Playing with Sky Colors

A bit of my watercolor play tonight.  This was just a bit of time, the last 20 minutes before sleep.  It brought a sense of peace and quiet to my mind at the end of a full day.  I was tempted to write about cookie baking, gift wrapping and making dinner.  There is making in all those things.  But it felt better in the end to stay up a little later and honor the spirit of this project which is about making but also about honoring myself as an artist.  This time with watercolor is self care and I am glad I took the small step to show up and honor that commitment.  

Watercolor practice

A scene from early fall behind our house.

Commitment...

I've been thinking today about my commitment to this idea of practicing everyday.  Some days it is more of struggle and I feel like I stretch the definition of making to find something that fits.  Other times it feels like this commitment hangs over my head as more of a burden than a joy.  Mostly, it is about return and accepting what is.  In reality there are many kinds of making and the kinds that I aspire to practice don't always fit into my day.  These are times to be present to other ways to create - creating space to be with family, food for nurturance and celebration.  At the same time it is good to return to an artistic practice in the more traditional sense.  And it is worth celebrating that return. Small steps help - to begin with getting out materials and just experimenting helps.  

The reality is that the making does feed me.  I'm thankful for the way the commitment to daily making keeps me coming back to practice.  

Here is today's watercolor practice...

And a felted version of a labyrinth ball...

Watercolor practice...

Travel

We traveled home today and I created this tiny watercolor on the airplane.  It is only about 3 by 3 inches and was created with a travel watercolor set that is about the size of an altoids tin.  It was inspired by what appeared to be an abandoned boat on our swamp tour yesterday.  In spite of its disrepair, it had a great patchwork of colors along its side that stood out against the murkier colors of the swamp.  

Louisiana Swamp

We spent the morning on a boat tour of the Honey Island swamp.  

This watercolor was inspired by the cyprus trees and colors of the swamp.  

Watercolor Practice

Awed by the colors of fall today.  Here's a small watercolor of colors behind our house...this tree was the focus of a collage last spring.  It is fun to return to it with fall colors.

More play with pup portraits....

Canine portraiture and fairness...

So the kids said that to be fair I had to do a watercolor of Kona too.

Here's my best so far...

Inspired by this photo of our sweet girl...

Portrait attempt...

It's the process not the product...I enjoyed the process even as I see the product needs a lot of work. Interesting to play with darker shades and shadows...inspired by the photo by Kathy Callahan seen below.

Different kinds of making...

Today I joined a group of teachers in exploring design with loose parts.
On the way home I stopped along the GW parkway to photograph these beautiful yellow flowers along the Potomac River...

Tonight I made cookies and ended the evening with this small watercolor - once again inspired by the salt marsh at Bald Head Island...

Last minute watercolor...

I painted this watercolor this evening in low light on the balcony of our hotel.  Thankful for the ocean view and a colorful sky and this time to relax...

Working from memory...

Driving home last night I loved watching the colors change as we neared sunset driving north on route 20 out of Charlottesville.

Tonight's watercolor is inspired by some of those colors...

Tokens...

My watercolor this morning is a different size format, allowing me to show a wider view of the marsh.

I sealed it with clear acrylic and left it in the guest book as a token of thanks for a lovely stay.

On our drive home, I created 8 more mini collages for my latest art-o-mat series.

I love that these will one day be bought from vending machines.  

Watercolor practice...

Our last full day of vacation was spent kayaking and swimming in the ocean.

My moment of quiet before dinner was spent on the porch once again enjoying the colors of the salt marsh.

Full days and quiet moments...

Another full day here on Bald Head Island.  The kids and I kayaked early this morning, exploring the salt marsh.

Then we rode bikes as a family to the light house and climbed to the top for amazing views of the island.  

We enjoyed all our meals here at the house on the screen porch enjoying the amazing view of the salt marsh.

Watercolor provided a bit of quiet time for me again today looking out at the colors on the marsh...

It was also a great day for viewing and photographing clouds...

This evening we stopped at a trail that's part of the BHI Conservancy to see more views of the salt marsh - collecting images to inspire more collage practice once I'm home...

Salt Marsh Inspiration...

Spent some time today beginning art pieces inspired by the view of the salt marsh here in Bald Head Island.

Here is my morning watercolor...

And the beginning of blocking in colors for a collage...

Routine, Practice and Familiar Landscapes

It's good to settle back into a routine at home today.

This evening my watercolor is inspired by colors on a walk at Huntley Meadowd this morning...

...it's lovely to return after time away to this familiar landscape and the routine of weekly walks at the park.

Also loved finding this web that looks like a cd...

Quiet practice...

I find watercolor to be simple and soothing.

Here's this evening's watercolor created from remembered views of mountains...

Back to practicing...

A watercolor of remembered colors from my drive from Shrine Mont yesterday.  It's good to be settling in at home and getting back to a routine of some quiet time for making.