After doing detailed drawings, color studies and developing my composition, the next step is to bring the subject to life…to create the illusion of a 3D image on the two dimensional paper. So as I paint, my focus is on light and shadow, which is how we see shapes. Choice of Paper But before I […]
Sketchbook–Garry Oak
August 25, 2016 by · 5 Comments
I live near a west facing bluff where our native oak, Quercus garryana, grows. They thrive on sunny, well-drained slopes. I enjoy looking into their craggy canopies as I walk along the top of the bluff. I’ve wanted to sketch one of these impressive trees for awhile, so decided that this months’ entry for the […]
Sketchbook–Flowers of the Field
July 28, 2016 by · 4 Comments
On my walks through the parched fields near my house, the bright flowers of chicory and red clover stand out as fresh as the summer sky. I wanted to capture those fresh colors in my sketchbook, particularly the cheerful green of the clover leaves. And I’ve always been fascinated by plantain flower heads, with those […]
Sketchbook–Monkeyflower
June 23, 2016 by · 4 Comments
While hiking in the Pacific Northwest, I have become enamored with Monkeyflowers (Mimulus), after all they have such brightly colored flowers and a fun name too. I like plants with personality! When I saw this Monkeyflower in the native plant section of the nursery I snatched it up so I could study it more closely. […]
Starting a New Project, part 2
June 16, 2016 by · 8 Comments
In my last post, I described my preparations for a painting of lupine that I was commissioned to do. My client said I could paint any lupine I wanted, so I chose the graceful native variety that grows in the eastern Columbia Gorge, Lupinus latifolius x sericeus. With my client’s permission, I decided to add […]
This blog is about my journey as a botanical artist--what I am learning, what inspires me and what I am currently drawing or painting. My desire is to continually hone my skills to better express my wonder and gratitude for the beauty of the creation around me in the Pacific Northwest (USA).