Campfire - Preliminary Sketch

"Campfire"

Preliminary Sketch

(H/HB graphite, sketchbook)

    I was talking with a friend this past week about how much her family looks forward to campfires in the backyard and making S'mores over the open flame... She then said I should make a picture of several woodland animals sitting around a campfire making S'mores...  I could see it all in my mind the moment she mentioned it and so I grabbed my sketchbook when I got home and worked up this sketch.  Like the preliminary sketch of Nicholas in his shop of antiquities light and shadow are very important in creating the proper atmosphere...

    I may be working this one as a painting while displaying my artwork at the Jordan Musuem grounds (3800 Main Street, Jordan) on Saturday, July 28th from 10am - 6pm.  The town of Lincoln has created an 'Art in the Village' day in participation with the "Niagara: Cultural Capital of Canada" program for 2012.  I submitted some artwork and was selected so I will have some of my acrylic work there and many of my watercolours... nothing is for sale - it is a display show only - I am looking forward to seeing you all there!

    ♥ Cath-    

Drawing in the Shade - Take 2

"Drawing in the Shade"

(watercolour, approx. 8x8")

    I sat down to work on the ideas I had after completing the original "Drawing in the Shade" and this is what I accomplished... it's more interesting now with a few more objects of interest... it feels more peaceful.

The bunny is doing what he enjoys in a comfortable spot in the yard....

    Here are a couple details from the painting:

I definitely enjoy this painting more than the original...

Happy, less humid days to paint really help!

♥ Cath-

"Do not lose heart..."

"So we do not lose heart.

Though our outer nature is wasting away,

our inner nature is being renewed day by day.

For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us

an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

as we look not to the things that are seen  but to the things that are unseen.

For the things that are seen are transient,

but the things that are unseen are eternal."

(2 Corinthians 4:16-18) 

♥ Cath-

P.S. This photo was taken a few weeks ago in the beautiful gardens of my dear friends John & Lisa. 



Drawing in the Shade

"Drawing in the Shade" 

(watercolour, 4x4", cropped detail)

    We don't have central-air in our house and this last week has made us all feel slug-like in our thoughts and activities... We have traveled to area malls to enjoy an hour of air-conditioning and tried to stay still for long periods of time so as not to be in a constant state of "sweat".

    Above is a portion of a watercolour doodle I made while still in the mode of thinking cooling thoughts (see also: "Meeting in the Middle") and had the energy to sit at my art table without risk of sweat droplets falling on my painting! :)

    Sitting under a big shade tree where the air is clear and light, the sun is warm but the temperature under the thick foliage is several degrees cooler than in direct sun... Perfect atmosphere for inspiring thoughts!  

   I don't know if I like the complete doodle... actually I know I don't prefer it - yet.  Looking at it now I know I need to put more into it... more options for the bunny to have chosen from... why did he choose to lean up against the knobbly bark of the big tree when there was a beautiful l'il settee full of plump cushions just over there?  These are the kind of after-thoughts I have had... so this is only a doodle and one day soon I will create a more complete story picture showing more details....  Here is the complete drawing so you can see what I mean:

    The hint of a setteee just over by the climbing rose would be better and maybe even a brightly coloured ball over to the left in the middle ground to have given bunny more options showing his choice of sitting in the shade to draw over running around kicking a ball.... Hmmm, I tend to grow and stretch with every doodle and drawing, always questioning, what more could have been done to make this more complete, more interesting....  and these mental musings are enough for me to accomplish in this heat! :)

    As I type these last few words I hear thunder outside - could we have a welcome relief from the humidity and high temperatures?? Mayhaps after the storm we will be blessed with a perfect atmosphere for more inspiring thoughts!!  Thanks be to God!!

    ♥ Cath- 

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord...

"Humble yoursleves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."

(James 4:10)

    This photo was taken a year ago at the Good Earth in Beamsville.... the land/business owner graciously allows participants of the plein air painting classes to have free range of the property including the area surrounding her sweet l'il cottage... this is a birdbath I discovered and fell in love with...

This year while visiting again I found the gardens are much overgrown and the birdbath almost completely out of sight, but it makes me smile to think that one day someone will pull back the tendrils of ivy and bits of brush and discover this l'il gem all over again! I imagine they would feel quite like the character Mary Lennox in Frances Hodgson Burnett's "The Secret Garden".

    ♥ Cath-  

Who will receive blessing from the Lord?

  

♥ Cath-

  

    P.S. This photo was taken at Charles Daley Park in Lincoln... I was fascinated by the 'striped' rocks along the shoreline and as I snapped away with my camera a beautiful crash of water struck them - very inspiring!! 

Plein Air in JUNE!!!!

   Today was the second half of my wonderful birthday gift from my generous husband - a day plein air painting at Good Earth in Beamsville!!  A extrememly talented local artist and all-round lovely person, Kim Rempel has plein air workshops at Good Earth once a month (May - September) and encourages all participants to shrug off limitations and just have at it!! 
    Well today, I took that advice to heart and let myself be inspired by the beautiful perennial gardens on the property and let the brush strokes fall!

"Black-Eyed Susans"

(acrylic, 12x12" stretched canvas)

   

    I don't know if you call these Black-Eyed Susans or Orange Coneflowers but they were a lovely golden yellow and a beautiful contrast to the surrounding flowers and foliage!

    And that's not all!! After lunch - which was AMAZING - I was inspired to paint a second piece - a companion of sorts to the first painting:

"Black-Eyed Susans Too"

(acrylic, 12x12" stretched canvas)

    I can tell that my mind was more at ease about accomplishing this second piece. Not to get all analytical about it but the strokes just appear more free and smooth - relaxed... that's the effect good food has on me! : )

Here they are together:

    A wonderful day that has renewed my faith in myself as a student - I'm still learning and developing!!  To prove the point - here is the painting I accomplished at my first plein air painting workshop (I've now attended four) on July 8, 2011 - one year ago, give or take a week:

    I've developed some in the last year! It's exciting to see that!!  I'm thankful to God!!  Woo-Hoooo!! 

    ♥ Cath-