...day twenty one...

"Morning Prayer"

I think this one deserved two days of work. Yes, I know...I paint pine needles and leaves. It is somewhat of an addiction, but it makes me glow! This is watercolor, prismacolor and ink on a quarter sheet of Arches 140.

I called my good friend Lulu Kelly tonight. 

It was good to hear her voice and to chat about our art. 

...my angels are singing...

...day twenty...

This one doesn't have a name yet, and it needs more work. This morning on my way to work, I drove through a misty cloud. I don't call it fog up here, it is too rare and beautiful. So far I am liking how the trees on the left are so softly defined. I love the way the sunlight pierces the live oak branches, and I think the ponderosa pine on the right is coming along nicely.

...I love Nature's many moods...

...day nineteen...

"Wild Vines" 

watercolor and prismacolor pencil on Arches 140

This small painting started out to be foggy and turned into something totally different. The reference is a smoky evening scene, with rosy gray hills in the background. I guess I just had too much colorful fun with this :)

...day seventeen...

"Mountain Lion Study"--graphite

You probably know that I have had a close encounter with a mountain lion. In an effort to overcome my fear, I have read everything that I could about them. So now, instead of being afraid to get out of my car at night, I am constantly watching for them, hoping to catch a glimpse! 

I am committed to using only my own photo reference materials in my art work. So being able to photograph a lion has been on my radar for years. Today, I went to the Folsom Zoo. They have FOUR!!! I was so excited! 

This graphite study is in preparation for a major piece...can't wait to start. This female was watching the keepers feed the bears, you talk about razor focus....

...mountain lions avoid FiddleSong Farm....

...day sixteen...

"Fiddletown Coos"

These two shaggy characters live in Fiddletown near the post office. When I saw them today I remembered my new friend in Scotland Fiona Haddow. She paints "coos". So I thought I would paint shaggy fur on Yupo...for fun. And it was :) I didn't know that Highland cattle came in black, but this little guy is adorable.

...day fifteen....

"Pt. Reyes-Redwood Sisters"

Tonight's painting is a study of a sequoia grove that is on the hill behind the Morgan Ranch at Pt. Reyes. I painted this on Yupo paper. It is fun to paint on Yupo, you get lots of movement and the color is bright and vibrant. But I don't have the control that I am used to having. 

When I paint foliage, it really helps me to listen to classical guitar, and mostly Gordon Rowland. There is something magical about the way he plays, and I think it has a lot to do with the quality of my brushwork. Stick with what works, right?

...day fourteen...

"16 Quarter Shares Dancing Into The Light"

Yes, I skipped a night...so, I am a slacker :0) A gal's gotta have her beauty rest. 

This prismacolor pencil study of a metal sculpture is a nod to my excellent friend Nancy Roberts. Nancy has a fun sense of humor that often spills over into her artwork. 

I love drawing from life. There is a sense of immediacy about it. It challenges the artist to use her eyes more than her brain, reinforcing years of study and refreshing that self-knowledge that "yes, I can draw!"  

...what will I paint tomorrow?

...day twelve...

Days ten and eleven I painted on the large landscape that I have been working on. The bad news is that I thought it would be finished after the weekend, and it is not. The good news is that it is going to be worth the work!

Tonight's challenge was inspired by nature. As I was walking to my truck tonight in the parking garage, the sunset was glowing in the West. Brilliance that simply cannot be mastered by a mere artist--showed bright streaks of opera pink and cadmium yellow, mellow backlit hills, and inky indigo trees. 

"Mmmmm" I said, "looks like a Wendy Rogers painting."

Day eight....

"Beach Runner"

Last winter, Rachel and I took a daytrip to the beaches south of Half Moon Bay. This little plover is one of many shore birds that we enjoyed. He makes me long for the coast.

This drawing is prismacolor pencil and sepia ink.

...ocean air is good for the soul....

Day seven...

"Silver Lake Fir"- graphite

 I am fascinated by trees, I love their shapes. This little graphite study is from a recent trip to Silver Lake. I found this gnarled fir trunk in the campground while I was exploring. I was first attracted by the silvery highlights, then began to notice all of these smooth nodules and intricate shadow patterns. 

This kind of drawing is like meditation for me. Besides being great practice for honing my skills, it takes me to a certain level of focus that I can only achieve while creating.

...nature is simply beautiful....

Day six...

Mendocino sketch

Day five...

Shenandoah Valley Vineyard on Yupo

Tonight I experimented on Yupo. Yupo is plastic...very similar to vellum. It's hard to get my smooth washes for sky areas, but I like that the colors don't absorb into the surface-they dry very bright and pure. I may try this scene again on Arches. I LOVE the distant tree shapes, I don't love the trunks of the vines.

...loving this 30 day challenge...

Day four...

Today, on day four, I was able to paint for 6 hours. It was awesome ;)

I am nearly finished with this full sheet forest scene. It has no name yet....It was a day well spent.

Day three...Bailey Bulldog

"Bailey Bulldog"

So today, on the third day of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge, I decided to finish something rather than paint something new. I have been working on this prismacolor pencil piece for a while, and it deserved some of my time.

I love the soft folds and the light and shadow patterns on his velvety fur. But that look in his eye is pure mischief. "You want me to what? You're kidding, right?"

It seems strange to me that I can have an idea in mind for a painting and carry it around with me for weeks or months or even years before I am ready to paint it. 

...all is well in FiddleSong Studio...

Day two...a Raven

"Pt. Reyes-Raven"

Day two's subject is a raven that I photographed in Pt. Reyes. Ravens are fascinating birds. Clever and social, they are usually found in pairs. There is something mystical about them.

I arrived home tonight at 7:45. It was 8:30 when I ate my dinner. I could not WAIT to start painting! This was drawn on and painted in two hours....

...there is magic in the air....

Day one...Pt. Reyes Wave

"Pt. Reyes Wave"

On January 1st I read about the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. I had seen it before and was intrigued, but this time I am inspired to try this. How important it is for me to be able to say "I paint every day!"

Day one is a small painting on Yupo.  It took a couple of joy filled hours.

...I paint every day...