Hiking & Painting in Nature – Chicago
Last Saturday a group of us met for another Little Red Schoolhouse Sketch Class. Because of the recent rains, we knew that if we painted outside our watercolors would take forever to dry, so we decided to start with an indoor sketch of the fox family display. We went slow...step by step...and boy did they … Continue reading Sketch Class Results April 2012
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 … Continue reading Sketch Class Results March 2012
Oh the treasures in nature! How can I express such joy from my adventures in the woods with simple text? Not possible. Well, let's try... Yesterday I decided to walk the yellow trail from Pioneer Woods. It was a cold but strong sunny day. In the late afternoon light, the bare trees took on a golden … Continue reading Coyote Skull Sketch
It's been a while, huh? After having the stomach virus, I managed to find a tiny piece of ice to fall on....right on my tail bone *oooooouch*. That left me sore for over two weeks! Soon Christmas arrived and the holiday parties kept me busy. All of these things kept me out of the woods for about a month. Well, I'm … Continue reading New Year New Hike New Sketch
Imperial Moth watercolor"Whoa!!!!" That's what I said when a co-worker walked into work with this dead beauty in his hands. WOW....it's HUGE...over 5 inches wide! He found it, already expired, in the grass and because he knows I'm a nut for nature he let me keep it. This imperial moth is really soft. The wings … Continue reading Imperial Moth Watercolor Sketch
Spring at Centennial ParkSpring...new beginnings...tender...fresh...new life. Those are just a few words that come to mind when I think of spring. A few days ago I had the chance to experience those feelings at Centennial Park in Orland Park, IL. A cute little gazebo adorns a lake which is teaming with wildlife! On this … Continue reading Spring Gazebo Watercolor Sketch
Little Red Schoolhouse Sketch Class April 2011Amanda, Scott, Michelle, Amy, Lori, Alanna (kneeling), myself, and Sue Wow! What a class!!! Finally blessed with a perfect warm day to do some watercolor sketching, the group headed out on the White Oak Trail in search for woodland wildflowers...and oh boy, did we find a treasure of them! Mesmerized … Continue reading Sketch Class Results April 2011
Just as a ballerina twirls, the tender crocus unfurls as it emerges from the ground. That's what I thought of as I gazed upon the much awaited, first flower of the year. Its struggle to break through the soil, I guess just makes it stonger...and in such cold weather too! We all must struggle and grow before we … Continue reading Emerging Crocus Sketch
A reprieve from winter, a welcomed mild day...how lovely! Yesterday I made a quick stop at Arrowhead Lake. The sun, enveloped in a slight haze and in the company of dark blue clouds, sets behind the trees, giving me a peek-a-boo yellow surprise in between branches. What do I hear? Unexpectedly, I hear the first chorus frog … Continue reading Arrowhead Lake Sunset Sketch
01-13-2011 20°F cloudy McClaughry Springs Woods Stopping by McClaughry Woods, you can't even say that I went for a hike, but rather just an emergency stop for 30 minutes in nature. When I'm only allowed a little bit of time, I try to be silent and pay extra special attention to what is going on … Continue reading Woodpecker Hole Sketch at McClaughry Spring Woods
