The Strange Intruder

This past summer I stayed at a Bed and Breakfast and all of the books in the room were sea stories. I love sea stories! But there was this one addition which was very curious.

Rabbit linocut

I’m moving along on my rabbit linocut. It’s another in my series of three, as in three rabbits, crows or sheep! The background will be somewhat similar to the others but I’m just not sure what to do yet. I do plan to figure that out before the week is over. So anxious to see how it comes out!

Avignon Adventure at Musee Angladon

After my art workshop in September near Venasque in Provence, France, I went to the nearby city of Avignon for a few days before returning home. I didn't want to go home after such a short stay :-(
So many interesting things to do and not enough time! Free to do whatever I wanted, I was feeling pretty spoiled. This is one of the museums I visited. I couldn't believe that there was a Picasso exhibit of etchings. How fortunate for a printmaker!

Painting Provence with Tess #2 in Roussillon

My watercolor teacher, Tess, took my class to a pretty hilltop village called Roussillon. When I visited ealier, I was fascinated with all of the warm colors of the landscape and buildings. It is noted for its large ochre deposits found in the clay surrounding the village. Large quarries were mined there from the end of the 18th century until 1930. Now mining is prohibited in order to protect the site from being ruined. :-) And tourism has become an important source of income. Imagine that!

Le Sentier des Ochres

Usine Mathieu, an old ochre factory, now a workshop museum

A scene we painted from the cafe across the street.

I like this studio!

Painting the rocks along the path.

My Sheep Linocut

I happily and finally finished my sheep linocut! I struggled with how to cut out the sheep's fleece but I think I came up with a pretty acceptable solution.
I used two separate linocuts as a background for color and printed the sheep black on top.
Next I'm thinking of rabbits!

5" x 10"

Putting ink on the plate

All ready for printing on the press

Painting Provence with Tess

Sleep has escaped me in the very early hours of the morning since my return from my painting adventure in Provence, France a few days ago. So here I am, finding it a good and quiet time to add something to my blog. When I visited Provence a few years ago, I saw why some of our most famous artists loved painting there. The landscapes and the light are so alluring. When I saw a workshop on line, it seemed just right for a visit to the area. There went my resistance! My workshop was located in the commune of Venasque. We spent time both at the house painting and at several villages like Roussillon and Les Baux.

I loved staying here! I called it a chateau (more fun) but I think it's actually a country home.

Painting lesson at the house

Honeybee Festival at Norfolk Botanical Gardens

In Norfolk, Virginia we have a wonderful garden and I go there whenever I get a chance. This past Saturday was the annual Honeybee Festival and it was my first time attending. There was a lot of information on bees and beekeeping. There was local honey and beeswax candles for sale plus food and a lot of wandering around the garden. I had to check out the butterfly house and garden. It was hot out there in the full sun! But I saw quite a few butterflies. Taking photos of them is really a challenge since they are very busy in the afternoon.

Plants to attract pollinators for sale

Food!

Bee Info

Can't forget butterflies!

A fritillary in the garden

The star of the show

The maze in the butterfly garden, shaped like a butterfly

The Wind Point Lighthouse

I enjoy stopping at lighthouses whenever I get a chance. There's something romantic about them (I love reading stories of  sea adventures and travels)  This one has been in use since 1880 and assists navigation around Wind Point into Racine Harbor on Lake Michigan in Wisconsin. It's 108' tall and is one of the tallest and oldest still serving on the Great Lakes.

The Fog Horn House

A nice view

The Wells Theater Solarplate

Since I like drawing buildings (and art friends were busy making suggestions!), I thought I'd draw and make a solarplate etching of another one that I like in Norfolk. This is the Wells Theater, home of the Virginia Stage Company, a professional theater company. It was built in 1912 (pretty old for us!) and is a great example of Beaux-Art neoclassic architecture. Many of America's leading performers appeared  here in its early days. It has quite a history which I won't got into here but I'm glad  that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
I learn all sorts of things when I do artwork!
When you draw something, you see more! Yikes, the details.
I drew it on glass and exposed it with light onto a light sensitive Solarplate. From the plate, I made a print.

Father, Son and Grandson - The Wyeths, Famous American Artists

On the way home from Philadelphia recently, I wanted to stop by the Brandywine River Museum of Art, a collection of early American art focusing mainly on art done in the area and with a primary focus on the Wyeth family artists. Visitors can visit the old family home and studios on the property. It's very pretty there and the artwork is stunning! I'm so glad that it was a recommended stop on my way home! Here are some examples of Wyeth art and a photo of Andrew's studio.

The Vessel

There is so much to see in New York City! On my second trip this year, (which is funny because I've only been there a few times in my whole life, mostly in the last three years) we knew we had to see this new sculpture designed by British Designer Thomas Heatherwick. I learned that is was built mostly in Italy in secret and brought by pieces to New York in Hudson Yards in Manhattan. It was completed at the beginning of the year. Of course not everyone would like it but I love it! I think it's very clever and interactive.

There is an elevator.

At the top!

Wynwood Walls in Miami, Florida

When I was visiting relatives recently in Miami, we returned to a district of Miami called Wynwood Walls to see what was new. It's an area where some of the world's most well know street artists are showcasing their work on old warehouse buildings that are being converted to small businesses like restaurants, art galleries and craft breweries. It has become a popular place to hang out. It's fun to visit and look at the artwork. Very colorful!

Welcome to Wynwood!

I love this pattern

A fun place to live!

Looks like a tricky situation

Oh, my!

Butterflies

New York City Photos

Recently I visited the busiest city that I know - New York City! For just a few days it can be pretty exciting. Of course I can't go there without taking in a few art exhibits. The train ride was 8 hours to get there but I actually found it a perfectly comfortable way to go. When I arrived at Penn Station in New York, it was a madhouse! Here are a few shots of some of the things I saw and did while I was there.

Jean-Michel Basquiat at Nahmad Contemporary Gallery

Guggenheim Museum

Hilma af Klint exhibit at Guggenheim
Paintings of the Future

Street Flowers

Central Park

From hotel window

Frida Kahlo Exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art

Brooklyn Museum of Art