more and more snow in southern cal!! yay!

josie and i hit a new hiking trail extremely early on saturday, which is directly across from our usual stomping grounds. it was freezing out that early in the morning, but i am so happy we were there...it was breathtaking, as you can see! in fact the beauty almost overwhelmed me and i found my heart just opening up and feeling sooooo incredibly lucky...and just totally, totally blessed!! we even had snow at my home saturday afternoon...a super amazing sight i've never seen here before!

oak tree: almost there!

i am actually almost done with this drawing but as usual for me i've already started the next drawing without finishing this one up! i'm just so excited about the next one i couldn't help myself...it's another oak but i love it cuz it has this heart shape on it's trunk...like a badge of honor...so cool! but hopefully i will buckle down this weekend some time and get it done!!! but i heard there's more snow coming our way...so i will have to go play in it again if it does!! can you blame me?!! :-)

snow in southern cal!!!

i was going to post updates on my tree drawing today but i walked outside yesterday on my way to go hiking with josie and saw that it had not only snowed over night but i could tell it even coated the base of the mountains...in my 12 years in california, i have never seen it that low!! which means i would definitely be in it within 20 minutes. so i booked it as fast as i could...only cuz i was really excited to be in that glorious snow!! it was warm, sunny and beyond magnificent!! it was josie's first taste of snow and altho i don't really think she understood it, especially the snowballs i kept throwing at her, she seemed to take it all in stride! i on the other hand had a blast because it's been years since i've played in the snow!!

tree series

in the works: a series of tree drawings. this is the first, measuring 8x15. it's been a long time since i've worked on a textured surface, but thought it would add or mimic the bark of the tree. and i'm using a few really hard leads for the details. i typically like soft graphite ranging from B thru B4 but the small branches need to be very crisp.

i took a photo of this lovely tree at descanso gardens about a year ago~ that's how long i've had this idea of a tree series in my head!! i found this particular tree in a lush grove of ancient oaks. i love the way the branches are all twisty and crooked, it really adds drama and interest to the drawing!!

"A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved."

~Kurt Vonnegut~

♥wishing you a love filled valentines day!!!♥

 

Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does the better.  

~André Gide~

‎"How exciting it is to always be surrounded by possibilities!" -

~Sandra Anne Taylor~

(everyone is a critic...even sammy!!)

here are a few of the collages i've been working on lately. i could analyze why i needed to create these pieces, but i almost feel like everything i needed to get out of me i did and now i'm antsy to draw again. so much has happened in my life since i've been back from santa barbara a few weeks ago and now i am feeling a need to express myself artistically in other areas.

i'm so glad i set myself free from the prison of forcing myself to stick to one medium. i feel so much happier to be able to express myself fully in whatever way i wish to instead of feeling like i HAVE to do something a certain way...you know what i mean?!!

There are always flowers for those who want to see them

~Henri Matisse~

is it right of me to post photos of warm weather and wildflowers in the mountains when 3/4 of the country is digging out of harrowing blizzards? probably not, but i'm going to do it anyways!!!