Katie Kendrick online class "Layered Impressions"

Last week, I started an online class with Katie Kendrick entitled "Layered Impressions". Many of her techniques are based on her upcoming book with the same name- a mixed media approach to painting and poetry. I've always admired the story telling style in her artwork. I'm just scratching the surface here in practicing some of the lessons. We drew several faces with our non-dominant hand and selected ones to paint.

I like the mix of watercolors with gesso. This face reminds me of Colette in Les Misérables. I can see how some of Katie's ideas will improve my drawing and painting skills. It may take me awhile to get through all of the workshop exercises and to practice them. It's always exciting to learn new techniques and see how other artists interpret them. I'll share more in future posts. I took a class from Katie in 2009 called "Spontaneous Haiku Painting". You can see the book that I made HERE.

Sketching with Friends

This week, I was fortunate to play with my watercolors and sketch twice with two different groups of friends. In the watercolor above, I played with stencils, textured items, a little tissue paper collage and drawing. I am attracted to art with the combination of solid colors and line drawings. Knowing when to stop and let some white paper, negative space show in the background is a challenge for me.
Earlier in the week, my regular sketching group visited Hughes Water Gardens. I wanted to work freer and capture the spirit of the fuschia without pen and ink. It reminds me of Chinese brush painting.

It was a cloudy day and the flowers' bright colors really popped.

Koi filled a large pond.


The waterlilies bloom.

Waterlily blossom on reflected grid, floating flower of spirit and rebirth. Speak to us.

Astoria and Long Beach Peninsula Trip

My wonderful summer continued last weekend with a trip to Astoria and the Long Beach Peninsula with art friends, Suzanne and Jan . While Portland sizzled with 90°F temps, we enjoyed cool, sunny weather in the 60's on the coast. I don't usually like to frequent antique stores but had fun visiting two in Nahcotta near Oysterville. I was particularly excited to find two tins for a dollar each that will make great watercolor travel palettes. Maybe I need to do this more often.

Fortunately, the Nahcotta Antiques and Collectibles - Bombay Books Store was open. Down the road, we visited Raven's Haven Junque-Art. Both offered a great variety of old jewelry, books, tins, linens, tools, etc. that we use in our art.
The community of Oysterville dates back to the 1850's. I liked Captain AT Stream's House built in 1869.

A morning walk on the beach-
and a return home over the Astoria bridge at the mouth of the Columbia River.
A very satisfying weekend.

Luscher Garden Sketch

We sketched at Luscher Farm today. Those who follow my blog know that this is a favorite summer place for us to sketch. I decided to play with landscape this time. The community gardens spread over several acres. Rows of cabbages and corn covered a large field.

I couldn't resist a photo of the cabbage patch doll scarecrows.

Nasturtiums and sunflowers grace almost every plot.
The lilies add a different color-
Artichokes in various stages of bloom stole the show
as did the kale.
It's starting to feel like autumn and these apples look ready to pick. Yum!