A well deserved vacation! Travel Journaling For Memories.

My intent was to get back from a lovely vacation for my husband's birthday and our upcoming 40th wedding anniversary and get these pages in my Travel Journal posted onto the blog before now.  But do to unseen delays I'm a bit late in accomplishing that.  (More to come in my next post on why.)   

On The flight to FL

A much needed trip after a grueling spring of Art show fundraiser organizing and teaching.  My artistic juices were in desperate need of refueling, and it was time to celebrate as well as chill and relax.  What better way than to spend a day and a half in Fort Lauderdale before setting sail on the Carnival Cruise ship "The Breeze", one of their newest and largest.

While in Ft. L, we noshed on some great crepes and then toured the historic Bonnet House, circa 1920, home of artist Frederick Clay Bartlett, a muralist from Chicago.  This home's property became Ft. Lauderdale beach, and the home now sits in the midst of the urban growth of hotels and beaches.  For more info see Bonnet House: here   I had a ball touring this home and getting to see his working studio while in FL for the winters.  His second wife Evelyn started painting in her 50's and became, in my opinion a better painter than her husband.  It is a must see spot if your in the Ft. Lauderdale area.

                                                               Orchids attach to all the trees in the beautiful gardens.

Departing from Miami, Day One and Two of the cruise aboard ship, towel animals and open seas.  Sleeping at night was good with the gentle sway of the Atlantic.

Day Three - "Jamaica Mon!  No problem!" Excursion Day to Dunn's River Falls from Falmouth our first Port of call.   A thoroughly wet and wild climb to the top of the falls, rapids body surfing and light rain in the rain forest that surrounds this beautiful spot.  Then off to the Bamboo Beach Club for lunch and Jamaican rum drinks, champagne cocktails and surf!  I sketched the cove and the turquoise water.  Steps ascended up the cliff to a cave, I'm told by our tour guides, Heather and Damar.   They loved my sketch and signed on the page!  It's fun to get others involved in your journaling.

Day  Four - Grand Cayman and a walking tour of town, shopping then a quick taxi to HELL and back.  Met the devil, Tom bought a T-shirt to prove it.  

 He was actually a nice guy, ex-merchant marine from Norfolk, VA,  a small world.  Chickens and roosters ran loose here, after escaping during a long ago hurricane. We stored up energy for Thursday and went back to the ship early enough to sketch the shore from our balcony.

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Day Five  -  #6 TO CHECK OFF THE BUCKET LIST DAY 

(Also known as climb a Mayan pyramid day.)

COBA - the tallest Myan pyramid/temple, and only one still open to tourists to climb.  

Thurs. was Cozumel - A three hour trip - Two ferry rides, a 1.5 hour bus ride and we were at Coba, the Mayan city's ruins.  A Rickshaw ride through only a fraction of the restored ruins brought us to the tallest Mayan pyramid, and the only one you can still walk up - My goal.  Walk is a relative term, 138 ft. with 112 steps, most a good two steps tall, it was 90% humidity and 89 deg., and we were given 30 minutes to go up and back down.  The steps crumbled in areas, so I stayed in the center, looking up twice, it seemed like it could take forever, but I made it!!!!  My son Chris was waiting to take my picture.  Did I mention Chris is a fantastic travel planner :))

At the top was a great view of the rain forest, so I closed my eyes, centered my breathe and emptied my thoughts, as the Mayan guide suggested, to invite the power of the gods.  Not sure if it worked but I didn't have a heart attack!     Now for the more difficult trip down, with quivering leg muscles.  All my on the ship training/stair climbing,  proved no preparation for this climb.  So I used my best ass-et in this case, which everyone else was doing.  Young and old, we came down on our butts.  Slow but efficient, and with the slippery steps, a sound decision.  

                            In the picture below - that's me bent over climbing up!  

Our Mayan rickshaw driver/peddler (Manuel) was a god send, he spoke little English but laughed when I told him I was 20 lbs. lighter after the climb from all the sweat, so the ride back should be easier.  Our time was limited so this sketch was done after I recovered on the way back home.  Tom and the boys were proud of me from my trek up Dunn's River but they were very proud that their newly celebrated 60 year old Dad and 57.5 yr old Mom went up when many younger people on our bus did not.  

Shopping for some "Mayan bling" was accomplished right on the bus ride home, an obsidian necklace with my name spelled in Mayan characters to commemorate the Day.  Apparently Mayan couples exchange these necklaces with each other's name on them instead of wedding rings.  

Carnival held the ship for us as our three hour trip back was delayed by a late ferry.  Even though this was my bucket list item the guys all were glad to tuck this climb into their "Life Experience memory list "  And I was glad to add it to my journal.

Day Six back on the Breeze, and at sea heading home, I was quite sore, muscles joints and the hot tub felt great.  

And Day Seven - 6:40 AM back into the port of Miami, and the trip back to the airport, and to Richmond.  Ending with Chinese food back home.  

I hope this summer you too will go out and sketch your travels, whether they are at the beach, in far away lands or right in your back yard.  It's worth writing those memories into your subconscious.  Looking back at my journal pages I can smell, taste and envision my experiences and you can train your memory muscles to do just that too.  

The best part was coming home to my faithful Studio Assistant "Bacio" who enjoyed himself at the Countryside Bed and Biscuit here in VA.  He's just not sure why he couldn't go, and promised to do better in puppy class if we promised to take him next time.

"Norwood's Buttercup Fields" A Plein Air Study, 5" X 7" Oil on Canvas Panel.

Oil Paintings and Plein Air Outings

NEW!!! Oil Painting Blog

New to my blog as well as to me, join me for my adventures in Oil painting.  

Yep you heard it O I L, (water mixable that is!)  

I've always had a sensitivity to oil paint but mainly the solvents needed for their use. After a few years of trying to make pastels, acrylics and my beloved colored pencil work "En Plein Air" for onsite paintings I've found that water mixable oils will do the trick.  I'm using Cobra brand for this purpose and I'm taking to it like a duck to water.   

"Norwood's Buttercup Fields"  A Plein Air Study, 5" X 7" Oil on Canvas Panel.

I had a really great day today!  Who can ask for more than that?

Creating my very first Oil painting, (using Cobra Water mixable oil paints).

Wonderful Spring air, very few bugs, painting in the shade of a hundred year old tree - and Virginia buttercups filling the fields at a local Historical landmark plantation, Norwood.  This plantation has been in the same family since 1835.  To view the plantation click:  here 

The back fields, I plein air painted, in colored pencil, one c-o-l-d November morning in 2013, are horse fields that lead down to the James River in Powhatan County.  When we visited that Nov. day the owners volunteered to allow us to come back in the Spring to paint the same fields when the buttercups were in season.  

Me at my easel. 

And Oh my! Were they right about the beauty of the golden fields!  What a view from the back of the house.  Knowing that at one time, there had to have been tobacco or other crops planted there, but today they board horses.  The horses came and went all morning long but this painting was not about them.... it's was all about the buttercups.  

Ok, about the Cobra paints --  as an ex - acrylic & watercolor painter, who has primarily made her way to the wonderful translucent color of Colored Pencils - 

Cobra's, by Royal Talens,  are Juicy, Creamy and didn't dry fast like Open Acrylics do.  The breeze was warm and 92 deg. today at 2:00 when we finished.  So they did dry enough to add layers on top of my underpainting to enable me to finish in the field.  No solvents are needed, not even water, except to wash out a brush!

Although I worked small, "just a study" I told myself.  It didn't have to be a finished painting, after all.... my first oil and first completed "Painting Media" painting in 15 years.  I left the golden field of Norwood happy and content that I finished a piece in 3 hours.  That would never have happened in CP, I'd have had to go home to finish it even at this small 5 X 7 size.       

OK now since we painted under the trees, evidence of critters and debris fell into my palette the longer the session went.  To the point that I was adding texture as I went.  LOL ;))))

While I have much to learn about these oils, I love not getting a headache from solvents, and clean up is easy with soap & water.  Stay tuned for more adventures in Oil.  

"Just Add Water" Colored Pencil on Ampersand Pastelbord

"Just Add Water"  12" X 16" Colored Pencil on Ampersand Pastelbord

I finished this piece in April just in time for the fine art fundraiser I Co-chaired again this year, "Artful Healing" which benefited World Pediatric Project, at the Jepson Alumni Center at the University of Richmond.  

The reference was taken on my 2012 trip to Provence and the lovely hill top village of Bonnieux, France.  On one of the side streets was a cute little shop with art and other crafts and outside on their terrace was this lovely little gathering of watering cans.  Perfectly arranged, although I did move the bluest one on the right over a little. The snail shells are to remind of the snail paintings seen in that gallery as well as the great escargot on the menu in town!  I can taste the garlic butter.......Mmmmmm.

My local art association - Bon Air Artists, has put on fundraising art sales for over 23 years, which have always benefited a local charity.  I have co-chaired 5 of them in the last 6 years.  A very time consuming activity which unfortunately takes much time away from painting in CP.  This was my last year to co-chair the event, as I have made a commitment to producing many new finished works for my upcoming One Woman show at Uptown Gallery here in Richmond, Nov. & Dec.  Stay tuned.....

Much more fun news to come, as I hold a secret adventure in the works.  Keep drawing and enjoy this wonderful Spring!  

  

Showing my new colored pencil painting "Sisters" as progressive demo

"Sisters" a 24 X18 Colored Pencil painting on Ampersand Pastelbord.

Figurative works often tell a story with their imagery and my new piece has it's own.  Each Tuesday morning I drive to my oldest son's home to get my two granddaughters on the school bus.   Our normal morning routine is like many, breakfast, lunches packed and involves getting their long hair ready for school.  The idea for this piece came about from creating braids in various styles.  Cora, the eldest is a blonde and Shauna is brunette.  Their bond as sisters is close even though they are three and a half years apart.  They have many similarities, they love to dance, are great students, and loving grandchildren.  But like any two sisters they have their own personalities and differences, much like their different hair color.

So I asked them to pose for me, something as little divas they love to do.  Braiding their hair together, blonde into brunette, their single braid became a lovely mix of them both.  I had the girls dress in contrasting colors, their favorites, pink and blue.  Jeans of differing shades completed the look.  Arm in arm they walked out the front door and down the porch steps to the front yard.  Keeping their braid tight they had to match their steps, they stepped in tune, left right left.

The late afternoon fall sun played an important role in giving their hair and clothing a great glow.  The actual background of the scene in my reference shot was a little too busy.  Too much to keep the focus on the girls and their bond. (hair and embraced arms).  So I simplified the background to a more distant colorful tree line softening the horizon and making grass less competitive with the figures.

After transfering the line drawing onto the white Ampersand Pastelbord, I completed the sky (using my usual rubbing technique to layout the clouds) and began the tree line.  Blocking in the trees after I did a watercolor pencil tinting on the grass.  It became obvious I needed to set it aside until I had worked out how simple I wanted the surroundings.  It's hard to get a start on a piece and set it aside for a while, but sometimes that's exactly what needs to happen.  My start on "Sisters" sat for more than six months.

It's not my nature to leave work go unfinished.  The reality is, the work seems to stare back at me as much as I stared at it!  Analyzing me as much as I analyzed it.  Maybe that's how we come to an understanding of what needs to be done to bring a piece to completion.  Other pieces and obligations get in the way or completed as I worked out in my head what it needed.  So I started on the hair, weaving the braid just as I did the original braiding.

I then started on the girl skin at the neck catching the light of the afternoon.  Cora's blue shirt and it's folds then Shauna's pink shirt.  Keeping watch on the brightest lighting on Shauna's right shoulder. Moving on to their hands.

Working on their jeans, was actually so much fun, Cora's dark denim, Shauna's distressed denim.  Alike but yet different, just like my girls.  Again keeping the late afternoon sun on the front right hand edges of the pants.  Tenner shoes next and then finishing the fall foliage in the trees and adding CP to the underpainting of WC CP's in the grass.

In the time (one year and a half) from when I took the reference photo of the girls, till today Shauna is now taller than her older sister and the two are developing into young ladies.  Capturing a moment in time of these two sisters was a pleasure and a trial.  I hope you enjoy my efforts and the work in progress shots.