Part Three Dear Jen, It pains me to see how stressed you are over this desk. And I'm a bit worried about you: It appears as if you're hearing voices emanating from the inanimate objects on the top of this desk. They are telling you things that just aren't true. Try to keep from attaching … Continue reading A Desk Saga–Part Three
Tag: sketching
A Desk Saga–Part Two
Part Two Dear God, What does it meeaaannn???? This desk of mine!? Does it mean that I'm a sluggard who never clears off her desk? Does it mean that I am so scatter brained I can't keep up with one thing and another? Does it mean that I have so many things going on in … Continue reading A Desk Saga–Part Two
A Desk Saga–in 4 Parts
Part One A friend who came to visit yesterday asked...'ummm...is this the umm...same cleaned up desk you posted on Instagram just a couple of weeks ago? < Meep.> Yes. Unfortunately. I have this ongoing tussle with the surface of my desk. Many moons ago, my husband refinished this old teacher's desk which looked nearly black … Continue reading A Desk Saga–in 4 Parts
Negative Painting
At the school where I teach art part-time, I am asked to begin each year with a lesson on Nature Study in Dry-Brush Watercolor. This approach to painting a nature study piece is one of the foundations of the Charlotte Mason approach to education that my school so beautifully exemplifies throughout the K-8 curriculum. … Continue reading Negative Painting
Restrictions: A Key to Artful Living
The above painting was made last Friday at the Ciener Botanical Gardensher in my town. I decided to place a restriction on myself and only use oil pastel and watercolor. It can be a lot of fun imposing a limit on your creative utensils. It works like a guide or a path marked out for … Continue reading Restrictions: A Key to Artful Living
A Story in Paint
Or perhaps this could be titled, Jen's Wonky Palette! Well, one of you asked a simple question: What specific watercolors do you use to paint with? I thought this would be a simple thing to answer. But it actually got me to reminiscing as I painted this wonky drawing of my palette. This is both … Continue reading A Story in Paint
Morning Glory Vine
On my walk this morning, I passed by the garden at the top of Silver Dapple Lane. It is in a state of decline, winding down from the summer's producing. A few tomatoes hang onto skeleton-like plants, a bean or two or three hide under browning leaves, and an unpicked watermelon sits ripe amid the … Continue reading Morning Glory Vine
Be All In! Right Where I Am
Due to my very FULL life 😉 I have not been able to draw on Fridays with my friend Debbie for a few weeks. I miss it so much! And today is no exception...I will miss being there, tracing the lines of the autumn flowers in the beautiful setting at the Ciener Botanical Gardens. But … Continue reading Be All In! Right Where I Am
In My Field
I long to sit in my field. To listen to the late summer hum. To wonder at the bowed heads of left-behind wheat. To drink in the gorgeous array of color in the wild, dew-dripping grasses. To feel the light breeze and to smell the rain sodden earth. This I love. This feels like home. … Continue reading In My Field
What it Takes
Have you ever wondered how many stitches it takes to knit a sock? Hm. Well. I did. And so I counted. Or rather approximated. For my recently finished knit sock, which has 7" inches above the heel, and fits my size 9 foot, I counted the rows, then multiplied them by the number of stitches … Continue reading What it Takes