Floral Fantasy on a Snowy Day

It's snowing outside; the tree branches are outlined white on black.  It's a world of lace except where evergreen provides an accent.  In a minute I am going to take out my brushes and ink and see what I can capture of this silent world where flakes drift slowly.  Work appointments cancelled, I am taking the day off!

In contrast to today's black and white world of positive and negative, I discovered a world of color this summer when a cousin showed me an old railroad bridge in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts that had been turned into an extensive garden covering the span of the bridge across the river.  The garden was spectacular with every bloom conceivable from lace-cap hydrangea to tiger lilies, to coneflowers, to daisies, to gooseneck loosestrife, to balloon flowers, to roses, to... That so many of these bloomed at the same time in this climate zone that is cooler than my hot Maryland summer was a delight to me.

Enjoy the snow today (I understand that over two-thirds of the United States is covered in snow) and, if it is too cold, snowy, icy, or treacherous, here is a breathe of spring-summer to gladden the heart.

Have a nice day. 

New Mexico Skyscape

I promised I would post this painting; I just didn't realize it would take me several months.  In fact the painting has taken several years to complete.  I started this painting a few years ago after visiting New Mexico.  I was so taken with the amazing cloud formations across the vast expanse of sky. On the way back to Santa Fe from visiting Ghost Ranch I stopped my car on the side of the road one afternoon to record this vista.  I knew only a large painting would do justice to the immensity of land and sky.  My usual scale is small and my medium watercolor, but I hung a 36 x 48" canvas on my studio wall and pulled out the oils.  I tackled the cobalt and cerulean sky and the scudding clouds.  The landscape remained a charcoal sketch until this summer when I could open the windows wide open for good ventilation.  When I picked up my brush to finish this painting, I knew using a brush would take forever.  I bought large palette knifes and attacked the canvas with gusto, loving the resulting texture and impasto.  I picked up a rag and my arm seemed to follow the sweep of the wind.  When I look at this painting, it takes me back in time and place to that far off autumn day when my gaze took in the silhouetted mountains, the deepest blue sky, and the clouds flooded with the late afternoon sunlight.  That autumn I fell in love with the southwest.

Summer Palette

No sketches or paintings to post today.  Flowers and fresh summer produce have been my palette this month.

'Fairy Queen' Mealycup Sage, 'Debonair Dusty Rose' Petunias, and 'Marguerite' Sweet Potato Vine grace the planters on my deck.  This year at the suggestion of a friend I mixed Osmocote into the soil and the plants are blooming as if they were on steroids.  Perhaps they are!  Lots of rain and lower temperatures than normal have helped as well.

About 4 months ago I decided to try a vegetarian diet.  I discovered Martha Rose Shulman's cookbook, The Very Best of Recipes for Health, and Mark Bittman's, VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00.  Both write for The New York Times and I love their articles and recipes.  These two books, together with lots of recipes from the internet, have made eating a vegetarian diet fun and delicious. 

My first meal of the summer enjoyed on the deck: a lentil and bulgar salad with tomatoes and olives.  Fresh mint and parsley from a hanging basket added zing to the salad.

You might wonder why there is a knife in the picture. It's an Oxo knife I bought for $12 at the local hardware store. Cutting and chopping with this knife is a wonder it's so sharp.  Little things like this knife, the blue and yellow napkin with lemons I bought in Provence, or the reusable mesh bags I bought to use at the grocery store instead of plastic make me happy.  What could be better-sun, flowers, a beautifully prepared salad served in the wooden bowl my father enjoyed!

Stay tuned for my next post!  I'm in the middle of a large 36 x 48" painting (for me that is large) of a southwest sky and mountain landscape.  One day I threw caution to the wind and painted with palette knife and cloth.  What freedom!

My Cylburn Art Show Reception

Here I am at left with a friend

The reception for my art show at the Cylburn Arboretum was held on May 24.  It was a wonderful party with over 60 friends there to support me-what a wonderful tribute!  Lots of nice compliments and out of 13 works for sale, 7 sold.  It's a great feeling to have people respond to my work.

Cylburn Art Show Review

Great write-up about the Cylburn art show this weekend by Kathy Hudson. Check it out!

The Watercolors of Joan Elisabeth Reid: Baltimore Fishbowl

Art Exhibit at Cylburn

April Showers

Spring blossoms are all too fleeting.  It seems they have just arrived and already this morning's rain has caused many to cascade to the ground carpeting it in white and pink.