Well, the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order is fully in effect here in Washington. I’ve been sticking to the studio seriously for over a week at this point and everything is well here. I’m taking pleasure in the little things-new seedlings coming up under my grow lights, making Smitten Kitchen’s Puddle Cakes (I love a molten lava style chocolate cake), going for walks weather permitting (I couldn’t feel my face when I got back from my walk today!) and painting. So here’s a bit of what I’ve been up to since the end of February…
A friend posted a photograph of the Monroe Street Bridge on a foggy night and I found it super inspiring. He kindly gave me permission to use it as a basis for painting. The painting below was my first try-4” x 6”, warmer in color with paint colors with more granulation. The painting above is cooler and calmer and 9” x 12”. It is always tricky to keep the energy of a small painting in a large one!
Man, I love the way the paint pigment settles out on the paper. It’s the small things in life!
My last plein air sketch in Spokane for 2020 (so far!). I met a friend at Rocket Bakery on 1st and Cedar at the end of February and drew the Old Public Library (now home to an architect firm) while drinking a strawberry Italian soda with shipped cream.
Now that I’m serious self isolating, I’ve been looking around the house for inspiration as well. This is my kitchen. It is in the center of the house so it doesn’t get any direct sunlight so one winter I lost my mind about how dark the interior of the house was and painted the whole room yellow (Color name: “Bonjour”!). The cabinets are terrible, old laminate things so I spent hours watching ice skating during the Sochi Olympics covering the doors with sunflower themed scrap book paper and sealing it. They’ve held up pretty well so far!
Having more time on my hands means that I’m trying to push myself to try new things that I’ve been putting off-this is a combination of watercolor and watercolor ink. I’m also playing around with acrylic ink and gouache, so more to come!
I hope you are all well during this wild time and that you and your family are healthy. Best wishes from me!