Path to the Cabin

 

I just couldn't resist sketching the winding path to our cabin in pen and ink!  I love the wilderness of it all! As I worked, I heard the strangest animal sound coming from the end of that path.  After our son saw a bobcat on his way out this morning, I looked up their sounds.  Sure enough - that's what I heard as I sketched!  I love the rugged beauty and the immersion in a brand new place!  I wonder what I'll hear or see next?! Painting number 5127 in 5127 days. 

Potpouri Woods

Potpouri is another in from the Diamine Inkvent Calendar in a berry shade.  I left it towards the end to try because of didn't thrill me.  But, to my surprise, it has a lovely chroma bleed that pushes turquoise.  That beautiful spread into wet areas is quite dramatic.  I struggled with how to use it best in the landscape, and perhaps a striking sunset sky is in order. Another day, another lesson.  Painting number 5089 in 5089 days. 

Pine Needle Woods

 

It's super fun to try out another Diamine invent ink - Pine Needle. It's a lovely color for evergreens that saturates almost to a cad green, and washes to a yellow green.  I like selecting pens as artistic as the ink, and this one is a beauty.  I'm looking forward to exploring all this ink can do - when I've got a bit more time.  As for now, I've got a robotics tournament to attend with half the family and my grandsons competing!  Painting number 5086 in 5086 days. 

Deer at the Winter Creek

 

The winter woods are so inspiring - and the appearance of deer is a special treat in a day full of wildlife sightings!  One of them is limping, and I wonder if it is from the extreme cold.  We had a record low this morning of -9 degrees, and that is no joke.  I am painting fast in the warmest part of the day, in my warm layers, and still my fingers were cold before I made it back to the house.  I'm happy we still have some snow to paint, and feel like I absolutely have to paint it while I can!  Painting number 5075 in 5075 days. 

Sunset on the Snow

 

Time spent out in nature painting is time well spent.  The temps have gone up and it's absolutely balmy here as I work.  The shivering of a few days ago is now a cozy warm.  I must be acclimating to the cold now, and no wind is a blessing!  I've long looked across these pastures to watch the setting sun from the house.  It's a joy to paint it now from a little closer to the woods.  The air is so still and calm, there hardly seems to be any sound and l love the peacefulness of it all.  I'm ticking a few more of my new year goals with this one - spending more time in the woods, and painting more meaningfully. Of the thousands of times I've watched the sun set here, I need to be painting it more.  Painting number 5065 in 5065 days. 

Wooded Winter Creek

If you look closely, my altoid tin palette has chomp marks in it - left by my pictured painting assistant above!  I pulled my pallette from the freezer and set it on the stairs as I gathered my thumb box and bundled up.  I rounded the stairs to find he had my palette in the front room, trying to get into it! Thankfully, he did not get any paint, but it will no longer close right.  So when this paint is gone, I will load another.  Silly dog!  He has not gotten into my paint for 10 years - and then, he licked all the cad lemon yellow off of a fresh forsythia painting!  Another day, another adventure, and this is painting number 5062 in 5062 days. 

Marley Woods

 

Marley a moody, chromatic ink with a sepia vintage feel to it.  This is another of Diamine's inks that I will  explore further in the winter months!  SO many ideas, so little time! This is a miniature paper at ATC size, and a dip pen and a little water is all I need to make the magic happen.  I spent most of the day outside, working on my Christmas cards - and it was GORGEOUS out there!  How many Decembers have I been able to do that?!!  The icing on the cake was a visit with my a Aunt Gladys, Uncle Clayton and cousin Carla with Danny and the boys, topped off with a game of Spades to finish the day!  What a great day!  Painting number 5043 in 5043 days. 

Deer and Pine

 

Seven deer met me on the lane when I returned a bit ago, so one is on my easel this evening.  The countryside is quiet when the air is cold and many leaves have already fallen from the trees.  Such a night inspires me to capture the wildlife, quite docile and unafraid of us.  They actually like my dog, and come close to the house to see him.  He likewise wags his tail and runs towards them when he sees them in the yard, or he ignores them completely as if they were just trees.  I'm looking forward to the quiet hours of winter with ink, watercolor and paper.  Painting number 5027 in 5027 days. 

Burr Oaks

 

I'm playing with ink in the woods again, and trying out three different ones.  Diamine Nutcracker and J.Herbin's Caroube de Chypre are new in this paper, and my immoral sketch marks are with a Pitt pen.  I was hoping to achieve a fuller color range with these two, and black.  At the same time, I find myself wanting to drop in those gorgeous autumn reds. Perhaps I should revisit this paper with ink, and adding watercolor on top of it.  I have not done it yet with this paper.  It's very soft, thin and absorbent, so it may not lend itself well to watercolor.  There's only one way to find out!  Painting number 5182 in 5182 days. 

Burr Oak Woods

 

Oh what a gorgeous morning for painting in Burr Oak Woods with Urban Sketchers KC!  It has been years since I've been here, and it is certainly worth the drive. Birdsong surrounded me as I sketched, and squirrels played among the branches. The cold morning soon warmed, and I found myself shedding layers. I enjoy this quiet time in the woods with ink, paint and paper.  Time stands still here as I work, and I can truly focus on my subject. I find myself wondering, is there any better meditation than this? I think not. Painting number 5177 in 5177 days. 

Nestled in the Woods

This rainy day painting started as one of my acrylic demonstrations with the High School Plein Air sponsored by the Steelville Arts Council last weekend.  I mentored 20 students over three days in 5 different paint-outs.  It was such a super fun weekend filled with very talented young artists, and I hope that I have impacted their art journey in some small way.  I would have loved an opportunity like this at their age.  This painting is now showing at Gallery Zeke in Steelville, Missouri through mid-July.  Come take a peak in person.  Painting number 5068 in 5068 days. 

Snow at Winding Creek

 I love the drama of dark January water in the snowy landscape. Only during this time of year are the creeks black against the ice and snow. The light warmed slightly as I painted, twilight approaching. What a blessing this snow has been, one that keeps giving me drama to paint like this each day. I am going to miss this snow when it is gone, to return the the browns it leaves in it's place. It has been a day of solace and rest, and restoration when surrounded by this  Painting number 4031 in 4031 days. 

Winter Creek

Yay! I found snow to paint in a wooded creek bed here in Branson behind our place - and it's 10 degrees warmer than KC!  Seriously - it feels like a heat wave in the sun, sheltered from wind.  LOVE painting the rolling hills of Branson!  Painting number 4028 in 4028 days.   ❤️🎨❄️

Autumn Path to the Woods

 

I'm thankful today for an amazing day to spend at the zoo with family - and a little time to paint, too!  The chilly start soon turned to the 70s - and we couldn't have had a better day for family fun!  The most beautiful leaves are fading, but I'm hopeful the reds will soon begin.  The path to the southwest pasture is lovely in it's autumn glow - and it just had to be painted in oils.  What a treat this late in November!  Painting number 3950 in 3950 days. 

Autumn Wooded Path

I LOVE how the autumn colors shine in the sunlight, after many days of rain!  I was finally able to go paint the magic on our own property today, and it was magical.  The yellows are popping and the reds have barely begun, so I hope to get several more autumn paintings done before the color fades.  I nearly missed the light on this one, as the sun dipped down in the west.  I guess I should have skipped making dinner tonight - lol!  Painting number 3944 in 3944 days. 

Trees!

Time spent with pen and ink in the woods is time well spent!  Sketching may have been my first real love among my mediums. I still remember the feel of a ballpoint ink pen as it slid along the surface of rough paper. I was very young, sitting at a tiny child's desk in front of a north window in my grandmother's kitchen.  I didn't get to use ink pens yet at home, but here I had an old check box filled with pens, pencils - even a red one and a white one, and an old dark metal pair of small scissors, which were very heavy in my small hand.  I was not yet in kindergarten, and yet these memories are so vivid.  I even remember the cedar smell of those pencils, and the rich, waxy smell of a small collection of crayons.  The paper at Grandma's house was a yellowed Big Chief tablet, with a deep red cover picturing the profile of a Chief and headdress.  I thought that was very cool, studying the lines of that image, unlike anything I had seen before.  I remember those lines in black, like an ink drawing, without additional color.  Abs the paper smelled like the antique desk it was kept in!  It's funny what one remembers from those early years. Painting number 3833 in 3833 days. 

First Snow on the Cedar

Today, I'm thankful for an early snow to paint - and I simply love painting our winter wonderland first thing in the morning! In fact, I skipped the gym to paint this alarmed by the dripping from my eves.  This gorgeous blanket of snow was destined to be short lived, with temperatures hovering above freezing, so I HAD to paint it while I could!  It was still snowing and rather dark when I started this painting, and only at the finish did the skies brighten up. I'm so glad I didn't wait to paint - this landscape was completely different just hours later.  Lovely gift to behold as I'm thinking ahead to Christmas cards!  Painting number 4394 in 4394 days 

Snow at Winter Creek

I can't possibly resist a winding rural creek flanked with snow!  These warm days are melting the snow quickly in open areas, but in the shady areas down by the water, the snow remains.  Through the years, I've become adept at finding snow, knowing where the last vestiges will be, going to those spots to paint.  The ponds and creeks have been frozen around here, and each day I return to see if there's a little melting.  The water looks black this time of year - if the ice is off - and I love to paint it.  This winter's day has been full of soft colors and dappled sun, and I hope it has seeped into my painting.  Painting number 3303 in 3303 days, and day 17 of the #stradaeasel challenge.  

Snow on Cedar

As I walk through this winter wonderland, beautiful "paintings" surround me.  Everywhere I look, I see magic in the glistening landscape.  The drama of snow on cedar boughs pulls me in for this painting, as so many others still call my name.  Snow doesn't last long around here, so I must make the most of my daylight hours.  Defying my routine, today, I paint first.  I am lucky to have another pristine snow day where wind and sun have not left their mark, so I am at it early.  As I finished I got the call to rush over and meet our newest family addition - baby Layne!  Sooooo happy to hold that sweet baby in my arms, and so like his father he looks!  Painting number 3301 in 3301 days. 

Thunderbolt Creek

I love the rich violet blue of Diamine's Thunderbolt ink!  It is free flowing with the addition of water, washing out to a pinkish hue in the sky a bit.  I sketched the whole drawing with only one dip in the ink, and that pen left a nice line.  It is another of my new glass dip pens.  Last month, I was frustrated when I could not locate my other lovely dip pens - only the older, lesser ones were found.  Since I was preparing for my exciting Inkvent Calendar, this was unacceptable! SO, I ordered nine new ones with different shapes and nibs, to both experiment with them AND ensure I wouldn't run out, lol!  I'm sure I put my other ones somewhere safe during my lockdown time of organizing everything!  It's so fun to try these new inks during the holidays - even if I didn't have time each day to get to them!  Painting number 3266 in 3266 days.