Hiking & Painting in Nature – Chicago
In the Midwest where chill reigns for a quarter of the year, you will find a solemn hearth if you're lucky in the midst of the woods. Not every preserve has one, but when you happen to spot one, it's like a treasure. This one is located at Knoch Knolls Park in Naperville, IL. On … Continue reading Hearth in the Woods – Watercolor Sketch
It is time once again. I felt it stir within, an urgency to go back. A time to retreat. As I grow, I am more in tune with my body and emotions. With the weight of work and family obligations I needed a time out. Silence is what I crave, giving me the ability to … Continue reading Return to Retreat CITW
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
Sometimes in life you need to retreat. You need to reach over and hit the pause button so that you can regroup. Current events becoming too overwhelming? ....pause button. Work driving you mad? ....pause button. Feeling like you're spinning your wheels not getting anywhere? ...pause button. Family/Friends/Children acting irrational? ....pause button. Feel like you're losing … Continue reading My Strategic Withdrawal, CITW Part 1
Clouds are rolling in from the northwest. Diffused sunlight still sparkles and dances on top of Bullfrog Lake, despite all of the clouds. It is a pleasant and cool breeze which brushes up against my skin and refreshes me. The same breeze that plays music in between the leaves on top of the trees. And maybe still, it is … Continue reading Blessings and Fears at Bullfrog Lake
(Amy, Christine, Donna, Angelic, front: Alanna, Debby) Another sketch class! Where has the time gone? Wow, how these days are flying by...holy cow!! Slow down time....slow down so we can savor every beautiful moment in nature! This last Saturday was another successful sketch class through the MeetUp site. We decided to meet at Herrick Lake … Continue reading Sketch Class Results Herrick Lake
Jan, Catherine, Christine, Donna, Debby, Alanna (front) My MeetUp group: Chicagoland Sketchbook Hikers, meets all over the place. That's the goal, especially since the Chicago area (you might not realize) has a ton of preserved land which is a refuge, an oasis, shall we say for souls like ourselves that need to connect with nature. … Continue reading Sketch Class Results Hammel Woods
The next few posts will feature some treasures I find while hiking in the woods. Walking slow and scanning the floor with my eyes, helps me notice things amongst the leaf litter which can be in camouflage and easily overlooked. Today's watercolor is of a morel mushroom. This mushroom is popular with shroom heads (term … Continue reading On the Forest Floor – Morel Mushroom Watercolor
The air hung heavy with the threat of rain as we (Alanna and I), finally made it to the edge of the river. I had one eye on the sky trying to predict what it was going to do. The trail to the river wasn't too clear, overgrown with lush foliage and even a healthy … Continue reading Vermillion River Watercolor Sketch
This month, at the suggestion of a sketch group member, we decided to meet at Lyman Woods in Downer's Grove, IL, for our sketchbook MeetUp class. What a tiny gem! And crawling with springtime woodland wildflowers right now! Prairie Trillium Lily of the Valley And my favorite...Jack in the Pulpit! Amongst the beautiful, there was … Continue reading Sketch Class Results Lyman Woods Downers Grove
