Ann's Crayon Box

I think we have fairies!

2012-01-19T16:57:00.002-05:00

I was out in the yard doing a little gardening and look!! I think it's a fairy garden. That tree looking thing is the stem of a basil plant. Click on the picture if you want to get a closer look.

Happy Birthday, Emma !

2012-01-15T21:02:00.004-05:00

Meet the Birthday Girl...

She played, she bounced, she laughed, she blew out candles, she ate frosting, she opened gifts.... She played some more, she laughed some more...

Every good gift and every perfect gift

is from above...

James 1:17a

Cruisin' In Style

2012-01-05T22:16:00.001-05:00

Carley and Beamer cruisin' around town on the new Cruiser.

Cutie Pie

2011-12-07T17:51:00.006-05:00

Emma... 23 months... having a blast at the Turtle Museum.

Bumble Bee Whimsy

2011-11-22T22:43:00.001-05:00

Sometimes you can learn a lot from copying. I made every effort to copy a painting by Anthony Morrow. I really like his work. I didn't exactly duplicate it here but I had fun trying.

Everyday Matters Challenge #1 ~ a shoe

2011-07-10T22:29:00.001-04:00

Everyday Matters is a community of artists who encourage each other to expand their creativity. One way they do this is by suggesting a list of challenges to draw. Number 1 is, "Draw a shoe." Sometimes you just need a nudge to be creative.

Splish Splash

2011-05-29T17:22:00.002-04:00

Wiggling little fingers,

Tickling little toes,

Can't think of a better way to spend a hot Sunday afternoon than splashing in the fountains at Indian Riverside Park in Jensen Beach! This is a beautiful park with big pavillions, this awesome fountain, sandy beaches, and a long fishing pier.

Mama and babies

2011-04-12T01:33:00.009-04:00

A second attempt at this one! I tried it again, using a color photo, sitting with my Monday night painting ladies.

I drew and painted this from a black and white photo, sitting in the car, with my little travel paint set.

You Look Beautiful!

2011-04-01T00:03:00.002-04:00

Senior Prom! Have fun!

Parker's Senior Pictures

2011-03-22T23:01:00.000-04:00

Great Egret

2011-03-12T03:11:00.000-05:00

Arti Gras 2011

2011-02-07T01:40:00.004-05:00

My first time going to Arti Gras.... and I loved it. I painted this at a tent where they were giving instructions to a group of about 30 people at a time. It was done with acrylic paint in about 20 minutes.

Chickadee

2011-02-01T03:24:00.002-05:00

I love little finches!

One Year Old!

2011-01-15T00:19:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday, Precious Emma

A New Journal for 2011

2011-01-01T11:11:00.015-05:00

A brand new art journal! It small, just the way I like AND it's made out of watercolor paper. I would encourage anyone that likes to doodle or draw or paint, but thinks they aren't good enough, to get a small blank book and play in it with pens and pencils and paint. It's a safe, no rules, no perfection needed, sort of place to experiment.

My Fine Feathered Friends

2010-12-08T17:06:00.001-05:00

Carley's Senior Pictures

2010-11-24T16:39:00.008-05:00

Pink Flamingoes

2010-11-05T01:35:00.002-04:00

Arizon Sunset

2010-10-18T16:31:00.000-04:00

Apparently this is a typical sunset for Arizona!

I was in awe.

Happy 100th Birthday, Aunt Gert

2010-10-17T18:21:00.002-04:00

This is Aunt Gert. She's amazing! She's beautiful and loving and smart and funny.

And we were able to be with her in Arizona to enjoy the celebration of her 100th birthday.

Tulip

2010-09-25T04:27:00.003-04:00

Looking at the Rockies

2010-09-21T22:42:00.009-04:00

An amazing God created this

2010-07-03T22:24:00.004-04:00

This is a beautiful and usual flower. They are rather common around South Florida but taking the time to draw and paint one made me appreciate them so much more. I looked it up on wikipedia and found this little bit of interesting information.

"They are pollinated by sunbirds, which use the spathe as a perch when visiting the flowers; the weight of the bird on the spathe opens it to release the pollen onto the bird's feet, which is then deposited on the next flower it visits."

Pretty cool, eh?

Yes, they are blue.

2010-07-02T22:16:00.004-04:00

Acrylic paint is so fun! Whenever the "one shot at it" pressure of watercolor gets to you, get out the acrylics and just paint until you're happy. Blue buffalo grazing in a yellow field make me happy.

Cherries

2010-06-25T22:05:00.003-04:00

This was a fun little exercise in trying to get "round" with shading and leaving some white for reflection.

Not quite a bear market, more like a bear cafe...

2010-06-05T21:39:00.001-04:00

This great little scene compelled me, somewhat late at night, to drive home and get my camera and game-for-anything-daughter, and return for a little National Geographic photo shoot. You never know who or what you will run into at the curbside boutique. Oh, and just for the record, I did not tamper with the evidence here, nor did I feed the bear.

Home Sweet Home

2010-05-07T16:14:00.001-04:00

This is the house I grew up in, in Meriden, Connecticut.

I think it shrunk.

Little Thatch Island Cottage

2010-05-02T02:21:00.004-04:00

Wouldn't this be a nice place to go on a honeymoon?!!

And they lived happily ever after...

2010-05-01T22:00:00.001-04:00

2010-04-19T22:46:00.003-04:00

Watercolor class #2... I really enjoy going to class, and I like the teacher, and I like watching her paint. [but] We painted this picture using a black and gray reference photo, and not a very clear copy at that. The teacher demonstrated how she would paint it but she used paints that we don't have on our palette. In a perfect world, this would be different! :)

With This Ring...

2010-04-17T17:48:00.002-04:00

Logan weds Alyson

Off to a great start!

first day...

2010-04-09T03:19:00.003-04:00

I walked into my first watercolor class with my bag of supplies... brand new paints and brushes, and 3 hours later I walked out of the class with this. I'm giving myself permission to be happy with it.

The instructor was sitting at one end of the room and she remained in that chair for pretty much the entire 3 hour class. She called the class up to her desk and demonstrated a few steps. We crowded around, looked on, upside down, and then went back to our desks to "give it a shot". I'm giving myself permission to be "okay" with this.

We are supposed to "finish it" at home. Ummm..... how?

Make a Wish!

2010-03-16T01:25:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday, Parker!

An Angel is Born!

2010-01-15T13:34:00.001-05:00

Emma Leigh

6 lbs. 15 oz.

20 1/4 in.

Luscious Libby Loo

2009-12-27T21:35:00.001-05:00

Libby makes being "fluffy", beautiful.

Will You Marry Me?

2009-11-01T02:18:00.001-05:00

This was the very first time I participated in an online challenge and sent a picture of my painting in.

Dust Bunnies????

2009-10-13T21:20:00.000-04:00

I have dust bunnies and they are quite the happy, little "critters". They're content to just meander around the house. I don't feed them, and yet they grow and multiply. They don't make a sound. They don't jump on company, so far. No vet bills. I like dust bunnies.

Now, about the photo. These bunnies are sculpted out of household dust and lint! I kid you not. The artist is Suzanne Proulx. You go, girl!

Prince Charming

2009-10-01T01:57:00.004-04:00

Save the Date!

2009-09-27T23:40:00.000-04:00

Logan and Alyson... out taking pictures for their "Save the Date" postcard.

Happy and Adorable!!

The Lion of the Tribe of Judah

2009-09-13T14:01:00.000-04:00

I tried to copy another artist work here. I will try to find the name and update this post.

A Bun in the Oven

2009-09-02T23:34:00.000-04:00

It's a girl!

Style-eye

2009-08-28T23:27:00.000-04:00

Take a Load Off

2009-07-27T00:44:00.007-04:00

Last week I went to the library to spend a little time looking at art books. I found some great ones that show beautiful examples of drawing the human form. As you might expect, they are drawings of nudes. Now, our library has a rather large reading area with lots of comfortable chairs. It probably seats about 20, spaced out with tables and lamps. I was there, and one other person... about 10 feet away. In comes a nice older gentleman... he grabs a magazine and where do you suppose he sits? Yep... right smack dab next to me! I don't usually mind people in "my bubble" but I did feel a little awkward "studying" nudes with grandpa looking over my shoulder!

I drew this man with pencil, from a photo taken by Karin Jurick. Karin is the creator of an artists' challenge website called, Different Strokes from Different Folks. Every couple of weeks, she posts a photograph and challenges "folks" to paint or draw from it. The idea is to motivate you to try new things. The artists send their drawings or paintings by email to Karin and she posts them. It is absolutely amazing to see all the ways one picture is interpreted. To see the refernce photo and everyone's submissions, click here: Different Strokes

Sunset @ Dubois Park

2009-06-21T01:04:00.000-04:00

Why don't we do this more often?

The Duck Church

2009-06-09T00:45:00.000-04:00

My nephew, Greg, and Dawn got married here. It's actually called Church by the Sea on Madeira Beach. It was established in 1945 by the fishing community. At one time it has a light on a mast to safely guide the fishermen back home. Now... this is what the church has to say, "Our congregation is one through which God powerfully shares His light that people might be drawn to us and that we, in turn, might point them toward the true Light that enlightens us all . . . Jesus."

Who Remembers Commander Mark?

2009-06-07T23:48:00.000-04:00

Back in the 80's, PBS carried a show called, "The Secret City," hosted by a fabulously energetic, and extremely gifted artist/art teacher, Mark Kistler. He was Commander Mark!! He drew these great, whimsical, alien cities while he taught the basics of drawing. Lucky for me, I had two little boys that liked watching "Secret City." Now, fast forward with me, and here I am, ready to draw and paint. I've dusted off an art journal/sketchbook that I bought in 2000 (and only used a dozen pages). Also collecting dust on the shelf is a drawing book by Mark Kistler from 1988. It's called, Draw Squad, and it's 30 drawing lessons... just like the ones from "Secret City."

Here's my Lesson One...

This one's for you, Mom!

2009-05-10T00:59:00.000-04:00

Bobdavekennyann!

Congratulations, Greg and Dawn!

2009-05-09T00:49:00.010-04:00

Greg and Dawn had a beautiful wedding ceremony

and a great reception!

And may God give you a wonderful marriage to cherish and enjoy!

Let the fun begin!

2009-05-01T13:34:00.000-04:00

I thought I would invite "Mahi" and "Bankie" to help me with my art bloggity debut. They symbolize a new adventure for me. I've given myself "permission" to take the time to paint, to make art, to learn as I go, and most importantly, to thoroughly enjoy the process. I found some great fish pictures on the Florida Fish and Wildlife website and decided to try painting a few. Fun, fun, fun!

I'm looking for, asking for, lots and lots of critiquing. All tips, hints, pointers, tricks, etc. are welcome!