Draw the Fall

by Kathy Garvey

I'm just back from a trip to Maryland and Virginia where the leaves were just starting to change colors and fall to the ground. It's one of my favorite times of year. And I love leaf shapes. I gathered some pretty ones on my many walks. 

Later,  I slid them into the pages of my sketchbook to flatten them. 

And when I had time to draw, I gathered them up and played with arranging them on my pages. 

But I didn't sketch. I took the easy way out and just traced around my leaves. 
Next, I drew some of the veins in, and then filled in the sections with designs.
Easy, fun, satisfying. 

(Note that some people refer to this type of art as a "Zentangle".
Way before that word existed, it was just called doodling!)

Find some leaves and give it a try for yourself!

Memories of 2011

Going to mountains with my painting buddies,
Wading by streams with our shoes nice and muddy,
Whether in Fall or in Winter or Spring,
These are a few of my favorite things...

As you can see, we never go into the wild without plenty of provisions. This is the trip that recharges our batteries every year, and this year there will be a Spring trip too, thanks to our new friend Mary Jo in South Carolina.

posted by Carmen

SUMMER RETREAT, Carol Schiff Studio

In October, our painting group joined me for a week of fun in my vacation home in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
When we returned home, Kathy Garvey presented me with a CD of photos taken during the week.  She also made a small book featuring events of the week.  I painted this  from her cover photo on the book, showing our home in fall color.

We all had a great time and I cannot wait to repeat the experience next October.

My Happy Place, 5x7

After our first cold day in North Carolina, the weather got better and better. We were drawn to the river, where there was beauty at every turn. Donna took this picture of me comfortably ensconced on a rock, painting happily. Thanks to Cindy, I had a very appropriate-looking hat.

posted by Carmen