On the Branches of Time

Oh my! 

A relative sent me a photograph of a watercolor I did January 1995. 

I use to stare at the way the very thick main trunk leans over with its branches waving at the sky. 

It was the first painting I did that year. There is another watercolor of the same tree that I probably did as a sketch before painting the one above. With no camera or cell phone in those days, I don't have a photograph of the tree. I painted it from sketches and looking out the window.

I feel inspired to start another sketchbook for plein air sketching. 

Watercolors & Downsizing Fabric

There is, somewhere in my memory's forgot it space, a blog post in the brain storming stage that these two photos are meant to illustrate. Instead, I'll tell the story of that painting.

The small watercolor sketch is of a place that doesn't have good memories. I was very ill at the time. Looking out the window for hours was a height of activity for me then. Slowly, as body chemicals adjust, I took up a brush. Months later, things did get better. 

Tearing up old artwork isn't done very often. This time, though, I threw away the pieces. It felt good. When I pass the area, I still feel an uncomfortable shadow over that episode in my life. 

Will I find another sad piece in my stuff? 

Not so far. 

This morning I went through two fabric bins with the intent on making them one. Downsizing to one bin is not possible at this time. I tried. 

The best part is the unfinished projects I found are far fewer than I expected. One is a sweater I took apart to makeover as a bright colorful yarn embellished tabbard. 

Next is going through costume jewelry. That will be fun.

The Golden Hour Watercolor Update

Dead Creek East Branch

  The first challenge for me is getting the color perspective right. Instead of sketching first, I made a few light pencil lines, and started painting right away. Not my best moment because the scale is way off.

In situations like this, I will finish without a lot of detail. using the painting as practice. I will then start over on another sheet of watercolor paper.

Thus far, I'm so digusted with my lack of paying attention, I haven't touched the painting with a brush in two days.

I did finish a major project today, furniture issue. That turned out well. And, I cleaned up the mess afterwards. No piles of stuff waiting for me to decide where to put it. 

Anyway, I will be painting later today. Another photo will probably appear below.
 

First Watercolor of 2024

Dancing Leaves, digital photo 2023

Dancing Maple Leaves 2024 
11" x 10" Watercolor in progress

Starting out the year with watercolors is a good way to back to painting regularly. At the moment, it is at the end of the day. As I sit painting, I realize I have to get up to find my watercolor tubes because the yellows I have are too orangey, and the red not bright enough. 

I don't feel like get up. I know where the supplies I want are, but I'm lazy around the cocktail hour. I don't even want to get up to make a cocktail. My back aches from puttering and leaning forward while sitting. Hopefully, before the sunrise, a finished photograph of the watercolor will appear below.

Dancing Maples Leaves
2024 Watercolor 
veins not defined

Dancing Maples Leaves
corrected

Oops. 

Aha! I forgot to paint the leaf veins in. 

The definition is better in the corrected painting.

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Maple Leaf Umbrella

The last photo will be the 2nd watercolor subject.

Update, that's a maybe because the first try,

it looks more like a cacoon than a leaf.

The Umbrella Maple Leaf

This watercolor will rest. 

Last night, I began a watercolor
of the Dead Creek East Branch at the golden hour.

Brushing By Progress

Depression is starting to lighten for me. First time I've picked up a brush in almost 2 weeks. 

Its only a watercolor study, no major details. 

I like the green pumpkin, but not in that setting for a painting.

The background is different than the photo I took.

The sunlight needs work, lots of work. I think I'll change the sunlight on the pumpkin so it doesn't look like it is cut open. 

More Considerations & Autumn Photographs

Mount Abraham Western Side circa 2019

A composite using other photographs of the area is a consideration. 

It is a beautiful part of the drive up to Lincoln Gap, in Lincoln,. Vermont. 

A popular leaf peeping route, part of the Long Trail crosses the road.

Mount Abraham Western Side in Lincoln, Vermont

The watercolor is from the photo of the 

New Haven River in Lincoln, Vermont 

with Mount Abe in the background.

I might try the scene as a larger watercolor.

These two photographs will create a wider view of the area. 

The boulder scene is to the left off frame from the picture of the 

New Haven River (below).

New Haven River, Bristol, Vermont

Vermont Woods In Fall 2015

Addison, Vermont circa 2019

Cornstalks & Green Pumpkin at Middlebury Garden Center

Robert Frost Interpretative Trail 2021

Route 125, near Robert Frost Picnic Area circa 2020

 I am leaning towards painting from the photograph of the New Haven River in Bristol, Vermont. The challenge of the water and rocks scrambles my brain in a healthy way as an artistic challenge I can gain from.

Surprising to me is the photo of the cornstalks and green pumpkin. I think a watercolor is developing in my mind for that one.

The trees border the parking lot at the Robert Frost Interpretative trail. When I sat there looking out, I felt huddled with them as if chatting over a run of sap. On one visit, there were crows flying and landing on a broken tree trunk. A watercolor of the scene is on my to paint list.

As a rule, there is a lot of pre-painting thought that happens before the first brush stroke. It is the most difficult part of painting for me. I suspect other artist feel the same way. For the 2nd year doing an in progress painting on this blog, I'm finding it is the most challening artwork I've had all year. Well, other than pushing myself to paint.

Style, Attitude & the Me of It

Dry Cosmos on the Stem
Watercolor study

 

Cosmos Drying
Digital photograph

The composition will include cosmos that are in bloom as well as buds in a blurry background.

Acrylic in progress

This summer has been one of abundant dull light for painting indoors.

Speaking of dull.

My wardrobe is Earthy colors, nothing real bright other than white. The other day I bought a pair of Cynthia Rowley long flowing viscose wide leg boho print pants. Think 1960-70s hippie era. Even the tie waist strings have wood beads at the ends. 

The photograph is taken at the hem area. 

Here's the thing. I have yet to try them on. They will fit, and be super comfortable. My issue is my attitude towards them. Although the do represent Me, I feel timid about wearing them for what they represent. Being a baby boomer, there's the hippie era episode in my history, high school, college. Actually, we were called freaks as in think comedian George Carlin. 

But that was then. I left all that behind in 1971.

I am here in the now. I don't mind looking like an old lady. I even like elastic waist pants. It took years, but I wear them all the time now. I only have a beer every summer to pay homage to my flower child era skills. I still use language I used as a teenager, edited to fit the person I'm talking to. 

What happened? Why the lack of embracing a part of my history that was as exciting as it was tragic? I remember the glow in my soul of being a writer, experiencing life to write about.

The answer that sticks out is the Attitude from judgmental folks labeling a person of any age, who wears certain clothes as getting high, ultra liberal with a stash of protest signs magically fitting into their pockets like Hermionie's bag in Harry Potter films. Seriously, you dress like that, many people will label you. 

Point being, I all on my own, on purpose, as well meaning as it is, has fit myself into a style that is not Me. 

So now I'm wondering what I'll look like when I decide to be Me.

I suspect there will be careful editing of my style because I've already searched online for temporary tattoos.

This will be fun.

Day 202, Week 29 of July 2023

Summer Rain
8"x6" watercolor, M. Flannery

Two beautiful days of summer weather this week has been refreshing. Today, we are back to thunderstorms and rain. 

Determination. I sat down to do a watercolor. It took me almost an hour to find my supplies. With no particular subject in mind, thinking of the program, "Landscape Artist of the Year," I went with the mood du jour...Rain. (above photo) It is good to finish a painting, even if it is small.

I discovered that taking photos of the artwork, before it dries, makes places that need tweaking stand out. The actual watercolor doesn't look as grainy in person as it does in the photo. Paper texture seems to be missed in person viewing.

Have a weekend of bright discovery!

Try a new ice cream flavor

Make a huge garden salad

Read about wood types

Draw a few zucchini

Make a fun flag

Watch kite flying videos

Daydream a lovely cottage

Shop for summer camp shirts

Pray for Peace

March 2023: Day 81 of Week 12

My, 2009
9" x 22" ink & watercolor drawing

 A bonus of Spring cleaning is the rediscovery of things one might have forgotten. Memories can resurface as well.

However, the above doodle drawing produces no memory of what was going on in 2009. I might have been watching television, sitting outdoors, waiting for laundry to finish or drawing for the love of it.

Doodling has a quiet comfortably alone vibe. It is relaxing, mind cleansing and a mental stretching that opens think muscle. Anyone can doodle. Think of it as visual meditation.

Do you regularly doodle? Zentangle? Draw?

Yellow In Flight

At Noon, 5"x7" watercolor

 

From dewy lanes at morning

The grapes' sweet odors rise;

At noon the roads all flutter

With yellow butterflies.

from the poem, "September"

by Helen Hunt Jackson

1830 ~ 1885

At this New England latitude, in the Northern Hemisphere, there are 4 seasons, winter, spring, summer, and fall. 

By color, I believe there are 5 seasons:

White-snow 

Chartreuse-new plant growth

Yellow-summer sunshine 

Orange-autumn foliage

Gray-bare tree branches

Color illuminates  shades of ourselves a gray scale shapes. Line. Contour. Direction.

A lemon gives me permission to like yellow. Sunshine, a reason to smile. Art, the encouragement to love Peace over war.