Must & Magic

The New River Birding and Nature Festival

2011-04-29T17:34:00.007-04:00

Last May I attended my first-ever New River Birding and Nature Festival in Fayetteville, West Virginia. I knew pretty much the instant I arrived that I would be back the next year. Stalking warblers and bobolinks in the company of some truly brilliant birders was at once exhilarating, humbling, and fantastically educational. Plus, I was honored to meet some of my favorite bloggers, such as Julie Zickefoose, Bill Thompson III, and Murr Brewster, as well as a slew of other birding greats (most of whom, at the time, I had no idea how lucky I was to meet!)

And the estimable Chet Baker, of course.

In addition to the breathtaking avifauna (which included a plethora of lifer species!), I got to experience some real West Virginia hospitality when my car broke down and I was stranded there for three days!! (It looked like a pothole but I think it might've actually been a mineshaft.) Geoff Heeter, the magnanimous owner of Opossum Creek Retreat, put me up until my car was fixed, and just about everyone else I met there helped me out in some way as well. I was floored by the kind-heartedness and tried to pay them back in a very small way with this piece. It's a Golden-Winged Warbler with the New River Gorge in the background (and a border of goldenrod, Solidago altissima.)

The birds are to die for, the people are wonderful (and patient with novices!), and the entertainment can't be beat. If you're looking for a great birding festival, this one is it! (Even more so if you stay at Opossum Creek!) Hoping to see more of these guys (people and birds!!) at this year's NRB&NF!

Sketches Here and There

2011-03-11T19:03:00.008-05:00

A meager offering of doodles from last year's Moleskine sketchbook/journal.

Life sketches of a pair of green herons that began building a nest (but as far as I know, didn't lay any eggs) at the BNC pond last summer.

I watched one of them repeatedly dropping twigs into the water and initially thought s/he was simply a little clumsy, but when I read up on green herons I found that they are one of the only bird species that actually use tools! Apparently they will drop an object (a twig, blade of grass, leaf, etc.) onto the surface of a pond and then pounce on the fish that are attracted to the disturbance! I can't believe I got to observe this tool usage firsthand.

Mouse sketches (deermice mostly):

American kestrels:

The drawing on the left page, top right is from a photo I took at Kiptopeke State Park. The Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory bands both raptors and songbirds there--it's a fantastic opportunity to see some awesome species up cloase and the banders are always happy to answer questions.

Sketches from life at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair:

Life sketches of my sister's boyfriend's mutant chihuahua, Bubbles:

Restaurant doodle (around Halloween):

Happy Solstice!

2010-12-21T09:59:00.010-05:00

Today is very special in that it is both the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year (and the official first day of winter) and the first time that a total lunar eclipse has occurred on the solstice since 1638. Those of you who did not get outside to watch the eclipse will unfortunately have to wait another 84 years for the opportunity.

In honor of the once-in-several-lifetimes event, I thought it would be fitting to share some of John Burroughs' musings on winter. Burroughs did not limit his appreciation of the natural world to special occasions, of course--one winter day was as worthy of attention and exploration (and the accompanying joy) as the next. Still, I think reading his work today is a good way to celebrate (that, and a good long walk in the woods.)

"If the October days were a cordial like the subacids of fruit, these are a tonic like the wine of iron. Drink deep, or be careful how you taste this December vintage. The first sip may chill, but a full draught warms and invigorates. No loitering by the brooks or in the woods now, but spirited, rugged walking along the public highway. The sunbeams are welcome now. They seem like pure electricity--like friendly and recuperating lightning. Are we led to think electricity abounds only in summer when we see in the storm clouds, as it were, the veins and orebeds of it? I imagine it is equally abundant in winter and more equable and better tempered. Who ever breasted a snowstorm without being excited and exhilarated, as if this meteor had come charged with the latent aurorae of the North, as doubtless it has? It is like being pelted with sparks from a battery. Behold the frostwork on the pane--the wild, fantastic limnings and etchings! Can there be any doubt but this subtle agent has been here? Where is it not? It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it. When I come in at night after an all-day tramp I am charged like a Leyden jar; my hair crackles and snaps beneath the comb like a cat's back, and a strange new glow diffuses itself through my system.

"It is a spur that one feels at this season more than at any other. How nimbly you step forth! The woods roar, the waters shine, and the hills look invitingly near. You do not miss the flowers and the songsters or wish the trees or the fields any different or the heavens any nearer. Every object pleases. A rail fence, running athwart the hills, now in sunshine and now in shadow--how the eye lingers upon it! Or the straight, light-gray trunks of trees, where the woods have recently been laid open by a road or clearing--how curious they look, and if surprised in undress! Next year they will begin to shoot out branches and make themselves a screen...

"He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer will find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter. It is true the pomp and the pageantry are swept away, but the essential elements remain--the day and the night, the mountain and the valley, the elemental play and succession and the perpetual presence of the infinite sky. In winter the stars seem to have rekindled their fires, the moon achieves a fuller triumph, and the heavens wear a look of more exalted simplicity. Summer is more wooing and seductive, more versatile and human, appeals to the affections and the sentiments, and fosters inquiry and the art impulse. Winter is of a more heroic cast and addresses the intellect. The severe studies and disciplines come easier in winter. One imposes larger tasks upon himself, and is less tolerant of his own weaknesses.

"The tendinous part of the mind, so to speak, is more developed in winter; the fleshy, in summer. I should say winter had given the bone and sinew to literature, summer the tissues and blood."

-from John Burroughs' America: Selections from the Writings of the Naturalist (pg. 122-23)

John Burroughs (L) and John Muir, rockin' out.

Woody the Woodpecker

2010-05-24T23:27:00.009-04:00

My latest project for the Nature Exploration Area at BNC:

This is a pileated woodpecker, painted life-sized (16.5-18", according to various field guides) on a piece of wood salvaged from the tree crew's efforts. You can still see the marks where the chainsaw bit into the soft wood--the surface is therefore much more difficult to paint on than a canvas or panel, but I sand all the pieces first and put on a coat of polycrylic (similar to polyurethane, except water-soluble and non-yellowing), which prevents the paint from being absorbed into the wood so rapidly. I love having the bark as a "frame" of sorts!

Here's a close-up of the face:

I was using a mismatched collection of paints; the red was glossy but all the other colors were matte, which explains why the crest and malar stripe are so shiny--sorry about that!

Chicks and Sticks

2010-03-17T23:12:00.008-04:00

I did this small watercolor as a gift to one of the naturalists at Brookside Nature Center, who recently left in pursuit of higher goals (such as world travel!) I learned a great deal from her in the year that we worked together, and I'll be forever grateful for her tutelage.

This is a Carolina chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) in a Sugar maple tree (Acer saccharum.) The bird is approximately life-sized, around 4" from head to tail, painted in watercolor with gouache highlights on BFK Rives (printmaking paper). I could rhapsodize about the merits of this delicious, cream-colored paper for hours. (It does come in other colors, but this one is the best!) If you ever find yourself in a fine art store, find where they keep it and run your hands over it and you'll see what I mean!

Bluebird and Redbird

2010-03-17T22:26:00.004-04:00

More pieces for the NEA! The cardinal, obviously, is a directional marker, now installed on the path leading up the hill from the nature center.

It doesn't look it, but this tree cookie is massive--a real pain to lug up and down the basement stairs and hill! (You can only get away with rolling the tree cookies when there aren't small children in the way, which, given that it IS a nature center, there usually are!)

The second piece is a bluebird, painted approximately actual size (about 7" from head to tail) on another scrap of wood. This will be mounted, like the owl and the flying squirrels, somewhere in the NEA for a little extra color.

I haven't been doing too much in the way of painting for the NEA, since my current project is digitally coloring those pond brochures I did last year--they're going to be made into signs for a small display down by the pond! I'm having fun exploring Photoshop and using Frans' Wacom tablet, but am still rather baffled by all of it. Nothing beats traditional media!

The Great Front Yard Bird Count

2010-03-07T20:31:00.010-05:00

It's amazing to think that mere weeks ago, the DC-metro area was covered with 3+ feet of snow. This was the view from our front porch:

And here's one of the feeders we have hung from the fruit tree in the front yard. To get an idea of how deep the snow cover was, keep in mind that I whang my head on that feeder on a regular basis. Therefore, it is approximately at least 5 feet off the ground.

Most fortuitously, the Great Backyard Bird Count overlapped part of that snowbound week, and was a great excuse to gaze out the window all day long.

A mourning dove peers at me from his perch in the feeder tree. I love the look of soft little bird-bellies!

As you can see, the blizzards afforded us with plenty of birdwatching opportunities. Not only were we stuck in the house for a week (three days of which we didn't have power, and only survived thanks to the newly-installed woodstove), but the birdies needed plenty of extra sustenance, which I was happy to provide.

Fortunately, CatTV does not require electricity:

(Here Yoda studies the delicious sparrows, as if choosing prime cuts at the deli counter. I always point out that House Sparrows are the most delectable--imported from Europe!)

The only time Yoda and Audrey will tolerate each other's close company is while they're watching Primetime in the front yard. At these moments a sort of peace settles over the household and we all enjoy the sport of birding together, as a family.

By far the coolest bird to grace our front yard with its presence was this hawk, which landed in the red maple in the yard just steps from the front door. (You can bet the cats stopped salivating when they saw it....a raptor makes for no easy snack.)

Excuse the blurry pictures! Understandably, it remains unidentified. (I've asked all the naturalists at Brookside to weigh in, and everyone's still undecided as to whether it's a red-tailed or a red-shouldered hawk.) ID or no, it was still a breathtaking event, and not a bad way to commemorate my first Backyard Bird Count.

Wishing for Warblers

2010-01-24T20:54:00.006-05:00

I've only seen four species of warblers in my life--the palm warbler, the common yellowthroat, the American redstart, and the yellow-rumped warbler. I'm also almost positive that I once observed a magnolia warbler in nonbreeding plumage, but was too inexperienced to make a positive ID then; it's only from my sketches and notes I took at the time that I'm able to deduce the identity.

I started birdwatching less then a year ago, but was quickly enchanted by the charm of these diminutive little songbirds. It's easy to see why birders become infatuated with the group. I'm hoping to brush up on my skills and add many more to my list in the spring. In particular, I would just about die of happiness if I were to see a Blackburnian warbler:

Charcoal pencil and soft pastel on paper.

It's the name that so instantly captivates one while flipping through the index of a field guide, and no one could argue that these are one of the most striking and brilliant of the warblers. Unfortunately they don't too frequently visit my neck of the woods, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I might get lucky enough to see one during the New River Birding and Nature Festival coming up this spring in West Virginia.

More works on wood, in the woods

2010-01-01T15:44:00.014-05:00

A few new installations for the Nature Exploration Area at Brookside Nature Center! These are a pair of plaques that I painted on chunks of red oak that Jenny salvaged from a fallen tree. They're installed in the NEA high off the ground, to simulate where someone might observe a screech owl or flying squirrel in real life.

Here's the Eastern screech owl (gray morph), painted approximately life-sized--about 8" head to tail:

A close-up of the face:

The work-in-progress (note the cool bug holes, probably made by ants):

And here's the pair of Southern flying squirrels. The nature center has a pretty active population of these guys; you can attend flying squirrel programs with the naturalists and have a pretty good chance at seeing these unobtrusive, nocturnal critters. (They are impossibly cute.) These, too, are approximately life-sized (about 5" for the body, 3-4" long tails):

And a side view, to show the neat curve of this particular piece of wood:

Shades of Gray

2009-08-15T22:52:00.003-04:00

Each year in celebration of Earth Day, the Gamblin oil paint company hosts a special contest. Using paint residue scraped out of their "Torit" air filtration system, they blend a limited-edition line of gray paint from the recycled pigments. Since they produce different quantities of each color every year, each year's Torrit Gray blend is different. The ultimate in recycling! Gamblin then hosts a contest challenging artists to make a painting using only Torrit Gray, black, and white. You can check out all the details here, at www.gamblincolors.com.

This is my entry, a portrait of Frans depicting his inner (contemplative) Viking.

And here's the sketch I did underneath:

Usually I don't do anywhere near as detailed an underpainting or drawing, but because the painting was to be monochromatic I wanted to work out the tonal values a bit more thoroughly first. I kind of wish I hadn't painted over it, as it was a better likeness than the painting turned out to be!

Close Encounters of the Bird Kind

2009-08-15T22:04:00.006-04:00

(If I wrote a column for Audubon Magazine, that's exactly what I'd call it! : )

Anyway, here are a few more pieces for the Nature Exploration Area. Basically, we came up with a bucket containing 3-D animal tracks that kids can use to stamp footprints in the sandboxes (actually, they're sand barrels.) In addition to the tracks, the "toolkit" features a key of laminated cards with the animal on one side and a picture of the tracks each one makes on the reverse.

Nothing fancy or too detailed, but I had fun looking at bird photos for reference all the same. (Note that I took the card photos propped up against the phone while stuck at the desk. Very high-tech!)

Merry Christmas! ...8 months late

2009-08-15T21:43:00.007-04:00

...or four months early! (Is the glass half-full or half-empty??)

Obviously these are a few X-mas cards that I intended to send out last year (ambitious, I know) and never got around to mailing. They are for a dog-and-peace-loving couple and a wannabe-philosopher, respectively. (The first features said couple's beloved yellow lab, Haille. Somehow in scanning and re-sizing these I accidentally cut off the words on this one, which read "Haille Krishna.") Better get a jump on this coming holiday season!

Brookside's Nature Exploration Area--Work in Progress

2009-07-12T11:40:00.017-04:00

I think I mentioned this in a previous post, but one of my primary responsibilities at the nature center is working on the new children's playground made of natural materials, dubbed (rather unimaginatively) the "Nature Exploration Area." The NEA features tables and chairs made of tree stumps, a giant bird's nest constructed of twigs, a snake-shaped path fashioned out of stones, and lots of other good stuff.

Details of the above sign:

"Tree cookies" advertising the various features of the NEA:

Happy birthday, mum!

2009-06-08T22:23:00.004-04:00

My mom turned 57 this May! Good lord. :P In honor of her birthday, my boyfriend (Frans), my sister (Simone), and I each drew her a picture of a bird, which we then matted and framed and presented to her (along with crepes and creampuffs.)

Here's the triptych:

Mine was a barn owl, Frans' some unknown bird, and Simone's, a budgerigar.

Close-up of my bird (gouache on BFK Rives paper):

You Don't Gnome Me

2009-06-03T22:27:00.006-04:00

An old sign I created for a display at Pearl Art and Craft. This was intended to supplement a display of Strathmore Artist Trading Cards (ACEO-style). Crayola crayon and pen on printer paper.

A Failure and A Success

2009-05-30T21:51:00.005-04:00

So...there's this neat art website called FecalFace.com, based in San Franscisco, that Frans frequents (and has gotten me into as well.) In addition to featuring various artist interviews and galleries, they run a weekly (well, allegedly weekly) competition called "Free Fridayz", in which they post a topic and request submissions of artwork based around that theme. Pretty much the only rule is that you have to stick the words "fecal face" somewhere in the drawing to verify its authenticity. Sometimes the prizes are great, sometimes they're mediocre, but it's always fun to see peoples' different takes on the same subject.

A few weeks ago the topic was "That Guy", so I whipped up this drawing:

I was pretty happy with how it turned out, and my inking is coming along (though still miserable in comparison to anyone who is serious about inks.) Of course, I got a grand total of TWO votes (one of which was from Frans), and then this gem: "I have to say #6 [my entry]" and then, in the next post, "oops, I meant #7 not #6". Oh, well. :P

I Saw the Sign

2009-05-02T19:11:00.006-04:00

As mentioned in a previous post, I've been doing some artwork for Brookside Nature Center. The latest is a series of small signs to be posted on the way up to the volunteer office to direct potential volunteers where to go (sometimes they overlook the office and end up wandering in the woods :P ) These are painted in acrylic on little wood plaques and are now mounted on the fence-posts leading up to Jenny's office.

Sunflower

Eastern chipmunk

Swallowtail butterfly

Eastern bluebird

Equinerd

2009-05-02T18:56:00.004-04:00

Yup, another pic created for Equine-Ranch! This is the image for the signature I use on the E-R forums. (I'd always imagined my ranch logo would be a horse being beamed up by a flying saucer.) Gouache and pen on Canson Montval w/c paper.

Seasons at the Pond

2009-05-01T21:39:00.012-04:00

Back in January of this year, I started volunteering as a naturalist aide at Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park. While almost everyone in the DC area knows and is fond of Brookside Gardens, which features such attractions as an annual orchid show and the Wings of Fancy butterfly display, the nature center--located right smack next to the gardens--frequently gets overlooked. However, in my opinion, BNC's miles of wooded trails, observation boardwalks, excellent birdwatching opportunities, and diverse programs make it a far more interesting destination! Many of the programs offered are aimed at kids, but there are plenty of adult trips and activities as well. I fell in love with the place at first sight, and find working there to be a far more rewarding experience than any paid job I've ever had.

A month or so after I started, the volunteer coordinator (a wonderful naturalist named Jenny Aley; I highly recommend anyone with even a passing interest in volunteering contact her!) suggested that I help develop some brochures depicting the nature center's pond. Each was intended to illustrate what types of flora and fauna can be found there in different seasons. So far, winter and spring have been finished (with the next two obviously forthcoming.) Take a look! (The back side of each pamphlet features information about featured animals and plants.)

Spring:

Depicted here are (left to right): Alder catkins (close-up); red fox pair and kits; American robin on nest (close-up of eggs); whitetail deer and fawn; mourning cloak butterflies (close-up); Canada goose pair on nest; green frog with eggs (top half of circle); American toad with eggs (bottom half of circle); bluegill; common snapping turtle; mallard duck family; brown bullhead catfish pair with eggs.

Winter:

And here we have (left to right): whitetail deer buck; male pileated woodpecker (close-up); Canada geese; red fox; whitetail deer and red fox tracks (close-up); male mallard duck; Eastern chipmunk; bluegill; common snapping turtle; brown bullhead catfish; green frog (close-up).

Swing by Brookside Nature Center and pick up a free copy! :)

A Wee Post

2009-01-11T00:00:00.005-05:00

Just a small update: I am not ashamed to admit that I am addicted to an online horse role-playing game called Equine-Ranch. Incorporating true-to-life scenarios and genetics, one is able to breed and show horses of any of breed, while steering clear of such obstacles as an unnamed genetic disorder, diseases such as Equine Infectious Anemia, and high inbreeding coefficients. Far more advanced than any other horse SIM, I highly recommend this game to anyone who has ever been interested in genetics and/or dreamed of having their own horse breeding outfit.

That being said, I created this picture for a fellow E-R player in exchange for a custom horse in the game. It's pen and watercolor on w/c paper, with chalk pastel highlights:

OMG PONIES

2008-12-01T23:04:00.000-05:00

Been on a horse drawing kick lately (no surprise there), so I decided to give my new watercolors a shot on some small head studies. I don't have much watercolor experience, as I used to consider it too fussy (instantly conjuring up images of old ladies and hackneyed, saccharine flower still-lifes) but, of course, it's really an ideal medium for illustration. In general I think these turned out all right--the Fjord and the Paint are my favorites.

Anyone who has Dorling-Kindersley's "The New Encyclopedia of the Horse" by Elwyn Hartley Edwards will probably recognize the photo references. I used to check out this book from the library when I was in middle school for as many consecutive sessions as possible; this was probably contemporaneous with an incident in which I somehow racked up $115 in overdue-book fines and had to ditch my library card. Point being, it's an incredible and invaluable reference for any horse enthusiast. All the horses are from this book, except for the Paint horse and the Arab, whose pictures I found on the Internet.

Bartman Workshop

2008-11-22T22:56:00.000-05:00

Back in October, I attended a landscape painting workshop in Delaware, taught by Walt Bartman Sr. His son, W.M. Bartman III, was my studio art teacher at Poolesville High School, and I have been lucky enough to take classes with both of them at the Yellow Barn Studio and Gallery in Glen Echo. Bartman Senior is always jetting off to exotic locales to teach workshops on location, and his classes aren't cheap, so I figured that this was the perfect opportunity to get his fantastic tutelage and insight at a more manageable price.

The class of about 15 participants consisted entirely of well-to-do middle-aged ladies (and myself). This is the first painting I completed, in oils, after the first morning's lecture at the Rehoboth Art League. At the edge of the Art League's property there was this little marina encircled by a marsh. I didn't have an easel so I sat down on the pier and painted the only view I had that wasn't obscured by reeds. As I worked, droves of Great Blue Herons and American Egrets flew over--I'd never realized that they are migratory, nor that they can travel in flocks of more than two individuals.

Unfortunately, halfway through the painting, I accidentally knocked the lid of my Silicoil tank into the water, and scrambled along the rocks for ten minutes or so in a desperate attempt to catch it. Alas, it floated out to ultimately meet the wide open ocean.

Nevertheless, this is my favorite painting of the whole trip. I think it's because I used a recycled canvas that had been painted over several times, and therefore it had a really nice textured surface that was excellent for getting some more impasto techniques.

After a short break, we all reconvened at the Art League for a quick sunset painting. This time, I switched to pastels, thinking they'd be better for capturing the immediacy of the sinking sun. We set up at the same marina that I'd painted that afternoon, but before long a new problem emerged: huge swarms of midges, apparently drawn by the odor of the paint (or perhaps just the presence of warm, sweaty bodies) blackened the air like smog. I was crouched under a stand of tall reeds and subsequently avoided the worst of the onslaught; but one lady emerged from the experience with literally thousands of the unfortunate creatures stuck to her painting, as if someone had shaken poppyseeds all over her canvas. It was actually pretty fantastic.

The next day we painted in the historic town of Lewes (pronounced, vexingly, "Lew-is", thanks to the Dutch colonists). I ended up with a godawful painting that will be painted over, but the afternoon was somewhat more successful. We gathered at a pristine marsh outside of town and spent four or five hours painting there. I had bought an eight-dollar easel at Michael's by this point, and though it was pretty much useless for anything other than falling over, I was able to embed its legs firmly in the rich, black marsh mud (and therefore keep it upright long enough to finish the painting above.) As you can see, I am still struggling with keeping the foliage and grasses from looking too solid, and the close-up shot has way better composition. I'll probably go back and retouch this one at home.

However, I still had a fantastic time because, #1, I was standing barefoot in the middle of this glorious mud flat and it was just a wonderful tactile experience, and #2, all around my feet there were tiny fiddler crabs scurrying back and forth. Whenever I needed a break, I got down on my hands and knees and watched them dashing sideways, grappling with one another, and feeding themselves with their dextrous little claws. I also discovered that they seem equally likely to be left- or right- clawed. At one point, I came across the BIGGEST crab hole I have EVER seen in my life; it was literally bigger than a silver dollar in diameter, whereas all the normal-sized holes are generally only a centimeter or two wide. I couldn't resist taking a blade of grass and poking it in there, trying to get a glimpse of what must've been a massive mutant crustacean. Presently, a MONSTER claw appeared and waved threateningly at me, but I couldn't manage to entice the owner out of his cozy hole. I guess some monsters are best left alone.

On Saturday morning the class, which by now had dwindled in size to about 10 students, met at Gordon's Pond, a beautiful part of Cape Henlopen State Park. By this point, Mr. Bartman had cottoned on to my preference for painting on warm-toned canvases (primarily red ones), and challenged me to make a blue underpainting on white canvas and go from there. Of course, this experience was torturous, because I was way out of my comfort zone. However, it really helped me to rethink my color selection and layering. I'm not at all fond of the finished product (even though it's clearly unfinished, of course), but I appreciate Mr. Bartman pushing me to try something new.

That afternoon we had a class critique, which is always beneficial, back at the Art League. Afterwards we again trooped out to the marsh to paint the sunset, and again, I chose to work in pastel. Mr. Bartman had encouraged me to focus on making my work less dark, and therefore I tried to keep this one lighter and less heavy-handed than I usually do. I think it turned out all right--in fact, it's probably one of the better works of the trip. For the record, I really, really, REALLY adore soft pastels.

The last day of the trip, Sunday, was optional. Mr. Bartman had been dying to paint the "big purple house" in downtown Lewes, so we all met there in the morning. I didn't find the house (which is actually a spa) a particularly engaging subject, so I set off to explore the other options. Finally, I came across this scene just out of town. There was this huge cement bridge towering over a defunct train track, which had old-fashioned railroad crossing signs (no high-tech flashing lights or moving barricades to prevent you from driving into the path of an oncoming train. It must have been a lot easier to die back in the olden days.)

This piece was done in pastel as well. I got frustrated with the space above the bridge and actually folded the paper over so that no sky was visible above it, but Frans advised me that the composition was far better, and more open, with the sky included. He was right, of course, although this one needs some more work as well.

All in all, it was a fantastic experience. I highly respect Mr. Bartman as a painter and as a teacher. Actually, he and his son (W.M. Bartman III) and grandson (Bartman IV--who is now three or four) are having a show this coming weekend at the Yellow Barn (Link). Definitely check it out if you're in the area!

First Attempt at Pastels

2008-11-22T19:39:00.000-05:00

In high school I dicked around a little with chalk pastels, but somehow never quite warmed to the medium. This past summer, however, Frans gave me a set of Rembrandt soft pastels and I decided to give them another chance. We sell this incredible stuff at Pearl called Colorfix paper, which has a surface almost exactly like that of fine-toothed sandpaper and is really extraordinary for working on with pastels. The only drawback is that it's like nine bucks a sheet *cries* But somehow I happened upon a few pieces, and was really, really thrilled with the texture.

Here's my first go with the pastels--I think this was the middle or end of August. I was driving around in Poolesville and Hyattstown, and after an hour of searching I still hadn't found the "perfect" spot to set up and draw. Finally I arrived at the little four-way stop at the bottom of Sugarloaf Mountain, and took the only road I'd never been down before. After a few miles of winding through the woods, the trees on my right opened up to this wonderful vista of "Foulger-Pratt Farm." A hand-painted sign propped up against a tree proclaimed "Miniature Horses for Sale!", so I knew this was the perfect place. (I never saw any horses, though, not even normal-sized ones.)

As you can probably tell, this is still a work in progress. I made the mistake, as I guess a lot of novice pastel painters do, of adding too much detail across the entire piece. It needs some definite refinement. But, at any rate, I immediately fell in love with soft pastels and couldn't wait to experiment with them further.

This is my second attempt at pastelling (why they call working with pastels "painting", I'll never know. I think "smudging" would be a much more appropriate term.) Like the first time, it took me a while to find just the right location to set up and get to work. I actually drove down to Annapolis on this day, and finally came across this quiet little dock where I plunked down and "painted." The neatest part was that when I first walked onto the little pier, there was a crab pot tied to the side, and inside were two little snakes curled up with their heads sticking out above the water. Little minnows swam in and out of the cage, seemingly unperturbed by, or oblivious to, these potential predators.

Again, there are a lot of flaws in this one--the trees on the right, for example, are way too solid, and the water past the reeds in the foreground doesn't recede enough. When I was about two-thirds of the way through, I was staring down at the drawing for a few moments, and when I looked up again, the tide had started to rush in. In a matter of minutes, it seemed, all the land and reeds in the foreground were almost completely submerged, and the boat in the distance was pointing the other direction! Consequently, I had to fudge some of the details. Still, I had a lot of fun being out on the shore and chatting with the boaters who passed by.

The Beautification of Pearl

2008-11-22T17:45:00.000-05:00

For the past year and half, I have been resigned to working at Pearl Art and Craft in Rockville. This has its perks, some of which include employee discounts, VIP trash-scrounging opportunities, and--best of all--the ability to draw (and get paid for it) under the guise

of creating promotional signs for the store. Here's the best of the bunch.

This was the very first, done with Sharpie and, of course, Crayola crayons.

This is probably my favorite sign to date, and also the most time-intensive. It is a collaborative effort with Frans Boukas of Thor Thursdays and Sugarboukas Comics. I di

d the preliminary sketch and initial inking, at which point Frans was so appalled by my line work that he commandeered the piece and added all the fantastic pustules and furrows that give it so much character, along with the gnarly plaque on the teeth. Afterward, he handed it back to me for coloring.

Here is the finished result, which was colored with cheap watercolors. The plaque spelling out the words "Foam Core" is now clearly evident, and this sign currently hangs over the paper department and terrorizes small children.

This one was created for a new soapmaking display. It was the first time I'd played around with watercolor pencils, as Frans had recently bequeathed me a set. The unfortunate seafarer is named Captain Josiah Scurvy.

This is another one of my favorites, done in regular colored pencil on black mounting board. I had a blast doing all the fleshy bits on the fish.

My boss, Ruth, somehow entrusted me with decorating the downstairs display windows. Initially I was excited about this, but after the fifty-seventh time of knocking over the embossing powders and glitter (massive craft supply landslide) and banging my head on the defunct light bulbs, I'd grown a little disillusioned. More fun was making these guys--a crafty fox and artsy peacock--to decorate the background.

Frans and I felt we hadn't seen enough of the foam core monster, so here he is featured in a Back to School promotional sign. Yes, I know it actually says "Back School Sale." Yes, this was pointed out to me by a five-year-old after it had been on display for several weeks.

Last up is a Headless Horseman, completed for the October sale's window display. Like the candlemaking fish, it's done in colored pencil on black mounting board.