power in the Spirit

little lovely gelato moments

peace

Sketched using student art supplies !  Art teacher retreat and conference, Roanoke Virginia.

When despair for the world grows in me... 

I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds...

...I come into the presence of still water. 

© Wendell Berry
The Selected Poems of Wendell Berry

pause in posting

I have so much to post from my sketchbook and travel notes. Issues with internet in my studio are causing delays but hope to have new stuff to show very soon.
Meanwhile enjoy some scenes from former swampy weather days.

 

write it down

sketch before painting-Lilies by Janice Skivington 2017

The poet Isabel Allende urged, "write it down before it is erased by the wind."

(This is how I feel about drawing flowers from life, they are erased by the wind so soon, hurry and make your notes.)

fever

“It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want — oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!”   Mark Twain

fresh

first birthday joy

Happy 1st birthday to this little sprite!

 I have published these sketches before and I hope to make a few new ones this afternoon as we gather to celebrate her birthday.

last day of kindergarten

Today is the last day in art class for these 5 year olds. Next time I see them they will be 6 year olds and 1st grade beginners.
At the end of art class after portfolios were assembled, I began to sketch one little fellow who always needs to have one more thing to do. The others were still coloring and free drawing on the outside of their portfolio folders.

Soon my sketching became the main event. I had to sketch everyone and each sketch had to be fast, my models wriggled, giggled, stared and smiled gapped-tooth grins. Here are four quick studies.