At one time, Camassia meadows stretched over many acres in the Willamette Valley, looking like lakes of clear water from a distance according to the early explorer, Meriwether Lewis. Camassia quamash or Camas lilies grow in the Oak savannas of the Pacific Northwest, along with many other wild flowers. Camas lily bulbs were a staple […]
Sketchbook–Winter Twigs
January 23, 2016 by · 7 Comments
On my walks on these dreary wet days of winter, it seems that nature is asleep and I see nothing but bare twigs and dead field grasses. Recently I took a closer look when I began searching for something to sketch for a sketchbook exchange project I am involved in (more about that later). I […]
Early and Stream Violets
November 20, 2015 by · 11 Comments
You might say that a trail of ants led me to these Pacific Northwest native violets and butterfly. Last year I painted the native, Wild Ginger featuring some ants crawling on its roots, which seemed appropriate since Wild Ginger is propagated by ants. I wanted to not only describe the wild ginger’s ‘personality’, or form […]
Coastal Adventure
May 4, 2015 by · 4 Comments
On a recent weekend, a member of Oregon Botanical Artists hosted several of us for a two-day “Coastal Botanical Adventure”. We visited four different ecosystems in two days, all within ten miles of our base. On the first morning we hiked through deep forest near Fort Clatsop in the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. […]
The Awkward Stage
April 24, 2015 by · 4 Comments
My paintings always seem to go through an awkward stage…sort of like adolescence. At this stage, things are not in balance yet, the painting’s full character has not yet been revealed. Will it fulfill the dreams I had for it or does the path I’ve set it on lead to disaster…? Only time will tell. […]
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).