Category Archives: Telling a Story

Early Morning on a Ranch

Posted on August 14, 2018 by

Last week we spent a night on a friend’s ranch in Utah. In the morning, I heard footsteps and looked out the window to see our host going out to start his day. It was really early. The sun was … Continue reading →

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Lounging with a Strawberry

Posted on August 9, 2018 by

  I missed a week of painting while traveling and it was wonderful to meet up with friends today at the San Diego Watercolor Society and sketch for a long morning. We did 5, 10, and 20-minute poses, this one … Continue reading →

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Telluride Town Talk

Posted on July 24, 2018 by

During the summer, the Telluride Science Research Center offers a weekly talk of general interest by a visiting scientist. I enjoy these talks because they are provocative- for instance, today’s topic was, Geo-Engineering a Climate Change Solution. But even better, … Continue reading →

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Artist at Work

Posted on July 14, 2018 by

  This morning I went to see a local artist, who I admire very much, paint. I also got in a few sketches of my fellow observers. My eye was caught by the posture of three women who sat on … Continue reading →

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Running up the Path

Posted on July 13, 2018 by

I was sitting on a shady bench in the Japanese Friendship Garden at Balboa Park, thinking about how to show the sunlight on the path. I noticed three young women, probably in their early years of high school, running up … Continue reading →

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Keep Families Together

Posted on June 30, 2018 by

What could be more American than celebrating the Fourth of July with your family? Picnics, rodeos, reunions, fireworks, we spend the day enjoying each other and the blessings of a good life in a good country. As we get ready … Continue reading →

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Cabin Near Estes Park

Posted on June 27, 2018 by

Yesterday I wrote about trying to find the cabin near Estes Park that once belonged to my college roommate’s family. Today, with directions from my friend, I was able to find it. Part of the problem, in addition to the … Continue reading →

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Dessert

Posted on June 22, 2018 by

How wonderful to finish a meal at a sidewalk cafe in Portugal and then sit and admire the landscape. This is a 12 X 12- inch gouache sketch on black paper.

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Guimarães and Children

Posted on June 18, 2018 by

We are in a new-to-us city, Guimarães, Portugal. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site because the city has maintained its medieval character while also developing into a modern city. The city is quite a change for me from my … Continue reading →

Posted in Cityscape, Telling a Story, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Eibsee and Bike

Posted on June 15, 2018 by

This was probably too ambitious a composition-cloudy sky, mountains, lake, bike, and a bench with a person, but before I leave Bavaria I wanted to have a sketch that shows it all. So, I worked to captures the incredible beauty … Continue reading →

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Bavarian Cows

Posted on June 11, 2018 by

Yesterday evening as we walked through the Bavarian countryside at dusk, we came across a flock of sheep. The sheep lifted their heads and stared us down and I was charmed by them. So I planned to return today with … Continue reading →

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Old Friends at Work

Posted on June 4, 2018 by

My husband and I have been visiting Denmark. One of its attractions is meeting up with our many old friends. The first Dane we ever met was in grad school 1975 and since that time I have often sketched this … Continue reading →

Posted in Body Language, People Learning, Telling a Story | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Under the Influence of Münter and Calder

Posted on June 3, 2018 by

I was delighted to see that the Louisiana Museum in Denmark has a retrospective exhibition of Gabriele Münter’s paintings and photographs. It is an impressive collection and covers the 50- 60 years of her work. It was an opportunity to … Continue reading →

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Odds and Ends

Posted on May 28, 2018 by

We drove north from Bonn late this afternoon and stopped much later in Flensburg for the night. Since this was not a good day for sketching, I decided to post some sketches from the past week. One of the pleasures … Continue reading →

Posted in Cityscape, Interior, Landscape, Telling a Story, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Bonn Beer Garden

Posted on May 26, 2018 by

Bonn Beer Garden We are in Bonn visiting an old friend. The weather is gorgeous and we took a long walk through the pedestrian area in the city center. Later we stopped at a beer garden for a drink and … Continue reading →

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Along the Cornish Coast

Posted on May 22, 2018 by

Along the Cornish Coast Although the climate in Cornwall is relatively mild, I tested the water and found I lacked the courage to join the many enthusiastic swimmers at Marazion’s coast. As I sketched instead, these three sisters caught my … Continue reading →

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Between the Azores and Brittany

Posted on May 17, 2018 by

Last Sunday evening our ship left the Azores Islands and this morning we docked at Brest on Frances’ Brittany coast. Here are five sketches from the last five days. Watching the Azores Islands Disappear It was still warm as we … Continue reading →

Posted in Interior, Landscape, Telling a Story | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

During Four Days at Sea

Posted on May 13, 2018 by

During these past four days at sea, I sketched very little. But here are three sketches, two of people aboard the Prinsendam, and a third sketch, my favorite, of the bottom of a lifeboat. Looking out the Window of the … Continue reading →

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At Sea on the Prinsendam

Posted on May 8, 2018 by

Today our ship, the Prinsendam, is at Hamilton, Bermuda. We got up early to watch the ship come in through the Bermuda straights and then went on a walking tour of this lovely port. Here are three sketches from our … Continue reading →

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Cruise Security

Posted on May 5, 2018 by

We passed through cruise security and then waited to board, just long enough for me to pull out a small sketchbook. We are off on a two week crossing of the Atlantic, our first cruise. As a child I was … Continue reading →

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I Was Reminded

Posted on May 2, 2018 by

There was something about the evening light tonight that reminded me of a sketch I made in 1984 of my daughter that hangs in her old bedroom. That sketch is below. We were hiking in a Colorado meadow, and my … Continue reading →

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Into the Waves

Posted on April 30, 2018 by

In mid-April, I sat on the beach and sketched swimmers in a wild sea. I did not post this then because I liked another better that day. The original sketch is below, and today I wondered if I could improve … Continue reading →

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In the Waves

Posted on April 17, 2018 by

It was a stormy evening and I sketched my grown kids as they played in the waves. I liked the way they leapt into the swells, raising their arms, and shouting. It was good to see them having so much … Continue reading →

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At the Beach

Posted on April 14, 2018 by

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve in Oahu Hawaii is a snorkeling park full of sea life and coral. It also had a very cute family that I had a chance to sketch as I sat behind them on the beach.

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Really?

Posted on April 5, 2018 by

I sketched this morning with the San Diego Watercolor Society’s weekly life drawing group. I particularly like this model because she projects a range of attitudes. This 20- minute pose was towards the end of the morning, and we were … Continue reading →

Posted in Body Language, Facial Expression, Telling a Story | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Wave Watcher

Posted on April 3, 2018 by

I spent the morning at Torrey Pines State Beach and sketched this figure sitting out by the waves. This is an acrylic and gouache sketch on a sheet of 12 X 12- inch black paper.

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Beach Soccer, Two On One

Posted on April 2, 2018 by

I worked from photos again today, trying to capture multiple types of movement. I wish I had left more of the background unpainted, it would have strengthened the focus on the figures

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Run, Run from that Wave!

Posted on April 1, 2018 by

Today I used some photos from my nephews’ recent visit and worked at capturing their delight in the waves. This is an acrylic and gouache sketch on an 8 X 12 -inch black paper.

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What’s a Great Place for Visiting Nephews?

Posted on March 29, 2018 by

My two great-nephews, along with their parents and grandparents, are in town for spring break. Of course, we went out to Torrey Pines State Park, checked out the nature center, hiked the beach trail and played along the shore. And … Continue reading →

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Student Voices

Posted on March 24, 2018 by

How is it that students can express simple truths while we older folk get it all muddled up? I was at the San Diego March for Our Lives this morning, listening and learning. Here are some of the simple truths … Continue reading →

Posted in Telling a Story | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments