Author Archives: D. Katie Powell

Unknown's avatar

About D. Katie Powell

hollywood baby turned beach gurl turned steel&glass city gurl turned cowgurl turned herb gurl turned green city gurl. . . artist writer photographer. . . cat lover but misses our big dogs, gone to heaven. . . foodie, organic, lover of all things mik, partner in conservation business mpfconservation, consummate blogger, making a dream happen, insomniac who is either reading buddhist teachings or not-so-bloody mysteries or autobio journal thangs early in the morning when i can't sleep

Palm Trees Coffee Pot

Posted on June 9, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I want this.  I’ve had a small image of it for years.  If I had this my life would be complete… No Thursday Doors…. Real life got in the way!  *sigh* But then, making money = $$$ for paint = … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, sketchbook, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Tools: Watercolors, 2, Red-Pink

Posted on June 5, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Each Sunday for the next few weeks I am looking at my paint “collection.” OOPS.  I HIT PUBLISH BY MISTAKE AND NO ERRORS. HOW OFTEN DOES THAT HAPPEN? SO THIS WEEK’S WILL BE PUBLISHED NEXT WEEK! Because of this mistake, … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, painting, process, tools, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

VSW: Hawaii, Oahu Palms

Posted on June 5, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Ink drawing, shadow inks (grisaille), then watercolors. Moleskin 8×11 watercolor journal, Platinum Carbon pen, Lamy Al-Star with De Atramentis Document Black,  Noodler’s inks, and Daniel Smith , Holbein, and QoR watercolors. I started a Facebook group page (you must join … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, drawing, landscape, memory, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Bright Ideas, Week 7

Posted on June 4, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I sketched these in the Bright Ideas journal. I had to use Freshly Minted Suggestions for the best designed bottle cap opener thangy ever! If you don’t have one of these 50+-year-old gadgets then you haven’t lived. And the memories … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, journal, memory, pen & ink, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

USk: St. James Lutheran Church

Posted on June 2, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Experimenting with color after taking a class… I am often bored by stone buildings, but several interesting water-colorists use what-ever color where-ever they want.  This is one of the stone churches we pass on our way to the Saturday Market … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, color, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

VSW: Capetown South Africa Beachwalk, 2

Posted on May 31, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Necessity is the mother of fast sketches. I barely finished these by the end of our month on Capetown! I used a water-soluble graphite fat pencil and splashed watercolors over the sketches.  From beginning to end in about 15 minutes … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, pen & ink, series, sketchbook, timed painting, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Overworked / Failure

Posted on May 30, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Dan recently blogged about failures: “So many people try to hide failure. Sometimes, they want to hide it out of embarrassment and sometimes they want to hide it out of fear. I don’t want to fail, but when I do, … Continue reading →

Posted in art, art journal, creativity, making a living, painting, pen & ink, process, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Bright Ideas, Week 6

Posted on May 28, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

This week I’ve taken care of business — my jewelry business, as I am hoping to wind it down and close shop this year. (If my readers fall in love, note the 40% off using the code “SPECIAL”. Shameless plug.) … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, Buddha, gods and goddesses, journal, meditation, memory, pen & ink, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

For Dan, One More Train…

Posted on May 27, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Middle of the night drawing of the Oregon Zoo train.  Dan now you are forever linked to trains, along with my girlfriend who I used to ride trains with, and a crazy boyfriend who once picked me up on a … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Thursday Doors: The Doe Library’s Leather Doors

Posted on May 26, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

My sketch, above of the unpainted and beautiful doors in the Doe Library. The Doe Library in Berkeley still has the solid redwood doors, covered in thick hides with brass details. We were hired to assess the doors, and explain … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

More Trains: Portland Union Station and more

Posted on May 22, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

Part two of the response to a friend’s request to post for National Train Day! Part one here! (Go visit him here if you love trains and that will lead you to others who are posting, and the logo also … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, history, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Bright Ideas, Week 5: Gratitude in Gifting

Posted on May 21, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

A tough week; on top of our Kamala being sick, the astrological forces (Mars retrograde or whatever is going on) have conspired to make some of the people in my life complete arseholes. Fortunately, none are very close to me. … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, drawing, gods and goddesses, journal, memory, pen & ink, urban sketchers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Tough Week

Posted on May 20, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

It’s been a tough week. Our little  girl got sick, and while we now know it is from her new condition and the meds for hypothyroidism, it was a hard week, staying up all night with her, worried, et all. … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, journal, memory, pen & ink, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

USk: Art Gallery Door, Alphabet District

Posted on May 19, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

There is this amazing rusty metal door going into the art gallery on Raleigh. It is a wild thing, all twisted and colorful and rough and organic. I did my best; but gads, what a door. It pops out of … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, pen & ink, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

VSW: Capetown South Africa Beachwalk, 1

Posted on May 15, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I haven’t much time this week. Necessity is making my goal for this sketchwalk to capture the essence of the view, let go of details. What stands out about the view? the buildings? the beach? the sky? the mountain? Capture … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, drawing, landscape, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, timed painting, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

National Train Day: Portland Union Station

Posted on May 14, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

This is in response to a friend’s request to post for National Train Day! (Go visit him here if you love trains and that will lead you to others who are posting, and the logo also was stolen from him….) … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, drawing, history, journal, memory, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Bright Ideas, Week 4

Posted on May 14, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

I’m concerned about having drawn my mala because after drawing my thirty-year-old basket the handle broke.  But maybe after all these years it is time to replace my broken-winged unconventional mala bead with a different bead… Okay, yes, I added … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, gods and goddesses, journal, memory, pen & ink, sketchbook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

USk: Painted Girls, Alphabet District

Posted on May 12, 2016 by D. Katie Powell

We see these sweet homes on the way to our vets, and on walks. They are no where near special enough to be saved when the bulldozers come, which they will because way laid back Portlandiars won’t fight to save … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art journal, color, commentary, creativity, drawing, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments