TY JAN

 

My friend Jan sent me a very thoughtful Christmas gift of two frames for pictures of my two grandchildren that I "found" this year--Violet and Roland.   She included the scrabble letters for their names so they will match two that I already had of Griffin and Sophia.  She wrapped these new ones in a beautiful plaid cloth. 

I didn't make a painting of the frames as would be my usual "thank you" card...because I don't have the photos yet. But they are on the way.  

I had a lot of fun with the plaid because I decided to do it completely freehand.  It is a little what I call "wonky" but I enjoyed doing it and I think it has a certain charm.  My photo is a little "off" too, but I think that contributes to the "charm."

Thank you, Jan.....the frames mean a lot to me as does your friendship.

NURSE SNOWPERSON 2020!!!!

 

For several years I have made a little painting of a snowperson and used it for my holiday cards that I print myself.  Most years, it commemorates things like a new grandchild or my travels, but this year I could not resist something dealing with a snowperson in a mask.  As I thought about it, I realized the true heroes of the year are health care providers...particularly  nurses. 

I hope that people who get the cards enjoy it,  The wording on the inside is:

The coronavirus-19 is frightful

But staying inside is "rightful" 

and

Since we've no place to go

Let it snow!

Let it snow!

Let it snow!

I used "Jokerman" font but that is not available for this blog.  I had to make up the word "rightful," but I kind of like it.

November Challenge, Tabletop

 

The Capitol Hill Art League November challenge was tabletop.  I painted a vase with flowers that I received from Helena.  I did it as a thank you card to her.  Here is a view of that little painting:

When I was putting the vase away, I realized that looking through the pierced silver lacework toward the tabletop was an interesting view, so I painted that.  That painting is the one at the beginning of this blog entry.  I think it is interesting and have been thinking about the idea of painting a non-traditional perspective of other things.

I have already posted this on facebook.  Usually, when I do a blog, I also post to facebook, but this time I won't. 

HAUNTING

 

My art group, Capitol Hill Art League, is keeping busy and connected with monthly challenges.  The one for October is (fittingly) "Haunting."  This is a drawing of a glass skull that I have had for several years and only bring out in October.  I used an Elegant Writer pen for the drawing and then sprayed it in spots so it would bleed.  I love the unpredictability of the way the pen bleeds.  I am not sure what I think of it...I'm haunted by what else I could have done.  

TY SUE SUNFLOWERS

 

My friend Sue brought me some sunflowers and roses to cheer me up.  As I like to do, I made a thank you card for her.  I just did a little painting of the sunflowers, and not all of them, either.  Trying to keep it simple.  The little painting turn out well, I think.  I hope Sue likes it.  It is already in the mail to her.

Sunflowers After Eye Surgery

 

After recent "failed" cataract surgery on my right eye, everything I saw with that eye was blurry and my left eye still needed glasses.  I eventually took the right lens out of an old pair of glasses.  This sunflower painting is my attempt at painting what I was seeing then.  It was interesting to do and will document that particular phase of my recovery.  I am still using those modified glasses but am happy to report that now I am seeing well out of the right eye and now with no lens.  So I am actually seeing better than I did before the surgery.  Soon I will go back to the eye doctor for a follow up and will then move on to the cataract surgery on the left eye.  That is predicted to go well.

Thistles

 

I did this a couple of weeks ago, and don't know why I didn't post it.  I like how it turned out., but it was a challenge because I am not seeing well,  On September 9, I had what should have been routine cataract surgery on my right eye.  However, the cataract surgery had complications and I ended up having more intense eye surgery on September 25.  Recovery from that is going well. but is taking awhile.  The right eye is focusing better now and I still have to have cataract surgery on the left eye.

Ellen Cornett, the instructor for the Wednesday Studio group (I am a member) assigned a photo of thistles for anyone in the group who wanted to paint it.  Marian Wiseman does a blog for the group and she posted the paintings here:

https://thewednesdaystudio.net/2020/09/13/the-wednesday-studio-uncovers-the-beauty-of-thistles/

Mine is not included in that blog post because I did not finish it in time.  Once I finished it, though, I was happy with it because the thistles really do look prickly...just like real thistles.

Blue and Yellow Macaw

 September 8 was draw a bird (DAB) Day.  This is my bird---a Macaw in flight. Done from a photograph. If you want to see all the birds submitted to the group, here is the link: https://thewednesdaystudio.net/  There are lots of interesting birds there. I'm happy to participate and have quite a collection of my bird paintings 

Elisabeth Reeves Eydt Memorial

 I am participating in an art project for the new Capitol Hill Village office.  The move to the new office was during the pandemic, so it is not fully open yet,but we are keeping the momentum of the prroject.  There is a map covering one wall in the office and the plan is to have paintings of various Capitol Hill neighborhood locations posted around the map with links to the map.  On Friday, some of us worked on framing the art and the variety is fascinating and lovely.  We were short a few frames so have ordered more and will have it all framed and hung before too long.

One of the pieces I submitted is a watercolor painting of a statue at Congressional Cemetery.  This statue  is a memorial to Elisabeth Reeves Eydt who died in June 2008 at the age of eight years old.  The cemetery is pretty much closed to visitors except for a special group of dog-walkers and dogs who have supported it over the years.  I had to work from a photograph that I had posted in my travelblog www.carolynstravelog.blogspot.com when Sophia and I visited Congressional Cemetery in 2015.  That blogpost was very special to me because her father made comments about how grateful he was that Sophia and I appreciated the statue.  I think he would have liked to have experiences with Elisabeth like those I have had with Sophia.  

My other painting for the new office is of the office itself.  It is a pen and ink done with an "Elegant Writer" with a few splashes of water.

We Rise!

 

Some time ago (like on June 20) Louisa and I participated in "A National Call for Moral Revival" with the Poor People's Campaign.  It was a you tube/zoom event not an actual march.  Louisa was inspired and ordered t-shirts for both of us.  I used mine as inspiration for this poster which I am now varnishing and will place outside soon.  It's pretty big--24" x 36" and is a simplification of the t-shirt.  I also reversed the color scheme.  Here's the front of the t-shirt.

Thank you Louisa.

Today is the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington at which Martin Luther King Jr. gave the "I Have a Dream" speech.  There is an actual march today in DC to commemorate that day.  Sad that we still have to march for equality.  I am trying to be a good ally in the fight. 

KNIVES OUT!

 

This is my entry for the Capitol Hill Art League's August Challenge "Knives Out!"  It is called "Rack 'em Up" and is my magnetic knife rack in the kitchen.  It includes, as you can see, a pair of kitchen shears.  

The challenge is great fun because we get so many different "takes" on the topic with artists using watercolor, acrylic, oil, photography and sumi-e, for example   For this one, I used a felt pen called "Elegant Writer."  It is made for calligraphy, but I like to use it for sketching.  When I wet it, it does things I can't quite control and sometimes even gets red or blue tints although the pen is black.  

Hydrangeas TY Smiths

 

Here's a watercolor painting of a gift I got some time ago.  Mother's Day, in fact.  I started painting it from life and got distracted and didn't take a photo so I had to make a lot of it up.  It took awhile, but I am happy with the result.  It is on handmade paper from India with a deckle edge.  I didn't crop the photo so the edge will show up.  When I frame it, I will seal it with a few coats of wax medium instead of glass.  I will then float it on a mat.  I haven't decided on the mat color yet. Since I got the hydrangeas from the Smiths, they will have first "dibs" on it when it is framed.

Thank you Sue

It was quite a while ago, in June, that I went to my friend Sue's patio for a visit.  I wore a mask to walk over and brought my own food and wine.  Sue has a pretty big patio area so we were able to "social distance."  It was fun to catch up.  Sue had been to Trader Joe's and saw these really sweet rose bushes in a metal planter with a twine tie.  She liked them so much that she got one for me.  It will go into my garden, but I still have it on the windowsill.  

Peacock on Park Bench

This was fun because I used it for two of my monthly challenges.  One challenge is through the Capitol Hill Art League CHAL) where, for the past few months, we have a subject and members create art work related to that topic and post it in a google group.  July's challenge was "Chairs" so I posted this with the title "Peacock Uses a Bench for a Chair."   Another monthly challenge is Draw a Bird Day due by the 8th of each month.  Here's my bird for August.  Mission accomplished before the due date.

The August challenge for CHAL is "Knives Out!" When you love birds, it seems like a bad idea to combine that with a bird bird painting for September 8. It could get little gory..

Jerry Looks Out the Window

I did this painting in May, but evidently didn't post it here.  It was part of a challenge to post what you see out your window.  I chose to post my cat Jerry looking out the window.  He is a rescue cat and, as far as I know, has never been an outside cat....but he is fascinated by life beyond our four walls.  He pushes the curtain aside so he can "monitor" the back yard that has trees, birds, squirrels and who know what else.  Well, Jerry knows.  This is one of those curtains that had a rod at the top and one at the bottom, but I had to take off the bottom rod.   It's OK.  We just want to have good experiences, not a "perfect home." 

BTW, he was rescued from an apartment with 35 cats.  People complained because of the smell.  You can imagine.  I looked it up on-line and the woman who had the cats voluntarily gave them up to Humane Rescue Alliance.  He spent some time in the shelter and then with foster caregiver Chantel Sheaks.  Chantel knew Jerry and I were a good match because he likes a lot of dog things and I am a lover of dogs..  He plays catch, comes to great me when I have been out, and loves to be told he is a "Good boy.."  He's a cat, so I don't think he remembers his past, but I constantly feel he knows he has a good life with me with routines that include daily "mousey-mousey" which is Temptations treats in a plastic mouse that he bats around and that dispenses the treats.  He also loves "TV time" and watches the news with me---getting petted of course.  Recently we discovered a pate treat from Fancy Feast for a daily "din-din."  He loves it and knows a good life when he lives it!  He is a Good Boy.

SCRIBBLE PORTRAIT OF SOPHIA

This requires a little explanation to appreciate it.  This is a portrait from a photograph taken about 5 years ago.  Sophia was learning to sew and made a dress.   

I call it a scribble portrait because of the method I used to draw it.  In my Wednesday Studio class, Ellen Cornett taught us how to enlarge or transfer a drawing to watercolor paper using scribbles.  It's a system that you can find out more about on-line by googling David Popa.  It uses a free app called Photoshop mix.  

It's too hard to explain the whole process in a blog, but you overlay a photo of your scribbles with the reference photo you are using.  In this case, this is what it looks like:

The scribbles provide guidance on where to draw the figure.  Using the scribbles on the paper, it is fairly easy to find where to put various parts of the drawing.  That's what I did.  I drew through the scribbles. When I was satisfied that I had the drawing, I erased the scribbles and then did the painting.  

It would have been easier had I placed more scribbles in the facial features, but I think it worked pretty well.  Even more importantly, I think Sophia liked it.

 

TY JAN

Another fun thing that I got for my birthday was a journal with a magnificent dragonfly on the cover.  My little painting is a big simplification of it!  The cover not only has a beautiful dragonfly, but also flowers and leaves and gold leaf sprays.  I admit I was intimidated to tackle it.  

This journal is from my friend Jan.  We like to exchange "dragonfly" gifts.  This one is particularly useful because it has pages that are lined, unlined and some graphs.  I am going to use it for notes from my "Wednesday Studio" art group.  

Thank you, Jan, for this thoughtful gift that combines my love of art with my love of dragonflies.

TY ERIK AND JEN

This is a very fun birthday gift from Erik and Jenifer.  You can't tell from my little painting, but it is a bracelet that has Van Gogh paintings as the jewels.  I just couldn't paint small enough to fit them in---Sunflowers, Starry Night, Self Portrait in a Hat, and more!  I recall that Jen and I went to an amazing Van Gogh show at the Phillips Collection a couple of years ago.  Thanks for the bracelet...and the great memories it brings back.

Red Tulips

This is kind of just for fun.   I did it from a photo of tulips.  The medium is watercolor on canvas board treated with absorbant ground. The size is 12" x 12." I changed the composition a little so that it would touch all four sides.

Daffodils

It's Spring and I'm stuck inside.  I was yearning for some daffodils.  Last week, Louisa went to Eastern Market where they (usually) have florists and garden plants for sale, but there were no flowers available.  A couple of days later she went to the local hardware store Frager's which also has a garden shop.  She found daffodils in a pot for me---six cheerful daffodils.  I did this little painting as a thank you card....I'm not sure why I chose to paint only one daffodil.  It might have something to do with feeling a little isolated, though I have found many things to do to keep busy.  They were really appreciated.

Peter Bug - Capitol Hill Icon

Here's another one of my favorite neighborhood people.  Peter Bug does shoe repair.  More than that, he takes "at risk" youth and teaches them howto do it and how to work with others.  I think he's closed now due to the DC "stay at home" orders.  He had a heart attack last May but recovered and honored those who saved him.  He did go back to work.  I just hope he's OK now.

I did this because, with some of my artist friends, we are working on paintings of local spots and icons for a display in the new offices of Capitol Hill Village.  I am not sure it will fit in with what we're doing, but it was a picture I got off the internet and I really enjoyed doing it, especially the grey in the hair, beard and mustache.

Koi

Here's a painting that I did over a month ago, but never posted here.  It was quite a challenge, but I am happy with the result.  I did it from a picture I took several years ago at the National Arboretum.  I like the bubbles!

April 8 Draw a Bird

I completely forgot about posting my April bird for Draw a Bird Day.  It is a Robin.....Happy Spring, even though it doesn't seem too happy with the Coronavirus "mitigation."  I have mostly stayed inside, but haven't done as much painting as I thought I would.   The "Stay at Home" directive is extended until May 15....so I think I will get more painting done in the next month than I have in the past month.

Draw a Bird - California Quail

I am in a group that draws or paints or sculpts a bird every month.  Draw a bird day is on the 8th, so I am a little early this month.  We choose our own birds.  This month I chose a California Quail.  They are so fat and I liked the coloring on the photo of this one.  The background is created by saran wrap on watercolor paint.  When it's dry, the saran wrap comes off and leaves an unpredictable pattern....but kind of leafy, in this case. 

I particularly enjoyed doing this painting because it brought back fun memories of my uncle John Davis.  He raised and protected the quails on his riverfront property in Anderson, California.  A good man!!!

Painting with Friends at the US Botanic Garden

I had a fun experience at the US Botanic Garden last Friday.  I've been busy since then, and only now am I posting it.  Several of the artists from Capitol Hill Art League gathered for a couple of hours of sketching and the orchids were amazing..as was everything else.  Karen Cohen organized it and also took this picture.  She is an amazing photographer and you can see more of her work at https://karencohen.photoshelter.com.   I can't get a better picture.  I did this watercolor sketch without pencil and sort of just fooled around with shapes.  It was fun to do it that way.  We plan to do it again...there's plenty of places in DC to enjoy. 

Blue Violin Poster

Here's another version of the Blue Violin Man in our neighborhood.  It was fun to do.  I was trying for something like a 1960's poster.  I will show him the picture of it on my phone the next time I see him.  For those who don't know, the 3 stars and 3 bars on his shirt are the DC flag.

Blue Violin

This man is a local figure who has been playing an electric violin at Eastern Market Metro Station for several years.  I always love to see him because he reminds me of when Sophia was learning violin and had a blue violin--much smaller than this one.

He's now moved across the street.   His music is loud because he amplifies it a lot.  Maybe they asked him to move...maybe the corner where he is now works better for him.  I just like to see and hear him.

Penguin

This is my bird for February Draw a Bird Day.  It is also going to be posted in "The Wednesday Studio" blog where Marian Wiseman assembles bird paintings and sculptures and posts them once a month; https://thewednesdaystudio.net/

It's fun to do and I am glad to be in the group.

TY SHERYL

Well this was fun!  Sheryl sent me a calendar that has posters from the women's suffrage movement. It honors 100 years since women got the right to vote in the United States in 1920.  There are many wonderful posters in it.  I chose a  portion of one that was published in Puck in 1914,  This is only part of the poster.  The other part has a man on a wagon.  The caption is "Giddap!  Friendly Farmer--Can't I give you a lift, girls? Suffragette 'General'--You can, sir, by voting for the Cause!"

The posters in this collection came from the Library of Congress, which is just a few blocks from me and is the world's largest library. 

Thank you Sheryl---a good piece of history and a reminder that there is more work to be done. And also a very nice calendar!

TY Griffin

This card was so much fun to do.  My grandson Griffin fixed my fence for me as a Christmas gift.  There were several boards loose and some bent.  It turned out to be harder than I thought it would be, but he did it. So, I just painted a section of the fence as a thank you card. It was fun to let the colors bleed together.

Griffin is pretty great at helping out and last night tightened up a lightbulb that I thought needed to be replaced.  I'm glad he is close and always willing to help.  Thank you Griffin.

TY Sophia

Here's something to make me happy!  A magnet set for the fridge with words that inspire happiness:  words like "sunshine," "glow" and giggle.

My granddaughter Sophia (who is a generally happy person) selected it herself and gave it to me at Christmas with a bath bomb...which is also a way to make me happy.

I did this card a couple of weeks ago, but somehow didn't post it.  Now I will and get on with being happy.

New Bee Mug

A couple of months ago I experienced a major tragedy in my life.  I dropped my beloved bee mug and it crashed beyond reconstruction.  That is not entirely true.  I did glue the major pieces and it is now a pencil holder.  But we know a pencil holder is not as good as a mug.  It will never be a mug again.

On a recent visit to DC, Catherine brought me a new bee mug. Of course, it is not exactly the same.  In many ways, it is better. John did the work and I am grateful to him and Catherine for their dedication to getting me this new bee mug.  They know how I love it.

Just as history, I used to have art friends to my house every week for sketching.  Many sketched the bee mug, but the important thing was that the "artist of the day" got to use the bee mug for coffee or tea...or whatever.  Good memories.

In the Mood

I actually did this a couple of years ago, but set it aside thinking I would add something more.  I never did figure out what would improve it, so now have framed it and it is ready to submit to a juried show "Rhythm and Blues."  The gold is metallic, which doesn't come through in this image.  It is a gelli print with acrylic paint on black paper.  Something a little different for me.

TY Jeff

My brother Jeff came for a visit at Christmas, and that was the best gift of all.  The little painting for the thank you card is the castle at Connemara, Ireland.  He brought me a letter opener from Connemara.  He loves Ireland and all things Irish.  He also brought me a gift card for Amazon.  I thought just painting this little Irish scene was more interesting than a letter opener (though it is very pretty) or a gift card. 

Owlet in the Rain

This was my bird for "Draw a Bird" day January 8th.  I found the picture online and it just appealed to me.  He seems related to the hummingbird sheltered by a leaf that I did a couple of months ago. 

January 4 TY Louisa

I got a bunch of very creative stickers from "Santa" in my stocking.  I'm guessing Louisa put them there.  The one above is a woman's power symbol.  With flowery stuff instead of black in the design.  I just liked it, and used it as inspiration for my thank you card. I added the watery black background.  Some of the other ones were fun, too, like one that says "When I was your age, Pluto was a planet" and a couple of ones featuring Van Gogh.   One made me cry a little "The mountains are calling and I must go" because it reminded me of Howard....it's on the trail sign for his trail. 

There was more from Louisa and her family, including some magnets for poems about DC.  That should be entertaining.  The big gift was a book about Black Mountain College. I just didn't want to make a painting of it, but I love the book.

January 1,2,3

I began 2020 by making a commitment to paint at least 15 minutes everyday.  It's part of a group challenge called Art 365.  I know, 2020 has 366 days, but that's not something to worry about.  I started with thank you cards. 

January 1 was a thank you to Nancy, who sent me a great dishtowel with an Oregon theme....in watercolor.  I just painted the barista coffee and included the green background.

January 2 features a pin from Jan that looks like my cat Jerry.  She also sent me a very fun Starbucks ornament, but I only painted the cat.

January 3 was a challenge.  I get Moravian cookies every year from my sister and brother-in-law.  My sister-in-law and my late husband, were raised as Moravians, so that is an acknowledgement of that.  And they are delicious.   I have painted the cookie tin, a Moravian star, churches, and cookies in previous years.  This  time I went on-line to find a picture of a woman in traditional Moravian dress.  At least, that is my belief---I can't read the language,  It was fun to keep it simple.