March 10, 2010
The grasp of Winter’s hold had slipped as Spring crushed its dominion, breaking through and reaching out…infecting us all.
A dramatic sentence, huh? Well dramatic best describes a day like today. Life returned.
All of the snow has melted. The temperature soared to 58°F and the sun was unstoppable! Insects awoke from a torpor state and were active seeking adventures in a new year. I welcomed them back.
During a break from work, I had to do a quick 30 minute sketch of this beautiful event. It is the first gorgeous day of 2010. How energizing it was!
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Artwork, Chicago, Landscape, Nature Sketching, art, nature, sketchbook | Tagged: Christine Kane Art, ckane, landscape sketch, sunny landscape, sunny sketch, sunny watercolor, watercolor clouds, watercolor landscape, watercolor pine | 
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Posted by letspaintnature
March 5, 2010
Hot Dog!! I knew today was going to be a good day when as soon as I stepped out the door, I saw a hawk in my tree. Slowly I reached for my camera to get a good shot but scared him anyway and he took off.
Here is a close-up:
At this very second in time, he lifted from the branch and was turning direction in mid-flight to fly south. I love his wings! You can see light passing through them and also can distinguish individual feathers.
Hawk in Flight watercolor sketch
Here is my quick sketch. This moment is now preserved in time for me to enjoy over and over and over again. Today is going to be a good day.
4 Comments | Artwork, Birds, Nature Sketching, art, hawk, nature, sketchbook, wildlife | Tagged: Christine Kane Art, ckane, hawk, hawk in flight sketch, hawk sketch, nature sketch, sketch, sketch of raptor, sketchbook, watercolor hawk, watercolor sketch | Permalink
Posted by letspaintnature
March 2, 2010
Gray Squirrel Watercolor Sketch
Now I know what you’re thinking…No, I didn’t go to the other side. I am not a squirrel lover. They are still tree rats. But this particular one didn’t dump my bird feeder, matter of fact I was in his territory, deep in the woods. I have a certain respect for them when I’m wandering through their home and they are going about their business.
I first heard loud scraping. I mean LOUD. It was so loud, that I was sure I was on top of the thing, however, it took me several long minutes to find the squirt in a tangled web of brown twigs, far up in a tree. He was working very hard at getting to the meat of the nut.
Why can’t all squirrels keep to the tree like you can? We would all get along then! 
4 Comments | Artwork, Nature Sketching, art, hiking, nature, sketchbook, wildlife | Tagged: Christine Kane Art, ckane, Nature Sketching, sketchbook, squirrel eats nut, squirrel sketch, squirrel watercolor, stupid squirrel, tree rat, watercolor sketch, watercolor wildlife | Permalink
Posted by letspaintnature
February 24, 2010
I’ve waited patiently for the first flower of 2010. It has been months since I’ve seen and touched a delicate flower in the wild. It has been a really long winter. Did I give up hope in flowers? During my dry period without, did I stop believing in them?
No, I believed and waited…waited…waited patiently.
That may sound ridiculous to you but it is a reflection of what I am going through right now with God. So many things do not make sence. I keep waiting for the moment when the fog clears and I say, “Oh! That’s why!” Or when the lights go on and I can read the map which points me in the right direction. It has been a really dry time.
I will not let go. I will not doubt. I am not crushed. There is hope. Always.
“I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.”
Ps 40:1
7 Comments | Artwork, God, Nature Sketching, art, nature, sketchbook | Tagged: Christine Kane Art, ckane, dry period, faith, God, patiently, waiting, watercolor crocus, watercolor flower | Permalink
Posted by letspaintnature
February 14, 2010
While hiking, I caught two lovebirds having dinner. On a romantic afternoon they met, waiting their turn ever so patiently to grab some nourishment, all the while keeping one eye to the sky for danger. After each was satisfied, together they flew off looking for their next adventure.
How romantic and just in time for Valentine’s!
Blue Jay Lovebirds watercolor
I was so inspired by these two, I had to paint them myself. As I was painting, I had an “ah-ha” moment; with a rigger brush and my mixture of black paint, I painted the bill of the right blue jay and suddenly saw the likeness of a crow. I always knew that the blue jay and the crow were related, but it wasn’t until my hand physically recreated the blue jay’s bill that I suddenly saw a resemblance to the crow. “Oooooh”, I said.
This is a great example of how an artist can become intimate with a subject through painting. You really can learn a great deal.
7 Comments | Artwork, Birds, Nature Sketching, art, blue jay, nature, sketchbook, wildlife | Tagged: blue jay, Christine Kane Art, ckane, crow, nature painting, sketchbook, watercolor bird, watercolor of blue jay, watercolor sketch | Permalink
Posted by letspaintnature
Let's go hiking in the Midwest Forest Preserves, we will paint and sketch what we find and learn more about nature together. Painting is a way to study a subject and learn it thoroughly, I'll show you how.
