One day while walking, instead of looking out for that yappy squalling ankle-biter named Miles, I looked up. What a nice surprise!
Peculiar sights #3
As I walk around in Three Rivers in preparation for April 25, this sight never fails to amuse me:
In case you can’t tell, the upper mailbox says “WHITE”. Because you now know I am a color junkie, listen to this: there are people with the last name of Gray and people with the last name of Brown and a guy with the last name of Green too! And, the people named White got together with the people named Brown and formed a company called “Beige”. (I’m not making this up!) On the subject of first names, there is a man who goes by “Red” (not all that uncommon), I had a drawing student named “Teal” AND I have a cousin named Pink (somewhere in North Carolina). As you can see, I have lots of thinking time on these training walks.
Peculiar sights #2
This is an undoctored photo of a daffodil. In my regular walking route in Three Rivers, I encounter a yard with several of these. Really! I used to think all daffodils were yellow – many different shades and combinations, but always yellow. Guess I was wrong!
Peculiar sights in Three Rivers
I may have mentioned that I walk a lot. April 25 is coming, and my friend Nancy and I plan to walk 21 miles in Monterey. Nancy and I get together just once a week for our long training walks, so during the week we are walking alone. My walks are usually in Three Rivers. This provides a great deal of time to look at one’s surroundings, think, pray, mumble to oneself about how long it takes, use a borrowed iPod, plan blog posts, fret over the amount of work one isn’t doing while walking. . . a person could stay very busy while walking! Here is something that struck me this week – there are a number of peculiar items on one of my regular routes. Let’s start with Ruby:
Ruby is a boxer with a leopard spotted couch, complete with an awning for shade. This couch is parked directly along-side the road, and Ruby watches people go by. I make a point of greeting and petting her. If I happen to be wearing shorts, she will get up and lick my knees. Now, that is peculiar!
Learning to draw, Chapter Fourteen
Drawing buildings is the first thing I did in my career. Cabins, specifically. (“cabinart”, anyone?) These are not difficult for me, but many of my students would rather do anything else, even faces! Wendy is up for any challenge on a piece of paper – here is her beginnings of the Presbyterian Church in Three Rivers, a beautiful structure in a beautiful setting. The most important things to know in rendering buildings accurately are these: 1. vertical is ALWAYS vertical – it is the horizontal lines that do the slant tricks and 2. it is okay to use a straight edge to make straight edge.
Another Morning Walk
Because the redbud wasn’t fully out yet, I had to return to BLM land yesterday. Here is the only photo that really shows the across-the-canyon display:
It isn’t paint-able for me – but perhaps a abstract painter or a weaver (HEY NIKKI, you listening??) might find inspiration here. Of course, I could always get yarn in these colors. . . of course, I could always get more yarn!
Morning Walk in Three Rivers
A mile above my house is a beautiful place which goes by many different names: Case Mountain, Salt Creek, Craig Ranch, and BLM. I call it the last one, which, if you are not a Westerner, you might not know means “Bureau of Land Management”, which is under the Department of the Interior. But enough blah, blah, blah – you probably came here for the pictures.
Earl McKee keeps his horses here. In the morning before the sun hits, they have a little convention that looks like they are frozen in place. It was chilly!
The other JB and I were headed into the sunshine.
There are 2 seasonal waterfalls up there.
Did you know “cataract” is another word for waterfall? The dictionary says it is “a large waterfall”; I wonder if “large” refers to volume or height.
The variety of wildflowers was stunning, and I am rather proud of knowing the names of all these. I’m content with photos; JB wanted some to press and dry. Reminds me of my great Aunt Mary, who lived in Three Rivers when I was young. She made beautiful stationery with dried wildflowers and taught me their names.
We walked for a little over 3 miles before having to turn around. The only consolation in cutting our walk short is that the Redbud aren’t yet in bloom and give us a reason to return soon.
Studio Tour, Day Three
Lots of people, more paintings sold, I’m tired, thanks for coming.
Studio Tour, Day Two
98 visitors, 6 paintings sold, 2 commissions, phew! Very few breaks, great conversation with interesting people – Steve visited China almost 100 times and I could have listened to him for hours, Peg is an Irish citizen, someone else is interested in drawing lessons, TJ showed me a great photo of an old car in a field. . . it was quite a day!
Studio Tour, Day One
This is the first time in the history of Three Rivers Studio Tour that Friday was included. I had 17 visitors including Cousin Charlotte whom I had met before but had no idea is a Marshburn cousin! I also met Abigail, a 3rd grader who wants to be an artist. When she reported to me that Father John Griesbach allowed her to paint on a painting at St. Anthony’s Retreat, I called her back into the studio to help me with some grasses on a painting. (Me, competitive??) This is how my studio looked before people arrived today.
My studio is in 2 buildings.
This is where I draw and do paperwork and occasionally teach private lessons.
This is inside the original studio, which was a shed for planing wood because the former owner used to make Cuckoo clocks!