ESCAPE ARTIST

took an icy, crunchy hike this morning, that's about my only break for today...getting ready to be an escape artist....it suits me perfectly to work in quiet & solitude, but for an artist to grow, there's an on going need to broader artistic influences....stay tune for more interesting sketches from my travel in December

TIME FLIES

except for half an hour on a quick sketch, that's as far as I got to being creative today....stuck with catching up with this & that errand....life is too short not to have more creative time

MAGICAL MORNING

hunting season has started, no hiking in the woods for the next month...took a hike along the roaring creek...the snow flurries look like fairy dust against the morning sun...freshly fallen snow sparkles across the meadow....a magical morning in the country

FROSTY MORNING

woke up to a pretty sunrise, then the wind picked up.....we never got above 20 degrees, with the wind....it feel like zero!

EN MER

one of my excursions"en mer" along the shorelines of Connecticut....despite the over development, parts of CT oozed with peaceful charm

CANDLES

yes, another gloomy day, lighting candles all over the house helps to lift my mood...more grey days in the forecast, looks like I need to get on the road....

TART RECIPE

recipe for yesterday's quick APPLE tart.....stop by friend's house for tea & treats & fun company, a nice break from yet another gloomy day in the mountain

GLOOMY

I forgot when was the last time I saw the sun....except for cooking in the kitchen, these raw,wintery days are not very inspiring 

OUT MY WINDOW

despite my love of traveling, I dont have to venture too far for a subject to paint...this morning, this bunny just hang around for half an hour, waiting for me to sketch him...I sure hope he ate enough for the winter....it's a huge comfort connecting to NATURE

YESTERDAY

this sketch is from yesterday...my morning hike got quite warm, I was down to my T-shirt when I sketched this moody, panorama vistas of the valley below

6:20AM

a warm spell is always welcome, it was warm enough this morning to get out of bed & sketch on my deck...painted this view many times, of pond & distant hills & valleys...the sound of the rushing creek & chickadees made for an unusual morning, the first week of November....saw a bunch of deers in my yard, they blend right into the landscape

6:05

it's easy this morning, just 2 shapes in monotone out my window...love this china marker, it 's cheap and it gives me everything I need for a quick sketch....this pencil does not smudge,no mess at all (very important when sketching in bed)...this sketch was done in 10 min, on a 3x4 baby sketchbook

NEW COVER

nothing like an early snow storm to remind me to stop procrastinating....another full day of yardwork, which really kills my back...pain reminds me to feel grateful, because life is short & every minute counts...now, if only I have more time to focus on finishing up all these projects I started....been working on a cover for one of my book project

6:15 AM

with the clock falling back one hour, there's enough light for me to sketch by 6 AM...with the fog rolling in this morning, it was a soft dreamy sunrise.....different season, different morning  routine....nothing beats staying in bed under the cover on these chilly mornings...sketching in bed makes me feel like a LAZY ARTIST

PUMPKIN PIE

yikes,all day in the kitchen....the day is not long enough to keep up with painting & eating all this bounty on my kitchen table