Crow Linocut

I've been trying to finish one more work before the end of the year. It's a challenge with everything that happens this time of year! This one is a linocut of crows, as you can see in my photo. I'm using four pieces of linoleum for this one, three of which are pastel colors and are part of the background. You can see the one with the butterflies. You will see a lot of butterflies from me in the next few months since I'm having an exhibit with another artist in July of butterfly works. It will be here too soon!

Check back next week for the final result. I can hardly wait myself!

Native Birds of Chicago :)

Maybe I should draw some flamingos!

Beaujolais Nouveau in Virginia Beach

Yes, there's a Beaujolais Nouveau event in my area every year! It is an Alliance Francaise event and I went to it with a friend who invited me to go with her. We took some French classes together and thought we should try to  practice our skills, which aren't immense but we know a few useful words. I was a bit embarrassed and decided that some new classes would again be helpful! They are so much fun! There are also meetings where you can practice with others. And friends to write to online! I really enjoy it anytime I get a chance. C'est tres grand!

Solarplate of Flicker

Last week I finished printing from a new solarplate, This time it's a small one of a flicker. I've been trying water-based inks and was very skeptical that I would like the results as well as those from my oil-based inks. Well, I can say that I'm pleasantly surprised. I like both of them. Now to try more colors!

Mushrooms and Friend

At the end of summer, these mushrooms popped up in several places in my yard. I love the shapes. The photo will come in handy if I want to paint or print some mushrooms. The fly might be useful too ......maybe! For my camera, it isn't a bad close-up of it!

Final Solarplate Etching of Warblers

I exposed my drawing on the solarplate and then inked it and printed it on Rives BFK paper. I'm enjoying using the Akua waterbased inks. And using just barely damp paper for printing has worked very well for me. I like the result!

Start of a New Solarplate Etching

I started another drawing for a solarplate etching. I love doing these drawings on the glass. I'm putting birds and butterflies together this time! Here is my drawing in progress, hopefully ready by the end of the week for exposure on the solarplate.

start of my drawing on glass

Looking for Butterflies at The National Gallery of Art in Washington DC

Usually when I visit large museums I look first for any print exhibits since I am a printmaker. Then I become overwhelmed by all of the other work and want to see everything! So lately, to have a focus and fun, I've decided to pick an object and look for it in the works. Since I have been painting butterflies, I decided to look for them. I thought a perfect place to start would be 1600-1800 still life paintings. I love the paintings, the details, so full of nature in the arrangements. I found butterflies here!
Can you find them?

There's a bird's nest!

Bongo Gouache Painting

This is part of a gouache painting that I made for the zoo auction last month. It's actually larger but I like it cropped too. I love drawing and painting them because they have these great stripes and other markings. It's so sad that they are becoming endangered.

Butterfly Festival

Two weeks ago I went to the Butterfly Festival at Norfolk Botanical Garden. No wonder I'm a member. I'm always going there! The Butterfly Society of Virginia was there answering any questions one might have about butterflies and moths. They were also selling host plants for attracting butterflies. People could also visit the butterfly garden and house. If you could ignore the rain showers, it was a pretty good time! I love these events because I always learn something and besides, it might be something that I can use in my artwork!
Just a few photos from that day:

A cheery sign

There were some collections there. These are local butterflies.
The collector said that he has raised many more than he has collected.

I couldn't help myself. I had to become a member!

Monarch butterfly caterpillar

Little sketch of a door

Thinking about France tonight so I thought I'd post this little sketch of a door I liked when I visited Paris in 2014.

I think I'll make an etching of this door.
I really enjoyed seeing the various old doors there.

Mini-Vacation to DC

Recently I spent a few days in Washington DC with my Canadian friend. We decided to take the train to avoid any miserable traffic tie-ups around DC. We got off the train one stop before DC and stayed in Alexandria, Virginia where you can take the metro into DC. It was a perfect way to go! Here are a few photos:

Old Town Alexandria
historic buildings and some cobblestone streets

Old Town Alexandria main street
Nice street with lots of shops and restaurants

Hmm....

Le Refuge restaurant in Alexandria, excellent food
We are noticing lots of things related to France!

National Gallery of Art in DC

A print exhibit at the National Gallery!
It was a pleasant surprise.

Jim Dine, 1973
etching, drypoint

Louis Lozowick, 1929
lithograph

Saturday market in Alexandria

Pies at the market

Mount Vernon, home of our first president, George Washington
A beautiful view of the river on the other side

Garden at Mount Vernon

Happy July 4th to us!

Norfolk  Botanical Garden

Bongo Etching

Since my art center moved to a new location a few months ago, I hadn't attempted to make an etching due to a lack of water in my studio. Well, I really wanted to make one of the bongo so I thought I'd give it a try at the new place. After many trips fetching water from the bathroom down the hall from my studio, I finally completed this etching. I can't say it was an easy task! And quite a balancing act! Not only that but I also added the aquatint. And I'm thinking about doing it again! It's a bit crazy.

6" x 8"

The Cat in the Wagon

There was a friendly cat at an inn where I stayed last weekend. I think this is his favorite spot to rest! So cute.

Solarplate Etching of Coin

Last year I was commissioned by a friend to make a solarplate etching of an ancient Greek coin that she had recently received as a gift. I thought that was an interesting idea! It's very small so we had to find some old photographs of coins to help me figure out how the coins really looked since they are quite worn from use. Here's how it came out. I had a mat which was just the right color, I thought!

Coin of Antimachus 11

5"x 8"

Goldfinch Solarplate Print

I finished my drawing on the solarplate and printed it. I used an oil-based printing ink for this one. I tried a water-based ink and it's almost as crisp as long as I have just slightly damp paper. You can't go back and work on the exposed plate to make any changes but you can go back to the glass plate and work on that. Then expose another solarplate. I'm just learning about the peculiarities of solarplate etching! Of course there's a learning curve with every new process you try. This one will be shorter than learning copperplate etching and you can't argue with that!




I can print this in a different color if I want.
Or add color with watercolor.
Or expose it to the light for a different time for a lighter print.

Goldfinch Solarplate Drawing on Glass

I thought I'd try another solarplate etching. This time the drawing is from a painting that I did earlier. I chose a portion of it to create a small black and white drawing on the glass. It might be a bit of a busy design but I'd like to see how it comes out. It's not quite finished but when it is, I'm going to expose it on a solarplate in the sun and then print it. Oh man, I love drawing on the glass. Drawing can be so relaxing.....ah....
Sorry I got lost there for a moment. Printing results are coming soon!

Hollywood Cemetary - An old US Cemetary in Virginia

Last year I discovered Hollywood Cemetary in Richmond, Virginia. The name comes for the holly trees that dotted the landscape when it was first created. There are some famous people buried there - US Presidents and military generals....18,000 Confederate soldiers from the Civil War of the 1800's. It's great to visit for the history and for the quiet. To have a nice walk! Or be inspired to make more cemetary etchings!
Here are some photos. You can search the web for more info, if you like.

Virginia Zoological Park Farewell Event

Two weeks ago I volunteered to participate in an event at our local zoo, a farewell to two female elephants, soon moving to another larger zoo in South Florida. The zoo asked if some artists from my art center could come to the zoo and do some artwork in public of animals of our choice. I asked to be set up near the Crested Cranes but when I arrived, there were only Bongos! Oh well, I really do like Bongos. They are fun to paint because they have those cool stripes and other spots. So I took my watercolor kit and paper and attempted to paint a Bongo while talking to lots of interested kids and their parents. It was very cool that day and a bit windy. There was no desire by my easel  to remain upright so I gave up and sat at the table!

Happy for warm sun on my back!

Hey, come back here.

From that, I am working on this Bongo watercolor painting.

Another zoo view from my spot.

Great horned owls

I've been working on a painting of Great horned owls using gouache paint. These large owls are native to the Americas and have a vast range. I had some nesting in a large pine tree in my backyard one time. The crows seem to chase any owl away these days! 
Here I'm showing just a few steps in my painting process. I may need to make a few changes but first I'm going to let it rest for awhile. Then take another look!
12" x 15"

Bubo virginian