Unfortunately, this Saturday’s sketch class at the Little Red Schoolhouse will be cancelled due to illness.
It seems that I am the last in my family to have the stomach virus and it’s stronger than expected. 
One by one everyone got it, but I thought I had beat it. My turn just took a little longer than expected hahahaha.
Anyway, I’m sure I’ll be back to normal in a week or so.
I hope everyone has a joyous Thanksgiving with family and friends!
Keep painting in your journals everyone!
Posted in Uncategorized
Well, I used the last page of my watercolor sketchbook and of course, as usual, I waited until the last minute (story of my life) to purchase a new one. So when I went to the store, I was kind of desperate.
They didn’t have the sketchbook I always buy, so I was forced to take what was available…handmade watercolor paper.
I thought, OK something different, we’ll make it work.
I HATE IT.
Oh this stuff is HORRIBLE. It’s super thick and soaks up the water like a sponge. Your color starts out nice and bold, but by the time it dries it turns almost white! I had to re-work and re-work and re-work.
YUCK.
One good thing at least…yesterday was our first snowfall. YAY!!!
It went like this: flurry, sun, flurry, sun, flurry, sun.
Call me a little kid, but I always get excited about the first snow 
Posted in art, Artwork, Chicago, Landscape, nature, Nature Sketching, sketchbook, weather
Tagged art, Artwork, crappy, first snow, handmade watercolor paper, sketchbook, watercolor, watercolors, weather
Uncertainty is certain in life.
At some point, no matter how much you have prepared, things happen. Sometimes these things can sweep your off your feet and knock you down. It happens to all of us.
Don’t worry.
The most beautiful words I’ve read are, “My times are in Your hand…”
Our timeline has already been reviewed. When the crazy times arrive at your door, take comfort in knowing that God is in control, even when things seem out of control. Rely on Him.
As a free gift, I offer you this watercolor painting of a female and male cardinal eating seed from the ground.
free_download_cardinal
God cares for even the smallest creatures.
You may download, save it, print it, give it as a gift, or use it for yourself. I hope that it helps you, despite what you may be going through.
Help in Troubled Times Cardinal by Christine Novak Kane is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Posted in art, Artwork, Birds, cardinal, Free Download, God, nature, watercolor painting, wildlife
Tagged art, Artwork, bird art, Birds, Christine Kane Art, ckane, female cardinal, free artwork, free download, God, help in trouble, help me, male cardinal, psalm, scripture, scripture painting, trust in God, watercolor birds, watercolor cardinal, wildlife art
In Flight Geese (watercolor, watercolor pencil, black micron pen)
In flight.
Oh, I wish I had an ounce of their grace.
The best part…the tips of their wings!
Some may consider the Canada Goose a nuisance. As a protected bird, it has over populated my area. If you visit a cemetery, golf course, university grounds, or any large plot of manicured property, you will find the Canada Goose. Not only one, but hundreds of them…along with their many droppings. 
Call me one for the underdog, but I have always loved the overlooked, ordinary species. Maybe because I consider myself part of the group.
Canadian Geese in my area do not migrate, but can tough it out all winter long. There is however, a crowded path in the sky overhead at this time of year, with many flying south.
I love that V formation! BTW!
We can learn a lot from teamwork as we study geese in flight. Lift is being provided from the front goose to the goose behind it. The energy saved is ingenious.
Go geese go!
Posted in art, Artwork, Birds, Chicago, goose, nature, Nature Sketching, sketchbook, watercolor sketching, wildlife
Tagged art, Artwork, canada goose, canadian geese, Christine Kane Art, ckane, geese in flight sketch, goose drawing, sketch of geese, sketchbook, study of geese in flight, v formation, watercolor, watercolor sketch
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?
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
Verse of the Day
