When Sophie is happy she can dance

...and I will sit and come when I'm supposed to...most of the time.

Well, it seems I'm in luck because of Section 2.2 of the Bylaws of the Condominium Association which states that only the Board of Directors can manage and enforce condo rules. It just so happens, that mom and I live in the largest unit on the top floor with my good friend Jerry, who is a member of the board and happens to be the majority owner in the building. So for now, I am safe—whew! But lately, I have been reprimanded when barking at the mean neighbor. Mom even swatted my behind this morning—OUCH!

When I heard the news, I stood on my hind legs and flapped my front paws up and down. You see, I am part Bichon Frise and we can do that. It works especially well when I do it in a store because they will usually give me a treat.

I'm off to take a nap...

Busted

We live in downtown Portland on the top floor of a building with nine condos. Our neighbor across the hall has written to the condo association citing Sophie as being a "vicious menace". When he lectured me on the street in front of the building about the condo rules and vicious dogs, all 13 lbs of Sophie was standing on her hind legs smiling at him and trying to get him to notice her. He didn't, so now she barks at him...a little.

She just got a haircut the other day. I dropped off a cute white shaggy dog and I picked up a dog that looks like a she is in her underwear. I think she may be taking her bad hair days out on our neighbor...a little.

Of course, if she goes, I go!

DSFDF challenge—Man resting on metal chair

I started working on the recent Different Strokes from Different Folks challenge from Karin Jurick, in between an apartment renovation and an illustration job. Jumping from one task to another, there were times when I would totally ignore "The Man" as I began to call him. I would come back and find the paint would be dry on both the painting and the palette. I would then have to start over and rework and it was getting frustrating. I finally had to stop the madness and say "I'm done" because it was taking too much time and I was running out of time! He looks younger than the man in the photograph, but who doesn't like that!

CSN in concert

At the last minute we decided to go to the Crosby, Stills and Nash a few blocks up from where we live. I had not seen them since 1997 and it was as wonderful as it was 12 years ago. Not surprising, the audience (and the performers) had gray hair and clearly have been fans since Woodstock, like me. We were in the second section back from the stage and the lights were dim, so I was sketching by stage-lights.

"I almost cut my hair"

"I've been around the world"

"It appears to be a long time"

Stephan stills on the electric guitar.

"Stop, hey what's that sound, everyone look what going down"

Thank you and "Carry On" Crosby, Stills and Nash

A weekend in Northeast Harbor

Friday—drive to Northeast—Sunny.

Saturday—FOGGY ALL DAY.

Sunday—drive back to Portland—Sunny.

We stayed at a friend's summer home on top of a hill overlooking Northeast Harbor on the left and Southwest Harbor on the right on beautiful Mt Desert Island. The fog rolled in on Friday night as I started to sketch while we grilled fish and sipped Prosecco.

Having breakfast in their wonderful country kitchen before starting out to enjoy a day in the fog.

Back home resting from a busy weekend.

For Sale—"Virtual Open House"—Dining room

Suzanne Cabrera launched a "virtual open house" challenge to draw our living space or favorite moment in our home. Like her, I have a love of mid-century modern homes and furniture design. A few years ago, I renovated my first ranch style home complete with George Nelson Bubble lamp over the dining room table. When the house sold, the light went with the new owners. Some crazy rule about things that are attached...

I then bought a 1958 beat up old ranch (what a dump) and renovated it using Joseph Eichler and Cliff May as my inspiration for the open-floor plan redesign which included triangular and trapezoid shaped windows and an addition that wrapped around an inclosed courtyard. I bought a Nelson Bench and clock, an Eames chair and a Nogucchi lamp. I even found an old beat-up Eames plywood coffee table from a yard sale that I refinished.

Today, my beautiful renovated ranch is rented and will be for sale, because I live in Indonesia so much of the time. Unfortunately, the wonderful furniture is all in storage except for that 5' Nogucchi lamp that I have managed to wedge into the corner of my tiny studio room.

Going out...again

This seems to be what one does when one lives in the heart of a city. I usually manage to find a small space at a table for my sketchbook and paints, though like last night it can be a little crowded. It was hard to find space with four of us at a small table, wine and water glasses, focaccia bread and tapas. So amongst the chaos, I did this small sketch while holding my sketch book while I ate, drank and chatted. Serious multitasking!

Getting to know my garden

I own an old Victorian house that was built in 1890. It sits along a street of old victorians with panoramic views of Portland, Maine. It is a two unit house and we are renovating the downstairs. This renovation is taking time away from any drawing or painting because I am at either at Lowes looking at lighting and paint colors or online investigating cabinets. I did this quick sketch of the sweet little garden at the end of the driveway, while waiting for the plumber.

She sleeps a lot...

...I envy her.

Hang on

Last night, we attended a wedding on a Casco Bay ferry. As the perfectly beautiful day wore on, the wind kicked up and by the time we were getting ready to leave clouds were forming, the barometer was dropping and we could see white caps out on the bay. This was clearly going to be a bad hair night. We settled on coats but still wore flip-flips. As the ferry started down the ship channel, the horizon was going up and down as we all took a slightly wider stance to steady ourselves and our drinks. The skipper ended up taking us in amongst the islands where it was less choppy, but as I sketched Pumpkin Knob island that horizon was still going up and down. It was a unique and wonderful wedding despite the slightly inclement weather.

Congratulations Steve and Holly.

daily • dog • draw

More than half of most of my sketch books are filled with drawings of my dog, Sophie. I have used just about every possible paper, pens, pencils and paints to capture her "cuteness". Although, I by no means hold a candle to Roz Stendahl's 43 volumes of sketches of her dog Dottie which she calls the Daily Dots, I find the same satisfaction in this daily habit of drawing my sweet dog. Both Sophie and drawing are such an important part of my life that is such a gift to be able to combine them. It doesn't get much better than that. Thanks Roz for your inspiration.

fast food/fast paint

I can honestly say I have never eaten McDonald's food. I have occasionally faked like I was going to eat there to use the restroom on a road trip or I would buy a water so I wouldn't feel guilty, but it's the truth...no Big Mac's...ever. Doing the "dreaded errands around town", I happened to drive past the local McDonald's and liked the design and colors of the yellow arches and the wires against the blue sky so I did a quick oil sketch on a piece of masonite.

Another painting for the dumb painting box.

Full moon fever

We went to visit friends at their cottage on the beach a few days ago. It was a wonderful sunny day, which we haven't seen much of since returning to Maine, so we were able to take a long walk along the wide stretch of Old Orchard Beach. After dinner, a beautiful pink full moon rose over the ocean in a cobalt blue sky. Of course, I got up from the table and ran down to the beach for a closer look at this beautiful sight. And then the next day, it started raining again...

DSFDF challenge—Rower on Lake Michigan

Yesterday, I dragged out my oils after almost a year. I had to go into the "way back machine" to get the oil painting process going again as I spent the afternoon muddling through the latest Different Strokes from Different Folks challenge from Karin Jurick. I kept thinking this is going to be way too hard as I stared at the reflections in the water and the figure in the boat in the photograph she posted. My next thought was to maybe wait for the next challenge and go take a run". The fog and drizzle we have been experiencing here in Maine deterred me from that distraction, so I squeezed out the paint and gave it a try. Though it seems a bit stiff, I am pleased to have finished and got up the nerve to send it to Karin to post with the others.

Distractions

Since returning from the Charles Reid workshop a week ago I haven't even gone into my teeny tiny studio or anywhere else for that matter to paint. I actually haven't unpacked the totebags filled with all the supplies I dragged with me to Vermont and some stuff is still in the car. I have been busy doing other very important things that have demanded my immediate attention. 

Distraction #1 I can convince myself that a 4 mile run or 8 mile beach walk means I am too tired to do anything like draw or paint.

Distraction #2 I love dragging an armful of books and magazines around so when I find that perfect place to curl up, I have choices. I can read one or parts of each. I usually have an eclectic choice of art books, design magazines, some kind of informational non-fiction to slog through and a fun beach read. This is my current pile. I also think if I read about art it counts because I think about what I am going to draw or paint. It does count!

Distraction #3 I used to sew all the time in another place and time in my life. Now I use the sewing machine to mend and redesign clothes I don't wear anymore. I beat myself up a bit for buying the darn thing in the first place and then I look for the hidden potential that will not make my impulsive buy so hard to swallow. I will cut off legs or sleeves, add lace or fringe, change buttons, rip, bleach, embroider, shorten, lengthen or anything else to give it another chance and make it fun and wearable. If that doesn't work it goes to the Goodwill. My mother says I have been doing this forever.

More distractions to come...

Charles Reid workshop—The final day

Our fifth and final workshop day was suppose to be plein air painting, but the weather here in new England was not cooperating. As a backup plan, Charles brings vintage black and white photographs for us to paint from. It is all about imagination and fun. When we stopped in San Francisco, I happened to have slipped a photo of my dad in his high school football uniform into my handbag and hadn't yet taken it out. I used it for the above painting.

My dad playing football for "Paly High" (Palo Alto High School in Palo Alto, California circa 1943).

Late that afternoon, I packed up the car, said goodbye to everyone and headed back to Maine. My ride started with this sign post at the first turn on the way out of Manchester. Made me wish I had GPS.

Thank you, Charles for a wonderful workshop.

Charles Reid workshop—Day 4...more flowers

Charles painted another still life this morning as we watched and hung on every word. Sometimes one of us will ask him why did that move or why he does something a certain way and he will chuckle and say "I don't really know". I think sometimes you just can't explain how art happens.

He is known for his signature splashy style, but some people, including his wife Judith, think it is too messy. So, today when someone mentioned it, he decided to clean it up. Even with many of us shouting not to do it, he took a cloth and started scrubbing like he was cleaning the kitchen counter. 

Today I got to sit in the front row and was sitting behind Charles watching over his right shoulder. I was able to see the still life so I did this quick 5 minute study while Charles was taking a break while he let the paint dry a bit.

Above is my still life painting from the afternoon. My photograph actually cropped too much of the original painting, but it is enough to show you my attempt at another floral still life shared by three other people with a bunch of random objects on a table. I have such a hard time with these!

Having finished with time to spare, the thought of another choatic still life was too much for me to handle. Annelein was on the other side of the room so I did a contour drawing of her while she successfully painted florals all afternoon. Charles wandered by as I was starting to paint and encouraged me to leave it as it was. All week he has complimented me on my drawing skills and today he said I need to paint like I draw...hmmmmmmmm, I wonder what that means. Anyway, he suggested I let the drawing be the focus and the painting support it . Above is my attempt at that direction.

Sketching and collaging my cup of tea this morning before class.

Charles Reid workshop—Day 3/Still life

Today was the first of two days of still life painting. As usual, we had a quick critique of yesterday's work and then Charles spent the rest of the morning painting the still life below. I'm not sure I quite understand the still life process of setting up a lot of random things placed on the table, but Charles made it beautiful. Watching him paint the pitcher on the right was amazing and I love the paint brush and tube of paint which was added at the very end to fill a hole.

I was a bit late getting back from lunch and found Charles outside, in the rain, pacing, smoking his pipe and looking like an outdoorsman out of the L.L.Bean catalog. He asked if I was avoiding the chaos going on inside. Of course I said "yes". I guess 12 of us had to position ourselves around three still life set-ups and agree on the position of the elements. Charles was insistent that it was chaos and I should consider sneaking into the small quiet room which would have been against the rules because I was in group #2 which was part of the "large room of chaos". I looked him in the eye and said "I'm going in". 

Above is what I managed to find to paint after I angled a position around one of the random still life set-ups. No one else wanted the decoy or anything else in my painting, so I went for it. Actually everyone was really so agreeable and it was nothing more than a little adult controlled chaos.

Charles Reid workshop—Day 2

Charles critiqued our work from yesterday and then spent the rest of the morning painting the model as we watched and listened. His talent is awesome, his knowledge is extensive and he is comfortable talking through his process and decisions as he paints for his audience. However, once in a while he just wants to paint and he lets us know of those moments so we quietly watch as he makes the magic happen. He is incredibly talented, yet humble of his talent and along with a great sense of humor he makes a wonderful teacher. If you ever have a chance to take one of his workshops, I highly recommend it.

Charles' painting from the morning.

My first of two paintings from the afternoon session.

My second painting from the afternoon session. To mix it up and challenge myself, I decided to try a head study. This was quite hard and extremely frustrating as I had to reinstate more than I would have liked. I'm not wild about the result.

This is Annelien's first painting from the afternoon session. She forbid me to post the second one even though it was fab!

Tomorrow starts two days of still life painting.

Charles Reid workshop—Manchester Vermont

Yesterday I drove to Vermont in the pouring rain for a 5 day watercolor workshop with Charles Reid. It is not easy to get to Vermont from Maine because there are no roads that go east/west. So 4 1/2 hours after leaving Portland I was in beautiful bucolic Manchester, Vermont. Bing Crosby was right when  he said in the movie "White Christmas" "Vermont is so Vermonty".

Day 1—Charles spent the morning demonstrating his amazing drawing techniques by sketching the model's head in profile, 3/4 view and front view so we can understand proportion. He then went over his palette, brushes and color blending technique. He was trained as an oil painter so his watercolor style is based on oil painting techniques. 

Charles finished the morning by painting the model (above). 

I painted the same model in the afternoon and managed to paint two other versions by the time we wrapped up for the day.  

Before class started we were all milling around and woman came up to me and asked if I was Jennifer and I fessed up that yes I was. She introduced herself as Annelien Beukenkamp. I was so taken back and then completely thrilled to meet another blogger, fellow New Englander and great watercolorist whose blog I like to visit—she does great flowers and roosters! She had read that I was  taking this workshop from a comment I left on Drawing Tel Aviv. How cool is that!

This is Annelien's painting of the model from today.

I'm tired from my first workshop day and jet-lag that is still an issue. I am still waking up at 2 am and tending to have trouble getting back to sleep. Good thing there is Red Bull!