Our Antrim Weekend

Oooo, I had a fun time sketching this weekend.  We went to Antrim 1844, a lovely restored mansion - now an inn - in Taneytown, Maryland.  The grounds are peaceful - pathways taking you to yet one more garden with fountain, pool, croquet, beds of impatiens, roses, and more.  Everywhere we looked there were pots/baskets/planters full of color.  The peonies will be blooming soon - that should be spectacular.

There are several outbuildings which have also been restored and are now guest accommodations. Elegant living to be sure.  We stayed in a small house - a winding path took us back to the mansion.

High tea was served at 4:00...  That evening we went to the mansion for cocktails and hot hor d'oeuvres (pianist playing in the drawing room) and then we were led to the dining room for a six course dinner. Mmmm - can I possibly eat another thing?

Well, the following morning (after receiving a pre-breakfast tray of coffee, fruit and muffins) we went again to the mansion for breakfast - the true country breakfast... French toast, sausage, scrambled eggs and potato casserole!

Here is a page of quick sketches  - I probably should have included the food!  Enjoy...

Sketching in the park

Yesterday afternoon I spent a few hours sketching in the park with a friend - by the 'back door' to St Michaels... San Domingo Creek.  What a lovely spot.  There was a cute little red sailboat just waiting to be painted.  Near it, was a larger white sailboat with a dinghy alongside.

I began just sketching the two boats... and wouldn't you know... a man came up from below on the larger boat, untied the dinghy and rowed to shore.  There went my picture.  Don't you just hate that?  Well, I then turned around and sketched several other 'scenes' in the area - the covered bridge, some rocks at waterside, a bench, canoes on racks, my friend painting...

A little while later the man came back riding his bike.  He actually apologized for ruining our paintings!  He rested his bike near a bench and a big pine tree, rowed back to his boat and tied the dinghy back in its place.  My original scene restored.

All in all - a lovely afternoon.

New baby sister

No, there are no new babies in our family right now. This painting is from an old photo - the baby is now four - but I love the look on big sister's face.  She was fascinated that she could hold this new little creature and that baby would suck on her finger!

It began as a watercolor and ended up as another pastel.  Unlike some of the other paintings I have posted this one was supposed to be a watercolor - it's on watercolor paper. Usually this means that there is a limited amount of pastel that can be put on the paper - not enough 'tooth.'  There is a little buckling which I will have to deal with before I frame it.

Also, I have been experimenting with various backgrounds - they were seated on a sofa.  I think I like the softness of an undefined 'thing' behind them.  But... I may do some more work on that.

Slowing Down

The past 10 days have been sooo busy - classes, meetings, garden work (the weather has been fabulous).  Earlier this week I agreed to substitute for a friend at a watercolor class with Barbara. This is a small group of six students and a lovely, gentle teacher.  Of course, I would go.

I arrived at Barbara's house/studio in overdrive - weighted by all the busyness/craziness that I had been carrying around.  She had a LOT of iris for us to paint.  I have nothing against iris - they can be stunning - but they are NOT easy to paint.  It just seemed like one more thing to do...

However, the day before Barbara had bought a beautiful hanging basket which she had hung outside in her garden.  She suggested that as an option for painting that day.  I grabbed a chair and my sketchbook and went outside. It turned out to be the perfect spot for me.  I found myself gradually unwinding as I lost myself in several sketches - various planters, an old ceramic frog, the garden hose, fern and ivy growing on an old garden tie...  I found myself in stillness and fed my soul for 2 hours!  Not artwork to be framed, just remembered.

Thank you, Barbara, for a wonderful morning! (I may be making return visits to your backyard)

St Michaels Banners

What fun it is to drive into St Michaels and see MY painting hanging as a banner!  The work of twenty St Michaels Art League artists is represented on the poles along Talbot (main) Street  – Celebrate St Michaels 2011.

Hint:  Those are the Town of St Michaels and the Maryland flags.  

Filling the bucket

Yesterday was my last pastel class for this spring.  It has been such fun - hate to see it end.

I now have to do some framing and decide which pastel to enter in the Members Show at the Academy Art Museum.  'Filling the bucket' was what I did yesterday.  My classmates and instructor seemed to like it because it was universal - "We've all seen this scene at one time or another and it's going to be beach weather soon."  I'm not so sure - not even sure it's finished...  but I'm posting it anyway.

Any comments?

Wonderful follow up to 'After the bath'...

I was talking to my daughter this morning.  She showed the "After the bath" painting to her 4 year old.  Apparently she gasped, put her hand on her heart and whispered, "That's baby Jesus!"  Her mother answered, "No, that's baby Leighton (her 9 year old sister)."  Another gasp followed by, "Is Leighton baby Jesus?"

After the bath

Her mother gave her a bath and then sat with the afternoon sunlight filtering through the window.  I love that soft light and those blond curls.

I have treasured this photograph for years.  This granddaughter is now 9 1/2 (can't believe that!) and those blond curls have been exchanged for a pony tail as she races across the lacrosse field.

I had fun trying to capture this scene in pastel - it was a challenge!

The New Violin

Two years ago we received a phone call from my son - the Vermont organic farmer - telling us that a propane tank had exploded and the resulting fire had destroyed his greenhouses, barns, sheds and his house. "We are all safe, but we lost everything."

The next day I flew to Vermont with my daughter to see what we could do to help.  The destruction was devastating - the community amazing!  Support came from every area - clothes, food, clean-up, shoulders to cry on, even offers of replacement plants for the farm business...

I was able to provide child care - picking the kids up from school, transporting to birthday parties and then to school one afternoon for Kieran's violin lesson.  He was playing outside with a friend that day when his music teacher brought the new violin.  It was a lovely spring day, so she decided to have the lesson outside.  She helped him tune the new violin and then he played it for me (and her).

So, after rebuilding the barn and greenhouses, this summer they are planning to start building a new house.  This will be part of a house warming gift from us.

The Box

Yesterday I dropped off 'the box' at the St Michaels Library.  Our friend Dottie gave George the box several months ago and asked him to do something 'arty' in it and return it for a show in May.

Well, the box sat around our house for awhile and then he got the idea to have some of our grandchildren create something in it.  I took it to Parkton - home of four granddaughters - and they were full of ideas.  A beach scene was the final decision.

Our recent trip to the beach provided the perfect spot to scavenge for shells and for Gramma Jo to take LOTS of pictures.  It all came together when we got home.  If you are in the neighborhood, there is a reception next Thursday around 5:30 at the library.  YOU can view all the boxes.