Dana Point

A quick sketch on really ruff handmade paper.

Cork Oak

Cork Oak leaf and acorn caps.

Merry Christmas

When I think of Christmas and the Holidays starting with Thanksgiving I think of the blessings I have experienced. This blog and the virtual reality of the internet has been one of the biggest blessings I have received since grandchildren.

First, the opportunity to share what I love to do,

that is to create visual art,

next to meet and communicate with wonderful, kind, generous and supportive friends and

last to hone my art skills by sketching, painting and just plain working on my art every day.

Coyote Hills

Look at this place. It's Coyote Hills in Orange County California. It is scheduled for development, houses, roads, a school, a strip mall and what else. There are many sides to serving the needs of a few. While I was painting this when I heard the cry of the red tailed hawk and looked up to capture it just in time to put into my painting. I painted this from behind a fence with a sign that said private property.

COMPUTERS!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, so I come home and turn on the computer (the old one) and it works!  IT'S WORKING!!!!!!  I have been backing up and down loading like crazy, trying to save everything. 

This is Coyote Hills.  I have painted it before only not at such a distance.  It has been raining here which has curtailed Plein Air painting.  This was done from the car.

I'm Back

I am back, a little ruffed up and worn out, but back. I will post pic's when I can. I have kept up reading your blogs while I was gone and answered when I could.


Ivy has missed her walks so much she scolded me roundly and then has not let me out of her sight since my return. I took her on a short walk but it wasn’t enough. I tell you it is really hard to walk in the house with her by my side, Sammy (the cat) in the lead and another Sam (the cat) following. They are just making sure I don’t turn up missing again. Humans get lost so easily these days.

Here is one of the sketches done on the fly at a Starbucks.

The store has put up all these Christmas decorations making it all Holiday like but it is just the coffee place where I go to get a cup of decaf and to talk with friends, get out of the house and sit somewhere warm. Maybe I will look at the decorations when they go on sale after the Holidays.

Computers

Hi everyone. I bet some of you have noticed that I have been MIA and haven't posted for awhile. Well my old computer finally passed away after a long struggle. She put up a valiant fight but in the end we said our goodbyes and now she is sitting on a shelf waiting…..for something.

I am still learning Windows 7, uploading my programs and trying to accept the fact that some of my programs are not compatible like Photoshop for instance. In other words I am not able to post pictures yet, but I am working on it. I will be gone for a week starting Dec 8th so I will report in with pictures, hopefully in a couple of weeks. Keep sketching and remember me, I will be back.

Oh, and if I don’t get a chance before hand, Merry Christmas and have a great Holiday.

Buena Vista Drive, Fullerton California

This is just another street Ivy and I walk on almost daily. The reason I sketched this was mostly because of the telephone poles and wires crossing the street creating a spider webbing across the sky. Now that I have downloaded the image into the blog I can't really see them.

Top of the Hill

I took some time and participated in the Sketchcrawl for Saturday November 21.  I hope you all had a great art day.

CONCRETE LEAVES

The concrete leaves are painted and finally put into the garden.  They will eventually be part of a fountain.

Brookdale Place

Brookdale Place is one of the tree lined streets in Fullerton that have the older homes of the community.

THE ADVENTURES OF A MEANDERING MOLESKINE

I have just received the Moly exchange moleskine from Kim.  Isn't it wonderfully imaginative?  I get to paint in it next.  You can see Kim's blog site HERE

Here is a compilation of my book that I sent on at the beginning of this month to Anna.  You can see her art work on her blog HERE

Come follow our adventure over at The Adventures of a Meandering Molskine Here

HUNTINGTON LIBRARY AND GARDENS

This is a sketch of a large oak on the Huntington Library grounds with the San Gabrial Mountains in the background.

HUNTINGTON LIBRARY

The Huntington Library and Gardens is located in San Marino California. The property was purchased in 1903 and the grounds were designed and planted with acquired specimens (both mature and seedlings) from all over the world. Some of the trees appear to be around 100 years old. It isn't very often that I can see a tree that has not been 'trimmed' to fit in the location where someone has planted it. This beautiful oak is very special.  The bamboo grove in the background has specimens that appear to be over 50 feet tall.

Hiltcher Park

Muckenthaler Park

Fullerton Parks has given Muckenthaler a new picnic table, perfect for my painting after my walk with Ivy.

Painting is a freedom that I have given myself after years of doing for others. I have raised my family, worked to help support the house hold, given up time and experiences for the good of the others and now have decided to schedule time for me. I don't have a goal to be a great painter just to be the best I can be. I don't have a goal to be noticed as an artist, just to share what I have done if someone wants to see it. I want to make sure I have time in everyday to create with the skill that I have worked so hard to develop. Because I see and am able to produce a visual image that others can see then it seems that a consequence of creating art is to have it be seen, not necessarily a requirement to have it seen, just that it can be seen.

This blog has given me that opportunity. Then my fellow artists came to support me in my need to create. Now I find that I am taking time to help other people who have followed the same path of wanting to create and share their art.

Neighborhood Homes

Cathy Gatland over at A Sketch in Time http://asketchintime.blogspot.com/ did the most wonderful flip book and so I thought I would try it. I hope you like it. I do and that is what this is all about (the blog site, that is) to try new things and share what I have learned and created.
What do you think?

Hiltcher Park Walking Trail

The morning started out cold and crispy then the fog rolled in and the leaves began to drip moisture watering the new growth of grass seed and wild radish. The new grass is a fresh chartreuse color, that new green of spring color. That's what happens here, first the days grow shorter, moisture from the coastal fog gives that needed moisture and then a few hot weeks and the plants give their last bloom of the season.

Hiltcher Park Walking Trail

Ink sketch at about the 1/2 mile mark.

Hiltcher Walking Trail

I have a new sketch book and have been taking it out every morning to sketch the trail. Ivy hasn't been feeling very well so we didn't go very far. The sun was coming up through the trees and will make a fun painting. For now it started out pencil, I inked it in today and hopefully will add color another day.

Starbucks

A new sketch book and a new day. Here is the Starbucks showing all the coffee flavorings. I always get the same thing. A small decaf coffee. sometimes with a glass of ice, sometimes with a little milk. I always think I am going to try all these flavorings but I don't. I just meet with friends once or twice a month and enjoy the morning with the exchange of ideas.

Express Stop

Taking a moment to capture the image.

Magnolia on Pamona Street, Fullerton

I had a chance for a quick sketch before church.  I will be adding to this, I hope.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

THE GOOD AND THE BAD!

Here is Ivy dressed and ready for her visit with the neighbors for treats.

This is the skull replica I use as an instruction aide for life drawing lessons.

HAPPY HOLLOWEEN

YUPO & WATERCOLOR

Just love to playing with a piece of Yupo and my new brush.

FULLERTON TRAIN STATION

Fullerton Train Station

Graphite

Ivy likes this walk she sees people getting off the train and she think they are all coming to see her.

VIRTUAL PAINTOUT AND FULLERTON RAILROAD BUILDINGS

VIRTUAL PAINTOUT

The 'VIRTUAL PAINTOUT' (http://virtualpaintout.blogspot.com/) was over in Belfast Ireland. There was so much green and the country is beautiful, lush and rural. I enjoyed my visit and appreciate Bill Guffey's blog site and the work he does to pull this off every month. If you haven't tried it you are missing a fun challenge.

Fullerton buildings along the train tracks.

Mixed Media

Ivy and I walked to the Fullerton Train Station to sketch today, because I had stopped near this area a few days ago and wanted to come back to do more sketching. These buildings are so textural and I am continuing to use the art set with crayon, pencil, oil pastel and felt pens. It’s a bit of a challenge using unfamiliar tools.

FULLERTON RAILWAYS

I stopped along the railroad tracks to take a break and sketch this group of buildings.  All I had in the car were crayons.  I don't know what the people were doing in these businesses but there was a lot of yelling going on.  I could hear them even from my, across the railroad tracks, 2 streets and a field away, parked car.

Fullerton Arboretum

The Fullerton Arboretum is a wonderful place to walk and commune with nature. I walked the grounds looking at everything and then found this shady place to sit and sketch. I could easily spend another few hours on this but life calls.

Brea Hills

Brea, California

Mixed Media

This is a view of Brea and maybe La Habra Hts. from the parking lot of a favorite hardware store I frequent.  When you live in a home there is always something to repair.  That's my excercise for today. 

HOME REPAIR!

The Garden Gate

I found this gate on my walk last week and started it then but didn't have enough time to finish until today.  I know that I would like the people in this house.  Have a great weekend everyone.

The Lamp Post

The weather is cool in the mornings now. When I got up this morning it was about 57 F and when I started walking it was dark!! Sooooo, I left the sketch book at home and when I got home I walked back out to catch this lamp post. The time will change soon, let's see spring forward fall back. I don't like dark mornings. I like to wake to the light streaming in through the windows and birds singing.

Miles to go. Hours of Practice.

Let me introduce you to Miles and his people. When Ivy and I walk we meet many dogs and their people. The dogs greet the dogs, the people greet the people and the people greet the dogs and the dogs greet the people. Not always in that order.

Practicing is what skill is all about. You practice until it becomes second nature and you don't have to think about what you are seeing, it just comes out of your hand. Like driving a car. You don't think ....Ok, now I need to put on the turn light to signal that I am going to turn. You see what is up ahead and your hand turns on the signal and your other hand stays on the wheel (while your head cradles the cell phone, and you tell the kids to sit down and be quiet, being careful not to spill your hot coffee between you knees) while your eyes search in all directions to see if it is safe. Creating art is like that. You don't think....Ok now I am going to make this line straight until it curves to look like an arm. At first you think those thoughts but after practicing forever your eye sees arm and your hand creates the line that represents arm in a way you have done it before that looks like an arm.



Why am I telling you all of this? Because, I was practicing sketching yesterday by drawing from the TV. Here are just two pages of the many pages of sketches I did while watching the gymnastic competition on television. 

Muckenthaler Stone Garden Room

The Muckenthaler Cultural Center is an Italian Renaissance-style structure in Fullerton built on eight acres located atop a hill in Fullerton. This little outdoor room has been a forte to many a child growing up in this neighborhood as well as a beautiful back drop for a wedding picture or a glass of wine. Ivy and I walk by here often and today I sketched it with my new pen. I loooooove my new pen!

THE NEW PEN

I attended the Art Expo in Pasadena, Califronia, this afternoon, expressly to find a fountain pen that would be refillable, resist drying out or clogging when I sketch out in nature and was reasonably priced. Well, I found it is a Lamy with a refill adapter and it’s wonderful. The nib is not too thick, soft and flowing on any paper and the ink is water proof so I can watercolor wash over it.

The ink is India Black with No-Shellac so it won't clog the pen.

I was also able to replenish my palette and got some disposable drawing pens. I am posting the test results of the colors and disposable pens. I should be good for awhile.

 

I also found a small flat brush for my paint box.  Very cute!!!

Dark Rain Clouds

Well the rain came and went.  Yesterday evening, after my walk, I found the sun setting while the sky was filled with dark clouds. It was just to good to pass up a painting like this so I dashed home and got my paint box just to see if I could capture just a hint of the dramatic view. The sun was setting and some of the light rays highlighted just a few trees making them glow while being accented by the dark as night back drop.

Model Study with Sam

Rainy day today. Ivy and I had our walk and then I spent a little time sketching Sam. He decided to model for me and I took the opportunity to practice my fast sketching.

Clouds...The rain is coming.

This painting is done while sitting on a hill in Fullerton looking toward the San Bernardino Mountains and San Gorgonio Mountains. The weather man has predicted rain tomorrow. Only a 1/4 inch but rain just the same. We will see.

Poor Puppy

Well this photo is going to take a little explaining.


Sunday a friend stopped by to show me her honey bees that she had in a glass display box with 'the works' honey comb, bees and very loud buzzing. Well, Ivy is a rescue Greyhound and I have to assume that her first 5 years (while spending her time in her crate) her favorite thing was to catch flies. When she came to live at her forever home (my house) she found that I had flies that would bite back. BEES! In fact the only time she has ever barked was on the occasion that she finds a bee. When the bee box was brought in and Ivy could see them bustling about inside and she heard the very loud bee sound coming from the vicinity of the box, she became very distressed, curious but distressed.

Ok the picture came later after everyone including the bees had left. Ivy just needed some comfort as we would all have needed after a particularly difficult and stressful day. She went outside and got her big juicy, greasy fresh bone and wanted to bring it inside (not allowed). You can see by her pleading eyes that she fully expected to be let in with that bloody bone. Look at those eyes. I went out and sat with her, for a while, so she could feel the comfort of sitting with a friend and having a gnaw on something gooey.

We all have ways of self soothing and I certainly am one for gnawing on something gooey after a stressful day.

Fullerton Hill Top View

This is a lovely walking trail. New smells for Ivy and new views for me. Very little shade though so this is a walk for cooler days. I know it will warm up again but for now it seems like autumn and winter is coming. This ink sketch is looking toward the cities of Anaheim with a view of the Honda Center and Angel Stadium, Orange and Santa Ana.

Last of the Tomatoes

The house is too cold now so I have been taking refuge in a nice warm place on a chair in the back patio to sit for a fast sketch while enjoying a break from everyday activities. Behind this chair is the tomato plant that has given me tomatoes all summer. Now, with the shortening of the daylight, the tomato blooms are setting less fruit so these may be the last tomatoes of summer.

Fruit

I pulled out a piece of Yupo last night and this is what happened.  I love working with it. I have been using Yupo for a few years and love the way it takes watercolor pigment and stays unaffected by multiple applications of color. I use it mostly for my ocean scenes, you can see one here. I have to paint flat because until the paint dries it will move. I have had paintings run off the paper while carrying them back to the car. Also while camping at the Grand Canyon during a rainy night my painting became damp again and stuck to other papers. What I like about it is that you can continue to add color without the paper being affected by scrubbing or reworking and the paint continues to stay fresh and transparent. I love that the paint does its own thing and find it very entertaining to continue to work like sculpting till I find a visual result I like.

Cloud study Bastenchury and St. College

The clouds are finally here. This is as close as California has come to rain for awhile. I enjoyed a sketch and the view today, but no rain as suggested by the weather man.

Santa Ana Winds

The wind is blowing in from the desert so I had to sketch the movement of the trees. The humidity drops and the heat skyrockets with these winds. I tried to paint outdoors but I couldn't get enough water on the paper and a few times I loaded my brush with luscious color and by the time my brush touched the paper it had dried hard as a stick.

Early Morning Sun

I ended my early morning walk at the neighborhood Starbucks and a sketch.