Daily Painting

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.

Long Distance

Robber-baron heritage:  the shores of Jekyll Island, Georgia, home of the Jekyll Island Club and winter playground for fin de ciecle industrialists including my great great grandfather whose family resided there permanently.  Two maiden aunts (one of them my namesake, Margaret Stewart) left resentfully in the 1940s when the Geogia goverment claimed it as park land.  Re: maiden aunts:  when they died the attic was found to contain steamer trunks of empty liqour bottles.  One had to maintain decorum, afterall.  8"x10", oil on panel.

Moineau et Hibou at the McIntosh Wildlife Refuge

Thank you to the Audubon society of rhode island for another lovely day.  This time at the Bristol McIntosh Wildlife Refuge (always a good time).  During story time I snuck off to sketch for a few minutes.  Today's "animal interview" was with a barred owl. In french class this evening I learned that the word for owl is hibou and for sparrow-moineau .

Meet You in Marrakech

Elizabeth left for Marrakech Tuesday, I am off this afternoon!  On our return we will have a night in London to catch up with our dear friend, and phenomenal painter, Cynthia Westwood. The last time we all got together was at Newark airport!  

It sure feels like a full moon.  I did this moon the night before last.  Too excited to finish anything.  In order to get something done I recruited the help of my Captain Spectacular.  He agreed to come into the studio with me before bathtime. He worked on some drawing and crafts while I painted; in exchange for my help wielding the glue gun.

I got called a wonderkind over at casapinka! (Did you know her knitting designs are upmon etsy?)  How do you like them apples.  Wonderkind.  

Compulsive Behavior: Did I mention my pre-travel sewing binge?

The planning and discussing of this trip has been such a great pleasure that the actual visit feels like icing on the cake.  

Okay, dear Colette is here to take me to the airport!

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!)

For Serbian Meat Pie with Kefir

To be featured this month on the Immigrant Kitchens blog, by chef, writer and mother of two young children Lindsay Sterling.  She satisfies her travel urge while getting to know her own community by "asking anyone with an foreign accent right here if they wouldn’t mind teaching me how to cook their favorite foods from their homelands."  On her blog you'll find the recipes and stories of the people she meets. Its these kitchen table stories, such as that of Momen Abdullayof from Uzbeckistan, that get me interested and thinking twice about my family's rigid culinary routine.

 

In Your Own Living Room

I wrote this craft article forRhode Island's always helpful kidoinfo.  Wanna get away? You can travel anywhere in the world from your living room rug.  Enjoy a fantasy travel sketch workshop with your family with these simple guidelines.

Theseus and the Minotaur

I painted a covered passageway while Captain Spectacular drew. This one is Theseus and the Minotaur (He got Minotaurus for Christmas) with a turtle appearing there on the right.  My bet is with Theseus.