life drawing session on a rainy saturday

I worked so very hard for the first couple of hours getting warmed up. The model had a very jumpy soundtrack playing on a boombox, making me nervous, some rap, some hiphop, and I was sure I wasn't going to turn out any sort of a drawing  that day.

I spent the first two hours yelling inside my head (encouraging instructive stuff at myself), and then it all happened in the last hour, just as some mellow music came on the studio soundtrack. Maybe it was the folk rock, but it all came together. Drawing is hard, you must keep working at it steadily from the ugly uncertain bits on to the finish.

a summer rose

Another watercolor pencil sketch from my traveling notebook. I picked this rose from the garden of our friends and drew while they were preparing us a lovely dinner. I was so incredibly blessed (and really a bit spoiled). Good friends, good food, interesting conversation in two languages, some nice wine, and ...roses.

summer in the southwest corner of France

We had the great pleasure of a visit to the home of some French family friends. I will post more about our adventures and discoveries in the next days.
I would have sketched more, except that, (oh excuses, excuses) I had a new camera and just absolutely had to snap some 1,000 or more photos. Also, I would have sketched more if we were not moving so fast all day visiting so many exciting places. My camera had to end up being my "sketchbook".

One of my moments to sit and draw came on this day while in the garden of our friends. My husband was helpfully mowing their lawn, but I sat under the willow tree on a little bench and drew the bridge and lily pond.
I had  brought just a few watercolor pencils along in my bag, limited colors and only a q-tip and paper towel to "paint".

And here, out of my thousand of travel photos is the actual garden at the home of our good friends. This photo is taken from the other side of the little pond, the bench that I sat on is tucked away under the willow tree.

summer is almost over

Sad, but yes, true. I have enjoyed this summer perhaps more than any in my life so far. And that is a good thing to reflect about. This painting, 30'by40' acrylic on canvas, framed is for sale.

new personal photo

Yep, that's me, from two weeks ago. No explanation necessary for the location or identity of the lady in the painting behind the glass in the museum.
How did I get to be alone in a photo without the usual crowd at the most popular spot in the Louvre?

That is the really interesting question, involving purchasing tickets a day ahead and getting up early enough to take a carefully planned metro route in order to be first in line when the place opened and then walking really, really fast trying not to be distracted by a Botticelli here and Raphael there just be alone in the room with the Mona Lisa. And the Real thing, by Leonardo himself, is actually very small. And there are many amazing other works in the same room that most tourists aren't paying attention to.
My husband who is quite usefully tall took the photo over the heads of a big group of tourists who got there just as we did.

summer is too short

summertime

mixed media

where I am today

painting!

drawing