Sketchcrawl #20

My sister and I did the Worldwide Sketchcrawl on Saturday, which was a rainy day in our area. We started at the Wildlife Center in Wycoff, NJ and sat in the gazebo by the pond. It was just barely drizzling, so we were able to stay dry there.

Next we went to the Hermitage, a historic building in Hohokus, NJ. The building has ivy creeping up the wonderful brickwork. At this point it was raining so we had to find a place with a good view where we could park the car. That took a bit of maneuvering, but we did get a nice view of the side of the building.

Our last stop was Roessler's Nursery in Allendale. I parked facing the pumpkin displays so we could paint from the car. By now it was pouring and the visibility out the front window was limited at times. I had to keep turning on the windshield wipers so we could see more than just a blur. I think I got a good result. The day was a lot of fun, especially sharing the time with my sister, Mickey.

Autumn I

This is another ATC done for my exchange. I collected a few gourds at the farmstand and used them in this one.

Sunflower I

This is a 2.5 x 3.5 ATC that I did for the "Anything Goes" exchange on WetCanvas. I love sunflowers, but haven't had much success painting them larger. I was happy with this tiny one, and have done several more since I painted this one. I'll post those after they are received at their new homes.

Dunes in Autumn

This was painted in plein air at the beach the other day and is 7 x 10. Robert Moses State Park has a wonderful boardwalk that meanders through the dunes to and past the lighthouse. I've painted the lighthouse several times, but wanted to focus on the vegetation on the dunes themselves this time. There are more flowering shrubs at this time of year in yellows and reds. It was a lovely spot.

I'm Hiding

This is 4 x 6 and was done in ink and watercolor for the Weekend Drawing Event on WetCanvas. Someone hosts each weekend and supplies 16 reference photos to pick from. You can do any medium and as many of them as you want. This guy attracted my attention. My thanks to my friend EP (eyepaint) who hosted and supplied the photos.

Autumn Reflections

This was done yesterday on location at the Connetquot State Park here on Long Island. There is a river that runs through the park and this was done up near the fish hatchery. It was my first time in that part of the park but I plan to return. Because I got to the park so late I only did a 4 x 6 of this view, but I plan to go back and paint there again.

Light Above the Dunes

This 4 x 6 was done in plein air and is for the Vacations/Holiday Dreams Exchange on Wet Canvas. That is the Fire Island Lighthouse in the background.

Beach Grasses

As the beach season here is winding down, I'm trying to capture what I can on the days that are warm enough but aren't too windy. This is 7 x 10 done on a day that I was sitting with a building blocking the wind. The far structure is a building with a few exhibits telling about the Fire Island area.

Watercolor Sketches

I went out plein air painting to a local farm to do some sketches for the Scavenger Hunt on WetCanvas. Animals aren't the easiest to do...they don't really stay put. I had some little 6 year old boys watching me do the birds. They wanted me to do all of them. There were probably about 8 of them in the enclosure. I did a goat too but he seems to have wandered off.

Hear the Waves

I love spending time at the beach and the beach grasses against the ocean are a wonderful subject that I return to over and over. This is 7 x 10 done in plein air.

Beach Shade

This is one of my 4 x 6 ink & watercolors done at the beach this summer.

Key West Cottage

I'm moving along on my Vacation exchange paintings. This is 4 x 6 done in ink & watercolor. It is a building I photographed in Key West, Florida. I love the vibrant colors they use on the buildings there and with the tropical foliage it makes a great place to paint.

North Rim View

Here is another 4 x 6 ink and watercolor done for my Vacations exchange on WetCanvas. I used a reference photo that I took (one of hundreds) when I visited the Grand Canyon a few years ago. I find the Grand Canyon a difficult subject to paint. There is too much landscape and it is difficult to convey the depth of the view or make each group of rocks stand apart from the others. I was happy with the way this came out.

Frisco Lady

Don't you just love these San Francisco houses? This was done for the Vacations exchange I'm doing on WetCanvas. This is 4 x 6 done in ink & watercolor from one of my own photos.

Chianti Vineyard

This is 4 x 6 and was done in ink & watercolor for the WetCanvas Vacation exchange. I did it from a photo I had taken of the agriturismo we stayed on in Castellina, Italy.

High Road from Taos

Here is another 4 x 6 ink & watercolor that I did for the Vacation exchange on WetCanvas. I use a reference photo that I had taken leaving Taos. I love the rustic barn in the field of dry grasses.

Angel Falls

4 x 6 also done for the Vacation exchange on Wet Canvas. I believe my reference photo was also from Yosemite.

Yosemite View

This is another 4 x 6 done for the Vacation Exchange. I used a photo I had taken when I visited Yosemite about 20 years ago. That park is so gorgeous!!! No matter which direction you look, there is something beautiful to see. I would love to go back!

Building My Castle

This was done for the Vacation exchange that I'm part of on WetCanvas. It is 4 x 6 and was painted at the beach a few weeks ago. I loved the little girl's curly hair.

Snorkel Senorita

This 4 x 6 was also done for the Vacation exchange I'm doing. That is me (the snorkel senorita) in the water. It was my first time snorkeling and I'm glad they suggested using flotation device since we were in deep water in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. I enjoyed doing this, especially all the ripples in the water.