On Monday I went out to Hart Park which is a really lovely park with a small lake and the Kern River flowing through it. There were few people out there, which is fairly unusual. I took art supplies to draw and paint trees. I watched a couple of tutorials on this on my iPad. So I did do some work. Going out to this park was what I needed. The problem was when I was making the area around the butterfly and flower a deeper green, it probably was not a good idea to do that outside because even though I used water, each stroke of the brush can be seen. I need to find out what are the rules for plein air painting. My teacher's suggestion was to wet the green area again and add another layer of green. While I drove out I saw a parrot flying between the trees. Parrots do not live here unless someone has it as a pet. So it must have got loose. Anyway, I thought he was enjoying himself. Wish I had gotten a picture of him!
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| Butterfly on Flower with the Streaky Background Watercolor |
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| Butterfly on Flower, Less Streaky Watercolor |
The following day I thought I had nothing scheduled and just worked on my art. At the end of the day, I was checking what I had on my schedule and saw I missed an appointment. That is embarrassing! I called the office and they said to call the call center. I'm scheduled a month later to see her.
So I figured out why I was so distracted. The next day was the eighth anniversary of my husband's, Paul's death. I was glad to be alone and found working on art very comforting. The following day Shelley, my daughter, texted me and asked how I was doing. I told her I was doing fairly well, but missing her dad. She asked me if I would like a hug from her and I said yes. I offered her a glass of wine and we talked about Paul and what he meant to us. A little later my granddaughter, Shelley's oldest daughter Alyssa same over. It was a wild trip down memory lane and became more lighthearted. They will come at Mother's Day. We will barbecue.
I started a book called Art & Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orlando. I had this book and I couldn't locate it. So I bought one for my Kindle. My stepmom Kate raved about this book and she felt it freeing to get this perspective. So I decided it is time to read it. It has some good thoughts about us all being in the same boat. So I connected to the Google Plus group called art and have found this to be s supportive community.
I told my teacher Carol Bradshaw what my stepmom suggested I read (which is a good book), Carol suggested I buy newsprint paper to work on making big movements, from my shoulder. She thinks I keep the pressure in my fingers and that it is too constricting. I did buy a couple of pads of newsprint to work on making big moves. Here is a flower drawn on the newsprint using large strokes. So this is 18 by 24 inch newsprint paper using oil pastels.
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| Oriental Poppy and Buds |
Our assignment was to draw a poppy that we will then convert to watercolor. I will do a full drawing of this before class on Tuesday and then I will do a light sketching for preparation of my watercolor. Here is my picture.
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| Beginning Sketch of Oriental Poppy |
We were supposed to draw a California Poppy so on the eighth anniversary of Paul's death, I did research on the California Poppy and then did a drawing.
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| California Poppies = Graphite |
So my youngest great-grandson Kason has weathered the storm and doing much better. All of us are relieved. His mama, Meagan wants us to know his name is Kason Zylar Roydell Lane. She loves the name Zylar and does not want it lost. Here is a picture of Conner, big brother holding Kason Zylar. They are just about one year apart.
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| Kason Zylar and Conner |
My garden continues to do very well. There are three tomatoes growing on the bush next to the house. The other plants are flowering and/or budding for the vegetables I expect to get. Here are today's pictures. By the way, I found out that lint is good for a compost pile. I did not know that. My pile has been going for a year and I thought about all that lint lost! Well, for now on it is going in.
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| My Planting Boxes |
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| Tomatoes and Lavender |
I am leaving shortly to go to a group meditation run by a friend. I think I could use it. She is also very good. I am going for an outpatient procedure to get cortisone shots around my spine and then a followup of this three weeks later. And, I just have a lot going on. I think it is all good, but if I could put it on a schedule that works for me, I'd pick one a week at most. I am excited about Mother's Day next Sunday. We always have a wonderful time and for some reason, all of us are feeling the loss of Paul. This is now eight years, but there you have it.
So I hope you are having a wonderful week. Mine was good, and I'm sure next week will be okay. See you next Sunday. Rachel
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