Fiddlehead
I spent the entire afternoon yesterday hiking and sketching ephemeral wildflowers and ferns at Bartholomew’s Cobble, a nature preserve in Sheffield, Mass. What a treat! Bloodroot sprang from rocky limestone ledges, and Dutchman’s breeches, hepatica, and red and white trillium carpeted parts of the forest floor. My wildflower sketches remain unfinished, so I have only these fiddleheads unfurling by the banks of the Housatonic River to share. How I wish you could go there in person to see them for yourself. New class coming up: Watercolor for Beginners, June 6 and 13–… Read More
King Tide
While visiting southern California last month we took time to explore the tide pools at Cabrillo National Monument. This is one of the best protected rocky intertidal areas in California and our timing was perfect. Sun, moon, and Earth aligned during our visit to create a King Tide, a twice-yearly occurrence in which the low tide is nearly two feet lower than normal. This exposes far more of the rocky shore and reveals a greater diversity of the fascinating creatures that live at the edge of the sea. Tips and Techniques– I… Read More
A Collection of Feeder Birds
If you feed birds in the winter, you know that watching what comes and goes can brighten your day and connect you with what’s happening outside from the comfort of your windows. We have a great variety of birds year-round and I like to keep a record of what shows up each season. Among my favorites is a pair of red-bellied woodpeckers whose heads glow flaming red when the sun shines. I was glad to give this bird the spotlight on this illustrated list and let him steal the show in my… Read More
Passing on a Sense of Wonder
“What Bird Is That? A Pocket Museum of the Land Birds of the Eastern United Stated Arranged According to Season” by Frank M. Chapman, published in 1941, sits on my bookshelf next to several other old field guides. This guide is special not only because of its lively descriptions of birds, but also because it previously belonged to my mother-in-law, Alice, who I never knew. The book makes me think about the ties that connect us to generations past and future. Chapman, as curator of ornithology at the American Museum of Natural… Read More
Fall Collection 2023
My desk is littered with signs of the changing season. It started with a walnut and an acorn and quickly turned into a full-on collection. I love recording these small treasures, though I’m happy to clean up and have my desk back, too. Tips and Techniques– What treasures are you seeing as the season changes? Take a walk or a hike and see how many tree nuts, seeds, and fruits you can find. What’s nice about sketching things like this is that they are easy to bring home and work with as… Read More
Vinalhaven Sketchbook 2023
Moss-carpeted forests, spruce spires reaching the sky.Mushrooms after rain: scarlet, orange, purple, yellow.Granite boulders that sprout gardens of ferns and grey-green lichens.Rocky pools brimming with life caught between the tides.Migrating shorebirds and seabirds.Quarry swimming. Quiet. No stop lights. No chain stores. No cell coverage.Ferries. Fog.These are the things that draw me to the island of Vinalhaven, Maine. I hope your summer has taken you to some of your favorite places, too. See other Vinalhaven Sketchbooks:2020 Map, 2020, 2021.
Clamming
If you’ve ever enjoyed a clam roll or chowder or steamers, then you know the flavor of Mya arenaria, the soft shell clam. Before these mollusks reach your table, they eek out a life burrowed in soft mud or sand, filtering tiny plankton from sea water. Most clams today won’t reach their potential life span of 10-12 years, nor will they reach anyone’s plate, because they will be eaten first by highly invasive green crabs or other predators. Here’s a look at the ins and outs of clams and a few of… Read More
Morning with Poppies
A fine June morning. The last of the poppies in bloom. House wrens warble insistently near their nest, while red-eyed vireos and veeries sing in the surrounding woods. Petals drop from the poppies as I sketch—their moment is so extravagant, so lovely, so fleeting. No tips or techniques today—got to get back to the garden. But feel free to ask questions if you have them.
Showstoppers
Spring ephemeral wildflowers are putting on a show right now. It won’t last long. These woodland flowers bloom for a week or two in April and early May when the sun reaches the forest floor. Once the trees fully leaf out, the show will be over until next year. Bottom line: see it if you can. Many of these flowers are tiny, delicate beauties; others are stop-you-in-your-tracks gorgeous. I count white and red trillium in the latter category and was thrilled to see both on a wildflower walk yesterday. Tips and Techniques–… Read More
Woke
Odd noises on the back porch woke my husband and I from slumber the other night but, too tired to investigate, we decided not to get up. The next morning, our visitor was all too clear—a swath of destruction lay scattered across the yard and a six-inch paw print marked the back steps. I figured black bears would wait until the snow melted and weather warmed before venturing out. But alas, we are all very much awake. Tips and Techniques– Don’t be afraid to be bold in your sketchbook. Zooming in on… Read More
Jean Mackay
The Nature Explorer’s Sketchbook
Listen to the Podcast
Drawn In 