Tag Archives: Inspiration

Why Beauty Matters, Now More Than Ever

“Art once made a cult of beauty; now we have a cult of ugliness instead.” – Sir Roger Scruton, Why Beauty Matters, BBC 2, 2009 I just spent a delightful afternoon watching a film made by an unexpected ally: the … Continue reading

Posted in Beauty, Book #2: Double Take, Look at That! book, Musings on Life, Tip Jar | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

From Indignation to Grateful Resolve

You’ve been there too, right? You know, those times when you’ve asked someone for a second opinion, they politely tell you the truth, and your response is to flinch, even bristle. “Harumph” is not the exact word I used. On … Continue reading

Posted in Book #2: Double Take, Musings on Life, My Story, Tip Jar, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The latest finished sketchbook

I just finished a sketchbook that I began back on June 15th, 2019. An educational ending to a long process! The paper in this sketchbook is one of my favorites, the same as what was in the big square sketchbook … Continue reading

Posted in Cartoons, Musings on Life, Pen & Ink, Seeing and looking, Sketchbooks, Tip Jar, Urban Sketching (On-Site Creativity), Watercolor | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Time for another episode of . . . The Restless Artist!

Today, the 23rd of February 2022, has been an unreasonably balmy day here in northern New England. Lately we have felt fortunate when the temps made it up to freezing, but today, thanks to insanely strong winds from the south … Continue reading

Posted in 2- Bolts: Sketching Tools, Pen & Ink, Sketching tools, Tip Jar, Urban Sketching (On-Site Creativity), Watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Being Bored is a Luxury Not Afforded Everyone

Each morning when I first awaken, I ask myself the same question: What shall I make of this day? I’ve entered the minefield of Elderhood, and it’s as jarring as puberty was. After the shock and insult of puberty, we … Continue reading

Posted in Musings on Life, My Story, Urban Sketching (On-Site Creativity) | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In praise of weird-shaped containers

Sometimes all you need is a weird-shaped target area to overcome perceived obstacles. Notice I said, “perceived.” Most of time, what’s keeping us from writing, from sketching, from taking up guitar, or even harmonica is the crazy notion that we … Continue reading

Posted in Cartoons, Pen & Ink, Seeing and looking, Sketchbooks, Watercolor | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

“But in the meantime…”

I love that word, it describes a period of time that defies definition! Here’s what Merriam-Webster says: Meantime: 1 : during the time before something happens or before a specified period ends The new computers won’t arrive until next week, but we … Continue reading

Posted in 3- Magic: Art Epiphanies, Musings on Life, My Story, Tip Jar, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Greatness of Blue: a holiday season story

It was the 24th day of the last month of the year, snow was everywhere, and all the summer birds had long since headed south for the winter. Or so the villagers thought. The townsfolk were busy trying to keep … Continue reading

Posted in Cartoons, Musings on Life, Watercolor, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Introducing the new, larger Look at That! Art Pouches!

I just finished producing my latest batch of fourteen “Look at That” Art Pouches that are, wait for it, big enough to hold your cell phone! Yes, I caved! Back story: I invented these pouches a few years ago, to … Continue reading

Posted in 2- Bolts: Sketching Tools, Look-at-That! Pouches, photography, Seeing and looking, Sketching tools | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What a year it has been.

A year ago yesterday I published the Kindle version of my book, Look at That! Discover the Joy of Seeing by Sketching. Two days later, a year ago tomorrow, the paperback version became available. In the last 12 months, 3,353 … Continue reading

Posted in Look at That! book, Seeing and looking, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments