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Here's a little video of a sketchbook I completed a few years ago. I will post more of my sketchbooks as my assistant (my awesome daughter, Cassi) gets my sketchbooks organized for me. And thank you Annie for all the scanning!
To view the sketchbook, click on the image above or click on https://flipagram.com/f/Fnv5LvKPVD.
I hope you enjoy it!
It's a cozy, rainy Friday - a perfect day to read. I have spent the last few hours listening to two of my favorite sounds, the rain on our skylights and our two Great Danes snoring, while reading Jeanne Carbonetti's The Tao of Watercolor, A Revolutionary Approach to the Practice of Painting.
More than a "how to," this book is an esoteric read on the philosophy of watercolors. Applying the principles presented in the Tao Te Ching, Jeanne writes about how to unite spirit, mind and body to achieve inspiration and craftsmanship in watercolors. The chapter headings include: Introduction: Beginner's Mind, Centering, Balance, Deliberateness, Playfulness, Flow, The Tao of Tools, Effortless Effort, and Conclusion: The Practice of Painting.
It was not exactly an easy read although I found it really enjoyable. Meditative in tone, central themes include not being self-critical, the joy of discovery, trusting one's creative journey, and mindfulness. All great themes for life!
Jeanne's painting style is very different than my own but I am drawn to learning from all corners of the world. Here is a painting I did following her book's suggestions.
When we create from the unity of body, mind, and spirit, we are one with our muse, and our work is always original, always powerful. ~ Jeanne Carbonetti
Happy Love Day!
Love yourself.
Love your dog.
Love your dessert.
Love the people you love!
I'm always excited to pull together my line up of classes and workshops for the next season and it's that time again! Here is the list of classes I will be teaching at Arts Umbrella this Spring. To see classes I will be offering at other locations in addition to Arts Umbrella, click on my Workshops page. You can register there too. Come get inspired!
And now for something completely different.... I made a little accordion style book.
Let me introduce "The Amazing Apple Seed" (watercolor on Arches watercolor paper).
Just click on the photo of the cover to see a little video of my handmade book.
I hope you enjoy!
I am a sketchbook addict and teach a few classes a year on ways to make sketch booking a part of every day life, whether our sketchbooks are focused on travels, nature, technique or just capturing our every day life. I absolutely love spreading the sketchbook magic.
Last Friday I was invited to give a two hour workshop at Silver Kite on the art of keeping a sketchbook. I showed my sketchbooks and favorite sketchbook supplies and waxed poetic on the joys of keeping a sketchbook. Then we launched into a drawing and watercolor exercises. Everyone was deeply engaged and enthusiastic. I had a great time and thank Silver Kite for the opportunity to spread the magic.
Silver Kite creates life changing intergenerational arts experiences, bridging generational gaps in families and communities. They use life stories as a basis for art-making, using creative play, storytelling, movement, and visual arts to share experiences, boost self-esteem, foster empathy and strengthen connections to self and community. Silver Kite is a resident partner at the George Center for Communitywhere they offer family arts workshops, arts happy hours, storytelling open mic events, and professional development workshops. Their Intergenerational Theatre Company is also based at George. Silver Kite develops arts programs in the community, partnering with K-12 schools, retirement communities, community centers, NGOs, and other organizations. A great organization!
I have spent the last week preparing for two new classes I will be teaching at a local community college this quarter. And as I put the final touches on tomorrow's lessons, I realized how happy I am. Teaching art really is the best gig ever.
A lifetime ago I had a corporate job, marketing for an architecture firm, and the idea of working full time as an artist and art teacher seemed like a pie in the sky dream. And it really is a dream of a job. I am so very, very lucky to absolutely love what I do for a living.
Thank you Universe!
The view from our hotel room. I took about an hour a day for three days to complete this ink and watercolor sketch in my 8 1/2 x 11 Stillman & Birn Zeta Sketchbook.
One week and eight sketches in Cozumel. Perfect vacation of sketching, reading, napping, and drinking mojitos. Gracias!
This impressive iguana showed up at the pool. I later heard that his name is Ferdinand. About 3 feet long, he was an impressive Marco to my Polo!
This is a sketch of one of our friends, Tiffany, who was on the trip with us. This little portrait turned out looking like a lot younger version of Tiffany. She was pleased with that.
I don't dive but Dave does, as do Joel and Drew. Diving was a big part of the trip for them and I wanted to include a sketch of this aspect of our vacation. I went through Dave's photographs and created this sketch from three different photos he had taken. Yes, that's a shark.
I sketched this beauty while I sat underneath it on the beach. No better way to spend an hour.
This page is the result of several five minute sketches done over about an hour sitting on the beach on our last full day in Cozumel.
This was Mandy's handsome cocktail, served in a pineapple. ¡Salud!
I love to travel. I don't know if that is just how some of us are wired, or if it is because I grew up in different countries, or if it is just the pure magic of travel. In a few hours Dave and I are boarding a plane, headed to Mexico, and I've been thinking about why we love to travel so much.
I feel like we gain so much from traveling - new friends, new experiences, new stories. I find that I am absolutely inspired by new sights, new sounds, new tastes, and new understandings. And there is now emerging scientific proof that suggests that international experiences make us more creative!
Evidence is emerging that foreign experiences increase both cognitive flexibility (the mind’s ability to jump between different ideas, a key component of creativity) and the ability to make deep connections between disparate forms. It turns out that these deep changes are not just about being in new surroundings, but about really engaging in them. And that's the other thing I love about travel: it allows me to sketch new things: people, architecture, landscapes. And sketching is a meditation of sorts. A deep engagement with my surroundings.
Foreign experiences and sketching both strengthen my sense of self and that too, leaves me giddy and heady. Travel increases my sense of connection with different people and that magically increases my faith in humanity.
Obviously we don't need plane tickets to explore new experiences. A trip to a different neighborhood could ignite newness too. But I'm happy to look across the room at my suitcase and know that in a few hours, I'll be in the sky.
Travel opens my mind, my heart and my sketchbook. That's it. And that's magical.
Do you have one? A creative muse? I'm intrigued and have started putting my thoughts together regarding what is a creative muse? What is the purpose of a creative muse? Why have I never thought to have one? What is the history of muses and creatives... Why do I love the idea of discovering mine and creating a relationship with her. Or him. Or...whatever the magic is.
If you are intrigued, you may enjoy these resources.
Elizabeth Gilbert's TED talk: Your Elusive Creative Genius
Matt Cardin's article: 5 Reasons Why You Need a Muse
Leslie Owen Wilson, Ed. D.: Finding Your Creative Muse
Leslie Owen Wilson, Ed. D.: Caring For Your Creative Muse
Yes, do it.
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. ~ Mark Twain
Contact me to reserve your spot to either or both sketchbook workshops I'm offering in 2016 traveling to Italy and cruising to Alaska.
Hello artists, friends and travelers!
The final details of my next sketchbook adventure to Europe are shaping up and I wanted to send you an invitation to join me!
I'm thrilled to spend two weeks in Northern Italy, in my home town of Verona, with day trips to the neighboring beautiful cities of Venice, Mantova and Malcesine on Lake Garda. We will stay in a beautiful private villa situated on a vineyard on the outskirts of Verona. All breakfasts are included, several lunches and six cooking classes in addition to daily sketchbook workshops and free afternoons and evenings to explore the beauty of Italy on your own. Come join me!
Space is limited to ten participants so don't delay in signing up. Email me for a registration form and to reserve your spot!
Click on this image for a downloadable brochure.
This evening my solo exhibit at Tsuga Fine Art came to its conclusion. It was an honor to have my artwork on display at Tsuga for six weeks. Eight of my watercolors have found new homes! Thank you all for your support and art love!
So thrilled to learn that all three of my entries to the upcoming exhibit of Women Painters of Washington at the Pacific Regent Tower in Bellevue have been accepted! They will be on display from November 1st to January 29th.
Thank you Women Painters of Washington and thank you Pacific Regent Tower!
Back when Eat, Pray, Love was on everybody's night stand, I too read and fell in love with the book. Then I sort of lost touch with Elizabeth Gilbert and her books that immediately followed Eat, Pray, Love - not because I wasn't interested in reading more by Gilbert, but because, sadly, I don't take much time to read for pleasure. But now she has two books out which I'm thrilled to make time for: Big Magic and The Signature of All Things.
I watched this video yesterday, an interview with Gilbert, discussing Big Magic.
Take the 48 minutes needed to watch it. You'll be inspired and encouraged.
Here's to the magic!
We ended our European adventure this year with a week in Amsterdam. Our hotel was right in the thick of things: across from the Central Station which was for trains and a major stop for trams. Restaurants, shops and coffee houses as far as the eye could see. Along with people out strolling and biking. Beauty everywhere, truly!
Some of my favorite art stops: Rembrandt's House, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. And plenty of people watching/sketching sitting at outdoor cafes sipping wine. Yes please!
We are down to our last few days in Amsterdam before returning home. It's been a great month of travel but summer is winding down. Outside my hotel window I see everyone riding bikes wearing jackets and sweaters as they peddle over bridges, dodging pedestrians and zipping by. My thoughts turn to Fall and a class I'm excited to offer on the beauty of leaves.
Eight Week Drawing & Watercolor Workshop: The Beauty of Leaves (Adults)
$210.00
Arts Umbrella located at Country Village
Tuesdays 9:30am - 12:30pm
September 22 - November 10
We will focus on the beauty of leaves: colorful and full and subtle and skeleton leaves, in all their beauty. This class will build a solid foundation of observation, drawing and watercolor skills to strengthen your ability to be creative! The instructor will focus specifically on how to render realistically using line and contour, shape and form, light and shadow, and color. All skill levels welcomed.
Only a few spots left! Register at http://www.charlenecollinsfreeman.com/workshops/.
Beauty Everywhere
After a week at Villa Sogara (not nearly long enough), we took our sketchbook adventure on the road, or maybe I should say, we took our adventure on the water, as we headed to Venice for the final three days of sunrise photography sessions, sketch booking, dancing in Saint Mark's Square, and tasting delicious wines and foods. Bella la vita!
Sunrise in Saint Mark's Square
Our fantastic group at our Farewell Dinner. Salute!
"There is no world without Verona walls..." Shakespeare
Maybe I'm biased about Verona. I was raised here, as was my mother, her mother, and as far back as we know, our grandmothers' grandmothers. For me, Verona is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. And so every year I bring a group of sketchbook artists to explore and enjoy this city with me.
Here are a few of the moments from this year's adventure. Bella Verona!
Piazza Dante
Piazza delle Erbe
The Roman Theater
Piazza Bra'
There is no world without Verona...