The Art Station has announced the dates and times for my 2 classes. I would love to see you there!

Watercolor & Mixed Media for the Traveling Artist
Fridays, Oct 15 & 22, 2010

The Good, the Bad and the Beauty of Color,
Fridays, Dec 3 & 10, 2010

Painting Plein Air, Photos from our Hood River, Oregon Watercolor Trip, 2010

The weather was beautiful and the sunflowers were in full bloom.  We spent the day painting en plein air, which is the French term meaning, in the open air.  The impressionist artists of the late 1800s made this popular because of the invention of tube paint.  They no longer had to grid and mix their own paints with powders and linseed oil.  If you are ever in Paris, France, be sure to visit the Sennelier store where many Impressionist shopped.  It is much the same as it was in the 1800s!

Can you tell me what kind of butterfly this is?

A scruffy visitor to my garden.  I am off to the book store to get a book about butterflies because I want to attract more!  Does anyone know what kind it is?  I may have to paint him.

"Colorful Whites", a Peek inside my Watercolor Journal

Here are some pages from my current Watercolor Journal.  I am playing around with creating colorful whites by adding local color(color from the surrounding areas) in the shadows.

"Why Shouldn't Art be Pretty" a Peek inside my Watercolor Journal

 "Why shouldn't art be pretty?  There are enough unpleasant things in the world."  This is one of my favorite quotes by Pierre-Auguste Renoir.  My goal is to make my art pretty and to bring happiness to those that see it.

"Life is a Journey" - a peek inside my Watercolor Journal

"Life is a Journey, Not a Guided Tour", author unknown.  This quote really speaks to me as you never know what will come your way.  I think it also makes me want to be more adventurous.  What does it say to you?

Meeting about the High Desert Art League

Brand new blog - High Desert Art League
The High Desert Art League just started a new blog.

"Oh the places you will go!" A peek inside my Watercolor Journal

That is me in that party dress.  Actually it was an Easter dress.  Notice how the Dr. Seuss poem is all blurred because I took my journal on a little boating trip the other day.  The kids were boarding and when my husband did a sharp turn in the boat, a huge wave of many gallons of water came over the bow and landed on my head and in my lap, much to his delight!  Of course, he did not get wet - just me and my journal.

Oh the Places you will go!

******Note to myself and others*******  Protect your journal in a zip-locked baggie when involved with water sports and you feel compelled to take your journal along, even though you know you won't really have time to work in it.

"Jordan Pond" - a peek inside my Watercolor Journal

Here is another page from my Maine watercolor journal.   I painted this while waiting for steaming hot pop overs sitting outside at Mt. Desert's Jordan Pond.  The chairs facing out to the pond seemed so inviting.

Painting in the Lavender Fields

I am in Hood River, Oregon with nine fabulous women.  We are having fun painting all day, laughing all night and sharing the stories of our lives.  Here is a photo of the lavender field where we painted.  The sight, smells and harmonious buzzing of the bees was heavenly!