Over the river and through the woods.

Wade in the Stillness
Collection of Memories
Stories to be told

~Kathryn Hansen~

Power to the Pebble (c) Kathryn Hansen 17x11.75 $1720

On the hiking trail in La Canada, CA with my dog Indie.

Soulful Sunday

Sunday clears away the rust of the whole week!

~Joseph Addison~

**Cross Town trail in La Canada. "...and begin a merciless ascent along the ridge.  You do get some great views for your efforts, but there’s no doubt that this stretch – which climbs about 700 feet in 0.6 miles – is not for the faint of heart." To get to the teepee: "At another 1.5 miles straight up, you enter a meadow, where you get great views of Strawberry Peak, Mt. Disappointment and San Gabriel Peak, rounding a bend, you see the teepee."

A lively trek down Foothill boulevard

I don't know why but I wasn't expecting to see horses trek down the boulevard in our small town Memorial Day Parade but I'm happy they did! 

They've even inspired me to perhaps do another drawing similar to my recent drawing,  Teamwork! Stay tuned...they may be up on my drawing board next after I finish Olive!

my home town commission

I've been slow in working on this commission as there was no deadline set...never good for me! I tend to drag my feet for some reason on open ended commissions, but once I can find my groove with it then it goes pretty fast!

I was asked to create a drawing that represented my town of La Canada. In the process of walking and hiking around the city this year, my daughter Emily and I have discovered the most beautiful areas I've never seen before in my almost 17 years here...heck I didn't even know we had a dam on the east side...pretty bad I know! I typically spend my time in the town just west of us and not La Canada, so this has been a super fun experience and despite already having my commission drawn out, it's still an on going exploration.

A few years ago the La Canada Trail council created a 12 mile trail in and around the city. We've hit up 4 sections of it in search of the perfect La Canada scene...which I did find! But hoping to hike the trail near Angeles National Forest this Saturday and then one day soon hike the whole trail in one day. Josie our dog is up for it...Emily and I are not quite there yet!

After days of rain and a finished portrait

There is nothing like Southern California after 4 days of rain...crisp and clean! We should  get a breathtaking crop of wildflowers in the mountains this spring because of it! SO exciting to think how beautiful it will be!

I finished Fred just as the Oscars concluded last night!

Fred  (c)2014 8x10 Kathryn Hansen

Now on the drawing board: 

Elsa, a new lion that I've been dying to get started for the past 6 months. I am keeping it small, 5x8 because if it turns out well I'll be entering it in the Pencil Art Society's first International Exhibition. I have sent a few commissioned pieces overseas, but I have never sent framed artwork internationally, I have only entered shows that I can drive my work to, so if I do get in it will be intriguing to pack it all up and ship it out! 

Percy will be back on my board as well! He needs to be done by the end of March as I want to enter him in the Birds in Art Show in Wausau Wisconsin.

AND

I am holding a cat contest over on my Facebook business page. If you would like to enter, the winner receives a matted print of their beloved kitty! Just send me up to two photos at kh@kathrynhansen.com. Best of luck!!

sweet freedom

i took the days before and after Thanksgiving off from work as i wanted to try some new hiking trails and advance the cause with my commissions. well, i did get a lot of drawing in...not so much the hiking!

but just the sweet freedom of 5 glorious days off of work and being with family and friends through out the long weekend renewed my spirits!! (sleeping in every morning didn't hurt either!!)

~Franklin Canyon Park in West Los Angeles~

you remember Pete

you may recall a recent post of mine, filled with photographs from one of the most beautiful beaches (i think) in southern california. a private beach in palos verdes. 

that's where i met pete!

 it was a warm overcast afternoon, he was just hanging out with his pelican buddies and seagulls on the rocky shoreline discussing the days catch. pete was the only pelican who didn't fly away when i approached them stealth-like, as i didn't have my zoom lens with me. he definitely was not camera shy!

for being soo cooperative and gorgeous, i am creating a drawing of pete (in between my commissions). there will be a surprise twist to this drawing that i am very eager to add! i'm not going to say what it is yet, so we can all be surprised with the end results. for you because you've never seen it here before and for me to see if it actually works!! 

you won't see it till the very end so please stay tuned to this channel for the final results!

garden in the desert

i spent a long and amazing weekend in joshua tree again, this time with my sister. we attended a 3 day spiritual workshop by story waters...it was magical and expanding and life changing! 

only had time to snap the blooming cactus around our b&b, as the workshop took up most the weekend.

and since last week, harry has progressed...just need to jump back into the swing of things tonight!