Finally, it’s warm enough for me to make my way through the woods to the muddy edge of a creek where the skunk cabbage thrives and sketch. For weeks, I’ve gone out scouting good locations, watching the maroon spears push up through frozen earth, watching the ground give up its ice as the spathes open. I’ve been waiting for a day when work, wind or fading daylight wouldn’t keep me indoors with an empty sketchbook…and here it is.

You might think forty degrees is awfully cold for sketching outdoors, but with a wool hat, down jacket, a bit of sunshine, and a genuine affection for your subject, it’s entirely doable. (Materials: Handbook Journal Co. 140lb watercolor sketchbook, Micron 005 black pen, watercolor)

Coming up! Winslow Art Center’s free annual Spring Fling Festival takes place April 9-12. Take advantage of four inspiring days of live demos, interactive work-alongs, and engaging artist talks. I’ll be doing a presentation, Sketching Through the Year, on Friday 4/10.