Hanging On
There are many reasons to appreciate stately, solid oaks. Raking their late-dropping leaves in December is not one of them. Persistent and tenacious, they hang on despite autumn gusts and rain storms that shake other trees bare by October’s end. And yet, as I rake pile after pile, I think: maybe we should be more like oak leaves, resolved to hang on as long as we can. Savoring each day of sun, knowing that the dark and silent winter will come all too soon. Tips & Techniques– I’m testing a new box… Read More
Finding Beauty
I was recently invited by Liz and Nigel at the blog Exploring Colour to provide a guest post for their series Where and What is Beauty? The blog hails from New Zealand, which is, incidentally, 9,000 miles from my home in New York State. I traveled to that extraordinary country way back in 1986 searching for adventure, beauty and local color but, as my post reveals, I am now Finding Beauty Close to Home.
Victorian Finery
How does a naturalist-artist find herself painting Victorian dresses? I’m not sure, except that I found the fantastic fabrics and fine details of the new exhibit Well Dressed in Victorian Albany quite irresistible. The gowns in the collection of the Albany Institute of History & Art are so exquisite, they make perfect artistic subjects. Unfortunately, the museum didn’t allow watercolor in the gallery, so I was restricted to pencil and pen, and had to paint later…which took away a bit of the fun. Nevertheless, this was a valuable exercise. Painting drapery requires… Read More
The Ripening Season
Seasons unfold, pages evolve. That’s what happened here as I sketched a variety of fall fruits and seeds from the trees in our yard over the last few weeks. It’s all part of learning what’s here on the rural property we moved to in July. There are nice old sugar maples, red and white oaks, black walnuts, cottonwoods, birches, and white pines, with well-placed dogwood, pin cherry, and apple trees. There are many year’s worth of sketches in the trees alone…and you’ll see more in the future, I’m sure. Tips & Techniques–… Read More
Bringing Hummingbirds to Life
The bird lay dead in my hand, a small and precious jewel given to me by a friend. Fully intact and still dressed in glittering green, it was a rare gift. I’d never held a hummingbird; never studied one so closely. An opportunity like this meant one thing: break out the magnifying glass, ruler, and pencil and get to work. As an artist, I find observing dead birds enormously helpful when trying to bring them to life on paper. I love the ability to look closely at various features, to study proportions,… Read More
The Right Brush
I’ve had a paint brush in my hand every day for the last few weeks. It just hasn’t been the kind of brush I most prefer. Still, I can’t complain: my to-do list has grown considerably shorter and our house is much improved. But now that this round of projects is complete, I am eager to get back to a regular routine of journaling and adventures with watercolor. Tips and Techniques– Do you struggle with finding subject matter for your sketchbook? There are lots of online sketch challenges that provide daily suggestions,… Read More
2018 Arts & Birding Workshop
Arts and Birding- For Photographers and Artists July 8-13, 2018 Hog Island Audubon Camp in Maine Join me next summer for a fabulous week on the Maine Coast! Registration opened yesterday and there are just a few spots left. Find details and images on the Workshops page or at the Hog Island website.
Flyover
A small but vocal flock of Canada geese flies over our house every day now. They emerge from the tree line, calling to one another and, it seems, to anyone who will listen. I know better, but still, I hear them implore: look up! The maples will not be golden for long. Tips & Techniques– Painting birds in flight is challenging—and it takes practice. It helps to study the anatomy of the wing so that you understand its major feather groups. It’s also important to have a general sense of perspective so… Read More
Nest
I walked out and found the nest in the gravel driveway, not by the step as the poem says, but close enough. Nest by Marianne Boruch I walked out, and the nest was already there by the step. Woven basket of a saint sent back to life as a bird who proceeded to make a mess of things. Wind right through it, and any eggs long vanished. But in my hand it was intricate pleasure, even the thorny reeds softened in the weave. And the fading leaf mold, hardly itself anymore, merely… Read More
Drawn In 