Sunday, January 19, 2014

Happy 2014

After months and months of ignoring my tired old blog, I decided to come back for a visit. I have been busy with the show, illustration and painting commissions, visiting my family for the holidays and getting ready for my next adventure this spring—5 weeks in Spain Walking the Camino de Santiago.


After six months of painting for the art show and numerous holiday commissions I have finally put the oil paints away for much needed break. Back to my roots in the San Francisco Bay Area, I am enjoyed a visit my family. With a sketch book and colored pencils I spent an afternoon sitting with my 87 year old dad at the assisted living facility that he now calls home :(


California was around 65° and everyday I would take a five mile walk in the hills near my parents home in Portola Valley. Ground squirrels running freely in and out of there underground homes peeking up to check what their neighbors are up to. At the top I can look out over Stanford University to the Dumbarton Bridge across to the East Bay. Around the first bend is a view north of San Francisco. 

This is a crazy sketch (notice giant mutant ground squirrels) done over prepainted paper while talking to my sister late one evening. Maybe coming home did make me a little crazy…


Back in Maine

After a month with my family in California I am back home in Maine. In between working on more illustrations and painting commissions, I decided to do prompts from the two books by one of my teachers, the talented Veronica Lawlor and Studio 1482. One Drawing A Day and One Watercolor A Day.



 One Drawing a DayStill Life sketch with crayons (my friends grandson's crayons)


One Watercolor A Day—Exercise #2 Wet on Wet and Wet on Dry



 "It means I get to read more books in my life" 

And lastly I discovered the wonderful world of Audiobooks through a good friend. She owns a magazine called "AudioFile" which focuses on reviewing the audio presentation of the story not a critique of the written material. It has opened up a whole new world for me on my long walks along the Maine coastline. 
I had never met the infamous Los Angeles detective Harry Bosch and his half brother the Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Hallor—my new heroes…along with Jack Reacher. They did the above short article as a new audiobook listener for their first publication in 2014.

Happy New Year

11 comments:

Unknown said...

Totally addicted, myself!! Try Sue Grafton if you haven't. What an amazing character Kinsey Milhone is!! A-V to keep you busy for a while!

Sandra said...

So glad that are again posting on your blog. May your Camino walk be all that you hope.

Shirley said...

Great to see you back and to hear of your adventures. I keep seeing samples from One Watercolor a Day - and think it is time to investigate it!

Unknown said...

I've heard so much about these books...everyone seems to be talking about them! Maybe it is time...

Great to see you posting again. Hope the show went well!

Mari Brown and Colourblob said...

Good to see you back and Happy New Years to you too, sounds like you have had a super year and yet another good one ahead of you.

I was laughing when I saw your drawing of the mutant squirrels, because over here we have this one gigantor black squirrel in our back yard and the first time we saw it in months it just blew our minds how much it has grown, I think it eats coconuts...

Good to see you posting again!!!

Rebecca Stahr said...

I absolutely love your energetic lines and colors. Thanks for sharing. I look forward to seeing more.

Melliott said...

So glad to see you back! LOVE the mutant squirrels, and the crayon drawing, too. Your oils are lovely, but I'm a fan of the spontaneity of watercolor, myself, especially yours. Glad to hear you have discovered Harry and Mickey--start from the beginning with Harry's series and you'll have a blast.

Joan said...

So glad to see you're back to your blog. Good luck on your next journey...Walking the El Camino! Wow. Did you read Shirley McLaine's book by the same title?

To make the list of audo books longer, get hold of some of Jo Nesbo's books with his flawed detective Harry Hole (we don't have a "U" pronunciation for his name which sounds like Hughlee in Swedish.

Anonymous said...

Great work Jennifer.
I listen to a lot of podcasts while drawing/painting - they keep me kind of sane.
Stew.

Wildflowerhouse said...

Really Sue Grafton books. Kinsey is amazing. Jennifer what kind of dog is Sophie? So glad to see she is still with you. Your trip to Spain sounds wonderful.

Nancy said...

Damn... you look great girlfriend!