

Sketching the Sand Island Petroglyphs

Here is an artists rendition of petroglyphs for sale in a gallery in Sedona

And here is a sample of a petroglyph we saw on our trip. This one was from the petrified national forest.

Here are two photos from our stop in Monument Valley

Canyon de Chelly was a great stop. We were lucky enough to find a Navajo Guide. He took us into a canyon that his mother owned land in. The hike was tough but doable.

A stop to see the Barringer Crater and what is left was left of the offending a meteor that crashed to the ground 50,000 years ago. A highlight for me because the information was so well presented. I was especially pleased to find out that the meteor contained 91 of elements that we find on the periodic table. Proof that the universe is full of the same stuff as planet earth. Home just got a whole lot bigger.

Artisically this trip was a flop. I find it really hard to stop and sketch for any more than 15 minutes. We have places to go! And things to learn. But I did prioritize daily yoga and writing in a journal. I also spent quite a bit of time at night learning about the places we explored. Geology and Anthropology were the most interesting topics. Without a doubt, my curiosity is peaked and I hope to continue my studies of this fascinating area. I am hoping to find more down time on our next trip. Maybe next time I could actually write about what I learned. In the day of so much information at our fingertips I honestly don't know what I could add. 

The last leg of our trip is worth posting.  Utah is mostly on the Colordo plateau, but when we headed into Nevada we began our journey through the basin and range. Which are long flat basins, punctuated by fault block mountains. We stopped at the Great Basin National Park and went on a cave tour and then a snow shoe hike, both on the same day. It is a gem of a park and I hope to return in the summer sometime. We were at an 8500 ft elevation so the summer heat would be quite bearable. Behind me is Wheeler Peak. 

And this is a photo fo the Lehman Caves. A well known cave for over a century. 

We were able to eat most of our own home cooked meals from our car's freezer/fridge. But we did have to eat out towards the end. And the choices were pretty bad. So our big surprise was stopping in Boise on the way home. Alex found a Tapas Bar and here he looks like he died and went to heaven. 

Grandma and Grandpa couldn't be happier.