Category Archives: writing

Inktober, 7 Palm Window

Posted on October 7, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

I don’t know where I caught the snippet of a poem which was a song not a poem but it has rolled around in my head for weeks, these few lines: “Now that I’ve worn out I’ve worn out the … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, drawing, journal, memory, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #danielsmithwatercolors, #davinciwatercolors, #fullmoon, #inktober2017, #labellaluna, #middleofthenight, #palmtrees, art journal, Da Vinci Watercolors, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, Fineline masking fluid, Holbein, lunar, moon, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, palm, Platinum Carbon pen, watercolor | Leave a comment

Wendell Berry Palm

Posted on September 29, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Obsessed with palms in my sketchbook these days; I’ve always doodled them but I am working on bamboo furniture, which is palm-ish and so, more palms. This quote caught me, from where I don’t know, and dashed it on a … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #Hahnemühle, #KWZink, #middleofthenight, #nostalgiejournal, #palmtrees, #WATWB, #wearetheworld, art journal, De Atramentis Tobacco ink, KWZ Ink Foggy Green, Lamy LX, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, palm trees, Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen | 18 Comments

Color is Not Enough

Posted on September 21, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Sometimes I start with color… I think color will be enough, because I am mad for color… But color is never enough. There is the line, and it has a lot to say. Because you can’t read my handwriting: Playing … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, color, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #Hahnemühle, #Lamy, #linework, #nostalgiejournal, #robertosterink, art journal, color, Lamy Al-Star, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Pentel Aquash Water Brush, Robert Oster ink, Sunflowers, watercolor | 27 Comments

Eagle Creek Fire Rain

Posted on September 13, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

The evening the rains came after the Eagle Creek fire, I felt so blessed. Skies which were grey with smoke and ash falling, suddenly had the blue of night. Actual color, yellow from the setting sun and the green of … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, ink painting, journal, landscape, memory, pen & ink, sketchbook, urban sketchers, writing | Tagged #eaglecreekfire, #Hahnemühle, #nwportland, #platinumcitrusink, #robertosterink, #super5ink, #urbansketching, art journal, De Atramentis Document ink, Lamy Al-Star, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, NW Industrial Sanctuary Portland, Super5 ink, urban sketcher, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk | 10 Comments

Tools: Da Vinci Watercolors

Posted on September 10, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

I was able to buy a couple of Da Vinci watercolors half-off with free shipping. *i wanted to see if i liked them… nooo, not quite truthful… i am a watercolor tube addict and could not stop myself… i am … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, painting, review, sketchbook, tools, watercolor, writing | Tagged #davinciwatercolors, #gladiola, #middleofthenight, #quinaddict, alizarin crimson, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, DaVinci watercolors, Lamy Joy, Matteo Grilli, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, quinacridone gold, Rose Dore, watercolor | 15 Comments

Alizarin Gladioli

Posted on September 9, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Middle-of-the-night, deep inky-maroon gladioli challenged me! The Da Vinci Alizarin Crimson is semi-transparent, but the secondary top color had to be quite opaque, and i don’t like nor work well with opaque paints. I painted them in my Nostalgie journal, … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #gladiola, #gladiolas, #gladioli, alizarin crimson, art journal, Da Vinci Watercolors, Daniel Smith watercolors, DaVinci watercolors, Fineline masking fluid, floral, flower, Matteo Grilli, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, watercolor | 5 Comments

Peach Glads

Posted on September 8, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Can you spot the mistake? (I corrected it by now….) Middle-of-the-night, I took on the peach gladioli Mitchell gave me earlier in the week. I tried one of the new DaVinci watercolors, Rose Dore, a quinacridone paint. Such a pretty … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #gladiola, #gladiolas, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, DaVinci watercolors, Fineline masking fluid, floral, flower, Matteo Grilli, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Platinum Carbon pen, watercolor | 5 Comments

Fire

Posted on September 6, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

It is a pitiful drawing, altogether too cheery, but it was the middle-of-the-night and I had only my watercolor-filled pens. I was horrified about what I’d read in the Oregonian. *yeah i know i should not be reading puter in … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, commentary, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #eaglecreekfire, #middleofthenight, #Portlandoregon, art journal, De Atramentis Document ink, doodle, Eagle Creek Fire, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Pentel Aquash Water Brush, Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Pilot Parallel pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Portland Oregon, Super5 ink, watercolor | 4 Comments

A Change in Posting

Posted on August 28, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

As I move along for the next couple of months my posting habits will change: I have a PAINTING project in our business that is in oil paint. The DAR is commissioning a formal reproduction of the Washington State Flag. … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, oil paint, painting, watercolor, writing | Tagged art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, KWZ Ink Foggy Green, Lamy Al-Star, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, lunar, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Super5 ink, watercolor | 14 Comments

WATWB: Longreads Candace Rardon

Posted on August 24, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

A celebration of creativity to lift us. One thing that I think soothes the soul is taking the time to drop into something wonderful and say “ah!” We are all searching for “home”. It is not 500 words (oops) but … Continue reading →

Posted in art, meditation, memory, writing | Tagged #WATWB, blogfest, home, In Darkness Be Light, Longreads, We are the World | 19 Comments

Thankful for Cooling Rains and more

Posted on August 22, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Tibetan Windhorse Flags from my donations to Save Tibet organized my gratitude entries this week… nice to be back in my hand-sized journal…. Cooling Rains. I’ve always been a fan of rain, and the heat wave breaking with cool rains … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, journal, meditation, memory, sketchbook, urban sketchers, watercolor, writing | Tagged #5buddhafamilies #tibetanflags Save Tibet, #artjournal, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, gratitude, Holbein, Lamy Al-Star, Las Primas, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, PSU, PSU Outdoor Market, Robert Oster ink, Sennelier, Super5 ink, Urban Sketchers Portland, USk, watercolor | 4 Comments

The Grace of Ritual

Posted on August 14, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

My gratitude was easier even though it was a tough week. Politics is effecting me, making me so sad. While we try to live in the present, we also look to the future, as Chagdud Rinpoche once said, “with a … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, journal, meditation, memory, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #artjournal, art journal, burger, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, eclipse, food, gratitude, Holbein, kittens, Lamy Al-Star, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, lunar, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, ritual, Robert Oster ink, Sam, Savitri, Sennelier, Super5 ink, watercolor, Yamantaka | 3 Comments

Art Journal of a High and Low Week

Posted on August 5, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

This was a week of highs and extreme lows. I am glad I started the journaling again last week because sanity prevailed, if for no other reason than I had a page to write in instead of laying it all … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, journal, meditation, memory, sketchbook, writing | Tagged #artjournal, #memorycatcher, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, De Atramentis Document ink, gratitude, Holbein, Lamy Al-Star, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, PSU, PSU Outdoor Market, Robert Oster ink, Sennelier, Super5 ink, watercolor | 12 Comments

New Art Journal

Posted on July 29, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

I’ve been so busy getting my new website live and cleaning my studio and sorting art *and then that pesky thing, making a living at our business* on top of managin to keep up with World Watercolor Month, that I … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, creativity, drawing, ink painting, journal, painting, pen & ink, process, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged #SoCS, #WorldWatercolorMonth, art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Dr. Qin, Golden Needle, Nostalgie Sketch Book Journal, Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen, Pilot Parallel pen, Platinum Carbon pen, Primatek, Stream of Consciousness Saturday, Super5 ink, watercolor | 4 Comments

Every Day in May, 22, HaHaHaaa

Posted on May 26, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

DRAW something that makes me laugh… Mostly it is a turn of phrase, a silly song Mitchell makes up, or a few completely hysterical movies. Calvin and Hobbs (copyrighted). So I listed the things that make me laugh, and spritzed … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, journal, memory, painting, paper, pen & ink, sketchbook, watercolor, writing | Tagged art journal, Daniel Smith watercolors, Hahnemühle Watercolour Book, laughter, Platinum Carbon pen, watercolor | 2 Comments

Every Day in May, 9-10, HUGE Problem, and a Great Lunch

Posted on May 12, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

I find this EDIM is causing me to write more than I do about my drawings… The prompts this year feel more personal to me. The prompt for the 9th was something huge, and as it followed the smallest-thing-on-my-desk, I … Continue reading →

Posted in art journal, challenge, ink painting, journal, pen & ink, sketchbook, tools, waterbrush, writing | Tagged art journal, computer, De Atramentis Document ink, food, grisaille, Hahnemühle Watercolour Book, iMac, Lamy Joy, lemon, Lexington Grey Noodlers ink, lunch, Platinum Carbon pen, stir-fry, Super5 ink, watercolor | Leave a comment

#WATWB: the Afghan Women’s Writing Project

Posted on April 28, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

For National Poetry Month, I decided to give a call out to this enlightening post for We Are The World blogfest! Hurry: A poem from the Afghan Women’s Writing Project We have such a short time to do this good … Continue reading →

Posted in challenge, commentary, journal, meditation, memory, writing | Tagged #WATWB, Afghan Women's Writing Project, blogfest, In Darkness Be Light, We are the World | 13 Comments

Sammy Postcards

Posted on April 12, 2017 by D. Katie Powell

Sammy gets sent through the mail… (Hahnemühle watercolor post cards) Now that the other cats are gone, when Sammy can’t be with his bestest pal in the world, Mitchell, he loosk so sad. We ring him to the studio, but … Continue reading →