Category Archives: sketchbook in the field

Sketch Class Results March 2012

Posted on April 3, 2012 | 12 Comments

A little cold and a little gray….but that didn’t stop our fun at the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center Sketch Class!

I saw a notification on the Illinois Bird List website that a pair of Osprey were building a nest on the platform in Long John Slough, so I was very excited to tell the group and see it for ourselves. We did spot the Osprey and nest with binoculars. We also observed one flying above the Slough. Oh YES! Birding excitement in the morning!

We decided to face south and sketch the new nature center building from across the slough. Each one of us found a comfortable spot and got to work. Alanna has found a bench that serves as a table too! Good idea!

Michelle’s mini tripod chair is light weight and can be carried anywhere. Got to get me one of these!

Katie and I choose the cold wet ground where we can spread our art table all over the place. Dirt is fun. Way fun.

Ce Ce and Sue made wonderful sketches but had to leave early. It was so nice to have them along!

Photo by Alanna.
The rest of us painted as much as we could. There was a lot of moisture in the air and our watercolors were not drying. We decided to finish at home.

Here is our work in progress.

This is my finished sketch. Spring is about one month early in my area. I love the redbuds, however I am concerned how early everything is developing.

No class is complete without a short hike (optional). The redbuds are beautiful but are the insects ready? This is my way too early spring concern.

We also found some Dutchman’s Breeches which are also out about one month early.
Beautiful!

That was the theme of the day, cold but beautiful! The next class is Saturday, April 28th. Hopefully it will be a tad warmer.

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Posted in art, Artwork, Chicago, hiking, nature, Nature Sketching, sketchbook, sketchbook in the field, sketching class, watercolor sketching

Tagged art, art class, Artwork, Chicago, Christine Kane Art, ckane, IL, little red schoolhouse, long john slough, painting, sketch class, sketchbook, sketching and hiking, sketching nature, spring, watercolor nature, watercolor sketching, willow springs

Waterfall Glen Sketch

Posted on March 12, 2012 | 12 Comments

Waterfall Glen is a small gem tucked away in the DuPage County Forest Preserves. It is near a 9 mile trail (that I did not walk) which surrounds Argonne Lab.

Chicago is experiencing a very hot winter. Yes, hot. Believe it or not this week we will hit 70°F at least 4 times. Very strange. Anyway, it was gorgeous last Saturday for a long leisurely sit by the waterfall.

I love to close my eyes and listen to the thunder of the water crashing down. There is so much energy and force in that water.

I decided to take my time and bring my fold-up chair with me to hold the water well and brushes. It worked out terrific! My mom accompanied me on this nature adventure and commented how the waterfall looked as if it had silver ribbons. The way the sun light was touching the falls, it really did look like silver ribbons! I couldn’t have said it better myself!

As we walked out of the preserve, we noticed a plot of pines. Saturday was an extremely windy day and the skinny trunked pines were tossed by the wind.

I looked up at the top-heavy pines and wrote this poem:

The wind rushes with a mighty force.
A pine plot sways with much excitement, scraping a bright blue sky.
The roar of the wind sounds and the creaking pines answer.

I hope you enjoyed this quick hike at Waterfall Glen and enjoyed the poem.
Can you hear the creaking pines?

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Posted in art, Artwork, Chicago, hiking, nature, Nature Sketching, poetry, sketchbook, sketchbook in the field, watercolor sketching, weather

Tagged argonne lab hiking, Christine Kane Art, ckane, dupage county forest preserve, hiking, nature poetry, pine plot, pine poem, pine trees, poem about pine trees, poetry, sketchbook, watercolor sketch, watercolor waterfall, waterfall glen

Sketch Class Results October 2011

Posted on October 29, 2011 | 4 Comments

A perfect midwest autumn scene: blazing reds, golden yellows and subdued browns. That’s what greeted us this crisp (downright cold) autumn morning as we met to converse with nature.

Our mission was to take a short hike and find at least three different leaves which spoke to us. We met at the fire pit circle and sketched our leaves, step-by-step.

For some, it was their first time. I’m always amazed when people say they don’t paint with watercolors…their artwork comes out so wonderful!!!

And others who regularly practice, fill their beautiful sketchbooks with vibrant memories to last.

What a fantastic spread! Such colorful delectables.

Collectively we gathered to celebrate a fleeting season and each in our own way, suddenly find ourselves connected to autumn. As time slipped out of our consciousness we reached a deeper place, a place where stress isn’t allowed, nor concerns for the realities of life. What a wonderful place to be.

Not wanting to waste this beautiful color, the idea was put to the group to walk some more and do a landscape sketch. A 2-for-1, yesssssss!

To be students of nature, what a blessing, may we never graduate but continue to be mesmerised by nature’s awe.

We captured this moment in time, autumn’s garment…how fast it changes!

my Long John Slough October watercolor

Here is a close up of my slough watercolor sketch.

my October leaves watercolor sketch

And lastly, a close up of my leaves.

I hope you enjoyed this review of October’s watercolor sketch class at the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center in Willow Springs, IL. Maybe you would like to join us in November?

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Posted in art, Artwork, Chicago, hiking, Landscape, nature, Nature Sketching, sketchbook, sketchbook in the field, sketching class, watercolor sketching

Tagged art, Artwork, autumn, Christine Kane Art, ckane, forest preserve of cook county, free art class, free sketch class, hiking and sketching, how to watercolor sketch, IL, journal, little red schoolhouse nature center, sketchbook, watercolor sketching, willow springs

A Year in Review – The Little Red Schoolhouse Sketch Class

Posted on October 23, 2011 | 4 Comments

I am happy to present:
A Year in Review…the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center Sketch Classes.

I am so very proud of every single person who showed up to paint.
Some were afraid, not having painted ever in their lives. Some were confident being seasoned artists. All were one however, not viewing one as better than the other, we were of course there for nature not ourselves.

Speaking of ourselves, I never would have guessed how important this class would become. The friendships I have gained and the new artists I have met…this class was truly bigger than myself.

If I, being a nobody, can create something positive for nature, celebrating creation and artistic fellowship…think of what you can do in your area! Yes you! Go ahead start something wonderful. If you do, please contact me and tell me all about it…I would LOVE to hear about it!

If you are in the Chicago area, our next free sketch class at the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center is going to be this Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 9AM, meet in the parking lot. Get ready to hike first. Our assignment will be to find 4-5 different autumn leaves to paint. When we are done hiking we will sit and paint our leaves. I will show you how step by step. Now that I think of it…I’m sure we’ll have time for a quick landscape sketch too!

Click here to view supply list and address.

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Posted in art, Artwork, Chicago, hiking, nature, Nature Sketching, sketchbook, sketchbook in the field, sketching class, watercolor sketching