Rainy Start

It is raining on and off this morning but we are at the Vogl farm anyway. I am set up just inside a shed sharing space with Ruth doing an oil painting and the old tractor. This was my first small painting of the day.

Home Away From Home

Here is home for the next week while I am at the Field's Project. I am staying with Kent and Kathy Lawrence and this is the Kickapoo Mud Creek Nature Conservancy dwelling in Oregon, IL. It is just beautiful here and I am learning a lot about the Mud Creek watershed area that they are working to preserve and energy saving buildings! Hope to paint for a little while this afternoon before our dinner event tonight.

Painting At The Zoo

Yesterday was a perfect day to paint outdoors and we were at the Lincoln Park Zoo. There were five members of the Sketch Group and it was decided that the giraffes might be good models for the day. One was very co-operative and spent the time eating an extended lunch. I have never painted animals so it was an interesting challenge. The zoo is a beautiful location, I could go there every week and always find something different to paint!

Lurie Garden

Yesterday was a visit to the Lurie Garden in Millennium Park with the Sketch Group. This was our first chance to work outside this year and it was a lovely warm Chicago day. The garden looks lovely altho we missed the tulips at their peak. I did two watercolor sketches, one in the book and one on separate paper. It was great to be outside to work again!

Painting at Navy Pier

Monday wad Sketch Group and we
met at Navy Pier. Had hoped to be outside but it was chilly, windy and sometimes rainy at the lakefront, so we went up to the Crystal Garden. I tried to do a looser rendition of the trees than I did last time we went there. It was fun painting and visiting. Next time we are meeting at the Lurie Gardens. I love that location!

Art Spree Photo

Here I am, at my space at the Thompson Center during the Illinois Artisan's Art Spree two weeks ago. Thanks to the staff for sending me this image.

Art Spree at Thompson Center

My exhibit space for today and tomorrow, set up and ready to go!

Art Spree!

Today I am trying to get organized! I will be at Thompson Center on Thursday and Friday for the April Art Spree event. Hope to see lots of people there!

Signing print edition

This photo shows me signing and numbering the print edition at Millikin University on Saturday afternoon.

A Print Project

I have spent today and part of yesterday working on an echoing based on one of my watercolor sketches. This had been a wonder collaboration with the Carriage House Press at Millikin University. Working with students and art professor Lyle Salmi, we produced an edition of 11 prints. This was a great experience!

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

A new small piece from the studio.

Works In Progress

The weather in February was not for outdoor work so I have been in the studio. After the Holidays it always takes me a while to get back into the routine. Right now I have several paintings in various stages and getting ready to start a new, larger piece too.

Painting At The Field Museum

Monday afternoon several members of the Sketch Group met at the Field Museum for our February outing. I decided to visit the dinosaur hall which I found has been wonderfully updated since I was last there! Altho rather dimly lit, I did manage to do a few watercolor sketches of some of the exhibits. This sketch is from the Maiasaur exhibit. I did several rather quick sketches, challenging myself to work without doing any preliminary pencil drawing.

Thompson Center

Today I was gallery sitting/working at the Thompson Center in Chicago. I have three paintings in a group show with 18 other members of the Illinois Artisan Program. This week long exhibit is part of the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Artisan program. The small watercolor here is of a sculpture in the atrium, it was right across the table so it was easy to sketch and still interact with visitors to the show. Aside from the chilly air in the atrium, it was a nice morning and thanks to those that stopped to visit!

Salt & Pepper At The Corner Bakery

Today the Sketch Group got together at the Corner Bakery on the corner of Rush and Cedar to work a bit and plan for 2011. We roughed out a schedule for the first part of the year and a list of possible locations. Visits to some exhibits will be added to our activities this year! With the time we had left, I worked on a drawing of a few items on the table and added color after arriving home. It was good to see everyone and wonderful to get back to work!!