Brown's Bridge, Gainesville, GA

Brown's Bridge, Gainesville, Georgia

Yes, the secret is out... Brown's Bridge is GREEN (not brown)!

Before you look at my latest work, here is a link to a beautiful picture of the bridge by Sussman Imaging. 

Here is my version from a terrible photo I took. I need to work on the water in this painting. Maybe I'll pick it up again and see if I can fix it.  I guess it is important to keep growing my skills. 

Thank you for peeking in my sketchbook. 

Sketchbook #1

Sketchbook #1

This is not my very first sketchbook, but the first one I've counted.

I believe it is from 2007. I didn't date my sketches back then. I would love to have the sketchbooks from the 80's.

Blackberries @ Collins Hill Park, Suwanee, GA

This is a quick sketch of trees as I waited to pick up my son from practice.

Collins Hill Park, Suwanee, GA

It is rare that I will do a sketch or painting twice. This is a sketch that came out much better the second time. I wish I would make myself repeat sketches more often.

Flower in Vase, Take 1 

Flower in Vase, Take 2

I had a few minutes waiting for my son to finish up practice and sketched a couple of pine boughs.

Georgia Pine

 We took a little trip to Chattanooga and I enjoyed sketching along the way.

Rock City Sign

 We stayed at a very nice camp site named Raccoon Mountain. If I remember correctly, I created the sign for the Go Cart track.

Raccoon Mtn. Go Carts

 Just playing with paint!

Swirls

 This was a little sketch from a magazine picture. I was learning about watercolor pencils. 

I don't know why I did these. I guess I just thought it was fun.

Topiaries

It is interesting as I look back at this sketchbook. The sketches I like the best are of the things I've experienced. Another thing I've realized is how many sketches I've done waiting for the kids to finish practice!

Thank you for peeking in my sketchbook!

Jewelry...

I have a love of all things sparkly! My grandmother would tell me that I need to cut my hair, put away the heels, and choose less sparkle. A dignified Southern lady would wear a large real stones. I'm not sure they would wear rhinestones! 

I love the sound of the jingle of the bangles and the sparkle of the earrings. I did the best I know how to catch a little of the feeling of my favorite jewelry. 

Thank you for peeking in my sketchbook!

Just a little cleaning...

This weekend started rather bizarrely. I had plans to paint all weekend and when I pulled out my paper, the drawer was so packed I dumped it out to straighten it.

Well, a few hours later I had taken an inventory and decided I needed a portfolio to protect the larger paintings.

I hopped in the car to run a few errands and pick up a portfolio on the way. Heading out of my neighborhood I noticed the neighbors had a pink ribbon on their mailbox. As I was driving I prayed for the new little life the ribbon symbolized.

A little closer into town I rounded the corner and saw a small church. A bride and groom were leaving the church in their wedding clothes. The bride was beautiful and in her white gown she was glowing. Everyone was throwing streamers and yelling well wishes. I prayed for the couple and the life they would have together as I drove. 

Not even a mile from the church I passed a funeral home. The parking lot was packed with cars. People were hugging one another as they were getting in their cars for the procession. It is just an illustration of how short life is. In less than a few miles people were experiencing life's full range of emotions; joy, excitement, anxiety, pain, heartbreak. 

My daughter and I were just discussing the way time progresses in life. She is in such a hurry to get to college and start her life there. It is so hard, at her age, to wait on all the wonderful experiences ahead. She has an exciting summer planned with a job as a camp counselor waiting for her. In the fall she will pack up and move hours away to start her life on her own. 

My M&M

I, of course, have another view of this time in her life. It was just yesterday I was trying to get her to quit sucking her thumb. She has always been in a rush to grow up. She is like a ray of sunshine and I hope she values the days she is experiencing now because the days are fleeting. 

Back to painting...

Knowing all, this I wonder about whether I'll ever master this painting thing or not. I read a post about an artist (Liz Steel) who numbers her sketchbooks. I actually thought I would have to start numbering now and label the sketchbook I am working in as #1. (Remember, this whole post started because I had a drawer so packed I had to organize it!) 

Well, guess what? If I just number the sketchbooks I have kept since the kids entered high school, I'm on #18. Cool beans!!! I don't have my other sketchbooks. Maybe some are packed away, but most were lost when our basement flooded. 

I'm going to post some of these old sketches and paintings (just for fun). Thank you for reading and for peeking into my drawer! 

SCAD Trustees Theater...

Well, I quit working on the theater painting because I was over-working it! Note to self...take the photo before removing it from the tablet. It is curled in the photo! Oh well...

Thank you for peeking in my sketchbook. 

SCAD, Savannah...

I didn't realize when you finish a painting it would feel like when you finish a book or a great T.V. series (I'm mourning the end of season 3 of Downton Abbey). I feel very down now that I have finished the Paris Market painting.

 My daughter loved it and I loved working on it. Every minute was exciting as I learned more about shading and perspective. I also enjoyed painting a place my daughter and I have chosen as one of our faves. 

I really struggled to figure out what to paint next. I finished my January painting.

This is still not my favorite painting. I ruined it with the black and I didn't recover it in any way. Oh well, chalk it up to learning about composition.

I started my February painting. 

I played around with lettering but nothing seemed to be crying out for me to paint. Finally, I settled on another painting of Savannah. Painters paint in series...correct?

I took a neat picture of SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) and thought, "Why not?". I'm sure I'm not the first person to paint the SCAD theater (mostly because it is a school is for ART and DESIGN!) 

Another great photo here...

Don't you just love the "oh so cool" sign?

I stole a trick from my architecture days and sketched the angles and perspective before I began. 

At this point I have put in hours and I'm not enjoying it very much. I'm still mourning the finish of The Paris Market (and the death of Matthew Crawley of Downton Abbey!).

Another day and I’m feeling refreshed and finally excited about this painting.

It's time for bed so I'll have to put it to rest. Darn...tomorrow is a work day. Maybe I'll have some studio time tomorrow night. 

Thanks for letting me share and for peeking inside my sketchbook.

My New Studio...

I would like to show off where I work. About a year and 1/2 ago I downsized in a big way by moving from my large home in a crowded suburban neighborhood to a little house near the lake. One of the perks of the new house was a beautiful room that was once used as a plant room. It has large skylights and 2 sliding doors. I immediately thought it would be my studio and I set myself up to have a perfect work space. 

Well, life intervened and my sister and I decided we would combine the 2 families and they moved it too! This has been a great experience for us. Both families complement each other and there is always someone at home. Unfortunately, I lost the studio and it became a totally adorable boy's room. 

For a few months I tried different spaces in the house to paint (and work) but I just couldn't find a place that worked until just recently. I moved a drop-leaf table into my large bedroom and set up shop. It is a little space but it is working great. 

My daughter leaves for college in a few months and everyone will shift rooms. My sister and her husband will take over my daughter's large bedroom. My nephew will move to their room and I will reclaim my studio!!! Don't you think it's fair that I get 2 rooms and everyone else gets 1? I'm not complaining.

Let's do a little shout out for a cute little workspace!  Wooo Whooo!!! 

Thanks for touring my little (hopefully temporary) studio!