A number of years ago, my daughter and I traveled with her middle school to Holland, Switzerland and France. We spent a few lovely days in Amsterdam. I loved it there, the bikes, canals, pedestrian accessibility, just lovely. Here's a quick sketch of one of the canals. We had a few hours on our own during which we meandered through neighborhoods and over waterways. I loved it.
This is my hundred forty-eighth daily drawing. Thank you for your attention.
A few weeks ago we flew down to Florida to spend an extended weekend with good friends. I caught this beautiful dusk out the plane window on the way down. I love the powerful clouds against the modern shapes of buildings and planes. A quick sketch of what might make a good painting one day.
This is my hundred forty-sixth daily drawing. Thank you for joining in with my observations of daily life.
We have a number of tall pines in front of our yard next to the street. Our electric company has done a great job over the past few years inspecting trees for their health, then asking if they can take down any that have aged out. These trees are beautiful waving in the wind during our variable New England weather. Years ago, during a heavy snow storm or wind, we would inevitable loose power, sometimes for several days. That has not happened (pause to knock on wood) for the last few years, even during snowpalooza of 2015 when we got a record breaking eleven feet of snow.) The difference in number of power outages is due to the expert work of these electric company crews who trim back trees, take down trees, and keep our power lines relatively unencumbered. This past week, they came to remove a few trees from our front yard. It is precision work. One lane of traffic still gets by, with police presence, while these large pines, with 2 foot diameters, came down in pieces. This tree man on the ground, worked with his partner up in the bucket, with a rope and a winch. The rope was applied to a piece of the tree above, the winch tightened, and the branch sawed off. They all landed in the narrow space of half the narrow road. Impressive. When the larger pieces fell, I could feel the house shake. So could our cats, who found this process unnerving.
This is my hundred forty-third daily drawing. Thank you for taking the time to look at my observations of daily life.
Yesterday we had a breath of spring with 70 degree temperatures... today, snow and sleet and back into the 30's. It IS New England. I love the feeling of the air on my face, whether warm and sunny or cool with a breeze, even the crispness of freezing temperatures. Here is a drawing of people walking on a local beach at low tide during the spring.
This is my hundred forty-first daily drawing. Thank you for looking.
I love my vacation. I'm seeing friends, getting a lot of things taken care of around the house, grading a giant bag of work before next week, listening to my favorite radio, reading, drawing, enjoying the week. While taking care of some paperwork today, I looked up and saw the sun making this interesting pattern on the wall from a front window. I sketched it in in pen, used gray markers for the values, then added some watercolor pencil and pastel to finish. The drawing is mostly successful, but interestingly, the trees through the window look like they are glued on as an afterthought. I need to resolve an issue with the temperature and values in that space, but I left it for now because the illusion is so interesting to me.
This is my hundred fortieth daily drawing.... very interesting journey so far. Thank you for looking.
Each summer we spend a couple of weeks on Monhegan Island, Maine. It is small, and breathtakingly beautiful, twelve miles out into the Atlantic. There are no cars for visitors on the island, just a fistful of pickup trucks that arrive at the dock numerous times a day to meet incoming ferries. The dock is a spot of comings and goings, of exhuberant welcomes and warm goodbyes. One of my favorite spots.
This is my hundred thirty-ninth daily drawing. Again, thank you for your interest and your ideas.
I love this view into the Boston Public Garden from Arlington Street. George Washington sits astride his horse, and the Garden unfolds behind him. Walking out of the Garden from this gate puts you on Arlington Street with the gracious Commonwealth Avenue green space receding in front of you. Thank you Frederick Law Olmsted!
This is my hundred thirty-eighth daily drawing. Thank you for your attention.
Another scene that caught my eye in Boston. Driving along Arlington Street with the Public Garden on the left, there is a great view down Arlington past the Arlington Street church toward the Park Plaza. This was in the afternoon. The sun is low in the west, which is to the right of the picture space, illuminating the flying flag. I could study the light in the city all day.
This is my one hundred thirty-seventh daily drawing. Thanks for looking, as always.
First day of vacation was great; a little reading with coffee this morning, a luxury. Then off to the gym, then into Boston for an afternoon with my daughter.. lunch and the art store, and lots of time to catch up. Back home in time for a little more reading and a quick nap, with Fred, the cat, tucked in. Ahhhh.
This is my hundred thirty-sixth daily drawing. Thank you for your continued interest.
Any day walking through Boston provides contrast of new against old in the skyline. Perhaps Trinity Church and the Hancock Tower provide the best example. Here's a quick sketch of the area. I like the juxtaposition of spires and towers against glass, and will explore it some more.
Thanks for looking. This is my hundred thirty-fourth daily drawing. I enjoy your thoughts.
Charles Street in Boston has so many lovely facades. This is Deluca's Market, open since 1905, great produce, sandwiches, old-time feel, and wonderful window along this beautiful street.
This is my hundred thirty-second daily drawing. I appreciate you're looking.
I love the sun filtering through this stand of Maine pine trees. There are so many colors, purples and blues among the green and warmer greens. It is a beautiful and peaceful spot; special to me as it is part of a dear friend's property. This is my hundred thirty-second daily drawing. Thank you for your thoughts.
We were in Florida for a few days recently. How lovely to be outside in the air, starting with our first night, walking the streets of St. Petersburg, eating outside at a great burrito bar. We walked past Ruby's Elixir, with terrific live music blasting from its open facade. It was a terrific night for people watching, feeling the cool night air, and enjoying the people-watching... a great change from winter in Massachusetts in January.
This is my hundred thirty-first daily drawing. Thanks for looking.
Spent a few minutes outside today in my busy day, face turned to the sun. I can feel spring hidden in there... which means summer can't be far behind. Thinking of the summer with this drawing of the busy harbor.. only months away.
This is my hundred twenty-ninth daily drawing. Thank you for looking. As always, I appreciate your comments.
We spent a few days in Sarasota, FL with friends over the weekend. I had a chance to see the manatees at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota. Mote's manatees, Hugh and Buffett are both in their 30's. They were born in captivity, and will remain in captivity as they have no skills for living in the wild. They are so graceful... and peaceful. Here are a few sketches of the two of them.
This is my hundred twenty-seventh daily drawing. Thank you for your feedback.
We spent a few days in Sarasota FL over the weekend. I loved spending so much time outside! That's a big change from winter here south of Boston... dark early, cold, feels like it was especially gray this winter. We ate lunch outside at Walt's Fish Restaurant and Market, then bought some triple tail for dinner. What a treat!! I loved the vibrant fish market.
This is my hundred twenty-sixth daily drawing. Thank you for exploring with me.
Our friends in Florida have a lovely collection of orchids collected on their lanai. The orchids seems to love their environment, sheltered from direct sun and predators, each plant so different from the others. Some have roots that hang in the air, observing moisture from the air and an occasional light watering. The leaves are so varied, and blooms as well. There are a lot of stems showing promise, and some with small buds. The flowers are beautiful. Colors can be subtle, or more vivid. I enjoyed sitting among the flowers examining their individual characteristics. This is my hundred twenty-fourth daily drawing. Thanks for observing the world through my eyes.
Back in the fall, we made plans to travel down to Sarasota FLA to watch the Superbowl with friends who just moved down there. We're looking forward to spending a few days in the temperate Florida climate. We love the winter here, but the days are short, and we don't spend a lot of time outside. Florida will be a welcome change. My hundred twenty-second drawing is a quick sketch at Gate C36 for JetBlue while we wait to board. I liked the contrast in size between the waiting passengers inside, and our plane outside the windows. I drew the sketch in the airport, and added a little shade and color later.
This is my hundred twenty-second daily drawing. Thank you for your continued interest.
As I walk along Monhegan's west side, I love looking through the wildflowers to a few of my favorite houses out to Manana. The view shifts every few feet, always fascinating; the light, the air, near and far greens; perhaps why it is one of my favorite places. My hundred twentieth drawing is one of those views, across a field of Queen Anne's lace.
Thank you for looking. I am so appreciative of the interest in my drawing explorations.
This calm little guy was hanging out on a fence post calmly nibbling a nut. He had his eye on me, but I was in the car and he stayed put for a bit. He had a beautiful shape in the shade, sort of hidden below the trees under the dappled sun. Just a quiet moment before we both went on our ways. This is my hundred seventeenth drawing. Thank you for looking.
