Automatic drawing which turned into a botanical pencil in an 8×10″ sketch pad Last week as we walked out of Target to the parking lot, what do we see but a large black bear wandering around.  He clearly had forgotten where he was parked.   We respectfully waited until he found his car and drove off.  My sister said that bears also want good quality at affordable prices. Did I mention I’m over bears?  He eventually ran into the woods and we got in our car and drove away. Two days ago the city installed new stop signs on our corner. To alert drivers of the change they also ..read more

Grace Church Spires, NYC – Watercolor on Arches 300# cold press.  Approximately 18″ x 22″ A number have people have asked where I have been and expressed that they have missed my posts.  And when I say a “number” of people I mean two people. Hey, two is a number.  I’m posting today and that is miracle #1.  Miracle #2 is what happened last week… …when my dog bolted after a bear in our backyard.  She got swatted across the face and sheepishly came back to us.  We were screaming her name, but she was in full protect mode.  The bear whacked her and the ..read more

Central Park Bench – watercolor 16″ x 11 3/4″ on Khadi paper.  Based on a reference photo by Randi Klein.  (Thanks Randi!) My sister’s golden retriever, Gus, gets to run freely around outside because of an invisible fence which keeps him safely inside the property.  Recently, however, the invisible fence broke and now Gus keeps running off the property and into the road.  My brother-in-law said that he was going to build a wall and make Gus pay for it.  We laughed and laughed. The above painting was done on Khadi paper.  This is an interesting watercolor pape ..read more

Red bud leaves in autumn – watercolor in sketchbook Where have I been? asked no one.  I haven’t posted since July. Why?  Two words.                                      SWING STATE. Since I’ve previously only lived in NYC, which is decidedly democratic, the experience of living in a swing state with the non-stop barrage of political ads left me in a fetal position and under the covers. And now that the campaign is over I can share an experience or two with you. As a result of ..read more

NYC rooftops, WIP – oil painting value study.  Approx 8″ x 11″ Green tulips – watercolor practice on Strathmore paper The Husband and I are taking beginner Spanish classes.  Again.  We’ve tried this once or twice but don’t keep up with it and forget everything.  This time we say we will stick with it.  We’ll see. Last week a student in class asked the teacher what the difference was between “usted” which is formal, singular “you”, and “ustedes” which is formal, plural “you”. The teacher explained it this way:  “Usted” is “you”.  “Ustedes” is “Y’all ..read more

3 pots – watercolor on Strathmore 140# coldpress – approx 8″ x 10″ The bears have been very active lately.  Two nights ago we came out to walk the dog. As we got to the top of the driveway there was a black bear standing in the road.  We stared at each other for a few moments. And then it went into a neighbor’s yard and stayed there while we walked the dog.  It was still there as we returned, behind the trees, looking at us with someone’s white trash bag next to it.  Looking very guilty.  LOL. Yesterday there were two bears walking around our house. &nbs ..read more

Oil painting after Chardin – WIP – approx 8 x 10″ on canvas paper Begonia leaf – graphite and colored pencil in sketchbook Rhododendron leaf –  graphite and colored pencil in sketchbook Hydrangea –  graphite and colored pencil in sketchbook Miss Lucy from the St. Croix markets  – Watercolor for #worldwatercolormonth The Husband and I recently went to see the band Kansas at the Thomas Wolfe arena in Asheville.  As we were driving to the venue we ran into some friends. US:  We are going to see Kansas. Them:  Asheville gets the best bands…40 years later. I wasn’t ex ..read more

Caladium leafChristmas Fern Venus Sweet Shrub in pencil Venus Sweet Shrub in pen & Ink Tree branch with lichen I decided to take a drawing class at the local community college.  That class was full, but they offered a class called “Nature’s Notebook” and since I’m now surrounded by a whole lot of nature I thought I’d give it a whirl. The instructor, an avid gardener and artist named Peter Loewer, a/k/a “the wild gardener” brings in items from his garden for us to draw.  He will lecture a bit at the beginning of class about styles of drawing and particular drawings of pl ..read more

Two slices to go –  watercolor on Arches 140# coldpress Did you ever say anything and as the words exited  your mouth you thought “never in a million years would I ever think I would say that”? It happened to me two days ago.  As The Husband and I were preparing to leave the house to go pick up friends we saw a mama bear and cub in a neighbor’s yard and continued to watch them as they proceeded across our road, down our driveway and around our car.  It was then that I realized we would be late. ME texting friend:  We will be late because there are bears in ou ..read more

“Waiting” 22 1/4″ x 15″ watercolor on Arches 300# cold press I’ve always wondered this?  I guess I am too old to write “U” for “you” and “Ur” for “your”.  Unless you’re on Twitter, why would you write this way?  WHY?  Or should I ask “Y”??? On a completely unrelated note, Mexican food in Western North Carolina (“WNC”) is a sad state.  (And don’t even get me started about pizza, which, for the most part, is just vile here.)  There’s a restaurant not far from our house where we go to sometimes.  It makes me crazy that they offer rice OR beans with their m ..read more