Hiking & Painting in Nature – Chicago
The air is sweet green. It has been raining for two days and while most are scoffing, I welcome the rest. A steady downpour puts me in a trance without me even realizing it. I stare at strings of rain like crystal beads against the dark of pine. Beating rain pelting the ground is rhythmic … Continue reading Soaked Pine Watercolor
To enjoy the song of spring, it cannot be played on an iPhone or any other artificial electronic device. That would be an insult to your ears. To see a male rose-breasted grosbeak look you in the eye and hear him bicker at you for being too close to his turf is a very intimate … Continue reading The Song of Spring Watercolor
This is Let's Paint Nature's 500th post! To celebrate, let's post a free step by step watercolor demonstration!!! And let it be an easy on at that. Here we go.... This scene was taken from Knock Knolls in Naperville, IL. It will be a very simple watercolor sketch. When I want to do a quick … Continue reading Let’s Paint an Easy Winter Landscape Free Step by Step Watercolor
Yesterday I went on a birding adventure at Red Oaks Nature Center with the DuPage Birding Club. Red Oaks is located adjacent to the Fox River and has an observatory deck right over the river, perfect for viewing waterfowl and migrating birds. When birding, it is helpful to go with a group of knowledgeable people … Continue reading Male and Female Common Goldeneye Watercolor
Snow is softly falling and I have the privilege to watch without interruption, to watch without keeping track of time, to watch without any obligations for the remainder of the day. For once in a long time I can be instead of do. I do not have much experience being. I am only familiar with … Continue reading Snow on Sage Watercolor
There is something sad about this incomplete pine. Or maybe it's not sad at all, but I'm looking through sad eyes. I'm still processing the loss of a friend and I'm not going to lie, it does not get better with time. Especially when I pick up a paint brush and do the very thing … Continue reading Incomplete Pine Watercolor
Not only are the reeds frozen, but the animal tracks are too. Frozen in time. They tell a story which I love to read when hiking in nature. I have to put the pieces together from this story... whose tracks? When were they made? Did the animal have the silver moon as a guiding light? … Continue reading Reeds Frozen in Time Watercolor
Did you ever receive an original painting or drawing as a Christmas card? If you did, how did it make you feel? I bet it made you feel extremely special. Just knowing that the person who sent it to you didn't grab a generic one from a box, but actually sat down and took the … Continue reading Let’s Paint an Easy Christmas Card! Yes you can do this!!
Setting Sun Mild 59°F As the sun sets it casts an amber glow to everything it touches. The dried grasses blaze and pine boughs glisten. A radiant moment indeed. Friday I caught this moment and simplified it. Instead of painting every single thing in my view/picture, I painted what was necessary to capture the mood … Continue reading Elegant Pines of a Setting Sun Watercolor
To have patience. To lie in wait. This autumn magnolia tree already has it's buds ready for next spring. Why does this happen? The tree's buds are encased in a heavy fur scale, Soft on the outside with little silver hairs and extremely hard underneath protecting the tender bud. But why are we seeing buds … Continue reading Magnolia Buds Lie in Wait Watercolor
