Carrying On in Black and White

Obviously anyone who loves Zentangle® would love black and white too.  It just follows. I posted the beginning of this drawing already and I've been spending some relaxing time playing with this a little more.  I know it's not done yet, but I am to the point where I have to think it through a little now.  One problem in the lower third of the drawing where I need to make some decisions about grounding the trees.  Lots of choices here.  Grasses/leaves, or even color.

One idea is to make some copies on the printer and then add color or details to kind of get a feel for how that would look.  I'd sort of like to finish it up next week.  

Testing and lab work and etc prior to my up coming knee surgery is almost over now.  I still have a lot of follow up appointments but that should wind up soon.  The surgery date has been pushed back to March 21 which may in the end be a good thing.  

After I do some of the "idea" work I may post so you can the options.  All depends on how much time I figure out for this.

Hawthorne is getting ready for the big art show and I'm doing the program and it needs to get to the printer this week.  So first things first.  Would you believe that the theme of the show is "Black and White"?  

(did I tell you I am going to be a great grandmother come July 19?)

How exciting is THAT!  

Painting a Mural for the Pool

My friend, Todd, took a preliminary photo of the mural that our Art Club in Hawthorne Community (Leesburg, Fl) has been working on all winter.  The project was more than we imagined actually.  And when the holidays appeared we took a break.  Then in January the weather turned "nippy" and we took another break.  

The park employees painted the background a lovely turquoise blue over last summer.  Then we did preliminary sketches and layouts in November...and in late January and Feb we began some serious painting.  We used a lot of just house paints to mix much of the larger areas...clouds, water and waves, sand and palms.  Some of the smaller items were acrylic paint (which is just house paint too actually).  

We have to finish the central bar area now and tweak some of the details. There are about 10 of us painting.  A pool party is planned for the end of March.  So we have incentive now to finish up.
More photos to come. 

Keeping Sane With Art

Last week I signed up for my friend, Jackie's pen and ink class.  Her subject matter was some old mailboxes along a road.  But I immediately thought of OUR old chipped mailbox up north in Wisconsin standing forlornly or maybe resolutely in front of our cabin sign.  The cabin name of "Rip's Place", by the way, is a reference to Rip Van Winkle who's ability to sleep was legendary.

The cabin is a great napping place.  (Note, we once had someone come to the cabin door asking for Rip.  How we laughed.)

So instead of Jackie's idea...I adapted it.  So much more fun to have it portray something that has personal meaning, right?  This is a quarter sheet of Arches 140# watercolor paper and Sakura Micron Pens, 01, 03 and PN.  

Above is just about an hour and half worth of beginning work.  I am enjoying the pen and ink.  Of course I work with pen and ink often in Zentangle and sketch in my sketchbooks in pen and ink all the time.  But this is an "extension" of that. 

It's a relaxing medium to work in...detailed but gentle and soothing to create. Just the beginning of the pine tree in the right upper corner is what I'll work on next.  I decided I wanted a good photograph of pine needles before I went further.  There are so many kinds of pines!  We have a number on our property.  

I do intend a little color on this when I am done.  Jackie says you can "rouge" it in oil, you can use pastel, colored pencil, or watercolor.  It'll be watercolor for me.  But just exactly what colors or which things will get color?  I'd like to keep it subtle.  I want it to be about ink...not about color.  So we'll see.  Keep watching.

Meanwhile I am getting ready for total knee replacement of my left knee on March 12.  The amount of preparation for this is amazing...tons of testing and MRIs etc.  I even have to go to "Knee School" one afternoon.  In between these stressful things will be a very nice project to work on.  

Spring is coming here to central Florida...the azaleas are blooming and many of the flowering trees in wild pinks and yellows.  The grass is bright green due to recent rains and soon the oaks will drop their leaves as the new leaves push out.  Falling leaves and raking is a SPRING chore in Florida.  We expect 80s most of this week.

Happy Groundhog's Day

Time for First Friday in Fine Arts at the Hawthorne Community again.  How can it be?  I was just there!  Here I am plugging the Fine Arts Show which will be March 11..holding up the application for putting art into it.  

The interview involved two really great artists, Jane and Eileen, and they had a lot of wonderful art to share hung on the walls behind us.  It's kind of fun to market the arts in the community.

A nice group of folks.