Daily Painting

Fish face

This morning Captain Spectacular and I had a delightful pre-blizzard visit to Weaver library where we drew the fish. (7"x5", oil on panel, 8.5"x11"ink on paper, and, 8.5"x11", ink, crayon and sharpie on paper.)

Snowy Day

8"x10", oil on canvas board.

Marrakech Sketch with Atlas Mountains

In the woods

From photographs of the little girl in a pink dress and red shoes from our camping trip (I have accidentally added a few years here). 8"x10", oil on panel.  I'd like to paint it again, flesh out the Rhododendrons in the foreground and do more to show the proliferation of branches.

The Great Outdoors

We had our first real camping trip with fire and marshmallows and it was terrific!  Experienced friends of ours took us to George Washington campground in Chepatchet RI where you can drive right up to your site with lots of blankets and firewood (and drive back home from in a flash floods threatening downpour as we did last night).  I really was lead through the woods by an enthusiatic little girl in red patent leather shoes; her two sisters, also in party dresses, trailed behind with our son examining and collecting caterpillars-it was like being in a fairy tale or a John Singer Sargent painting. (The static nature of the figure in my sketch is entirely inaccurate but the best I could muster from memory.)

I sketched in the shade while they all frolicked for hours at the lake.  Next time I'll try painting a camp fire.

Oh and I see that this evening Elizabeth has posted a uniquely summer sketch also.

Goodbye First Grade

Today is Captain Spectacular's last day of first grade.  The brilliant room mothers had the children each write an illustrated page for a thank you letter book. These paintings serve as the cover images.  (The last couple of posts served as the back covers.)  6"x6", oil on panel.  

Spectacular

Michael took a terrific picture of Captain Spectacular in his oversized swim shirt, it was one of those photographs that grabbed me by the lapels and demanding to be painted.  (I am relieved that swim class is going well.  Last summer he got comfortable putting his face in the water and though he has always been happy playing in the water actual lessons were a no go.)  This looks to me like a 1960s illustration.  Maybe the Hardy Boys is influencing me more than I know.  I gave him a little too mcuh neck.  16"x20", oil on canvas.

Beneath the Surface

Roger Williams University is still offering family swim on Sundays from 1-5.  It makes for a fun afternoon.  We brought the submersible camera.

Blue Bird

Yesterday we went to a blue bird house building workshop at the Powder Mills Audubon Wildlife Refuge. (See the RI Audubon Events Calendar for February here.)  It was a bring your own hammer event.  Captain Spectacular had a great time driving in the nails and learning about the nesting habits of small birds.  These blue bird paintings were made with pencil, watercolor and marker.  The old glue gun made quick work of our felt bird, inspired by ornaments in the giftshop.  Crafty.  

Too Excited to Paint

Here are a few things in progress.  All excited about Morocco I am having trouble concentrating.  Also I am currently on a sewing binge (some flowy linen dresses and art supplies bags for the trip).  Its also vacation week and just now Captain Spectacular is beckoning me to the couch to read "What Happened at Midnight",  #10 in the Hardy Boys series. (Do you know that the Hardy Boys went to Marrakech?  They did!  In #54, "The Mysterious Caravan".  A copy of which just happened to fall into our hands a few weeks ago; it was on sale at the library for pennies!)