Music to inspire

I listen to music all day in my studio... Lately Reggae & Elvis Costello have put me in the perfect state of mind (I have had a long love affair with reggae music, my son's middle name is Marley...need I say more). Check out the new Inspired by song cards...here a a couple.

Monday after

It is the Monday after the Yarmouth Clam Festival. It was a sun filled show. After a busy weekend it was nice to be up at Peg's Pond House, our cottage on Barter's Island. Our lovely little cottage is in the process of some major renovation (not by choice, but by necessity) Ted & T-Moe were out in the yard doing some serious digging with Big Diggie, I had no idea one had to dig so far down to reach the footings. I was inside emptying rooms for demolition...makes me so sad. When we bought this cottage 8 years ago Ted & I had dreams of retiring here...it's still the plan, however it now seems like it will be a totally different house. The 60 year old home seems to have been built without a perimeter drain. For years our sump pumps have been keeping up, however they can no longer keep up and some serious water damage occurred over the past year. Sooooooooo onward to a new improved Peg's Pond House. I will post photos soon...I forgot camera today! The pic above is of "Casey" also know as "Big Diggie" and " The Other Woman" on her way from South Portland to Barter's Island.

Some new patterns

Been playing lots with pattern & repeats. I had some fabric made recently at Spoonflower. Will be great for for skirts & covering the cushions of some chairs that I have been weaving.
Spoonflower has a weekly fabric contest. I try to enter them, as it sometimes makes me draw something I might not ordinarily do. I encourage you to take a look at this weeks contest entries and vote for your favorite...some lovely prints. Why not enter one yourself...I'd love to see!

Sketch Books

I take them everywhere with me. When I see something that catches my eye, I make a quick sketch and then use it as reference for a more detailed version or I simplify for block printing. Often times I like the quick sketch best. I sketch EVERYTHING! chairs, cars, flowers, cups, kitchen utensils, appliances, faces, plants, trees, animals, bugs...and the list goes on. I sketch at the beach, waiting in airports, Dr.'s offices, for my kiddos after practice, school etc. I always have one in my car, just in case. I am very primitive in my technique, my older brother was the excellent artist in our family. I have years & years worth of books...I still use many of the sketches I rework, recolor, add to new imagery to the old. I have sketch books from high school & college days, my early 20's, I cannot part with them. Some I HATE, some I really don't recall what I was thinking, but when I look at them it's like visual journal of my past & present.
So here is a little look at the past few months and how It works for me.




I loved this great photo in National Geo, quick sketch and a couple of finished images.



Strawberry fields


These great fuzzy, scented flowers were in Mexico



Could draw sea life all day long!