Perspective

When I'm drawing, I am working. That is what I do. Yes, I absolutely, positively love it and I can't wait to get back to it. Loving what I do doesn't mean I'm not working. Everyone should be so lucky.

Thanks to television and the big screen this long term dedication to my craft seems the opposite of what you think an artist is.  I choose this career field.  I studied my craft for years.  I earned a one year certificate, an Associate degree and then a Bachelors degree in Art.  I've dedicated myself to continuing education to build on my existing skill level.  

More on the courthouse

Got a bunch more done on the courthouse. It's starting to come together.

I'm contemplating scanning it and printing it out on watercolor paper so I can experiment with a couple different ways to add color. That way I can figure out which method yields the most desirable results. The more I think about it the more I think it's a neat opportunity. Out of time for a bit so I'll get back to it in a couple weeks.  

Columbia County Courthouse

The weather has been punishing hot (over 100) for the past week so other than trying to keep up with watering the garden, I haven't gotten much work done outside.  We set up a meeting to draw at the courthouse this past Thursday morning and even though we all agreed to meet two hours early, the smoke from the forest fires and the heat shortened how much time we spent drawing.  So I went out again this morning and picked up where I left off.  The challenge of the courthouse is all the intricate pieces.  Lots of erasing on this one as I figure out what proportions I had wrong but it's coming along.  

2017 Columbia County Fair

The Crater Lake project begins

I went up to the Crater Lake Lodge to begin a new project.  The lake is as stunning as I remember as a kid. Made a number of sketches and took a ton of reference photos.  Stand by for more on this project coming this fall. 

Bailey Nurseries

My little group of plein air painters had the opportunity to send the afternoon in the hydrangea fields at Bailey Nurseries on Sauvies Island.  Oh my gosh what fun it was! It's a small piece.  Roughly 5" x 6".  Sennelier watercolor foundation with Luminance colored pencils on 140# Fabriano Artistico hot press cotton paper (all archival quality materials). 

Mountainside Lavender

I signed up for this years Lavender Paintout months before finding out I needed surgery on my hand.  As luck would have it that happened right before the competition began.  I worked small and did manage to finish a couple pieces.  This is one of them.  Prior to participating in the competition I had no idea there are over 150 varieties of lavender.  The bloom season was delayed by the extended cool weather we were having so the fields weren't quite in bloom until the end of the competition. 

4-1/2" x 5-1/2"
Luminance colored pencils
Sennelier watercolor foundation
140# Fabriano Artistico hot press cotton paper

Thank you to Mountainside Lavender in Scholls, Oregon for letting us come out and paint/draw on location.