Vacation! Part 4

This is the sweet little house we stayed in.

It was on an acre or more of land, so one day I just wandered around sketching.

On the property there was this perfectly creepy little pine forest that I couldn't wait to sketch. The trees in it were crazy! It wasn't actually creepy - the whole place had a nice feeling.

This is the view from the deck looking towards the water.

After another night at The Squealing Pig, we drove back to Provincetown and took the long trip back to Memphis. It was such a great trip, but also so nice to be home.

Vacation! Part 3

The house we rented on Cape Cod was right at the beach. Our first full day there was pretty chilly and rainy so most of the day was spent inside except for this one little page. Brrrrrr.

The second day was much clearer and warmer and beautiful! We could see whales over on the left side by the sea oats.

Our little "beach" was up on a bluff overlooking the actual beach, so in addition to watching whales, we were able to watch people and birds.

We stayed near Provincetown, so we drove over to see their adorable museum. Did you know that the pilgrims landed in Provincetown before landing at Plymouth Rock? I didn't.

We found one of the few open pre-season spots, The Squealing Pig. It was packed and there were plenty of people to sketch.

Vacation! Part 2

This was the second full day of vacation - yes! So relaxing! We went to this great diner for breakfast.

Then we went to the Whaling Museum in New Bedford, MA. I love museums of all kinds, and this one did not disappoint.

Another two-part watercolor!

On the third morning we left Providence for Cape Cod, but first stopped at another great diner.

Vacation! Part 1

Last month - though it feels like longer-ago - we went on vacation to Providence and Cape Cod. I made a LOT of sketches, so here's part one of four.

I'm using a small Laloran sketchbook for everyday sketching. It's small - about 4" x 4".

I took my beloved fat pen (Pigma Graphic 1), C10 Pigma pen, Pentel brush pen and Pentel ink brush (see Materials I Like to see the difference between these two), colored pencil, a small watercolor set, and Pentel Aquash waterbrush pens filled with Dr. PH Marten's watercolor.

This and the one below obviously span two pages and I will figure out how to stitch them. They are on a Stillman & Birn Epsilon sketchbook, which I love for watercolor! I didn't even think about it not fitting on my scanner, but usually I don't work in landscape format.

After Narragansett we drove to Newport and gawked at all the giant mansions. The Mooring is a great vacation restaurant!

It Was the Worst Wreck... I Ever Seen!

It wasn't the worst wreck I've ever seen, but I never miss an opportunity to quote Pee Wee's Big Adventure.

A few weeks ago I was running an errand at lunch when I got stopped for about 20 minutes by a wreck at the cross-street. So what does one do when trapped by a wreck? Sketch, of course!

Happy Easter

Easter feels like it was just yesterday, doesn't it?

On Easter my friends and I had a lovely picnic on Greenbelt Park, right there at the Mississippi River!

There's the river in the sketch on the right. Any time I sketch the river I am distracted by how difficult it is to capture it. The only way to really do it is by sketching around it, sketching the absence of it.

Sketches from DC and the National Harbor

Here's more of the story I posted yesterday.

Stayed in Chinatown; this synagogue was the view outside my window.

I love riding the metro.

I love the National Gallery! I spent all afternoon in the east wing.

It was all so inspiring! Lately I've been working with patterns and shapes a lot, so I'm seeing patterns and shapes everywhere now.

On Sunday I went to the Phillips Collection. I went there the first time I went to DC in 1996 or 1997, and William Christenberry gave us a private tour of his show because he was friends with my teacher, Steve Langdon. Both are gone now, but Mr. Christenberry's work still hangs in the museum, and it was good to see it there.

I really do love the metro.

My cousin Gina drove me down to the National Harbor where my conference started on Sunday afternoon.

I only had a few free moments to make proper sketches, but I made sketch notes throughout the conference, so it was a creative and productive few days.