last man

Titled "Last Man Standing", the last of the gingerbread people, and the last of the Christmas sweets.

not just any cookie

This is the last of the salted caramel coconut shortbread cookies that my daughter made. Not just any old cookie but the most mouth watering delicious bite to be found in our household.

The last cinnamon roll

 I saved this last one from Christmas Day because I really wanted to paint a sketch of it. Four days later? Should I have just gone ahead and enjoyed it with my cup of tea?
I am not much of a cook but I go all out on Christmas morning for my family. I made 4 big pans of these and we ate them right after I pulled them out of the oven. I have been in a sentimental painting phase. I  enjoyed some of the days following Christmas by filling the last pages of my little watercolor sketchbook. A cup of tea and a cookie, or clementine, or the last sweet roll seemed to call for a study and a memory.

seasonal sweets

this is the season

My first sketch of my new granddaughter. She is six months old now and I was so certain that I would be drawing sketches and portraits of her every day from the moment of her birth which I witnessed. Now I remember why I didn't sketch my own children as much as I would have liked. I was always holding them or caring for them in some way that left me with little time to sit and stare.

reason

This is the irrational season
When love blooms bright and wild.
Had Mary been filled with reason
there'd have been no room for the child.

"After Annunciation"
Madeleine L'Engle

I drew this on Christmas Day of my mother-in-law. One of my favorite subjects and not only because she does not move around as much as everyone else. The dear lady spent her day contentedly sitting in a comfy chair watching her six-month-old great grandchild play with her toes and laugh. And that is enough reason for the celebration of this Day.

bit of sunshine today

It is 4 degrees F outside and I sit in my studio gazing out the window at the snowy landscape. Before I get busy baking apple pies and cinnamon rolls for our Christmas feast tomorrow I will make a small painting of a yellow pepper in my small sketchbook. It is a lovely golden splendid bit of vegetable sunshine all by itself.

Christmas Eve children's service

Saturday night Game

Saw a Chicago Bulls game on Saturday night, so exciting. I had my tiny sketchbook and an HB pencil in hand. It was really hard to catch any poses, the action was furious all night. My favorite Bulls player is Joakim Noah. He has a small head with sweet childlike features. The rest of him is lanky but muscular with a funny sort of grace. We had very nice courtside seats so I could see the individual players quite well. I kept waiting for Joakim Noah to return to this spot and particular pose under the net so that I could get more details and angles for this sketch.

another saturday morning ironing

Conversation taking place in home of The Artist:

Family Member of The Artist "What (crazy demented activity now) are you doing?"
The Artist (author of this blog) "I am ironing my drawing."
"Why?"(questioner knows that Artist hates ironing )(see below*)
The Artist replies, "I need to iron this drawing so that I can get it to lie flat enough on my scanner."
"Why do you have to iron your artwork?" Family Member still doesn't understand.
Artist replies, patiently, "This drawing is wrinkled because I painted over the pencil work on the paper and the wrinkles show up when I scan it and I want to post this art on my blog, without the wrinkles."
Family Member, "Oh, can you iron this shirt for me too?"



(*) This Artist also hates cooking and most housekeeping chores.

Thanksgiving leftover

The General Thanksgiving 

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, 

we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks, 

for all your goodness and lovingkindness 

to us and to all whom you have made. 

We bless you for our creation, preservation, 

and all the blessings of this life;

but above all for your immeasurable love 

in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; 

for the means of grace and for the hope of glory. 

And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,

that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,

not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you

in holiness and righteousness all our days;

through Jesus Christ, Our Lord,

to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, 

be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.