Category Archives: Beauty

My Ultimate Toolkit for Plein Air Watercolor Enjoyment

As promised last week, here is the story of the latest “Ultimate Plein Air Watercolor Set-up.” This time, yes, I think I’ve nailed it. Warning: If you are not a watercolor painter, or even if you are and you never … Continue reading

Posted in Beauty, sketching, Sketching tools, Urban Sketching (On-Site Creativity), Watercolor | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Say no… so you can say yes.

Your time is precious. Sometimes my time feels so precious, and I have so many creative ideas, that time flies between blog posts as it has done lately. (Your overflowing inbox appreciates that though, I’m sure!) This is why it’s … Continue reading

Posted in 3- Magic: Art Epiphanies, Beauty, Musings on Life, My Story, Writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Perspective difficulties? Try planting fence posts!

If you’re struggling with getting the perspective right when you’re drawing buildings, take it from me, you’re not alone. I’ve been drawing buildings in urban scenes and country scenes for decades, and my success in achieving credible perspective has been … Continue reading

Posted in Beauty, Look at That! book, Pencil sketching, Seeing and looking, sketching, Urban Sketching (On-Site Creativity) | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

More from my hero, Danny Gregory

In my book, Look at That!, on pages 55 and 67, I gave kudos to Danny for being a wonderful creative mentor to hundreds of wannabe artists. Then in my second book, Double Take, I pretty much gave Danny credit … Continue reading

Posted in 3- Magic: Art Epiphanies, Beauty, Cartoons, Musings on Life | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Never cut the warp

(Note: this post is about twice as long as most. Good story though!) Many years ago, I owned a weaving studio that catered to helping people who lived on the riverbanks of mainstream culture. The people I worked with were … Continue reading

Posted in Beauty, Musings on Life, My Story | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

I’m moving! Not really…

Last week I was lucky to have a long visit with my niece who is in the midst of one of life’s top stressors: Moving Your Household. I’ve moved more times than I can count (okay, full disclosure, I’ve moved … Continue reading

Posted in Beauty, Books I Love, Pen & Ink, Pencil sketching, Urban Sketching (On-Site Creativity), Watercolor | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Enough is enough…finally

I recently finished reading a book entitled, “A Life of Being, Having, and Doing Enough” by Wayne Muller. Published eleven years ago in 2011, I bet I highlighted passages on half of the 256 pages. Reading it now was perfect … Continue reading

Posted in Beauty, Books I Love, Musings on Life | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Learning to Enjoy Ambiguity

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s birthday is Saturday, September 24th, and so is mine, so what better time to write about my very favorite quote in the world. “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas … Continue reading

Posted in Beauty, Musings on Life, My Story | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

A Slammed Door and an Unexpected New Confidante

On September 10th, 55 years ago, at 6:30am, the phone rang. It was Dr. Boschenstein calling to tell Mom that my sixty-one-year-old father had a stroke at 5am. My father was dead. It was a bright, sunny Sunday morning, the … Continue reading

Posted in Beauty, Book #2: Double Take, Musings on Life, My Story, Pen & Ink, Seeing and looking, Sketchbooks, Urban Sketching (On-Site Creativity), Watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

How heavy are your boulders?

My goodness, a whole month has passed since my last post … because I’ve been birthing this wonderful book, Double Take! Both versions of the book (paperback and eBook) are finished, uploaded to Amazon, ready for me to press the … Continue reading

Posted in 3- Magic: Art Epiphanies, Beauty, Book #2: Double Take, Musings on Life, Writing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment