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
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
51°F Overcast, windy, rain. A hawk cry rings out under the heavy damp air. A red squirrel sits to peel the outer layer of a nut, unaffected by the rain. An intruder approaches... another red squirrel. This invasion results in a quick chase around the tree and an angry fast flicker of the tail. The … Continue reading Autumn Rain Watercolor
Cold weather, dark gray skies, and the occasional flurries might put many in a gloomy mood. It will force some to stay locked in their houses, giving them an excuse to watch TV for hours and hours. Then there are the adventurers.... Some extreme adventurers laugh at weather conditions, drill through ice, and sit for … Continue reading Ice Fishing on Herrick Lake Watercolor Sketch
The Chicago area has been hit by two significant snow storms since winter started. I love snow. Not only is it soothing to watch as it descends, but it dresses the winter trees in their formal attire. How beautiful. Each and every one dazzles. So, let's paint a winter tree during an enchanted nighttime snow … Continue reading Let’s Paint a Winter Storm at Night!
08-28-2016 (Sun) 88°F Rain. Beautiful rain. Straight down it was...no meandering, no skewing, no divergence, no wind. Tapping on leaves in trees creates a sound as if hundreds are clapping. My spirit is clapping. I try to hear splashes in the puddles but cannot. The clapping overtakes the moment and I get lost in the … Continue reading Rain and a Glimpse of Autumn Sketch
Did you ever hear someone groan when it started to rain? "Oh MAN!" They might sigh, "Why does it have to rain? It messes up my day. I hate rain." Oh, but the beauty! So gentle, so rare.....if you look for it. See past the sunless gray sky. See past the soggy ground. See past … Continue reading String of Diamonds Watercolor
Raindrops pummeling onto the concrete outside my window awakens me from a deep sleep. My eyes open, but I do not want to move. This time is to be treasured. I will not let that voice which asks, "What time is it?", steal this moment. I will not let my cell phone sitting on the … Continue reading Rainy Autumn Morning Watercolor
Arriving on the first day, I was greeted by a gentle storm. I love storms. I love the excitement and the unknown. The mood is a little more reverent. There is a certain amount of waiting involved...watching the sky, listening, pausing. So I was beyond thrilled to encounter dark skies on my first night. God … Continue reading Stormy Welcome, CITW Part 2
He waits on bended bough. Tilts his head and scans the ground. I am ever so thankful for moments like these. An unexpected surprise in nature, catching me off guard, instantly uplifting my spirits. And this spirit I have is the very thing that connects to the Spirit in nature. When you're open to it, … Continue reading Hawk Waits in the Midst of a Foggy Morning – watercolor sketch
