Sketchbook blog

I'm finally making some progress on my next batch of Art-o-mat Mini Masterpieces.  This entire set will commemorate Joan Miro.  I hope to catch the current exhibit at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke before it leaves this winter. I'm also still going through a big skeleton key stage.  I have been sketching some keys I have purchased.  I have worn one or two of these keys as necklace pendants recently.  I am hoping to translate these sketches into paintings later.  The keys will be a silhouetted subject, much like the gears were earlier in my brightly colored series that I painted earlier this year.

The views from our friends' cabin in the North Carolina mountains are amazing.  Beautiful Banner Elk, NC, never disappoints. Alex pretended to take over Stephen's bunk beds. Marcia has decorated the cabin inside and out to say, "Come, sit a spell.  Enjoy the peace and beauty!" Such happy memories here!

I can't believe it!  12 years ago this month, God entrusted us with an incredible blessing.  She fills our lives with 100% more laughter and love.  We love you, Clarice!  Here's hoping 12 is just as much fun as 11! - Love, Mom and Dad

 I just love the misty silhouettes that the fog makes.

I love this time of year for several reasons.  For one, my wedding anniversary is coming up soon.  This reminds me how Steve found the last rose of the year on his rosebush and gave it to me after he proposed.  How rare is a November rose? I also love late fall because everything begins to slow down a bit at this time of year.  We take the time to reflect and ponder the stark beauty of nature when the world (well, at the least parts of the North Hemisphere) is laid bare.  And when the foliage is almost gone, it's a lot easier to identify the wild birds in our yard.  This is when we begin playing our bird identification game in earnest.  We especially look for the waterfowl who, escaping the colder climes, return to our pond. Earlier this year, Steve bought some excellent binoculars with a tripod, so we are all set up for viewing from our porch to see the waterfowl this year. Right before Thanksgiving this year, the Hooded Mergansers returned.  Steve looked for these diver ducks bec

Lately, I'm intrigued with Joan Miro's work.   16 paintings down, 34 to go to make my 3rd Artomat batch ever. At night, I've been sketching some skeleton keys.   I will probably do a series of paintings of keys next, similar to my series of paintings of gears.

This year, for Christmas, our family will do something different. Instead of buying gifts for adult family members, we are giving a gift in honor of family members to Operation Christmas Child . Clarice committed to packing 10 shoeboxes this year for Operation Christmas Child (OCC), which is a ministry of Samaritan's Purse . She made her goal, and on top of that, she volunteered 5 hours over this past weekend to unload and help pack shoeboxes at Christ United Methodist Church, our local drop-off location for OCC. First, Clarice packed her boxes for little girls and little boys. She included a picture of herself and a hand-written note in each box. Pink bunny rabbit for little girl! All kinds of fun things, from jewelry to school supplies to toys. Clarice was in the Christmas spirit really early this year. Alex, Clarice, & Karlie (Clarice's friend) unload shoeboxes at the local drop-off center. And here's a short message from the gang.

Just finished these small 5 x 5 inch and 3 x 5 inch deep cradle acrylic and ink paintings. I chose colors that would really pop off the wall:   bright blue, coral red, bright yellow, and green. I used a little bit of a printmaking technique by making the impression of a  contrasting color using burlap.   So, I paired: Yellow with green,  Green with yellow,  Coral  with blue, and Blue with coral. Then, I used black India ink to paint the gears.  I have been studying Kandinsky for some time and his preference for circles, squares, and triangles in his paintings has translated to me though mechanical gears and cogs.  These cog-like shapes have the advantage of representing all of Kandinsky's prized shapes. I also liked the unevenness of the ink application because it reminds me of the unevenness of grease. As a last step, I sprayed all paintings with several applications of glossy permanent fixative. I have no plans for these paintings.  I am just building a portfolio and really getti