Category Archives: watercolor

Sammy in the Studio

Sammy in the upholstery studio… He even has his own chair, the Moon and Stars chair. Black cats are not easy to paint.  Black on black on black… Pentalic Aqua Journal, Platinum Carbon pen with Platinum Carbon ink; Noodler’s Lexington … Continue reading

Posted in animals, art journal, furniture, journal, making a living, memory, pen & ink, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

Janzten Beach Carousel 2, Grapes

Jantzen Beach Carousel is a series, and this is the second in the set. (Click here to see the first, the Chinese Water Serpent Horse.) I named this Horse with Grapes! Why am I naming them differently than CW Parker … Continue reading

Posted in animals, architecture, art, commission, painting, pen & ink, process, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Restore Oregon Invitation

It is fun to see my artwork from last year used on this year’s invite to the Restore Oregon Celebration Dinner! Last year I sketched the dinner in a handmade folding journal. You can see Mitchell in the second image … Continue reading

Posted in commission, watercolor | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Days of Yore: Laguna Beach

I am homesick. Sketch from an old black and white photo from who-knows-where, looking East into the Laguna Hills, when they were pristine… With more news of fracking pollution approved to dump in our oceans, I am homesick for better … Continue reading

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Janzten Beach Carousel 1, Chinese Water Serpent

I am a lover of carousels; this set was a pleasure to paint! Jantzen Beach Carousel has so many gorgeous carousel horses! I wanted to set up a series whereby someone could buy the set or just one, and they … Continue reading

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Tools: Travel Palettes (and a Review of Prima Watercolor Confections)

I’m happy with my travel case from Sennelier. I recently cleaned it and changed out two colors. There is one little thing: It doesn’t fit into my small purse. I know, artists are always fussing, right?  But it is about … Continue reading

Posted in color, painting, process, review, sketchbook, tools, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , | 20 Comments

Fort Rock

You might remember that I painted a sketch of Fort Rock as part of a folding journal after the Endangered Places of 2015 was announced?  It was based  on the photograph by Craig Powell, #1 in the line-up, below, along … Continue reading

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Birdhouse

(Image provided by Sharukh Bamboat: friend, tour guide, writer!) I thought it would be fun to show how the choice of an ink color can change-up your drawing.  I keep a stash of good images (both mine and other folks) … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, art journal, drawing, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Sunflower Honeybee

(From an image by Cheryl KP, with permission) “Every artist dips [her] brush into [her] own soul and paints [her] own nature into [her] paintings.”  Henry Ward Beecher I have been gifted by the Internet God/desses of Amazing Connections to … Continue reading

Posted in art journal, journal, pen & ink, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Creative Life

(Image by Dan Antion, with permission; his blog is No Facilities.) A dialogue with a friend yesterday about perfection in his painting (he is learning gouache) reminded me that perfection freezes us.  Also, NO artist is objective about their work … Continue reading

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To Heal

I am loving the paintings that I am doing for another, AND, it is nice to play around in my own sketchbook! Thanks to Tracey Fletcher King for a photo that became my middle-of-the-night entry. Pentalic Aqua Journal, Pentalic 2B … Continue reading

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Rivoli Theater

Rivoli Theater at 1355 S Main Street, Pendleton, Oregon was built in 1900. It is a significant part of the original streetscape of the old downtown.  In its heyday, the Theater served as a social and economic center of community … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, commission, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 26 Comments

Uppertown Net Loft, Astoria, Oregon

  The barn red on the lovely blue Columbia River was my initial attraction. I did a few fast sketches, and this one I like so will donate…. An image of the building from the hilltops is here. Uppertown Net … Continue reading

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Doors in Brazil, Middle-of-the-Night Sketch

To me this is a compelling street scene because of the line of doors…. Update: Murilo S Romeiro took the image of Tiradentes, a small town in Minas Gerais, Brazil. For Thursday Doors, Norm’s blog round robin open to anyone! … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, art journal, challenge, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

I’ve got a Patreon Page!

I’m getting ready to begin teaching, and so, drumroll…. I launched my Patreon page! Yes, here I am asking for your support and money… I support two artists, one on Patreon. For the cost of a coffee out, I contribute … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, art journal, class, creativity, drawing, history of journal, history of sketching, journal, making a living, pen & ink, pencil, watercolor, writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Summer Veggies

Okay, despite my annoyance with Pentalic Aqua journals, it is what I have until sixty pages are used up!  (I will tell you if my bugging them a second time  gets their attention! While I am working on the pieces … Continue reading

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Wong Laundry Building, Portland, Oregon

 Wong’s Chinese Laundry resided in the Wong Laundry Building on NW 3d  St, an area currently under constant demolition for high rises, many of poor design quality. It was designed by Alexander Ewart in 1908, and has had many businesses in … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, art, creativity, history, landscape, painting, pen & ink, urban sketchers, virtual sketching, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

Working Toward a Goal

I’ve rarely worked toward a goal/deadline in my painting life. (I do it all the time in my working life, above.) That is, there is a desired result at the end for a “client,” here, as. I am creating a … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, art, creativity, drawing, history, landscape, painting, pen & ink, process, watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments