YellowCatArt

Salad for Supper

2012-01-19T20:07:00.000-08:00

Today on the way to work I heard that it was Paula Dean’s birthday. While I like to watch her cooking show on TV, I don’t cook too many of her recipes. (Though I do share her passion for real butter. ha!)

There’s no butter here, but I thought in honor of Paula’s birthday I would post a recipe. When we sat down for dinner the other night, the spring lettuces were so pretty – all that purple and green was just too much so I had to do a sketch. This is my favorite salad right now. It may sound a little strange but it is really tasty (and pretty too)! Here’s what all I put in it.

Mixed spring greens, some chopped onions, a peeled and sectioned clementine, one Babybell cheese chopped up, a big pinch of dried cranberries and some Tamari roasted pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top. Then I dress it with Good Seasons Cheese Garlic dressing made with balsamic vinegar (instead of the regular white vinegar). Tuck in with a nice crusty piece of bread and I am a happy girl!

I sketched this salad in a pretty journal made with handmade paper from Nepal. I don’t know what the paper is made out of but it is a little like trying to sketch and paint on a roll of paper towels. It sucks the paint, water or ink out of your brush faster than you can move it. It also dries a completely different color than what you think it is going to be.... but I think it makes for some interesting sketching. For some reason I started painting food and special recipes in this journal so I guess now it is my cooking journal. ha.

So, Happy Birthday Paula Dean -- Bon Appetit!

Scavenging

2012-01-10T21:20:00.000-08:00

Well, it’s another new year and time again to get back in the groove. One groove I am trying to get back into is eating right. No more chocolate cake, sugar cookies, holiday dips and snacks. So, I while I was scavenging through the freezer, trying to find something good to fix for supper, I found this fabulous water scavenger beetle that I had forgotten about! No, I didn’t fix him for supper. (You will all be relieved to know that we had chicken cacciatore.)

But, back to the beetle. Not only is he large and shiny with feathery legs he is pretty interesting also. When you look at him from the underside he looks remarkably like Darth Vader and he has a keel-like spike that runs down his middle. When I looked this one up, the Kaufman book says that they swim by moving their legs alternately and surface “heads-up,” using their short antennae to channel air to a bubble on their belly. I don’t know if the center spike has anything to do with that or not. They also say that not all of the Hydrophilidae family are aquatic, nor are they all scavengers. I find that interesting because I found this guy in the parking lot of our building at work.... not near water at all. I don’t know what he was doing there or how he got there but I was a lucky girl to find him!

In other news, a few members of the Western Trail Art Association and I took a trip to Altus, Oklahoma to meet with Jennie Buchanan and check out the gallery space at the Museum of the Western Prairie. The Association will be having their first show there on March 24th, 2012 and we are all pretty excited about that. (This is a really nice museum – if you ever find yourself in Altus, you should stop by.) I will post more about this show soon.

I hope everyone is having a good new year! I think I will go clean out the freezer.....

Catching up

2011-12-13T19:02:00.000-08:00

Oh my it's been quite a while since I have posted! Thankfully, I still remembered how to get here. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving... It seems like that holiday was so long ago now that the Christmas holiday frenzy is upon us.

Since the Texas Country Reporter show aired life has been a whirlwind. I have met and heard from so many nice people from around the state and I am truly amazed and humbled by the response. I have been busy out in the shop welding up metal bugs for folks and I also finally got some note cards printed. I have had several folks ask if I was going to print my bug journal and since I am not to the point of printing a book, I thought the note cards would be the next best thing. I really love getting personal notes in the mail. I can't hardly wait to open anything that is not a bill or sale flyer. ha!

I have also opened an Etsy store online! Right now all I have available are the bug notes but I will be adding some metal items soon. The address is yellowcatart.etsy.com if you would like to check it out.
The cards are also available at the Kemp Center for the Arts in Wichita Falls.

I am working on getting caught up and doing some more sketching too. I have neglected my sketch books as much as my blog! Thanks to everyone who is hanging in there with me!

Texas Country Reporter Update

2011-10-17T20:26:00.000-07:00

I promised to let everyone know when I knew when the Texas Country Reporter would be airing my interview... so here's what I know!

It will be airing the weekend of November 5th.

Here in the Wichita Falls area that will be on KAUZ TV Channel 6 (CBS) and they will show it on Saturday, November 5th at 6:00 am and then again on Sunday, November 6th at 6:30 am.

If you are not in this part of Texas, you will have to check your local listings to find out when and where.
Thanks for tuning in!
Laura

Wheel Bug

2011-10-17T04:17:00.000-07:00

Finally finished the Wheel Bug!

His body is made from exhaust pipe, regular steel pipe, a pulley thing and a small gear. The legs are rolled steel and the wings are barn tin. The big wheel on his back is a broken gear from an old Daisy Churn that I found out in the pasture.

He is a fairly large bug.... 23" x 17" x 7.5" (length x width x height)

Grasses, Sage and a Little News

2011-09-28T19:17:00.000-07:00

I think I may have mentioned before how much I like the grasses... so, here are a couple of pages of grasses with a little sage thrown in there (‘cause I liked it a lot). These were all found in Mueller State Park, Colorado.

From left to right: Unidentified - this looked a lot like wheat but was different; Witchgrass, Panicum capillare; Letterman Needlegrass, Stipa lettermanii; Orchard Grass, Dactylis glomerata; Purple Reed Grass, Calamagrostis pinpurascens or Spike Trisetum, Trisetum spicatum; Fringed Brome Grass, Bromus (Bromopsis) ciliatus; and on the far right, the very fragrant and beautiful Arctic Sage, Artemisia arctica.

These are my best guesses on the names... adding to the challenge of identifying the grasses is the fact that it was late for most of these and the flowers and seeds were already gone. Sometime I would like to find a botany book that has photos or drawings of plants post flowering. So many books focus only on the flowers and if the flowers aren’t there, you are just out of luck.

This is the last of the Colorado vacation sketches. I will be back sketching Texas and maybe some more bugs now that we are back home.

I do have some exciting news about the bug sketches and sculptures though... Bob Phillips and a crew from the Texas Country Reporter show came to visit me yesterday and the bugs and I are going to be on an upcoming episode! (Most likely in December.) The crew came up and filmed me most of the day and Bob did the interview sitting in my workshop with me, the bugs and Shorty the dog. It was really exciting and I have a whole new appreciation for people who do that kind of thing. I was wiped out at the end of the day but I am anxious to see how it all turns out.

Pen & ink on hemp paper in the nature journal

Balanced Rock

2011-09-25T20:51:00.000-07:00

On our first day of hiking in Mueller I saw this group of rocks and I wanted to sketch them. Unfortunately, I didn’t get back there for a couple of days and when I did, one of those thunderstorms that they always warn you about came up and over the mountains behind me. I could hear it coming and I thought about waiting it out until I saw the lightning bounce across three peaks to the south and I decided that maybe I should get out of there.

I had some light pencil work done on this when I packed it up so I stood and looked for a couple of minutes more trying to memorize the color, light and shadows but I knew that if I didn’t hurry up and get back to camp I would have to deal with my sweet, adoring, and very worried husband who had been listening to the same thunder that I was hearing. (For those who know me, you won’t believe it, but I was actually hiking without a camera.)

I think it is a fairly close rendering but someday I want to go back and try it again and do some other angles. The rock on the top left is actually a balance rock and every year I go there I like to go and see if it has fallen yet.

This isn't my favorite sketch ever but it was a good practice for me... I would like to do better landscapes faster and I definitely want to work on sketching from memory!

Ink & watercolor on hemp paper

Homestead Trail, Mueller State Park, Colorado

Aspen Leaves

2011-09-22T04:30:00.000-07:00

The Aspen leaves were just beginning to think about turning colors while we were in Colorado last week. There were a few trees that had turned bright gold and then there was this small tree whose leaves were turning in a pattern.

The leaves on this tree were green along the veins with an edge of yellow surrounding reddish-orange blotches. It was a very pretty effect and reminded me of a map but I wonder what caused it.... it didn’t look like something good. Along the edges and in some spots, the leaves had started turning black and were brittle and dry.

I only saw this effect in one small tree. I don’t know if it was diseased or had an insect infestation or maybe it was just being a non-conformist, artistic tree. What ever it was, I don’t think it was good for the tree and I hope it isn’t something that will spread through all the Aspen.

ink & watercolor on hemp paper

Getting Ready for Winter

2011-09-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

We didn’t see much large wildlife at Mueller State Park this year... I think there were too many camping dogs and the barking kept the wilder things away. I was very interested to see the number and the variety of dogs in the camp this year. My favorites were the dogs and people with the matching vests & jackets. (Are those from the Eddie Bauer Collection????) I don’t really understand dogs in people coats -- don’t they already have their own built-in coats?!

Anyway, the wildlife that we did see was mostly birds and ground squirrels busy getting ready for winter. I really enjoyed watching this Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel.

This little guy climbed up in a tree and cut down two pine cones to take to his den. The problem was that the cones were still attached to the end of the branch along with a large clump of needles. Evidently, cones are stored as singles and there is no use for the needles in a ground squirrel pantry. So, that meant that he had to get those cones off of the branch.

He worked and worked on this branch, and being from a pine tree, the branch and the green cones were full of sticky sap. When the sap got too thick on his face or front paws, he would scamper off a few inches and take a dirt bath and get “cleaned” up. It must have been really sticky because he had to stop and bathe quite a bit. He never went very far or took very long to bathe.

It took him between 30 & 45 minutes to get the cones, branches and needles all separated but he finally got the cones in the pantry. Then, he was right back out looking for more. While we were there, a storm came through with rain and hail and snow. It looks like it might be another long winter for the ground squirrels.

ink & watercolor on hemp paper

Trinidad State Park, Colorado

2011-09-18T15:56:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a nice cool week in Colorado -- It was nice to get away from the heat here in Texas and relax a bit.

We went camping at two of our favorite Colorado state parks - Trinidad Lake, near Trinidad, and Mueller, west of Colorado Springs near Divide. We usually take two days to travel to Mueller -- At home our altitude is just under 1,000 ft. and our camp is at 9,600 ft. so it takes us a bit to adjust.

We got to Trinidad early in the day so I had time for some sketches.... first, was the rabbit brush, the park’s plant of the week. We had a pretty little cottontail come visit our camp but ironically, she showed no interest in the rabbit brush.

The park had lots of grama grass (misspelled in the journal - only one m). I thought it was Black Grama but when I looked in my Colorado flora book, they didn’t list Black Grama but they did list Hairy Grama so that is what I am calling it for now. I will have to see if I can find the difference in one of my other grass books. Either way, I do like grasses. I just need to learn more about how to tell them apart!

A Gamble’s Oak was also in our campsite and covered in galls. When I got to looking, there were several different shapes and sizes both on leaves and on the branches of the tree. I saw one wasp that was very attentive to one particular gall but I never saw the wasp chew on or try to pierce the gall in any way. It seemed to be going around the gall in circles and smelling it. I don’t if maybe the wasp was protecting it by leaving some kind of pheromone or maybe it was getting ready to parasitise the gall. (It is nice to be so easily entertained.... ha!)

The day ended with a full moon over Fishers Peak Mesa that was really spectacular.

There are more sketches to come... I thought I would spread them out a little and not overwhelm everyone with one long post!

The Checkered Whites

2011-08-31T19:43:00.000-07:00

This is Mr & Mrs Checkered White. The male was painted quite a while back and I just did the female. When they are fluttering around they look solid white. I thought it was interesting how much more color the male had... kind of like how the male birds are many times flashier than the females. Life is so interesting when you stop and look.

It is nice to stop and look again. It’s been a while since I have posted but I am over the hurdle of getting my sculptures ready for the Kemp Center and I even have an entry ready to go in their Mystery Art Fest.

The sculpture show has been very well received and the reception was wonderful thanks to my mom who did all the finger foods and all the people who came to visit. The show will remain on display through October 8th at the Kemp.

I am also going to take the time to get back to nature.... that is if there is any nature left after this summer of fires and drought. And, of course there will be.... the greenest grass grows in the blackened remains of a pasture and life returns in full force. I am sure looking forward to some lower temperatures soon. The weatherman says it will only be 98° on Sunday! We will see.....

Ink & watercolor

Thank You!

2011-08-24T04:09:00.001-07:00

Thanks to all who came to the reception last night at the Kemp Center. I was amazed at the turnout and thanks to everyone who took the time to come! I truly appreciate seeing everyone there.

I hope everyone got to have some of the wonderful food that my mom prepared for the event. She really went over the top! (Martha Stewart’s got nothing on my Mom.) She even had sugar cookies with red, yellow and blue butterflies and others with ladybugs on them. The food was beautiful and was an art show in itself. (Here are a few photos if you missed it.)

There were savory treats....

... and lots of sweet treats too.

Butterflies & ladybugs adorned the sugar cookies

The beverages with the gorgeous flowers from Mom & Dad

I just can’t thank everyone enough for coming and for buying too.... I truly appreciate you all.

Special thanks go out to Mom & Dad not only for everything they did for the reception, but for all the support through the years, to Jamie for helping and putting up with my crazy ideas, to Debbie Berend for the loan of the drink dispensers and for keeping the food trays full. To the folks at Crane | West for sponsoring the reception and to the staff of the Kemp Center for all they have done.

If you couldn't come last night, you still have plenty of time to see the show. It will be at the Kemp Center until October 8th.

Thanks again to everyone..... It looks like I had better go get busy out in the shop!

You're Invited!

2011-08-15T21:03:00.001-07:00

You are invited to an

artist’s reception celebrating the exhibit

It’s All Bugs!

A swarm of scrap metal insects

by artist Laura Gillis

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

5:30 - 7:30 pm

Kemp Center for the Arts

1300 Lamar Street, Wichita Falls, Texas

Refreshments will be served

The exhibit will remain on display in the “What’s Up Downstairs?” Gallery

at the Kemp Center for the Arts through October 8th, 2011

It's Almost Time!

2011-08-07T16:26:00.000-07:00

Well, it is almost here! My exhibit of metal insects will be opening at the Kemp Center for the Arts in Wichita Falls on Wednesday, August 10th! Here is one of my favorite pieces -- the Praying Mantis.

He is made from an exhaust pipe, barn siding tin, grounding rods, plain ol' pipe, flat steel and steel spheres.

The exhibit is called "It's All Bugs!" and there are all kinds of bugs on display. Some are bugs you know... and then there are "the others!"

I will keep posting more as time goes on!

Surprise!

2011-08-02T04:29:00.000-07:00

Surprise! I have a post and it is good to be back! I can't believe that I remembered my passwords and how to get here! ha!

I have always thought that this little wiener dog has the longest tongue of any dog on the planet. He loves to give kisses and just when you think you are a safe distance, that tongue will shoot out and slap you across the face. Next to playing ball, surprise kissing attacks are his favorite thing.

Last night though, he was sleeping so soundly and he looked so sweet with just that little tiny bit of tongue sticking out. Maybe he was dreaming about giving kisses I don’t know. He is a sweet little dog.

--

So, lots of things have been happening around here -- my sculpture exhibit at the Kemp Center for the Arts will open next week and I will be posting pictures here soon... we have a reception scheduled for Tuesday, August 23rd and I will get everyone more information on that also.

Thanks for hanging in there with me. I am trying to do better about posting but I know you have heard that before haven’t you!?!

Flies, Flies, Flies

2011-07-04T20:03:00.000-07:00

This is my first post from home on my new internet service! Now I won’t have to go to the office early to post or wait until lunch to post! I am finally rid of the dreaded dial-up connection and I am not sure how I ever survived. Ha!

I have a few summer flies today... first is the Mayfly (which is not really a fly at all). These are such pretty little insects. The thing I find most interesting is that this Mayfly was at my house the other night. They are usually found close to water and water is getting pretty scarce around this part of Texas right now. We have been so long without rain that all fireworks were banned this year and only 9 Texas counties are not in a burn ban.

Sorry, I got off track.... back to the Mayflies.... trout love these insects and when I was up in Yellowstone a few years back, I bought several flies for fly fishing that look like various insects. I have still never been fly fishing but I just love the flies. They are just as pretty as the real thing! (The one on the top left looks like a Mayfly -- the others represent other insects that I have long forgotten...)

And since we are talking flies.... we were at a Fourth of July party and this giant, massive guy flew in for the festivities. He is by far the largest fly I have ever seen. Unfortunately, even with my new high-speed internet, I haven’t been able to identify him!

His body is 1.625 inches long if you don’t count the wicked looking mouth parts (that honker is a full .125 inch by itself -- add that in and he is almost 2 inches long!). He is a dark brownish black with huge emerald green eyes. He is a big bad boy and was just a little bit scary when he invited himself to the party. I will keep looking to see if I can find out what he is but if anybody knows, let me know! Thanks!

Ink & watercolor

The Caterpillar Hunter

2011-06-28T11:03:00.000-07:00

These are one of my favorite ground beetles. The iridescent colors are just beautiful and these look like big jewels on spindly legs. (Maybe one of these days I will figure out how to paint those colors.)

I wonder if these guys like owlet moth caterpillars? I was working out in the shop fairly late last night and when I quit and looked around, the shop was swarming with hundreds of moths! When the eggs from those moths hatch it should be a grand buffet for the Caterpillar Hunters!

Ink & watercolor in the Moleskine Watercolor Journal

Flower Scarab & 2 more pages finished

2011-06-17T05:52:00.001-07:00

This is a Bee-like Flower Scarab. I don’t know what makes it bee-like unless it kind of looks like a bee from the back when it is doing its thing in a flower.... (I don’t really think it looks like a bee).

The Flower Scarab and the Scolid Wasp from the other day finished off another couple of pages so I thought I would go ahead and post them. I am up to page 27! Not half way yet so there are still a whole lot of bugs to sketch!

All are ink & watercolor in the Moleskine Watercolor Journal

Wasps

2011-06-15T05:57:00.000-07:00

I think there is a line in a John Wayne movie where it is said that everything in Texas would either “bite ‘ya, sting ‘ya or stick ‘ya.” (Or it could have been Henry Fonda or Jimmy Stewart that said that -- I don’t remember now.) Well, here are a couple of those things that might sting ‘ya...

First is the Scolid Wasp. This pretty black and brown wasp has a furry abdomen and the darkest black body and wings. She is a regular sized wasp (not quite an inch long).

The other brown wasp is quite a bit bigger (well over an inch if she wasn’t curled up). I think this is a Paper Wasp Polistes carolinus but I am not totally sure. I found her lying by the water faucet one day, dead as a door nail as they say. We do have lots of wasps around here and I think I will start paying more attention to them.

Ink & watercolor in the Moleskine Watercolor Journal

Cactus Blooms and a Praying Mantis

2011-06-08T06:04:00.001-07:00

Two exciting things for today.... first, my cactus is blooming again and that always makes me happy. I don’t know what kind of cactus these are but they seem to be very content here on my patio and they seem to be the only thing I can really grow. The babies just keep popping off and I keep finding more pots to put them in. This is just a VERY small group of the cactus -- I have pots everywhere. (So if you need a cactus or two, we should talk.)

Secondly, what I am most excited about is the Praying Mantis. The Mantis are some of my favorite insects and are just fascinating to watch. (Ask my Mom & Dad about how to hatch them out in your kitchen while you are away for the weekend and how many teeny tiny babies will hatch out of that egg thing on a stick!)

I just finished this sculpture this past weekend for my show in August. I was going to try not to post it, but you guys have been very patient with me not posting so maybe this will be worth the wait for you. (Plus, I just can’t stand it and I wanted to show it to everybody.) So, I guess now you know that I don’t like to keep secrets -- I can, I just don’t like to!

Moth Fly

2011-06-06T06:03:00.000-07:00

I know it has been a while since I have posted but I have been intent on getting some new pieces done for my show in August. I am way behind on my sculptures so I have been letting the sketching and blogging slide. I will try to do better but I have given up making any promises on that.

These pretty little heart shaped flies are in the ladies room in our office building. I have never really thought about why you always see these in bathrooms, but one of my insect books says that the larvae of some species feed on the gunk in your drain trap (yuck!!!).... so that is why the adults are hanging out in the rest rooms.

I have no idea what this other insect is... it looks like a large flying ant or a smallish wasp. I found several of these in some grass but even though I didn’t see an ant hill any where nearby, I am leaning toward the large flying ant.

A Little Stinker

2011-05-10T05:58:00.000-07:00

I have had a couple of people ask when I would do another bug so here is a stinker! Euthochtha galeator is the closest I could find for this little guy (there wasn’t a common name listed). I do know that he is a true bug and that if I had smashed him, I probably wouldn’t have been able to hold my breath long enough to sketch him! ha!

Ink & watercolor in the bug journal.

Brush Pen Trees

2011-05-05T10:04:00.000-07:00

So, I am still playing with the brush pen. I am just about to run it out of ink for the first time -- I am using lots of ink! I haven’t made a mess yet with this pen but my time is coming I can tell.... I may show up to work soon with ink stained fingers but I don’t really care. I just really like watching that thick, shiny dark black ink flow across that white paper. It really is mesmerizing or maybe meditative is a better word. Most of the time I am not even drawing anything. I am just making marks on the paper.

Recently I read about an exercise in a calligraphy magazine where the teacher had them make one mark everyday for 100 days. (They would later base paintings off their marks.)

I had an empty sketch pad with 60 pages in it so I tried a smaller version of the experiment for 60 days. Most of the marks I didn’t really care for but there are a few that I really do like. Maybe I will get those scanned in and show you one of these days. In the meantime, I am thinking that I am going to try that experiment with the brush pen just for fun.

Both drawings here are done in black ink (and lots of it) in a mixed media sketchbook. This sketchbook has extra heavy paper and holds up well to the ink (but I did manage to get the paper buckled pretty good on the pine tree).

Tree Trunks

2011-05-04T05:51:00.000-07:00

Last night I grabbed a few minutes at the park after work and before a meeting and broke out the sketchbook and pencil again. It has been too long! I didn’t have much time and I didn’t even get out of the car for these so I am not really sure what kind of trees these really are... I couldn’t see the trees for the forest (maybe next time I should sketch the trees in front - they were pecans).

I think the funky tree on top was a live oak, the one on the bottom right with the shaggy bark is a cypress and the one on the left is some sort of an evergreen type... maybe a juniper? Maybe I will go back one of these days and get out of the car.

Pencil in sketchbook

Brush Pen

2011-04-15T05:45:00.000-07:00

I don’t know how long it has been, but it feels like a long time and I have missed you guys on my blog. I have just had some crazy deadlines and then my computer was down getting an up-grade. The deadlines are still hideous but after a little tweeking with the scanner drivers the computer seems to be good. If I can just make it through the end of April I think my work load will lighten up so I can get back to some of the fun stuff.

In the mean-time, for my sanity I did force myself to finally listen to that little voice that was saying that we should fill that brush pen with ink and waste some paper. Mom & Dad gave me the brush pen and some Noodler’s black ink for Christmas and I am totally ashamed that it has taken me months to get serious with the pen.

But wow! Was it ever worth it!! This pen or brush or whatever you call it is GREAT. I LOVE the brush pen! It has the most wonderful lines.

Sieben

I think this will be my kind of pen... a little cantankerous and the opportunity to be a whole lot messy. (I love fountain pens and Rapidiograph pens too.) I have a feeling that this pen won’t do well with altitude changes so I will have to remember to clean it before I go to the mountains and fill it with ink once I am there.... we will have to see if I remember that or if I will have a nice big ink blot on my backpack. ha!

Miss Potter

So anyway, since I broke out the pen and ink, here are just a couple quick sketches of Sieben and Miss Potter (Penny was sleeping under the bed and I couldn’t sketch her that night.).

It’s is nice to post again and I will try not to be so long next time.

Gray Hairstreak Butterfly

2011-04-06T05:25:00.000-07:00

Gray Hairstreak butterfly. Ink & watercolor in the Moleskine Bug Journal

Ornate Tiger Moth

2011-03-25T05:43:00.000-07:00

I was feeling pretty confident about my tiger moth identification back in February but now I am not so sure. In February I wondered how they got the name Tiger Moth because I didn’t think it looked anything like a tiger but this time I can see where they were coming from. This one is an Ornate Tiger Moth.

I haven’t re-identified my first ‘Tiger Moth’ yet but I am working on it. I am re-posting the first moth here just in case someone has an idea of what it might be....

Ink & watercolor in the Moleskine Watercolor journal

The Queen Bee - Apis gillisii

2011-03-14T05:38:00.001-07:00

I have always thought it would be so cool to have an insect named after me... and since I haven’t found any new species yet, I decided to make one.

This is my entry for the 2011 art show at the Red River Valley Museum in Vernon. I didn’t think I was going to make it this year even after they extended the deadline a whole month. I let work and life (mostly work) get in the way of my art and I have decided that that is going to change as of now. Work is going to have to stay at work. I am not going to let it interfere anymore with my art.

I don’t know if the Queen Bee will make it through the jury panel but I sure do feel good about getting out in the shop, getting dirty and getting her done.

12” x 5.5” x 3”

Found metal sculpture

Dragonflies

2011-03-01T06:09:00.000-08:00

This newest sketch is a female Common Green Darner dragonfly. I thought I had already done this dragonfly but when I looked closer, I discovered that the earlier sketch was of a male.

So, ladies first.

And, just for comparison, here is the male that I sketched back in 2009.

Ink & watercolor in the Bug Journal (Moleskine Watercolor Journal).

Moths

2011-02-24T06:16:00.000-08:00

Just a couple this morning....

A Tiger Moth. I'm not sure how this looks like a tiger but that was it's name.

And then the very bark-like Obscure Underwing.

Ink & watercolor in the Moleskine Bug Journal

Snow Bugs

2011-02-05T16:14:00.000-08:00

While stuck in the house waiting for the ice and snow to thaw I got a few bugs done. This weather is making me anxious for spring and the first buzzings of insect life. I know, I will be regretting that statement when the mosquitoes start up but I am just really ready to get out for a while.

First is the Green June Beetle -- a pretty little stout-bodied beetle.

Next, I have two unidentified beetles. The first one I am fairly sure is in the Click Beetle group but the second one I haven’t found yet. He has pinchers up front and an extremely tough shell. (He was a challenge to get the pin through the thorax.) I don’t think he is an Iron Clad Beetle though.

This little Straight-Lanced Meadow Katydid is just tiny and cute... Only three quarters of an inch long from her nose to the tip of her lance. Earlier I had sketched and posted an older adult that was an inch longer but this one was just so cute I had to include her also.

And then there is the big honkin’ Sphinx Moth.

I worked on this guy for several days and I never did get it to where it does justice to the real thing. I haven’t identified this one with the magenta spots yet but when I get to some hi-speed internet I plan to do some research on these. This was a beautiful moth -- the heavy body is 2.5 inches long and the resting wings are almost three inches wide. When I see these feeding on flowers I almost always think I have a hummingbird at first!

I hope you and yours are all safe and warm and riding out these winter storms!

All are ink & watercolor in the Moleskine Watercolor Journal

Greater Angle-wing Katydids

2011-01-31T06:04:00.000-08:00

Female and male versions of the Greater Angle-wing Katydid.

Ink & watercolor in the moleskine watercolor journal

Locust Borer

2011-01-26T06:17:00.001-08:00

I like the “longhorn” beetles or wood borers – Their markings are usually so pretty and I love the “horns.” This guy doesn’t have the really long antenna but he is still pretty. At first glance he reminds me of a Yellow Jacket Wasp.

Ink & watercolor

Spotted Cucumber Beetle

2011-01-25T06:12:00.000-08:00

Today I have a Spotted Cucumber Beetle. These are pretty common little beetles around here and I see them in all kinds of flowers. But, last fall I went out to get in the car to go to work and these little guys were all over the car. A few years ago when I was driving the little yellow VW Beetle I had hummingbirds come up to the tail lights and check things out and lots of things were attracted to the color. Now I am driving a white Impala... I don’t know what the beetles were so interested in that day -- maybe they just wanted to carpool. ha!

American Cockroach

2011-01-24T06:15:00.000-08:00

We are back to the bugs and I have got to get this one off my desk and into the box where I don’t see him every morning. This big honkin’ roach was terrorizing the guys in the web development department back in our old office before our move. They caught it for me so I could add it to my collection and here we are. I really do dislike roaches -- but I don’t really know why. I think it must be their creepy way of running around.

Ink & watercolor in the Moleskine Watercolor Journal

The Beginning and The End

2011-01-21T06:03:00.000-08:00

I know you thought it would never end, but I have finally finished the Alaska Journal No. 1! I saved the front page to do last in case I changed my mind about what to put on the front. I didn’t change my mind, but I am glad I waited to do it. The front page is a view of Denali from Wonder Lake. The clouds were fairly clear and we had a beautiful view.

Title page of Alaska Journal No. 1

The last page is a sketch of one of the giant Canada Geese sculptures that were flying through the terminal. They looked like they were carved out of wood with some metal adornments. They were really impressive when you looked down the hall and saw the whole group.

A giant Canada Goose flying through the airport terminal in Anchorage.

It was a wonderful trip and I can’t hardly wait to go back and see some more of Alaska. (And start Alaska Journal No. 2.) In the meantime, I will just explore down here in the lower 48 and see what I can find.

The Mountains at Seward

2011-01-12T10:37:00.000-08:00

This is a sketch of the view out our front door at the Seward Windsong Lodge. This last day of our trip started out wet, foggy, rainy and gray. It kind of matched my mood I guess -- I am rarely rarin’ to go on the last day of a trip. I always dread that trek back to real life and reality.

View from the Seward Windsong Lodge.

Ink & watercolor

Before we left I re-read John Muir’s “Travels In Alaska.” And, even though he didn’t document the same parts of Alaska that we saw, his thoughts were still appropriate. On this page I put a little excerpt from the book. “…rejoicing in the possession of so blessed a day, and feeling that in very foundational truth we had been in one of God’s own temples and had seen Him and heard Him working and preaching like a man.” I thought that summed up the trip fairly well.

Muir also said that the scenery was so spectacular that sketching didn’t begin to capture the beauty and he was sure right about that! The landscape is overwhelming to say the least. The only reason that I could even make an attempt is because I was sitting back in the studio with photographs.... and even those don’t really capture the beauty.

Okay, just one more quote from ol’ Mr. Muir and I will shut up for this post. “The care-laden commercial lives we lead close our eyes to the operations of God as a workman, though openly carried on that all who will look may see.” It is hard for me to imagine that Muir wrote that in 1880. “Care-laden commercial lives?” Wow. I wonder what would he think about our lives in 2011?!

Funny Birds

2011-01-10T06:29:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had safe and happy holidays and that you are enjoying 2011. The new year is flying by just like the old one already!

Just a few more sketches in the Alaska journal and I am done with it. I can’t believe it has been almost four months since we were there. On the one hand, four months doesn’t seem very long, but on the other hand, it seems so long ago. Time has a way of warping when I think about it too much. ha.

At work we have finally gotten everything moved to our new offices and we are getting settled in -- after that and getting my year-end book work done, I am hoping things will settle down and I can get back in my routine and get back to doing art.

Today’s sketches are of the Rhinoceros Auklet and the Horned Puffin. We saw these two close up at the Alaska Sea Life Center in Seward. They are just really cool little birds.

Ink & watercolor in the Alaska Journal

Penny Napping

2010-12-14T06:05:00.000-08:00

Here’s a couple of Penny napping on the end of my recliner from earlier in the month. This dog is probably the best snuggle puppy ever. She hates to be cold and she loves to lay in your lap even though she is a probably a little too large for a lap dog! ha!

Pencil in sketchbook.

more from Alaska

2010-12-13T06:10:00.000-08:00

It is that time of year again. Parties and shopping, cooking and cleaning, errands and events... I can’t seem to get to the sketchbook or do any yoga and it is irritating me no end. I have got to make time to relax and sketch. Even if it is just a couple of minutes in the drive thru at the bank!

I finished a couple more pages in the Alaska Journal (only 6 more pages to go and I will be finished with it). I think I will be a bit sad to finish it but I will also be glad when I do and I will have one whole journal dedicated to one fabulous trip. After that I will get back to the bugs. I have some great ones waiting patiently in the freezer. ha!

Kittiwake at Kenai Fjords

The Common Murre. These birds are related to the Penguin but the Murre can still fly.

Steller Sea Lion at the Alaska Sea Life Center in Seward.

This guy was HUGE and very curious and playful, but he had the sweetest eyes. (They reminded me of Miss Potter our yellow Lab waiting back home). He looked like if you were in there with him, he would try to sit in your lap and let you rub his ears. Ha! (Maybe I was missing Miss Potter that day?!)

Ink & watercolor in the Alaska Journal.

Corona, New Mexico

2010-11-30T06:46:00.000-08:00

The hubby and I took a few days off before Thanksgiving and traveled to Corona, New Mexico to visit with our friends Rand, Tom, Sean and their families on the Perkins Ranch. Corona is in the northern part of Lincoln County and that county is full of all kinds of historical stuff from Smokey Bear to Billy the Kid to Indian artifacts. It is really beautiful, rugged country.

I only did one sketch while I was there because the wind was so bad and filled up my paint box with sand... just call that extra “texture.”

Perkins Ranch View

Even though I only did the one sketch, I did take lots of photos so I thought I would share some of my favorites.

First and foremost, this is a ranch and grass is a big deal. I think this Blue Gramma is one of my favorite grasses -- just ‘cause it’s pretty. The ranchers like it because it is good nutrition for the cattle and deer. In this rough country it takes a lot of acres to feed one cow.

Blue Gramma Grass

Perkins Ranch

One of the highlights of staying with Rand & Inez are the wild turkeys that hang out at their place. These guys roost in the trees and meander through the lot and around the house and barn. While they don’t really live up to the “wild” part of their name, they will scare the hound out of you when you poke your head out of the bunkhouse at dawn!

Struttin’ their stuff

A pretty hen turkey going about her business

This year we got to go to Cama de Leon, or Bed of the Lion. Cama de Leon is an uprising of pink granite boulders that remind me of the Wichita Mountains near Lawton, Oklahoma. Rand said that the big cats are seen around these boulders and Indians camped and hunted here. It was also rumored that Billy the Kid may have hidden out in the boulders for a while. We got out and looked for some cat tracks and arrowheads but didn’t find any of either.

Prickly Pear Cactus

Pink Granite covered with lime green lichen

The view from Cama de Leon

Rand and his dog Holly in their element at Cama de Leon.

We always have a good time in Corona and we are already looking forward to going back!

Beagle Bob Barker

2010-11-18T20:03:00.000-08:00

I know I said I wasn’t going to post anything for a bit but our dear old Beagle Bob Barker passed away today. We had to take him to the vet to help him “over the bridge” as they say. And even though you know it is the right thing to do it is never easy.

We do have a very kind veterinarian and he has been with us through the passing of many of our canine and feline “children” and it hasn’t gotten any easier. I guess it never will.

I am going to miss Beagle Bob. For those of you who don’t know Beagles, they are right up there with the Basset Hounds when it comes to stubborn hardheadedness, and they can be extremely determined diggers. Bob and I had quite a time with his daily excavations in the beginning. Bob was a pound puppy (a gift from my sister and her family in Ft. Worth) and almost everyday for the first 3 or 4 months Bob would meet me out front on the driveway covered in dirt with a huge grin on his face. We eventually did come to an agreement on the digging and he decided to let me win.

Thankfully, Bob did eventually settle into life here with us and turned into a really good dog. I am glad he came to live with us. That was 11 years ago.... I went down and picked him up the weekend my nephew Jacob was born. We think Bob was probably between 13 and 14 years old when he died today.

These are some old sketches that I did of Beagle Bob in the Daily Dog and Occasional Cat Journal. That daily practice didn’t last very long but I think maybe I will start that up again -- in honor of Bob.

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving -- and don't forget to drop just a little bit of turkey under the table for all your Beagle Bobs!

Surprise Glacier

2010-11-17T06:11:00.001-08:00

This glacier is near the Holgate Glacier and the funny thing is that it kind of sneaks up on you.... The boat pulls up to Holgate and everyone is all excited about it but then when you turn around, Surprise! There’s another glacier tucked up in the rocks behind you. ha.

I will be out of pocket ‘til after Thanksgiving so this will be my last post for a while. Hopefully I will have lots to post after that.

I hope that everyone has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving and that you can take some time and be thankful for family, friends, health and happiness.

Ink & watercolor in the Alaska journal

Glaciers

2010-11-09T06:14:00.000-08:00

Glaciers are pretty amazing things... the top one actually looked like you could see it flowing down the mountainside. The bottom sketch is of the top edge of the Holgate Glacier. All rough and craggly, it reminded me of a cathedral. Holgate calved while we were there and that was really something to see and hear.

I am not crazy about this page. There is no color on my palate that comes close to the blues in the glaciers.... so this was as close as I could get.

I wonder what the temperature is there now how much snow they have in the Fjords. We are enjoying an Indian Summer here in our part of Texas -- It’s supposed to be 78° F here today.... no glaciers around here unless you want to count that big chunk of ice that needs to be defrosted out of my freezer! ha.

Ink & watercolor in the Alaska Journal.

On the Rocks

2010-11-08T06:28:00.001-08:00

These Tufted Puffins were nesting in the rocks in the Fjords. The birds and the vegetation take advantage of any foothold they can find. (The weird green and white spots on the rocks were green moss and white lichen.)

Ink & watercolor in the Alaska Journal.

Kenai Fjords

2010-11-04T06:22:00.000-07:00

Rocks and crags jutting up out of the water everywhere. Little bits of vegetation grow wherever they can grab a foothold.

I wonder if this would be considered a landscape or a waterscape...

ink & watercolor

Lions of the Sea

2010-10-29T06:11:00.000-07:00

The Steller Sea Lions were lounging peacefully on the rocks until the boat approached --Then they would get up and ‘bark’ at us and make all kinds of noise and act tough. As soon as the boat turned, they went back to lounging. They reminded me of my dogs back home. These are truly huge animals and they were fun to watch.

Ink & watercolor in the Alaska Journal

Kittiwake on a rock

2010-10-28T06:26:00.001-07:00

If you were into birds, you had a great day on our boat trip. We saw thousands of birds of several different species -- Puffins, Auklets, Murres, Eagles and Kittiwakes – lots and lots of Kittiwakes! They nested in the cracks and crevasses of the fjords and really caused quite a racket. They are loud.

This single guy posed for us on a rock.

Ink & watercolor in the Alaska Journal.

2010-10-26T06:24:00.000-07:00

On the boat tour, we were out all day touring the coastline of the Kenai Fjords National Park. The day started out cloudy and overcast but it cleared up later in the day.

Our first wildlife sighting (other than birds) was the Sea Otter. I was so excited to see the Otters -- we got to see 6 of them during the trip including one mama otter with her baby floating on her tummy. The baby looked like he was almost as big as she was!

These mammals look small and fluffy but they are actually pretty good size. They get up to 5 feet long and weigh about 70 pounds. The fur is gorgeous and I can see why they have been hunted. The park ranger on board had an otter pelt that we could feel and it was probably the softest, thickest fur I have ever felt. I had to feel of it every time I went by the table. They are beautiful animals.

Ink & watercolor in the Alaska Journal

Leaves and Boats

2010-10-22T06:19:00.000-07:00

I do have a fascination with leaves. I don’t know what these are but I just thought they were beautiful so I pressed a couple in my journal. The edges are very serrated and delicate now so I thought I had better sketch them before they fell apart.

The final leg of our Alaska journey was on a boat... an all day excursion on the Kenai Star with Captain Nicole Lawrence. We cruised up and down the shore of the Kenai Fjords National Park. This was the first time I have ever been out on big water like this and it was great. It’s a whole other world out there (and under there)!

Ink & watercolor in the Alaska Journal

Exit Glacier and the Resurrection River

2010-10-19T21:03:00.000-07:00

On the way to Seward we stopped to see the Exit Glacier in the Kenai Fjords National Park. We hiked up to the glacier but it was melting so fast and the ice was unstable so they wouldn’t let you get too close.

This view was from the road.

Ink & watercolor in the Alaska Journal

Anchorage to Seward

2010-10-18T07:46:00.000-07:00

At this point in our trip we rented a car to drive from Anchorage to Seward.

On the way we passed a couple of areas called “Ghost Forests.” These areas are kind of erie places with bleached out skeletons of trees standing in light green grass. The Ghost Forest happened after the 1964 earthquake when the forest floor dropped as much as 10 feet. Salt water from the Turnagain Arm flooded the area and penetrated the soil, killing the trees.

On the other side of the road we had beautiful views of the Turnagain Arm, mountains and the Chugach National Forest.

The last entry for today is mushrooms... they were everywhere but in my wildflower book! (It did have a section on mushrooms.) I actually only found one in the book -- the poisonous Fly Agaric mushroom.

Clockwise from top left: These light brown mushrooms were seen at Wonder Lake and were fairly large and low on the ground. They were like little cups that would catch the rainwater. The red with white spots on the tall stem is the Fly Agaric and is poisonous. I don’t know if something tried to eat part of this or if it just was just broken... the small mushroom at the bottom right was about the size of a half-dollar coin and had a small stem. The top was fairly flat but had a depression in the center. It was a very delicate looking mushroom. And then there was the greenish-brown mushroom. This thing was huge -- 5 to 6 inches across the top and probably that high. It was impressive.

All sketches are ink and watercolor on watercolor paper in the Alaska Journal.

The Big Honkin' Beetle

2010-10-13T06:20:00.000-07:00

I missed sketching/posting earlier this week because I am trying to get used to new bifocals and I am apparently not adjusting well. It appears that I am going to have to change my drawing habits a bit also. Hopefully I will get used to them pretty quickly but it is a drag to say the least.

I haven’t done an insect in a while and this big beetle has been begging me to sketch him for a while now. My dear, sweet husband found this big honkin’ beetle and brought it to me back in August and I am just now getting around to sketching him into the Bug Journal. (Believe me, I know just how lucky I am to have a man who will bring me bugs to sketch!)

I had trouble finding this beetle in my books so I turned to the internet... and, after much testing of my patience on my slower-than-Christmas dial-up connection, I have narrowed it down to one of the large longhorn beetles: Order Coleoptera; Family Cerambycidae, sub-family, Prioninae.

He really is a big beetle too -- 55 mm long and 18 mm wide! (That is almost 2.25 inches long and .75 inches wide for us non-scientific American folks.) And with large wicked-looking mandibles on the front of this guy I think a lot of folks might head the other way when they meet him.

It took longer to identify the beetle than it did to sketch it. Ha! But I do feel so much better now knowing what it is.

Ink & watercolor in the Moleskine watercolor journal

How to remember your salmon

2010-10-08T06:16:00.000-07:00

We learned this easy way to remember your five salmon species while we were in Alaska.

You hold up your hand and your pinky reminds you of Pink Salmon. The ring finger, which might have a silver ring, is for the Silver Salmon. The middle finger that is the tallest is for the King Salmon. If you stuck your pointer finger in someone’s eye you might think of the Sockeye Salmon and finally, your thumb rhymes with Chum Salmon.

I don’t know if this will help when ordering off a menu though. Ha!

Ink and watercolor

Here’s a little pencil doodle from another sketchbook just for fun.

Rocks from the river

2010-10-07T06:21:00.001-07:00

It seems like it took forever to get these two pages done but it didn’t take as long as the clean-up will! I have paint splattered everywhere it seems.

These were all small rocks gathered up in Moose Creek. All of them were worn smooth except for the quartz on the top right. It has some veins of something that look like gold running through it. They would let you pan for gold in that area of the water so maybe.....?

Ink & watercolor

The Train Pages

2010-10-04T06:50:00.000-07:00

The day we were on the train started out cloudy, rainy, foggy and cold but by the time we got to the station things were beginning to clear out. Before long we were in sunshine with clear skies.

This sketch is of an oxbow in the Susitna River along the railroad tracks. The river was a silver ribbon flowing over gray gravel this day.

We were again blessed to get to see a clear view of Denali. They say that only 20% of people who visit Alaska get a clear view and we got lucky twice in one short trip.

This is such a big deal that they even slow down the train so you can see the view. It truly is spectacular.

Here are the finished pages of the train part of our trip.

Ink & watercolor in the Alaska Journal.

The Dr Seuss House

2010-09-30T06:15:00.000-07:00

On the train, conductors would point out landmarks and wildlife as we were passing. This was one of the landmarks -- the Dr Seuss House. It’s a good thing the house isn’t closer to the tracks or I might have asked them to stop for me. I can’t tell you exactly where it is on the route -- just somewhere between Denali National Park and Anchorage (closer to Anchorage than Denali).

The story is that the folks building this house wanted a good view of Denali so they put in a huge window.... then the trees grew and blocked their view so they added another level... and the trees continued to grow so they just kept adding levels to the house. All we could see from the train was just the top two or three levels.

When I got home I did a little searching on the internet and found a really nice photo of the house taken from a plane so that is what I was trying to work from for this sketch.

In February 2009, when that photo was taken, there was snow, the house was not finished and had plastic over the window holes. I would love to see it when they finish. Will they paint each level a different color or will they put some kind of siding that will blend into the landscape? I can’t imagine how much it will cost to put in all the windows that they have holes for. Maybe I should apply for a job as window washer when they finish the house...... I am thinking that one of those top levels would make a great place to paint.

Ink & watercolor

The Alaska Railroad

2010-09-28T06:14:00.000-07:00

I highly recommend the Alaska Railroad if you ever go to Alaska. It was still a long ride but it was much better than the motorcoach. We rode from Denali to Anchorage and the views were beautiful and the ride very comfortable.

All I have for you today is the train engine.... it has given me fits with the perspective. ha!

Ink & watercolor on watercolor paper.

Totem Pole

2010-09-27T06:22:00.000-07:00

This was one of only two totem poles we saw in Alaska. The two were just alike and at the Alaska Railroad Station in Anchorage. For some reason, I thought there would be totem poles everywhere but if they were, they were everywhere that we weren’t.

I don’t know what the symbolism is on this pole or what the characters are.... When we go back next time, I will make a point of finding out more about the Native people and their art.

Ink & watercolor on watercolor paper.

Alaska Berries (Page 2)

2010-09-24T06:13:00.000-07:00

The second page of berries with some Rose Hips thrown in there too.

With the exception of the Soap Berry and the Rose Hips, most of these berries were thick, low-growing plants.

I had photos of these plants but I also referenced “Wildflowers of Denali National Park and Interior Alaska” by Verna E. Pratt and Frank G. Pratt for the identifications.

Ink & watercolor on watercolor paper in the Alaska Journal.

Alaska Berries (Page 1)

2010-09-23T06:41:00.001-07:00

We saw lots of berries on our trip to Alaska... Years ago when my Grandma & Grandpa spent a summer up there, Grandma made jelly out of all kinds of berries. Man, that was good jelly. Unfortunately, we didn't have time for anything like that.

This trip I did eat some of the blueberries straight from the bushes but I was too chicken to try some of the other berries. Sue wasn’t chicken though and did try almost every berry we saw. Even though the book said the Soap Berries were a favorite of the bears, she said they weren’t a favorite of hers! ha!

Ink & watercolor on watercolor paper

Fat Cat Relaxing

2010-09-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

Just a quick sketch of my fat cat Wallace relaxing today.

At Possum Kingdom Lake

2010-09-20T06:30:00.000-07:00

To the lake with the girls this weekend for a couple days of relaxing... no shopping, no makeup, no husbands or boyfriends. Just sitting on the porch watching the deer, visiting and laughing. Nice, nice, nice.

Here are a couple of quick sketches... ink & water wash in the Moleskine

This big ‘ol tree was just across the street but I ran out of room on the page. I might have to re-work this one later.

Alaska - photos pt1

2010-09-17T06:17:00.000-07:00

I had an out of town meeting last night and I didn’t get to work on any sketches so you get photos today.

Dall Sheep. This guy posed for photos.

Ptarmigan. These are Rock Ptarmigan and they were just beginning to get their winter plumage. In the winter they will be totally white.

Caribou. This was the first of many Caribou that we saw.

Landscape. I wish I could figure out which river this was but I haven’t yet. I just thought this was beautiful with the light filtering through the clouds and fog.

And, finally, the Grizzly Bears. These three were the closest ones we saw and they came right by the bus. Mama bear was pretty nervous and upset with all the traffic there (she was between two buses). All total we saw 14 grizzly bears - all were mamas and cubs.

Alaska Wildlife

2010-09-16T05:02:00.000-07:00

Still on day one and the bus ride in. (I told you it was a LONG ride!)

We really did see lots of wildlife in Denali and almost all of it from the bus. The drivers are really good about stopping and letting you take photos out the windows and if the animal starts getting upset or stressed, the driver will leave. I like that their main concern at Denali seemed to be the wildlife and environment.... I am afraid to see what they would do to you if you tried to feed the animals Cheetos or something like that! I think those folks might feed YOU to the animals. (Maybe not such a bad idea! Ha!)

Here are some sketches of the wildlife that we saw... I didn’t get a photo of the muskrat or a good one of the Trumpeter Swans.

Ink & watercolor on watercolor paper in the Alaska Journal.

Also, since some people have asked... here is one of my favorite photos of the trip.

This is Denali from Wonder Lake. We were incredibly blessed to get to see Denali without clouds (or very few clouds like here). They said that fewer than 20% of visitors get to see Denali on a clear day and we got to see it twice. It is impressive to say the least.

Back to the Blog and some sketches from Alaska

2010-09-15T05:57:00.000-07:00

Surprise! I am finally back and thanks to everyone who has missed me and thanks for checking back. I have missed you guys too.

Lots of things contributed to my absence... some good, some not so good but I hope not to be gone so long again. I wish I could say that I was so busy sketching that I just didn’t have time to blog but that’s not how it worked out. I have finally realized that the more complicated life gets, the more I need to sketch and get away from everything even if just for a few minutes each day.

So, I am back and I have some things to share! I finally broke down and bought a new scanner too but it looks like I will need to do some adjustments. I hope you can bear with me on that.

One of the reasons (a GOOD reason) I wasn’t here is because I spent eight days in Alaska celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary with my husband! We had planned this trip for a long, long time.... I even bought a brand new journal for the occasion and planned to spend the trip filling the pages with sketches. That didn’t quite work out the way I had planned though. We were so busy getting from one place to another that I didn’t have much time to stop and sketch. I did however, take LOTS of photographs.

I did write in the journal every day and I worked in a couple of small sketches but I am planning to fill the rest of the pages with sketches from my photographs. That might be “cheating” I guess but that’s the way it will have to be for now. Next time though I hope to spend less time traveling and more time enjoying the country and sketching.

The Alaska Journal - Red leather with watercolor paper.

This is my fourth journal made by Mychael at Iona Handcrafted books in Austin, Texas and I just love them.

The hemp paper is my favorite I think though... check them out at ionahandcraftedbooks.com

Alaska Map. The only thing I got done before we left was this map.

Our first full day in Alaska was travel. We boarded a motorcoach (big bus) in Anchorage and headed to Denali National Park (5 hours in rain and road construction). This was the only landscape sketch I got done on the trip... while we were waiting on the road construction.

At Denali, we got off the motorcoach and boarded a school bus type bus for the trip into the Denali Backcountry Lodge (another 7.5 hour bus ride). This was an extremely long day.

Here is a sketch from the first day.... a view from the road. Actually, I think sketching from the photo might be the best thing for me on these landscapes. It was so overwhelming in person.

We saw lots of wildlife and beautiful scenery... but I will save that for the next post. This one has gotten awfully wordy somehow!

Wheel Bug

2010-07-12T10:56:00.000-07:00

This is a Wheel Bug -- one of several Assassin Bugs and one of my favorites… they are just so pre-historic and wicked looking! I understand that they also have a wicked bite but I have been lucky enough not to know that first hand!

I had to do two views on this one so you can see the wheel on his thorax and the long snout that folds back and fits into a groove on his underside.

Ink & watercolor in the Molskine Journal

Another Katydid

2010-07-08T07:06:00.000-07:00

We seem to have a lot of different Katydids and Grasshoppers this year. So, here's another one. I couldn't find this one in any of my books though. I might need to look for a book of Orthoptera -- I bet that would be a BIG one!

Ink & watercolor in the Moleskine watercolor journal

Finishing off page 22

2010-06-21T06:26:00.000-07:00

The Creosote Bush Katydid finished off page 22. There seems to be an abundance of katydids around our place lately...

The full page 22 of the Bug Journal.

All of these are ink and watercolor in the Moleskine watercolor journal.

Bugs, bugs, bugs

2010-06-18T06:24:00.000-07:00

I thought I would finish the page and post the whole thing but maybe on Monday. In the meantime, here are a few bugs.

You can't tell it here, but this weevil is HUGE. It was almost a half an inch long.

All of these are ink & watercolor in the Moleskine Bug Journal

Metal Posies

2010-06-04T06:50:00.001-07:00

This is a little project that I worked on last weekend.... some Metal Posies.

I was looking for some different textures to use and so I have layered some old galvanized tin that had come off a barn in a wind storm, flat steel and some kind of shiny, perforated, light-weight, screen-like stuff that I think is aluminum. I don’t think I am supposed to be able to weld the aluminum but somehow it stuck anyway. The stem is a heavy metal wire and the leaves are from a piece of something that I found in a ditch along the highway. We think it was part of a filtering system or something. I knew it would come in handy someday! ha!

It was good to get back out in the shop again even though it is already getting pretty hot. The plasma cutter sure was handy dandy on this project!

Penny On Memorial Day

2010-06-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

I know you guys are probably tired of seeing sketches of the dogs but here is one more anyway. This was Penny napping through another of the war movie marathon that seems to happen at our house every Memorial Day. This nap ended when the cat came through the room with a sneak attack and tried to start WWIII. ha!

The dogs had a rough weekend. After a day of helping mow the yard and then the indignity of baths (even though they felt oh SO good), Penny (the Basset) and Sieben (the wiener dog) both had a tangle with yet another rattlesnake on Saturday. Both dogs are doing very well now and the swelling was all gone by Monday. Of course the quest for sympathy from both dogs will be on-going.

The snake, however, is very, very dead.

Pencil in Moleskine sketchbook

Hiking with the Hoodlums

2010-05-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

We had a big day today... We met Mom & Dad, and nephews Jacob & John in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge near Lawton, Oklahoma for a day of picnicking, hiking and journaling. As you will see, we didn’t get any journaling done but we did a lot of hiking and rock climbing anyway.

We began the tour at Heart Rock....

Jacob and John at Heart Rock

A better view of Heart Rock

According to the guide book, the legend says that if two people each have their hands on Heart Rock while they kiss and it is the first time either of them has ever kissed anyone, they will fall so deeply in love that their love will last forever. We tried to get the boys to kiss just in hopes that they would love each other the rest of the day but it didn’t work....

We also climbed on the giant granite expanse behind the Heart Rock for a while and then stopped for trail mix that the boys made at Grandmas.... I think they cleaned out Grandma’s cupboards for the recipe. Grandpa won’t be having any dried fruit, M&Ms, colored marshmallows, peanuts or various crackers for a while.

After Heart Rock, we took the trail to French Lake and the Fish Ladder. Along the way we saw where beaver had been hard at work.

Jacob and John - the eager beavers

The trail to the Fish Ladder was farther than we thought but it was pretty cool to see. The Fish Ladder was constructed in the 1930’s after the lake was dammed so that native fish could return to the lake to spawn. The government spent almost $30,000 on this piece of architecture. The ironic thing is that the Refuge has never had any species of native fish that would ever want to swim up-stream to spawn! It is kind of pretty for a man-made structure though.

Fish Ladder at French Lake Dam

After the Fish Ladder, we stopped for a picnic lunch that Grandma & Grandpa had packed and relaxed a bit. But, not for long with two energetic boys in tow.... We were soon off to the Prairie Dog colony where we watched the dogs playing with their pups and then back in the car and up Mount Scott.... those of you who don’t live on the prairies or plains may not be impressed with our 2,464 ft mountain of granite but that is pretty big around here! I am glad there is a road and I didn’t have to climb it today.

Jacob on the edge at Mount Scott

After Mount Scott, we were off to the Parallel Forest and the miner’s arrastare. The Parallel Forest is a small cedar forest that was planted in the early 1900s for the purpose of harvesting fence posts. The entire forest was planted close together and in extremely straight, parallel lines. Before the trees could be harvested however, the land use designation was changed and the trees were never cut. It is kind of weird hiking through there.

When you come out on the north end of the forest, there is a miner’s arrastare. I don’t know how to pronounce it but I know what it was for.... it was for breaking large stones into smaller stones in the search for gold.

Miner’s arrastare

Near the arrastare is a pretty little stream where we found water bugs, tiny fish and frogs going about their lives. There are also remains of vertical mine shafts in the area but we didn’t go looking for those.

John, Jacob and Jamie at the creek

We stopped by the Meers Store for hamburgers but the line was very long and it was really hot and humid inside there. We were all hot and tired so we went back and had fish and corn dogs at the Fisherman’s Cove restaurant near Medicine Park.

Other than all the ticks that we found crawling on us I think we all had a fun day. I don’t know if the boys were worn out, but I know that all four adults were!

Babies!

2010-05-07T07:51:00.000-07:00

I came home last night to see that Pipi Longstockings' egg sac had hatched! We now have hundreds of little bitty babies.

For those of you who don't remember Pipi Longstockings I have reposted the sketch of her below. (she was posted on January 18, 2010 if you want to go back and look at the whole post)

I hope that at least one of Pipi's babies will hang out at our house.... Watch out bugs -- the spiders are on the loose!

RRVM Art Show

2010-05-03T12:25:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went to the gala opening of the Red River Valley Museum Art Show.... I don't remember if I had said anything about entering it here on the blog, but I got one sculpture and two small insect sketches into the show this year. (I have posted these before but here they are again.)

"Prairie Coneflower" a sculpture from found items and steel was selected for the Bara's Award (from Bara's Mexican Restaurant) at this year's Red River Valley Museum Art Show

"Broken Wing" This is a little sketch of a sulphur butterfly in ink & watercolor on tea stained paper.

"Yellow Jacket" ink & watercolor on tea stained paper.

I have been accepted into this show every year since they started but this is the first time I have won an award there.... to make it even better, this time the award came with a medal AND a check! I have never won money before! I was really shocked and surprised to say the least.

Anyway, if you have a chance and you are near Vernon, Texas during the month of May, it is a really nice show and worth the drive over. The Museum is on the campus of Vernon College and is only open in the afternoons from 1:00 to 5:00 and closed on Mondays. I think this year's show is probably the best they have ever had - and I am not just saying that because I won something! (But it does make me feel pretty good.)

Angel

2010-04-27T10:54:00.000-07:00

Trying to get back in the habit of posting things more regularly... so it might not be good, but I guess it's better than nothing.

This is a quick sketch I did at lunch at the cemetery. I like to go there sometimes. It is always nice and quiet and never any of those pesky joggers! ha. I don't know anything about this family plot, I just liked the angel.

Pencil in a generic sketchbook.

Good Eggs

2010-04-16T06:23:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday a good friend gave us some home-grown eggs – eggs from chickens that she knows personally! ha! I was so excited to get home and eat them until I opened the carton.... when I saw all the colors I knew I had to try to sketch them before we could eat them! I love the colors of these eggs (and no, they are not dyed - these are naturally these beautiful colors). I understand why Martha Stewart developed a whole range of paint based on her chicken eggs. My poor husband has been waiting VERY patiently while I have been trying to sketch them, all the while, plates of eggs, bacon and toast shimmering in his mind.

I have two versions, neither of which do the eggs justice so I took a photo too.

This first version is ink and watercolor in a journal with unknown paper. I think the paper might be made out of recycled Bounty paper towels or something like that because it is so absorbent. It literally sucks the ink out of the pen and the paint out of the brush. It is difficult to say the least.

The second version is also ink & watercolor in the Moleskine sketchbook which is also a bit difficult with watercolor but I am learning to deal with it.

This is a photo of the eggs so you can see the real colors...

Now that this is finally posted, I think we will have eggs for supper tonight!

Blossoms of Spring

2010-03-22T06:09:00.000-07:00

Ah, Spring and finally a bit of time to sketch. The peach and apricot trees in my yard are loaded with these beautiful, fragrant blooms and just waiting for the bees to come and visit. Unfortunately, we got one more visit from Old Man Winter this weekend with cold, rain, wind and more snow. I don’t know if it was cold enough long enough to hurt the peach and apricot crop but I guess we will see.

I am also looking forward to the insects that will be visiting the trees... I am ready to get back into the bug journal!

Peach tree blooms. Ink & watercolor on handmade hemp paper in the Nature Journal.

Blooms on the apricot tree. Ink, gouache & watercolor on handmade hemp paper in the Nature Journal.

Grandmother's Birthday

2010-03-05T06:25:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking a lot about my Grandmother this week -- today would have been her 97th birthday. (She passed away suddenly in September.) So, in honor of her, I attempted to sketch two landscapes of her very favorite place on earth, Yosemite National Park.

When she was 14 years old she rode the train from Kansas City, Missouri to Yosemite and stayed the whole summer with her Aunt Jess and Uncle Ern who were park rangers there. I loved hearing her stories from that summer. That summer was one of the highlights of her childhood and Yosemite remained dear to her heart the rest of her long life.

A photo from that summer... Grandmother is the second from the right in the hat. She is standing next to her Aunt Jess and Uncle Ern is in his park service uniform on the far left. (Unfortunately, I don’t remember who the other people in the photo are.)

I would have loved to see Yosemite like she did... young and curious, free to hike and explore... It’s hard to imagine what it was like before the crazy crowds of people and all the traffic but to Grandmother, Yosemite was heaven on earth.

My husband and I went there a few years back but we only had two days to “see” Yosemite so we didn’t get to explore much. I went digging through my old photos and somehow, we didn’t get a picture of Half Dome from her favorite overlook Glacier Point, but I did get one from my favorite - Olmstead Point.

Pencil on bond paper in generic sketchbook

This next one is a quick (very quick) sketch of one of the waterfalls at Yosemite but I can’t remember which one. I remember Grandmother telling about seeing the “Firefall” where someone on the top of the waterfall would set fire to trash and then push it over the waterfall for the enjoyment of the tourists in the valley below. She said it was quite a sight but that is still just the craziest thing to me. Burning trash!?! Really? Sometimes I think it is amazing that we have an environment left to enjoy. The times have changed though and thankfully, they don’t do those kinds of things any more.

Roller ball pen with water wash on bond paper in generic sketchbook.

So, Happy Birthday Grandmother. If heaven is everything we think it will be, I hope you are enjoying the Yosemite that you shared with me.

Signs of Spring

2010-03-01T06:04:00.000-08:00

Saturday was an absolutely perfect day weather-wise here... no wind, temperatures in the mid-sixities and this was the first weekend in a couple of months that I didn’t have to bring work home.

Everything seemed to be celebrating the sun and warm weather so I celebrated by bathing all four of the inside dogs, an event that made their day less than perfect. ha! After the baths, we all went outside -- the dogs running circles and playing while the Meadowlarks sang in the trees. It was so nice to get outside in the sunshine and sketch. After a while, the dogs got tuckered out and they stretched out in the grass and I stretched out in my chair and we all had a nice little nap in the sun.... I think it we can learn something from our dogs. They know how to relax and a short little nap stretched out in the sun is good for you!

It was just a lovely day.

Ink and watercolor on Hemp paper in the Nature Journal

Hallett Peak - RMNP

2010-02-17T06:55:00.000-08:00

Rocky Mountain National Park from a vacation photograph. Hallett Peak at 12,713 ft is on the left, Flat Top Mountain at 12,324 ft is on the right and the Tyndall Glacier is in between.

Blue gel pen with water brush on bond paper in sketchbook.

A Tree and a Prayer

2010-02-11T06:18:00.001-08:00

This little Willow Tree angel was a gift from my God-daughter Kayla last Christmas. I know it is sold as a tree ornament but I will keep it out in my studio all year long.

Pencil in generic sketchbook.

Mills Lake, Colorado

2010-02-10T06:21:00.000-08:00

I think the easiest way to simplify is going to be to start with a more simple landscape. Maybe tomorrow I will find a more simple one. We will see.

This was on the trail to Mills Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. I did try one of those Norm Abrams lumberjack pencils on this (you know those wide flat pencils that you get at the lumber yard). I like that you can get so many line widths from those pencils but I am not too fond of those for drawing overall. I like a softer lead but I do like the fact that you have to get out your pocket knife to sharpen the pencil. ha!

Various pencils in the generic sketchbook.

Nymph Lake, Colorado

2010-02-09T06:09:00.000-08:00

I am back more or less and thanks for hanging in there with me. Things have been just crazy at work and since I can’t seem to get anything done at the office I have been working nights and weekends at the house. This however has got to change! I hate it when my work cuts into my personal life! ha!

So, I have gotten fairly ticked off and have decided that my sketching time is NOT optional any more. I have to show up at the page and do something so I guess you guys will just have to suffer through with me.... until I can catch some more bugs anyway. (Spring is just around the corner.)

I have been wanting to work on landscapes but I haven’t been able to get out before dark lately so I found a photo I took in Rocky Mountain National Park and sketched it for today. I didn’t have a lot of time and as you can tell, I got tired of doing the pine trees. I will work on simplifying.... my life AND my drawings!

Thanks again for your patience.

Pencil on generic paper.

Weekend dogs

2010-01-31T21:15:00.000-08:00

Just a couple of dog sketches for today...my daily dog sketches are more like weekly lately but I am still working on filling that little book... one of these days I will get it finished.

Penny sleeping... Pencil on Strathmore Laid

Sieben snuggled up in the fuzzy blanket. Pencil on Strathmore Laid.

Miscellaneous Sketches_2

2010-01-22T06:03:00.000-08:00

Didn't get much sketching done this week but here are a few from last night... all are pencil in a generic sketchbook.

My big foot... the first shoe was so complicated that I ran out of time and didn't get to the other shoe. ha!

Sieben sleeping on my lap.

Penny's (the Basset Hound) eye. That little sparkle is her thinking about chasing the cat....

Rest In Peace Pipi...

2010-01-18T06:28:00.000-08:00

Pipi Longstockings was an Orb Weaver spider that lived on my front porch for most of 2009. I named her Pipi after the character in a book I read who always wore striped stockings.

Pipi made it through our December blizzard but the January nights below 20 degrees proved to be too much and she passed away. I had thought several times that she would not make it through the night, but every morning I would go out and she would be down on the ground at the edge of the little pile of hay I put out for her. When the sun warmed her up she would go sit in the web and do her work. I still don’t know how she lived as long as she did -- nature is just amazing when it comes to survival.

I don’t think you can really see it in the scan here, but Pipi’s top side was silver metallic kind of like the dull side of tin foil. She really was a beautiful spider and I will miss seeing her every day.

This is ink & watercolor on Hemp paper in the Nature Journal. I always knew I would find a use for that jar of Daniel Smith German Silver watercolor powder that I bought 15 years ago! ha!

Penny relaxed

2010-01-15T12:36:00.000-08:00

This has been a very hectic week for me with lots of work work to do at home.... I did take the time to sketch Penny sleeping.... this is one dog who really knows how to relax.... I think I should take a lesson from her!

I am also fascinated with her paws and feet.... Dog feet are a challenge to draw!

Pencil in the generic sketchbook

Art with REAL bugs!

2010-01-11T06:19:00.000-08:00

This weekend I saw an amazing story on the CBS Sunday Morning program about an artist named Chirstopher Marley. He collects and uses the most beautiful and exotic beetles to make framed art. Here is the link if you are interested.... it was really beautiful.... I was almost late for church 'cause I was glued to the TV. ha!

Christopher Marley's "Coleoptera Mosaic." (Christopher Marley)

CBS News story

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/10/sunday/main6078368.shtml?tag=cbsnewsTwoColUpperPromoArea

or check out his website at:

http://www.formandpheromone.com/public_html/index.htm

Enjoy and have a great week!

Take a Bow

2010-01-08T15:22:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I sketched a tree that looked like two trees dancing.... today, in the same park, I found a tree that looked like it was taking a bow after a brilliant performance of some sort. If I remember right, this is a red bud tree and the spring blooms really are quite a performance! I will have to go back with some watercolors in the spring.....

Pencil sketch in generic sketchbook.

Pampered toes

2010-01-06T06:46:00.000-08:00

A lovely end of a long and frustrating day. A light cocktail, a hot bath and pampered toes. ha! To top it all off, the toe spreader things were on sale for half price. :-) They feel good but they sure do look bizarre on your feet.

New Hat & Gloves (EDM #58)

2010-01-05T06:14:00.000-08:00

I said that I was going to try to do better about posting but I never said they were going to be good or that I would even like them.... but here we go anyway.

Things were really crazy busy yesterday - I guess everyone has decided they need to get on the ball and get things done so they have all scheduled time this week for some reason. Anyway, it was really late last night when I finally made time to sketch and I was tired, but the point is that I did get graphite on paper and that was pretty satisfying.

I didn't know what to sketch last night so I turned to the Every Day Matters Sketch challenge list... and since I just got a new hat and fingerless gloves from REI I chose challenge #58 "Sketch a hat, cap or some kind of head gear." The gloves were just extra. The hat is one of those knitted caps with a fleece liner -- the kind that gives you that "mad scientist" kind of hair when you take it off. But when it gets cold enough to put that cap on, I won't care about what my hair looks like! ha!

This sketch is pencil in a generic sketchbook.

Happy New Year

2010-01-04T11:29:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everybody... here's hoping that 2010 will be better than 2009! It is starting off pretty crazy so far! I am going to try to do better about posting something everyday except weekends (until I get faster internet). But, I guess that makes me already behind! ha!

This first post is my hubbie's Christmas present. I really struggled with this one for a long time but I think he likes the final version. The pipes at the bottom were his Grandpa's (Gangy) pipes.... Gangy was a farmer and when the top pipe got a crack in it Gangy fixed it in proper farmer fashion -- with bailing wire! The drawing was done with a graphite/wash pencil on Arches 140# hot press watercolour paper.

This is Miss Potter sleeping. Miss Potter was diagnosed with fungal pneumonia this weekend so we are now on a mission to get better. Evidently this is a pretty bad diagnosis but she seems to be doing some better. Thankfully. Miss P was done in pencil on Strathmore Laid.

And finally, Sieben the wonder wiener dog.... sleeping in my lap. All this cold weather makes for very snuggly puppies. Pencil on Strathmore Laid

Snow Days!

2009-12-28T07:32:00.000-08:00

Snowflake doodles in the sketchbook... blue gel pen with wash

Wow we had a white Christmas here in North Texas -- We got hit by a blizzard! We had 18" of snow with 50 - 60 mph wind. Now, while that might not be much snow for you folks up north and in the mountains, we are just not used to that kind of stuff down here on the flat land! The wind was the problem and drifted the snow up into 5 foot drifts in front of our house and over the car and even bigger drifts covered the road to town. It took my husband 2 hours to dig the car out to where we could get out of the driveway (who says chivalry is dead?). My Dad (about 50 miles away) was also being chivalrous but he fell and has broken his shoulder in two places.

We were stuck inside for three days. But it wasn't really all that bad. Thankfully, our power never went out so we watched lots of movies and I baked lots of bread.

Penny napping on the foot of the recliner. She spent much of the weekend in this position.

Pencil in generic sketchbook.

In between, naps, movies and baking I did some sketches and doodles so I thought I would post a few of them today. We have more snow forecast for tomorrow so we are busy trying to get things done and prepared just in case it gets bad again.

I hope everyone had a wonderful, warm and safe Christmas!

Three more insects for the Bug Book.

The Hackberry Emperor and American Snout butterflies (that name just cracks me up)

and another Owlet Moth

Ink & watercolor in Moleskine Watercolor Journal.

Sieben - December 18

2009-12-21T06:16:00.000-08:00

Another of Sieben curled up sleeping.... this bunch sleeps a lot.

Pencil on Strathmore Laid

Baby it's cold outside!

2009-12-16T06:52:00.001-08:00

Seiben the wonder wiener dog is curled up in a tiny tight ball... he seems to think that if he is really quiet maybe I will forget he is in the house and he could sleep inside all day. Eventually, I remember, and he puts on his little sweater and goes bravely out in the cold.

Pencil on Strathmore Laid

Miss Potter & Wallace

2009-12-15T12:16:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again and things are just crazy so just a couple of quickies for today. Will try to do better!

Wallace - Pencil on Strathmore Laid
Miss Potter is always so lady-like with her paws crossed.

Pencil on Strathmore Laid

Penny and Wallace

2009-12-09T06:53:00.001-08:00

I think eventually Penny and Wallace are going to be good buddies but right now they are in the pestering each other stage. Penny chased Wallace down the hall last night and before you knew it, the tables had turned. Penny came charging back down the hall as fast as her little short Bassett legs would carry her with her lips and ears flopping all the way... Wallace was right behind her with his tail fluffed like a super-duper bottle brush and swinging with all claws out! No blood was drawn and no lessons were learned. They were back at it again this morning.

Pencil on Strathmore Laid.

Penny - December 7

2009-12-08T06:39:00.000-08:00

It must be nice to be a Bassett and have a built-in eye covers.... just flop those ears over your eyes and you can sleep anywhere no matter how bright it is! Penny really knows how to relax.

Pencil on Strathmore Laid

Miss Potter_December 4

2009-12-07T06:08:00.000-08:00

Miss Potter sitting around observing things....