I am posing here in black and white with my colored pencils - I was probably about five years old. They were wonderful - the nice, rich colored, waxy kind. I wouldn't use crayons, in fact I actually felt sorry for the kids that didn't know the pleasure of owning a big set of beautiful pencils. I have never been a colored pencil artist, but those "sticks" of wonderful colors are nice to have in my life. You can still buy these (and I do) in sets or individually.
My bike, my doll house, and my colored pencils were the outstanding possessions of my childhood. I don't care for bike riding anymore (we live up a hill!), my doll house is in the attic, but my colored pencils are still with me! I just bought a couple sets of Pitt Brush Pens - very colorful - and like the pencils, they are just nice to look at whether I am using them or not. Of course, using them is what it's all about.
Look at those bangs!

Just finished this watercolor. It is an 11 X 15 of another Mackinac Island Street. Can you tell I am thinking summer? Other paintings of Mackinac Island are here and here. The thought of going to Mackinac Island right now is chilling - literally. You wouldn't catch me driving a snow mobile across the straits on the ice. Well, I don't own a snowmobile, but. . .
Today I am starting an 8 X 10 watercolor on clayboard. It is a larger version of a scene I posted previously.

And Speaking of Color . . .
(Which I was in the previous post)

This is another sketchbook page with some drawings of the little Altoids Chewing Gum Tin paint palette that I made. I just fastened in some empty half-pans and filled them with tube paints. Don't ask me why it has to be this small - just 'cause. This isn't original, I saw it someplace on the web, and now I am seeing all kinds of small containers being used. The half-pans aren't that easy to find - I found these at Daniel Smith, but in a larger city they might be available at art supply stores.

Okay. I need to post something. I want the whole world to know I have been working. Yes, I want the whole world to know, but I will settle for the few people that visit here daily.
This is my first sketch in my new Moleskine (mole-a-SKEEN-a) sketchbook. I am still trying to find the best way to get color on the pages. They are pretty slick and watercolor beads up. Colored pencil and watercolor pencil work pretty well, but . . .

A Summer Still Life. This was actually a summer set up for a class. I started the painting as a demo, but I rarely finish demos in class because I don't want to cut in on the participants' painting time. I will get things started and then do demonstrations as needed and requested. So - I lived with this for a few months, concentrating on it every now and then, trying to determine what to do with the background. I have a little streptocarpella (!!!) plant blooming and it seemed like the perfect thing to just kind of fill in that middle space. I set up the pots, bowls, etc. again and finished it up with some stronger shadows and the little purple plant. Even though it is a still life very much like I would do in the winter, it brought back the bright feeling of summer and the wonderful group of talented women in the Thursday morning summer class. This was actually set up "in the round" on a table outside.

My mind is going a hundred miles an hour. Think how much one misses at that speed! Some people consider winter in Northern Michigan "down time", but I think of it more as breathing room. However, I am beginning to hyperventilate. There are so many things I want to do - such as update my bio, keep up with my financial database, get a new batch of notecards printed up, finish a decent sized painting per week, do a couple of small paintings per week, draw every day, get things lined up for summer so there are no surprises or missed opportunities (heaven forbid), do two workshops this winter, etc. . . I'm sure you get the picture. I'm sure you are all going through the same thing in one way or another - or several ways.

With all this, there is still a calm and peaceful feeling about this time of year. I have always liked winter in this area because of the low expectations. In the summer you are expected to do whatever it takes to get things done in the very short season, and it gets crazy ( I LOVE that craziness). In the winter everything moves at a slower pace and you never know when you might be snowed in.

What's my point? There is none. But I am working on the paintings, I am drawing every day, I am teaching three classes a week. Having said that, I guess I had better show you a painting per week, and I will post a drawing now and then. I have a stack of some pretty bad drawings, but I do have a stack. I have been giving myself permission to do bad drawings with a fat pen. I just want to keep that pen moving. I want to get that drawing information into my brain, and it slows things down for awhile so I can breath normally again.

Mackinac Island

We have some new, fresh snow, very cold. A good day to be working on this painting from a sketch I did on Mackinac Island in the summer. Sometimes when I have spent the night - or several - on the Island, I can still hear the clomp of the horses hooves and hear the buoy bells at night in my own bed after I return. So . . . okay, don't tell anybody that.

This is a watercolor, 11 X 15. It is the view of the walk back toward town from Mission Point Resort. I just love the old trees along here.

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If you like watercolor, sketching, keeping a journal, or just escaping from everyday life for awhile, I think you'll enjoy the book. If it doesn't inspire you to paint or journal, I hope it encourages you to relax!

For Illustration Friday
February 10th.

I set this apple out as a very SIMPLE subject for my watercolor students to paint using various triads. When the class left, I sketched it using just pencil. The leaves were brownish green and dry. I think they look like they could twirl and the apple would take off.

I have had the desire lately to use a larger brush (a #38 round) and just splash around in some juicy colors. I had been working on some small things, so when a friend came over to paint yesterday with this still life, I decided to do some watercolor on gessoed paper. Gesso is a canvas primer, and when watercolor paper is painted with it, it resists the water, causing the pigments to float on the surface until it has dried. It is very forgiving - the good news and the bad news. If you aren't happy with some part of the painting, you can just wipe it off and paint it again. However, when you go over an area with subsequent layers, the previous layers of pigment are disturbed or lifted.

It's a good way to use up paper you don't like, or even paint over old paintings you don't ever want to see again.

This is a small painting of our back door that will frame up 8 X 10. I did it from a sketch I had done a couple of years ago. The original sketch (far left) was done in ink and colored pencil.

I'm going to package up the matted painting, a box of my notecards, an autographed copy of my book, and a hand painted bookmark as my donation to The Women's Resource Auction to be held later this month.

I find that I am always much happier with the paintings I do (large or small) from sketches rather than photographs. My sketches have captured only what I want and are already simplified. They are ready and waiting to become paintings.

This is my first time participating in Illustration Friday.
The subject this week is chairs - one of my all-time favorites. This is a small painting that was originally done in my watercolor journal and then used as an illustration in my book, A Petoskey Watercolor Journal.

SPOONS
For some reason I am currently fascinated with the drawing, foreshortening, and shading of spoons.

When we were doing small personal still lifes in my watercolor class, one of my students always brought in a spoon to place with her other objects. She either didn't know how hard they are to render or she was confident of her skills. Whichever the case, she did a beautiful job with them.

So - I guess that's what got me interested in spoons. I plan to study them for awhile, hopefully move up to something fancier!

I am offering a drawing class beginning Feb. 14th, '06.

Finished, I think.
Here is the painting I did from the sketch I posted back on January 5th.

This is a sketch I did with Koh-I-Noor Gioconda Artists' Lead and watercolor.
I set up this simple little still life with a painting friend using the cardboard box idea again. I really don't have that down, and I can't find the website where I read about it. Well, whether we are doing it right or wrong, it does add some extra drama to the lighting.

Another painting friend gave me these leads and the holder - they are big fat leads that go in a big fat holder. Not knowing that it is water soluble, I did the sketch on lightweight sketchbook paper. Being a watercolor painter, I just couldn't keep my hands off those brushes - had to see what a little water would do with the lead. So, of course, then I had to add a little color. It was fun, although I don't feel it is a good finished product. If I were to get serious about the combination of Gioconda Lead and watercolor, I would use Arches 140 hot press (smooth) watercolor paper.

But it isn't all about a finished product. It's about experimentation, planning a little (sometimes a lot), discovery, excitement, satisfaction in the moment. The journey - it's all about the journey.

Happy New Year!
I have been away from the blog awhile. Which also means I haven't painted in awhile, but hey, we all need a break now and then to refuel our creativity, right? If not painting for awhile refuels one's creativity, then why is it so hard to get started again? Trust me - the secret to being productive and creative is to keep the momentum going - not taking a break. But I must say here that the break was FUN - lots of family around, and that was wonderful!

So here I go! The thought of winter still lifes can be rather boring and non-inspiring, but I think we have to realize it is the lighting, colors, and composition that make it fun - not just the objects. Maybe not even the objects at all. We have all done oranges and pears. This white pitcher has been in my paintings previously. For something new - I found the tall skinny bottle at a second hand shop recently, and a friend that knows I love anything with blue and white stripes just brought me the dish towel. What I am finding compelling about doing this painting is the lighting. I set it up in a cardboard box and angled a bright light on it. I did this sketch so I could see just the strong values (lights and darks) - they are harder to spot with a colorful palette in front of you and in the "frenzy" of painting. Besides, I may eat some of the fruit for my lunch.

I'll keep you updated on the progress of the painting. It isn't going to be very large - a quarter sheet (11 X 15).

Finished and shipped!
I started this in the Fall, but since it wasn't the only thing I was trying to finish or prepare for, it didn't get done for quite awhile. Since the clients need it for Christmas, it has been the current thing on my agenda. In a couple of previous posts I showed the beginning stages of this painting.

It is almost my last painting commitment before Christmas. All I have left is to pack up some cards that someone is picking up tomorrow. That, of course, isn't a painting commitment - it's just a little chore.

My two watercolor classes are doing great! We have been working on "personal still lifes" (or is it lives). Everyone brings in a few objects (or goes around my house and studio picking up a few things) and sets them up in a pleasing arrangement in front of them. They've been working on composition and working in a comparatively large scale on a small piece of paper - filling the paper and running off the edges. They are all coming up with some great shapes and textures - nice little paintings!

Now I will begin to relax and get started on family Christmas preparations. Well - I don't know about the "relax" part - it is December 15th after all and we haven't done the tree and my shopping is barely started and. . . . It is all fun stuff. It'll be fine.

This is the view from my studio window this morning,
Tuesday, Dec. 6th.

I had a nice surprise in my in-box this morning - a student informed me that she had forwarded my blog to http://www.jmgartblog.com/ and there in the Nov. 14th entry was one of my paintings and a nice review of my blog! It even mentioned my book. Thanks!!!

I am still working on small paintings. I read on someone's blog a day or so ago that quantity can lead to quality. Makes sense - practice makes perfect. Keep those pencils and/or brushes moving!!!


Last Friday I met with some friends to paint, critique, look at art books, and just see what we have all been working on. Of course we ate some muffins, lunch, chocolate . . .

There are two things that I just can't stress enough: one - have a space of YOUR OWN for doing your art - a place where you can leave it out. If you have to put it away every time you eat or someone is coming over, you will not get it out again! If you can leave it out, it will "call" to you, and you will be ten times more creative. Even if it is on a little cart that you can push out of the way, have it ready and waiting. The other thing is find yourself a support group - or a "support friend" Someone you can paint with. Someone who validates what you do!!! I think this is true in all aspects of life, but ART is what I do, so that is where I want my support and validation.

Okay - that's my lecture for the day. I am starting a new watercolor class in the morning. I have a full class signed up and I'm rarin' to go. Hope they are too. Sometimes I have a little stage fright when I am doing a new class, but think how the new students must feel when it is their first watercolor class! I'll be nice to them. Some of the students aren't new, but I'll be nice to them too.

I have been working on some very small paintings for the past couple of days. These are about 4 X 6 watercolors, matted 8 X 10. They are fun to do and go very fast. Makes me feel like I am really accomplishing something - especially if the mats are already cut. AND the fact that I need some small things for Christmas sales. . . .

Now back to unfinished work.
Awhile ago I showed you the sketch for a commission I am working on. I put it aside to work on a few other things, but I thought you might be interested in seeing the progress - slow but sure.
Besides, whether you are interested or not - it makes me feel accountable to think someone MIGHT be watching.

The owners of the cottage think it feels a little menacing, hovering up on that hill, so I have changed the horizon line a little to bring our viewpoint up. I wanted to keep the hill - just not quite as steep.

Another Finished Painting!
This is a View of The Straits from Mackinac Island. It's a half sheet (15 X 22) watercolor.

Finally - I have something to post! I have just finished this half sheet watercolor.




I worked from photographs, a watercolor journal sketch, and then a pencil sketch to work out the values (lights and darks) and the composition.

I thought you might be interested in seeing these, so I posted them also. As you may be able to see from the photograph, I made quite a departure from the original scene. Well, maybe not so much from the scene as the overall mood. I took the photo and did the journal painting in the evening because I was very attracted to the lighting and the "feel" of the place at that time of day. However when I began to work on the sketch for the final painting, I really started thinking summer - just really didn't want to let it go yet, I guess, and I wanted to show more water. Maybe someday I will do it again and try to capture the evening mood of it, but for now I am very happy with the sunshine and blue-green water of a summer afternoon.

I haven't posted anything in so long, that even though this is a very small painting, I have to show you that I have been doing something.


I have been working on some larger things that I will post soon. The problem isn't that I haven't been painting - it's that I haven't finished anything!

Back to painting water and sky - well at least a little water. This is a very small canvas - 8X8, acrylic. It is pouring rain and I am thinking about our classes at Spring Lake Park. I haven't had my fill of water and sky and the season is over. Well, we have our memories and sketches and photographs.


Spring Lake Park - What a nice place to paint.

Warming up a little this morning with some peppers.

If you were in my drawing class last night, you have probably seen enough peppers.

I am off to the drawing board to finish up the full size sketch for the current commission I am doing. (See previous post)

If you are reading this - stop now and go draw something!!!

This is the rough sketch of a commission I am working on. I have some adjustments to do on the perspective on the front - especially the porch - at the top of the steps. That line should go down toward the right a little.

I will enlarge the sketch, transfer it to the watercolor paper, and get busy painting! Stay tuned.

Can we take one more geranium?

This is watercolor on canvas - just for fun. It is a 5 X 5 inch canvas, 1 1/2 inches deep and primed with "watercolor stuff".

This is another watercolor done on clayboard.

It didn't scan too well - I think clayboard has too much texture for the scanning process and the subtleties of shading get washed out. I will try photographing it a little later.

By the way, did I explain what clayboard is http://www.ampersandart.com/products/h_products/cbtext.html

Here is the sketch I did out at Kauffman's Flower Farm on Friday.

I needed to get some more darks in there and do the ink. A little over the top with busy-ness, but oh well. It was fun and that's what it's all about!!!

Then we drove back down State Road to Kauffman's Flower Farm.

What a beautiful place! These sketches were actually painted a couple weeks ago when we went up there. It was hot and overcast, but yesterday was sunny, and the colors were just amazing. I didn't finish my paintings enough to post - but I will!

Had a wonderful day of journal painting yesterday. We started out in the garden of Three Pines Gallery in Cross Village.

Trying to decide if this is finished.

This is watercolor (right) on clayboard 14 X 11, taken from a journal page done on location a couple of days ago.

I really think I like the original sketch better. It is much fresher. The larger watercolor seems a little stiff in comparison. Hmmm . . . what have we learned here. I don't know - nothing yet. Have to think about it.

I am in the painting frenzy mode!

And I love it. It feels so good.

This is the painting I started at Harbor Cove the last day of our Water and Sky classes. Thanks, Ginny for having us all out there to paint. It was an absolutely beautiful day. We had a great time watching the sky and water do its thing for three hours. It was constantly changing making painting a bit of a challenge - but that's what we like, right? Everyone did a great job!!!

Now I am working on clayboard doing a watercolor from a sketch I did in my journal a couple of nights ago. This clayboard thing is fun. Stay tuned.

I'm STILL working on the class mailer for heaven's sake! I have the emails sent out and am getting replies, but am still doing the post cards. Don't anybody ask me what I've been doing - I'm embarrassed to say I AM STILL WORKING ON THE POST CARDS. But I said it anyway, didn't I.

Please check out www.catherinecarey.blogspot.com for class info. And, hey! Sign up for a class!

This week marked the end of my summer classes for 2005.

I hated to see them end - however, I don't know if I could keep up the pace all year. Now I will have to go through that transition of BUSY AND SCHEDULED to just busy and scheduled. Well - a little scheduled. I know I need some structure, but let's not over-do it.

I just love all of the people I interacted with all summer. I get very attached to them although I have a terrible time remembering who is in what class.

I have a commission to get going on, and I have a zillion paintings in my head.
For the past few days I have been getting my Fall Class mailer ready to go. It is so time consuming. I used to do just a flyer, now I do a post card, email, and a website. I don't think it takes any longer to do than it did to lay out a flyer.