TY Jenifer and Erik Haller

Jen and Erik gave me an ina garten cookbook for Christmas--go-to dinners.  The above little painting is my attempt to sketch the Barefoot Contessa from a photo on the book cover.   I didn't quite get the happy look, but I had fun doing it. 

It has some amazing recipes.  I recently made some cheese crackers that were a huge hit with my Cinephiles group.  She had them as Chipoltle Cheddar Crackers and I have to admit I left off the chipolte, but they were so tasty.

Lots of ideas about what to cook and lots of things to talk about with Jen and Erik!

Smithsonian Castle

I have been working on this painting for years!  I just couldn't seem to get it done.  I finally settled on using some watercolor pencils on the flowers.  It is the Smithsonian Castle, which has been serving as the visitor center for the Smithsonian Museums  on the Capitol Mall.  I say "has been" because, starting tomorrow, it will be closed for fve years for a renovation,  It is the oldest of the Smithsonian buildings and was built in 1855.   I am sure updates are needed, but I will miss it.  I had eaten in the coffee shop many times before the covid pandemic. It was convenient when doing volunteer work for Smithsonian Associates.  The food was not great, though, so maybe that will be improved, too.

As for the painting, I kind of like the "riot" of pink and white in the flowers....that is how it seemed to me when I saw it on site.  That tree will stay, I'm sure, and will bloom and follow its own cycles without regard to the renovation.  

Fun with Sophia...and thank you!

 

For Christmas Sophia gave me a calendar.  It is really a fun idea because it is a DIY project that we can do together.   There is a drawing for each month, acrylic paints and brushes, and some directions.  Above is the painting she did most of and I finished for January.  It is fun to have a project to do with her and I have something to keep to remember how we worked on it together.

David Russell Droege BD

 

I'm a little behind on my posts.   My brother David Russell Droege had his 75th birthday a few days ago.  His wife Mary recently died on December 28, so things are a little rough for him right now.  Carnations are the birth flower for January.   I sent him a card with this painting of a white carnation with pink edges.   I hope it brought him a smile and some comfort to know that I was thinking about him.

Grateful for Moravian Cookies

 

Every year for the holidays, I get Moravian Spice and Moravian Sugar Cookies from my sister- and brother-in-law, Catharine and George Woodwell.  What a treat.  Catharine Woodwell (who we call "Bobby") is Howard's sister.  We call her Bobby because, when she was a baby, he called her "Bobby" rather than Baby...it just stuck!  All the family calls her that.  

When I want to write a thank you note, I feel like I have to paint something Moravian.  It just seems reasonable, but new ideas are hard to dream up.  This year, I decided to do a sketch of the Rondthaler-Gramley house in Salem, North Carolina.  It on the campus of Salem College and was the residence of the college president.  Howard's grandfather was college president for several years, and I think Mr. Gramley was also a president.   

My little sketch doesn't really do the building justice, but it was fun to do and I hope George and Bobby appreciate my thoughts and my thanks.

Great Blue Heron....again

 

I recently sold a heron painting that was on display at the Hill Center here on Capitol Hill.   There was a lot of interest in it, so I did another one and this is it.  I love the elegance of this bird in flight!  This one is a little bigger than the first one--it is 15" x 22".  

Hill Center Regional Juried Show

 

The painting above, titled "The Way Out" was juried into the Regional Juried Show at the Hill Center.  I am excited to be included because it was very competitive.   Over 700 pieces were submitted and 113 were chosen for the show.  The receptions is January 11 from 6;30-8:30 and the show will be up until April 16.  People who want to go to the reception need to register in advance  at the Hill Center website.

It's always fun to be in shows at Hill Center, and I have made several sales there.