Day Seventeen

A while ago a good friend and I were exchanging monthly postcards based on a theme, to get ourselves working on our art and to keep in touch. Our theme for this one was SPRING, and spring always makes me think of the cherry blossoms and plum blossoms...so in a nod to traditional oriental painting styles I did this little sakura branch to send to her.

"Sakura" - 6" x 4", watercolor and acrylic

Day Fifteen

Coffee is important to me. I love good, dark, robust coffee with complex, layered flavors. Yep, I'm one of THOSE people...a coffee snob I guess. The ONLY ways to have coffee are from a French press, a pour over filter, or an espresso machine in my opinion. We got rid of our coffee maker in favor of the French press at home and we've never looked back. The Husband was skeptical at first but now he's a convert. At work, my office mate and I make coffee in a press every day and we NEVER use anything from a giant tub. It's a ritual of our morning and the work day doesn't feel right without it. So, to honor the morning cup of joe...

"Morning Cup" - 4" x 6" Watercolor and colored pencil

Day Nine

I'm pretty sure I have maybe 6 readers but still...I want you 6 lovely souls to know I LOVE YOU for coming here to see these little exercises in vulnerability. If I knew who you were I'd hug you and thank you in person.

This is not easy for me...to put stuff out there that sometimes doesn't feel finished or great or polished. I'll say it again, it's all about the PROCESS for me but when I post something I'm proud of it's a sweet bonus. This little landscape painting is something I'm really proud of as is, and I may use as an inspiration for a much larger piece later. (this is part of the reason I'm doing this...the creativity snowball...creative momentum, and I HOPE it can inspire someone else to get working too, on whatever it is you create!)

"Sublime - Into the Woods" - 6"x4" Watercolor and colored pencil on watercolor paper

Day Eight

I like trees...well, I love trees actually, sometimes to the point of distraction while driving. There is a huge live oak tree I used to pass every day on my way to work and every day I liked to greet that tree with a "Hello old friend" as I passed by. My day didn't feel complete without it. Sooooo...you may see a lot of tree and nature imagery here, because it is a main wellspring of inspiration for me. I know I'm not alone in that.

Another series is in the making, these quick little gestural stylized watercolors are really fun to create...

"Red One - Into the Woods" - 6"x4" Watercolor and colored pencil on watercolor paper

Day Seven

This is my official ONE WEEK anniversary, a special day indeed. You can scoff if you like but seriously, I had doubts I'd make it this far, sometimes I have commitment issues. However, this project is honestly the first thing I think about upon waking. I'm not sure that's healthy but there you have it.

I said I needed some color so here's some color...a little abstract piece based on a few much larger pieces I did in college. I've always been fascinated with science and the microscopic world...

"Blood Cells 03" - 6"x6" Watercolor and colored pencil on Bristol board

Day One

This is a little birch study- stylized of course. I was inspired by the facets of color that actually show up in the seemingly white birch bark. I must confess I did this while I was at home visiting my parents in Illinois this week. The color reproduction will be largely dependent on your monitor settings, but in real life it's pretty bright. 

"Color Birches", 4"x5", watercolor and colored pencil on watercolor paper.