Last night I mailed in my submission to the Sketchbook Project,
the project out of Brooklyn whereby people from all over the world buy a small sketchbook, fill it, choose to have it imaged or not, and it becomes part of the museum and/or travels the country! My subject is Underwater, a topic near and dear to my heart.
I grew up in Laguna Beach, California.
My relationship with the ocean was formed in an area that spanned from
Doheny State Park (before they ruined it with that damn marina) to Balboa Island.
Water, swimming, shells, and sea creatures occupied my life from 9 to 20.
A blessed life!
I am SO upset about what is happening to our oceans…
The sadness has been building for years. Somehow current political events are making me lose hope that “we” will never wake up. I don’t know why people think that fouling their waters is a good idea… My brother Patrick was a hiker and taught me never to pee in the woods within sight of a body of water precisely because that same water could be your drinking water. If it makes sense to a 5-year-old hiking with her brother then it should make sense to grownups the world over. I thought that maybe people had to hear my story, and maybe a fire would be lite to stop abusing the ocean (and the planet!)
This is my Prayer for our Ocean; click through to see it larger.
Places where you can find ways to help:
www.greenpeace.org
www.theoceancleanup.com
https://seaturtles.org
https://coralrestoration.org
http://oceana.org
http://the farmproject.com
Things you can do to help our oceans:
I include a good list of what needs to be done to change where we are headed.
And lest you think you can’t do what has to be done, it is only a matter of how much of a polite pain in the backside you want to become. It is not enough to choose wisely, you need to talk about your choices so that becomes an important conversation you have with others. Supermarkets do listen… be the squeaky wheel. And while being polite, say these things so others can overhear them… Then they become interested. I believe MOST people (not politicians but normal people) will do the right thing given the chance.
I’ve been battling our local chain for years for to make a choice about Certified Humane meats, which are also usually organic (or lower impact) and sustainably raised.
I talked to the various meat workers about it, even if they rolled their eyes (but not when the lines were deep) and gave them information on what I wanted them to buy. I wrote letters. This month, they are finally dropping Draper’s (bruised chickens = tortured chickens) and moving to Smart Chicken, which is Certified Humane, and affordable.
I didn’t say cheap, but $3/lb for organic humane chicken is not bad…
We eat less meat now anyway than we used to eat, make it stretch into other
bean and rice dishes, and so two chickens can make six days worth of meals..
You can make a difference… but you have to get fired up.
Reduce your carbon footprint!
Protect endangered species and other animals in your area!
The sketchbook: I set myself design parameters, that is, I worked with the
poor paper and made it sing as best I could, and used only a few other items tipped in or pasted in, mostly because of the writing going straight through the thin paper.
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“Memory is more indelible than ink.”
Anita Loos, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
“I think not….”
Me… why I journal!
☾
Sketchbook Project Journal (a bit better than copy paper)
with a Pentalic HB woodless pencil,
Lamy Al-Star with De Atramentis Document Black ink (and other rinks)
Platinum Carbon Pen with Platinum Carbon ink waterproof cartridges,
Da Vinci, Holbein, and Daniel Smith Watercolors.
©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.
☾
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I teach architectural sketching,
art journaling (art+writing), creativity, watercolors.
That annoying loud-mouth editor/critic in your head? GONE! How great would that be?
D.Katie Powell Art 
this is beautiful…
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Oh Maureen thank you so much….
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Fantastic project! I share your love and concern for our oceans. Thanks for doing the sketchbook and sending it out into the world.
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Thank you! It feels like ritual!
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I agree 100%. We can all do our part to help this universe.
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Yes… Working on that one list is so good! And I love that Hahnemuhle is a green company.
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Amazing work! Thanks for sharing! xo
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Thanks! I thought of us all living in such a blessed place….
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I love your chosen theme and the art work. Well done on mailing yours in. I finished mine back in December but I have not mailed it in yet. I have this “not good enough” worry. I will do it though.
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AAACK! You are good enough!!!! Kick that critic in the butt!
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I will. Having paid to participate, the thriftiness in me will compel me to submit it. I just need to stifle the inner critic and get it in the mail box.
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🙂
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Lovely work in your sketchbook. Wonderful.
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Thanks John!
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What a wonderful idea! And what fun to participate. Great pages…really loved the fish and starfish!
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Anyone can do it though this year’s is closed — it is fun!
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I am a “tree hugger,” and an ocean lover from the time I was little. Here in Oregon, we were taught to NEVER throw our trash out onto the roadways. These days I watch people do it all the time. Garbage seems to grow everywhere. (sigh) I LOVE your artwork. Your watercolors are just amazing.
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Thank you for liking them and being a tree hugger!
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I’ve read about the sketchbook project, it’s a shame that the journals have such poor paper in them, however, you did a fabulous job with them.
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Well they are trying a new thang, and I joined, a canvas project that ends in a book and a trade. Thanks for the compliments!
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