Back in the 1900s, my husband and I lived in Washington, DC. Not together. In fact we hadn't met yet. A little over a week ago, we took our kids to see the Cherry Blossoms there. (This lovely sparrow came so close to us!) It may have been the first time either my husband or I made it to the Tidal Basin in time to see them at the height of their bloom. Inevitable whining aside, isn't it crazy how thrilling it is to (re)discover the world with our children?
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It's 1879 and John Muir seeks knowledge. He risks lives to see the Ice Mountain. Will it tell the story of Yosemite's history? What you just read is my twitter pitch, my 140 character teaser for my most recent picture book project, meant to entice art directors and agents to touch the heart button during a twitter pitch fest. When they like my post, they have given me an invitation to submit my work to them with the promise of special attention. Crazy, right? It's amazing the impact a tweet can have these days. No names mentioned. What is the best thing to do when the weather snows, sleets, and freezes? Why, build snow forts, of course! Several forts are strategically located throughout our neighborhood right now. It takes teamwork to mine the ice bricks from the plowed debris on the sides of the road. Alliances are made; we hope no faces are broken. This ice is hard! So, be careful if you are walking through this corner of Elkins Park any time before the demolition melt on Monday. Don't say you weren't warned. One adaptation I will happily make to our predictably unpredictable seasonal weather patterns involves being ready for a glorious (65 degree!) outdoor painting day in early February. Yesterday I not only took my morning drawing class outside, I also painted this watercolor en plein air in my backyard in the afternoon. This "business" in my backyard keeps my heart lifted, even during the dark days. For three winters now I have maintained these bird feeders and I've come to think of my regular visitors as my family's outdoor pets since we do see them every day. The birdbath also has special significance for me. It was my grandfather's and I acquired it last year after he passed away. For many years while I was growing up I didn't fully appreciate his dedication to his backyard birds on view through his kitchen and back porch windows. Now I get it. I feel like I am continuing his practice every time I rinse and refill that birdbath. So while yesterday was an unseasonably balmy winter day, today is a snow day. The kids are off from school. I will be doing my bird watching from inside my house. However, I'm keeping my outdoor easel and plein air bag at the ready. One never knows when the next fair weather opportunity will arise. The weather was not exactly "nice" but the kids and I took a winter hike yesterday in the section of Pennypack park that yields this spectacular view of Glencairn Castle. My cousins first brought me to this neck of the woods with a hilltop view when we were in high school in the early 90s. The fact that Caitlyn has a heart on her hat is just a lucky coincidence. I left this yellow leaf heart on a tree stump at Briar Bush Nature Center last week. I made it with a process that I'll call "Leaf Origami." With two leaves that had fallen from the same tree, I folded the halves. Then, to secure it I poked a hole through both layers and wove the stem through. The abundance of leaves on the ground has given me some great material and I have a collection of photos to work from. But alas, all good things must come to an end, There are not many leaves left on the trees anymore and freshly fallen leaves work best. It looks like I'll just have to discover some other process as we head into winter. I'm not worried. Nature yields plenty of materials to play with! The story of this painting involves many people. First, my cousin Kelly and her family who moved to Collegeville several years ago, invited my family to dinner. We arrived early so that we could take a hike in the woods by her house before the early November sunset. On the way back to the house I fell behind the group. I was casually looking for hearts and remembering my heart-finding friend Lisa Kelley's philosophy; she never finds them if she goes looking for them. I guess they find her. Just then I noticed the curve in an oak leaf. I am a huge fan of the artist Andy Goldsworthy. He manipulates sticks, leaves, rocks, icicles...etc and makes lovely impermanent arrangements that he photographs before nature starts working on them again. With Goldsworthy in mind, I gave myself permission to fold the end of an oak leaf and layer another on top to make a heart. Then I took a picture. The final trio in this painting's supporting cast is my two children and my mother. My mother took the kids on a meandering path to her house, giving me two hours with my paints. On this Thanksgiving day, I am deeply grateful for all of the good people in my life. You are all a part of who I am and what I do. Now...I better get going and make the stuffing! In the wake of hearing about so much hate this week, I needed to make something about love. This sea urchin shell that I found in Canada in August actually did have a heart shaped hole in it. I did not keep it, but I did take a picture of it on a large rock near the place I found it on the shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec. I think this just inspired a new series. So, I'm on the lookout for hearts. If I'm as lucky as my friend Lisa Kelley, maybe a few will come my way. If you see one somewhere in nature, feel free to send a picture of it to me! Nature can soothe, if we let it. So can painting. Maybe that's why I paint images of nature so frequently... As I tried to fall asleep on Tuesday night, which was no small feat on the night of the election, I envisioned nature and felt my body instantly relax. The image in my mind of a rainbow somewhere out west over a vast grassy plain came to me thanks to the Weather Channel's election counter-programming. From 3pm until midnight the network had a "nature marathon" filled with awe-inspiring landscapes of calm weather. What a genius idea! Thanks Cat for adding a literal breath of fresh air to my Facebook feed by sharing this information! As an environmentalist, I worry about the results of this election. However, I am also more inspired than ever to work to make positive change at the local level...whether I am making conscious choices in my household, volunteering to support sustainable efforts in my community, or celebrating nature with my artwork and sharing it with you! This painting is of my son, Dylan. At 9 years old he is teaching me and my husband more about nature than we could ever hope to have known when we were children. I love exploring with him! He inspires me and he gives me hope that our future generations will continue to take care of the environment... no matter who is president. Walking in nature is one of my favorite pastimes and Fairmount Park in Philadelphia (in particular, Valley Green) is one of the most glorious places to roam. My husband and I have been going there for years and now that our youngest child has her first hiking boots... we are a hiking family! Last weekend we had a special treat. Old Man Steve (my brother) and my nephew Gabriel joined us in adventuring along the Wissahickon. It was warm for October and Gabi's feet were prepared for the water. Don't ask if he has socks on...you may not really want to know the answer. :) So, a few housekeeping items about my blog here. It has a new title - Little Bee: Weekly Observations of Nature. My focus will be to enjoy and celebrate nature, and maybe some of my exploration of sustainable practices will slip in too as I educate myself while working to support my children's elementary school in that mission. Take a Walk #1 will be the first in a series of scenes about outdoor adventuring. One last thing...I reorganized the gallery. Check it out here. See you next week! |
Little Bee:
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