Simple Beauties
“Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the Earth are never alone or weary of life.” – Rachel Carson
I love the way small creatures find refuge in and on one another in the sea. Kelp, bryozoans, barnacles, mussels– life upon life, tangled and cemented together. Tossed up from the depths, it’s a pleasure to find these beauties within reach.
140lb Fabriano soft pressed paper; hand-made journal
Upcoming Program:
Drawn In
Sunday, October 23, 2016, 3pm, Free
North Chatham Library, 4287 Rte. 203, North Chatham, New York
I will be giving a presentation of my artwork as part of the library’s Arts & Literature lecture series. Take a look inside my sketchbooks and at my natural history illustrations and discover a world of color, inspiration, and a few surprises.
Drawn In 
Jean, your post is so lovely and restful and thoughtful! Thanks so much. Carolyn
Thanks Carolyn! Nice to hear. It’s such a simple page that I almost didn’t post it. But it’s been a hectic week and I haven’t managed much artwork. I’m about to dive in to some painting today!
Love this mussel with tiny barnacles and sea weed, and the quote is one of my favorites – so true. Hope you are enjoying a nice autumn Jean!
Thanks– That’s one of my favorite quotes, too. I just keep coming back to it. And I love to pair it with ocean life– a favorite of Rachel Carson.
Marine life is full of animals small and large, abandoned shell fish homes, drift wood, rocks small and large, sea weed and grass of all types, old ropes, broken colored glass, debris thrown out of boats and all the other stuff I didn’t mention. The other day we found a dead sea otter on a beach near where we live…I just couldn’t convince myself it would be a great subject to sketch…too sad. Sea objects are rich in color. Your sketch of the sea grass clinging to a rock with a few barnacles on it is lovely; I can visualize the grass waving with the current of the water. You’ve inspired me to do some beach sketching so if the weather is user friendly, I’ll walk the beach in a few days to do some sketching. Thanks for sharing.
Great. As you say-there’s so much there. And you can always collect some things to sketch and paint at home. Enjoy!
I agree.
Beautiful post. It left me with such a good feeling of beauty and connectedness.
How nice to hear…thank you!
Love love love these sketches and the quote!
Thanks Teri! BTW– I finished painting the fence– now painting a birds nest (much preferred!)
Your post is lovely. Holding it in my hands, priceless!
Yeah! This is a fun project, isn’t it. Your turn…can’t wait to see what you’ve done so far.
I adore this drawing Jean. It looks like a lovely little evening purse. I agree with Rachels’s words although these days it’s a bit hard not to feel weary of politicians and men behaving badly. I see that you have used a handmade journal. I have started making my own and it gives me such pleasure to sketch in them. I use Saunders Waterford 195gsm HP.
Weary indeed…I find art to be a good counterbalance, though there is no way it could counter what we saw in last night’s debate. Three friends and I made journals and we have been doing one sketch and passing them from person to person each month. This was my second sketch for that project. I’ve never tried Saunders Waterford…I don’t often see that in art supply stores. Glad you found a paper that suits you.
That’s so lovely. And it just goes to show how effective paintings of the most simple things can be. The spatters of “sand” really add to it too. Inspirational as always.
Thanks Melissa– Hope you’re doing well!
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