For the Love of Art

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Daffodil Challenge

Daffodil Challenge, 2012

Graphite on paper

8 x 5 inches

In honor of the early-blooming daffodils in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ann Thompson Nemcosky issued a daffodil challenge this month. This is the first time I’ve seen a challenge issued by an artist whose blog I follow, so I decided to participate.

The online art community is so supportive and inspirational. I can’t wait to see the daffodil interpretations of the other artists who participate in Ann’s challenge.

UPDATE: Ann has posted all of the daffodil artwork submitted for the challenge. It’s interesting to see the different media used and each of the interpretations. Congratulations and well done to everyone who participated.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Clematis Mrs. Cholmondeley

Clematis Mrs. Cholmondeley, 2010

I’m fascinated by stamens. They come in an endless variety of sizes, shapes and colors, and are beautiful in their own right.

The clematis showcased in this photo is from my parents’ garden. The plant shows itself to best effect in the spring, when it exhibits an incredible profusion of flowers, each the size of my hand. Just gorgeous.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Paniculata

Paniculata, 2010

On a day that I was bustling around the house doing chores, I walked out to my patio and saw this absolutely perfect panicle, made lovely by a solitary blossom. It stopped me in tracks, and I thought, “Well, I need to get a shot of this right now, because it won’t look like this tomorrow.”

Capturing transitory moments like this reminds me how rewarding it can be to just stop and really see the world around me.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Dame's Rocket

Dame’s Rocket, 2010

Sadly, the patch of dame’s rocket I photographed a couple of years ago was destroyed last year to make way for an apartment complex. On the other side of the street, where more dame’s rocket was growing, the land was plowed under for a pumpkin crop.

The patch on the side of the street with the apartments looks to be gone forever. I’ll have to wait until this coming spring to see if any of the dame’s rocket survived on the pumpkin side.

UPDATE: It’s May 2012, and the fate of the dame’s rocket is much better than I’d feared. Some of the flowers were destroyed on the side of the street where pumpkins were planted, but many of them remain. On the other side of the street, construction of a new access road revealed an abundance of dame’s rocket still thriving in the thickly wooded area behind the apartment complex.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Fuchsia

Fuchsia, 2012

Ink and watercolor on paper

4 1/2 x 5 3/4 inches

I’m a big fan of art made with watercolor and ink: It’s light, bright, contemporary (yet steeped in tradition), and frequently whimsical. Some of my favorite artists who work with these media are Nicole Wong, Tommy Kane and Geninne Zlatkis, who more often uses white ink, rather than the customary black, for a completely different look.

Another individual who works in watercolor and ink is Jane LaFazio, a mixed-media artist. I discovered Jane when she was a guest on Quilting Arts on my local PBS station. I was immediately drawn to her “don’t sweat it” attitude toward making art. Jane credits Danny Gregory with starting her on the path of art journaling with watercolor and ink, in what she calls “journal style.” Working in journal style is a good way to practice contour drawing and a means to train oneself to minimize detail in favor of capturing the essence of a subject.

Because I wanted to explore watercolor and ink further, I was thrilled when Jane released From Art Journaling to Art: Drawing, Watercolor, and More Techniques for the Mixed-Media Artist, an instructional video, particularly since she and I are attracted to similar subject matter. In the video, she presents the tools and materials she uses, her process, and ways to leverage journal art. Jane is a terrific teacher: She keeps it simple and educates the viewer about the refinements that turn a journal page into a complete work of art.