Nordstrom Gal Married to a Sears Guy

Once, I worked and wore teacher clothes. Next, came retirement and living life in yoga pants.

           Now, I wear something that doesn't show ink or paint stains. Priorities change.

Old and New Shopping Bags

And here's a little still life, drawn in the home of a very stylish sketching friend.

Peonies and Lamp

On the Lighter Side

Years ago, a roommate of mine put a stone egg in our refrigerator egg tray. I wasn't fooled, but I was amused. I kept it out of the refrigerator. Someone saw it and brought be another egg, this time a yellow alabaster one. One thing lead to another and over the years people kept giving me eggs. After a couple dozen, I made sure that I said, "I really don't have (read "want") and egg collection", but the eggs would occasionally  keep coming. For a few years, we'd deposit one near a rabbit garden sculpture in a neighbor's yard. Then their kids grew up and we stopped that. Now the remaining eggs just come out at Easter and I always tell visitors....

I could seque into talk about omelettes, but really, this next sketch had nothing to do with eggs.

Shoe Grid

Cute Shoes...Monday, I went out with friends and we went shoe shopping (or at least looking and trying them on). They were real  shoe connoisseurs compared to me  and I tried things that I normally wouldn't look at. Tuesday, I went shopping again and this time I found a fairly practical pair and bought them.

I remember as a kid, I usually had just a few pairs of shoes at a time: oxfords (groan), red ball Keds (fun), patent leather Mary Janes (for dress-up like recitals), and flipflops (called thongs, then). I loved trying on my mom's fancy high heels. Now, I just want something comfortable...and kinda cute.

Spring, Life, Rain

In time of silver rain
The earth puts forth new life
again,
Green grasses grow
And flowers lift their heads,
And over all the plain
The wonder spread
Of life, Of life, Of life.


from 'In Time of Silver Rain'
by Langston Hughes

I don't know about on the plain, but here in Portland, we've had plenty of rain this spring, bringing an abundant growth  of grass, weeds, and flowers.  All are thriving.

It's often too wet to be out sketching for long, but I can always grab a handful of flowers and bring them  inside to sketch in comfort. Here are the latest:

This was sketched from inside looking out, waiting for the rain to stop so I could plant the runuculus and pansies.

One of my sketching friends, Linda D., made me this lovely little sketchbook filled with pages made form one large sheet of thick, watercolor paper. It looked spring-like, so it's full of spring sketches. (Well, no rain clouds.) And there's my new Lamy Pilot pen, which I love. Now what am I going to do with the dozens of other pens I've collected?

The first pages have blossoms from our pear trees.

Then I tried to draw some camelias we saw on a walk. This is a very tough flower for me and the results show. I lost interest.

Back inside, these are Ranunculus, Spanish Bluebells, Narcissus, Tulip, Grape Hyacinths, and Azaleas.

I decided to tackle some camelias again and since the petals don't seem very defined, I added ink and shadows and the result doesn't look anything like my usual light pallet.

And now, the lilacs are starting to bloom, so I stuck them in a cup I got at the Oregon Pottery show last weekend and tried to capture them.

I love how lilac buds explode out like fireworks.

Ah, Spring!

Sketching with the Portland Urban Sketchers

The Portland Urban Sketchers met at the Canvas this week. The model wore an unusual dress of recycled orange cording material. Most of the time, I chose to ignore the dress.

By the end of the evening she was getting tired, but not this tired.

      And here's a previous sketch from the Canvas, when that model wore a very tiny nurse costume.

You never know what the Monday night model will wear at the Canvas, but it's always a fun (and cheap) place to sketch, eat, drink and meet others who like to paint or sketch.

More Small Things in the Square Sketchbook

Shells, Portland Collects, and Paula's show

It was rainy outside and since I couldn't go to the Bahamas for more shells, I bought some at a neighborhood terrarium shop, Artemesia Garden and Gallery.

I didn't know there was such variety in snail shells.

I did a little sketching at the Portland Art Museum's show, Portland Collects.

Buddha

A friend, Paula, has a display of her paintings at a local hair salon.

Here are a few small sketches from another trip to Rejuvenation Hardware.  There were some unusual clown decorations on a wall.