Previous Trip Journaling

Haven't done anything big lately so decided to post some journal entries from last summer and fall. I go to Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass, CO every summer for art workshops. Last year I took my art journal and did a bunch of entries. I love the columbines and the eyes of the aspen trees. These hollyhocks were five feet tall, who could resist.

The last three are from a trans-Canadian rail trip my mother and I took last September. We went from Vancouver, BC to Montreal. It was a nine day trip with lots of stops and museums and such. It was a great time with great people and fantastic food, though the cabins were really really small. Good thing we like each other! We had a wonderful time.

Sketching is a great way to record a wonderful trip.
A camera and photos are great but a drawn memory
is much more personal and meaningful and fun!

Robert Bateman sketchbook--pen and watercolor.

Moleskine Drawings

Here are a couple of drawings in my moleskine book. The old fashion gumball machine is in the ice cream parlor at the assisted living facility where I work with the residents, making monoprints. I drew this as they were busy painting. The other drawing is a modified "What's in my purse?" using the grid layout. Key bob, cell phone and eyeglass bob or necklace. I was going to add more but once I did the eyeglass holder I like the composition. Both are ink and watercolor.

Sunflowers

Sunflowers do not a have a sweet flowery smell but I thought they would be a nice addition after the skunk story. They were done in my moleskine with ink and watercolor. It is always fun to invert the colors and see what you get. I think the blue sunflowers are spectacular.

Sunflowers

Skunked! Score: Skunk 6 Nina 0

A skunk ventured into the backyard Sunday night and Nina, the lab-shepard mix, tried to get it. Again, and again, and again. They woke me up with a bang on the wall and then the smell! It was so bad I had to leave. It's been five days and the smell is still around but very tolerable. The groomers said Nina got hit six times. I used five quart size bottles of de-skunk, two cans of air freshener and a whole bottle of vanilla. Mom said the vanilla would help removed the smell so I put saucers of vanilla around the house. As the alcohol of the vanilla evaporates it leaves beautiful golden watermarks and swirls on the plates. Hopefully, Nina has learned her lesson but I know if there were another skunk in the yard, she would go for it again and again and again. I better go buy more vanilla.