Change . . . of Place.

Achill Island, County Mayo, is an amazing place located on the western-most edge of Ireland. We discovered this place on a whim – I had signed up for a seaside painting class that was subsequently cancelled – but by then we had already reserved a house on the island. The cottage communities on the windswept hills seek shelter along the beach strands or behind small groves of trees and hedges. But there is a magic here. White sand beaches give rise to haunted ruins, mystical fairy leas, remote villages and a tribe of hospitable people – all who bear witness to the strength of home and family in the face of eons of change. 

This week, I'm preparing for the January show at artZ Gallery in Amery, WI. With the theme, "Change," it's presented a welcome challenge to spur my creativity. This week's painting, Island Brooke, 4" x 6" watercolor, captures a freshwater stream flowing to the sea. 

 

Thinking about May!

I know this seems strange, but it's the time of year when many artists in this region are registering for the Earth Arts Spring Tour 2022. It’s always held the first full weekend in May, and this year, I’ll be celebrating that weekend with an exhibit at the artZ Gallery in Amery, WI. This time of year, I usually navigate toward “snow” pictures, so thinking ahead to Spring is a bit of a stretch. But the deadline is three days away - yes, I'm still that "pressure-prompted, deadline-driven" individual - so I'm thinking warmer thoughts this weekend and painting for Spring! 

This week’s painting, Resilience, 8” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, features one of my favorite trees – the White Pine – growing with determination out of a rock outcropping in the middle of the St. Croix River.  

 

December Snow

We are waiting today. A major snowstorm is predicted to hit our area later this afternoon . . . and so we wait. Paul went to the grocery store early this morning – it was packed with others stocking up – so we are thankful that the pantry is full, fresh batteries are in the flashlights, the birdfeeders filled . . . and we wait. I think this is why my spirit absolutely craves this time of year. The options for activities are limited and I can’t just flit from one thing to another. I need to take time and pause – to sit quietly with one of the cats on my lap, to paint, to write a letter or read a favorite book. There is healing in this time, and so we rest and wait.

And in this season of Advent, we are preparing our hearts for Christmas. This week’s painting reflects an iconic sight, Eagle Harbor Winter. One of our favorite places to visit, this 8” x 11” watercolor captures the historic Eagle Harbor lighthouse guiding mariners to safety in this region of the Keweenaw Peninsula of Upper Michigan.

November Gales

It was an exceptionally fine Fall here – filled with warm sunshine and magical colors on the trees through November, including the grass growing right up to two weeks ago! And when the cold finally hit, it seemed a cruel shock. Our son Jack was here from WA when the first snowfall happened and walking out to the truck one morning, he paused and asked what was that sound. I listened and announced: It’s snowing, Jack. His response: No way! Snow doesn’t make that much noise! Well, it does when it’s sleet and full of frozen water! Haha! We just took a quick road trip to Door County and as we drove into Ephraim, the wind was howling off the lake with the waves pounding up against the harbor docks and rocky shoreline. It reminded me to be thankful that I don’t have lake-front property – the Great Lakes are especially filled with wild unpredictability!

I recently took a “Gales of November” watercolor class with Artist/Instructor Paul Oman. He is a terrific teacher, and it was fun to hone skills in painting a lake storm and the resulting “confused seas.” This week’s painting, November Fury, 9” x 12” watercolor, reflects crashing waves along the shore of Lake Superior.

 

Theme: Change

In the soft light of this late afternoon in November, it seems the perfect time to think about Change in the new year. And that’s the theme for the upcoming member art exhibit at artZ Gallery in Amery, WI.  Slated for January-February 2022, it’s a theme that’s inspiring me to explore watercolor challenges such as honing techniques for dynamic skies.

This week’s painting, “Copper Bay,” 9” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, reflects the rosy light of a sunset on a quiet bay.

More Lilties!

It has been a tremendous joy to see my paintings go to new homes. Sometimes I hear wonderful messages from individuals who have purchased original art - so appreciated and thank you! As a result, I’m busy painting new Liltie Series watercolors for Paul to frame. Another recent painting, "Lake Isle," 4” x 6” on 300 lb. watercolor paper reflects the beautiful colors of sunset on the Big Lake.  

Finishing Strong

It seems like this year has just whooshed by. We have had a lovely Fall – the colors in the woods were awesome and so many of our days have been filled with sunshine and light breezes. Yesterday, when we were helping my Mom into the pickup to go to Thanksgiving dinner, we were interrupted by a loud distinctive sound in the sky. We looked up to see a large skein of Sandhill Cranes circling over our heads and honking noisily. What an incredible sight! And knowing that they were near extinction, it is so gratifying to see how they have recovered.

This week’s painting, “Cave Point Cliffs” is another of my Liltie Series – 4” x 6” to be framed in a black shadowbox and ready for delivery to Plum Bottom Gallery in Door County later next week.

 

November Images

There are a lot of up-front projects that have to happen before a watercolor class can take place. I gather and sort supplies for each student and have everything organized so that they can get going in the actual painting process as soon as possible in the 5 -hour timeframe. During the November group classes, I demonstrated techniques for completing two paintings – here’s the Door County Barn (in snow) watercolor. 

Thanksgiving Gratitude

It was a wonderful Thanksgiving Day – we had a small family gathering in New Hope, MN, and enjoyed a fabulous day of visiting, feasting, and playing Awkward Family Photos board game! We have so much to be thankful for – Mom felt good enough to come with us and Jack was with us from Washington State. And we are mindful of families (including some of our own dear ones) who are struggling with COVID. It’s an insidious and seemingly random disease and it can cause us to be filled with “what ifs” – what if I hadn’t met with that person; what if I hadn’t been in that place? Sometimes it’s an effort to stay brave and intentional in the face of such uncertainty.

It seems like I’ve taken a break from posting on this blog, but I’ve been busy painting. I taught two watercolor classes in November in Amery – one at the Tin Cat Studio on Nov. 9 and the other at the artZ Gallery on Nov. 17. It was an amazing experience with about 9 students in each session. The first one was "Let's Paint the Big Lake!' and the second was "Let's Paint a Door County Barn!" Many of the students were brand new to watercolor, but they were all enthusiastic and everyone had a wonderful painting to take home! It’s a two-person project – Paul is integral in setting up, picking up snacks, helping dispense supplies and cleaning up afterwards. But after a few times of doing this, we’re beginning to act like a cohesive unit! We're wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!

ArtReach St. Croix – “Unexpected Wonder”

It was a wonderful Artist's Reception at ArtReach St. Croix last evening, Thursday, October 7! Guests viewed the “Unexpected Wonder” exhibit or gathered by the bonfire outside for refreshments. The four artists featured in this exhibit are: Sarah Lilja (photography); Leslie Batt-Lutz (raku pottery); Cassie Johnson (jewelry) and my watercolors. The exhibit runs from October 7 through November 15, and I have 20 paintings on display in this historic house overlooking the St. Croix River in Stillwater. Special thanks to Heather and Syndie for hanging the art and organizing this event.  One of my favorite artists, Sue Rowe, attended and we renewed our friendship. I hadn’t seen her for many years, but it was so fun to share how her art had blessed my life years ago. I was living in Marine on St. Croix following a painful divorce, and my friend, Pam (who had gone through a very similar end of her marriage) walked down Judd Street in September to the Marine Art Fair. Sue had a booth there with all of her wonderful “bear” cards and paintings. One of the cards had the simple label – “Bi-polar Bear” on the front. Pam and I laughed so hard – I shared with Sue that I think it was the first time we had been able to laugh about the whole ordeal. What a blessing that was – and I carried that card with me for several years.

To the Prairie: Elevators!

Last week, I took a painting class from master watercolorist, Paul Oman, on painting elevators. After years of living on the prairie, these are some of my favorite structures. There is something special about their functional design, outstanding presence on the prairie landscape – and in harvest season, they are actually a small village on to themselves. In their heyday, they were truly the central hub of the agricultural community. So it was a shock for me when after the class, as I was surfing through elevator images from across Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada, to discover that they are virtually in decline. Many have already collapsed and are mere ruins in the incredibly flat landscapes of the region.

It was fun to follow through with practices learned from Paul for painting railroad tracks, corrugated surfaces of the actual elevators, and the hazy atmospheric light only seen on prairie landscapes. Part of my ongoing “Lilties Series,” this week’s painting is Prairie Star, 4” x 6” and a tribute to these amazing elevators.

ArtReach St Croix – October-November 2021

The sky has looked like rain most of today, but it held off enough for me to mow the lawn before opening up this afternoon with a pouring rain and thunder. We are so thankful for this straight-down rain – the rain barrels are already full, but the ground soaks up everything it gets these days. 

It’s our 14^th Anniversary today and bouquets of beautiful flowers are gracing our dining room table!  There are lots of sweet memories over the past many years and I’m so thankful for the gift of Paul. He’s been a rock, safe haven, enabler of dreams and an all-round incredibly loving partner.  And we are grateful for the many blessings - Kollette, Anabelle and Grace, and Baby Haddon (3 weeks old) were all with us at the wedding, but we’re now blessed with 8 more beautiful grandchildren! This morning, Paul was listing some of the joys of our marriage, and among his favorites included celebrating the wedding of Daniel and Krista, getting to know and spend time with my Dad, welcoming Mia (from India) into our family, watching our children grow up and thrive in their own lives, and traveling with each other (and Mom) to wonderful places in Ireland and family celebrations in Holland with precious friends. We are thankful to be close to most of our family and able to enjoy activities, provide care for Mom, and cherish sweet family gatherings. We often say, Dad would rejoice at seeing this large, boisterous, loving family!

This week, I’m in the final preparations for an upcoming show at ArtReach St. Croix in Stillwater. The gallery is a historic mansion the hill overlooking the St. Croix River, and I’ll be joining three other artists for the exhibit – scheduled to be held from October 7-November 15, 2021. This week’s painting, Indigo Bay, 9” x 13” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, captures one of my favorite docks on a nearby lake.   

September Musings

There is always a definite change in the air after the busy Labor Day weekend. Regional schools are back in session and as a result, the lake atmosphere changes overnight. After years of living on the prairie, the air reminds me of high prairie days – no humidity, blue skies, subtle tinges on the leaves, noticeable lack of mosquitos and quiet. And our critters are loving it – the patio door is left slightly open most days and Maddie, Zach and Bailey are free to come in and go out at will!

This week’s painting brings us back to the lake. Quiet Days, 8” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, reflects a beautiful view over a calm, secluded lake.

Moving Art: Thank You Lord!

This has been an amazing summer of selling art – at least for me it has been. In July, I was feeling pretty defeated by the lack of sales at any of the galleries. Not that I expect people to run right out and buy my art, but it was hard to feel motivated to paint – and to paint for the specific needs of galleries – and then have nothing happen. So I had a “come to Jesus meeting” with God. I have been known to have these “throwing down of the fleece” conversations with Him. I remember it was on a Friday afternoon in mid-July that I just sat down and had a big conversation with God. And I’m not trying to be frivolous in any way about my requests to God. It’s just that any creative ability I have is from God and my approach to painting is very thoughtful – primarily, the picture has to truly resonate with my spirit and the whole process of painting becomes kind of a spiritual experience for me. Well, a week later, a check came in the mail from Plum Bottom Gallery – my painting Mountain Meadow had sold on the very weekend that I was talking things over with God! And over the last month and a half, nine more paintings have sold – at all of the galleries! I have much to be thankful for and I’m so very grateful. This past year seems to have been a time of not too many personal victories – and this particular “moment in time” has just been an incredible blessing for my soul.

 

Upcoming Fair: Baker Orchard Art Festival

It’s the apple time of the year and the Baker Orchard Art Festival is coming up on Saturday and Sunday, September 25-26, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day! So looking forward to celebrating the season with my Wild River Arts booth in their beautifully restored historic barn! They have the CDC guidelines in place for masks while indoors and social distancing. Plan now to enjoy apples, fine art and music!

And I’m continuing with the theme of sheep! Meadow Home is 4” x 6” and will be framed in a shadowbox. See more art at wildriverarts.com

Donegal Sheep!

Sheep on my mind today! Working on more "Lilties" and this one is titled, Mama Ewe, 4" x 6" on 300 lb. watercolor paper. These are the free-range sheep of Donegal County, Ireland, and some of my favorite subjects! Paul will frame this in a shadowbox ready for sale at the upcoming Baker Orchard Art Festival, Centuria, WI, on September 25-26, 2021. 

The Gift of Water

It’s no secret that one of my favorite things to paint is water. Maybe it’s because I’m an Aquarius, but I think it’s deeper than that. I do better when I’m close to water – my spirit relaxes and I seem to breathe better. In these days of extreme weather, I’m more conscious than ever of the critical nature of having fresh, clean water. After years of living through drought conditions in North Dakota, I will never take access to fresh water for granted. And after a long, hot dry spell in July, I’m so thankful for this week of rain. Three different days, it just poured rain – straight down with no wind, and we got nearly 6 inches of rain. The rain barrels are full again and the gardens have a new life. So thankful!

This week’s painting, Light of Day, 9” x 11” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, captures a sailboat in the early morning light.

August Musings

We just turned the calendar and are hoping the long hot days of July are behind us. The air seems calmer (is that a thing?) and the gardens reflect a grand new season. After a lull in the gardens, they are all ablaze with color now – coneflowers clamor with phlox, rudbeckia, balloon flowers, bee balm, and false sunflowers. And the hydrangea bushes are outdoing themselves with their tall arching blooms! In early Spring, I was fairly ruthless with the Cardinal Flower runners, but next year, I’ll be much more lenient. They are wonderful with their tall, fiery red blooms and I think it will add much to have them scattered over the gardens.

And it’s back to school! Our youngest grandson started Kindergarten in AZ today! Isn’t that amazing - and I'm so thankful he had a fantastic day! But with fairs happening all over the area, that always seems to signal the beginning of plans for the new school year. With COVID Delta variant raging all over, it will be another interesting and probably chaotic year for parents and students. We wish them all the best.

I’m working on Lilties almost daily. Today’s painting, Northwood Sky, 4” x 6” watercolor, reflects the incredible night sky on a remote lake.

 

More of the Lilties!

This week, I’m continuing to be in the “lilties” frame of mind and just painted three more of these small watercolor “songs.” And water seems to be such a great subject to paint this time of year – and, of course, lighthouses, too! These three Liltie Series are: Night Light; Cave Point; and Big Lake Sunrise.

Back to the Lilties!

This journey into painting “lilties” seems to be going well! In the past month, 6 of them have sold at both the artZ Gallery and the Arts in Hand Gallery! So I’m back into creating more small adventures! And this seems to be a good time to tackle small paintings. In the summer time, with all the distractions of family and garden activities and just generally wanting to be outdoors, my attention span seems to fit these 4” x 6” dimensions really well. It always takes time ahead of the actual painting to plan, contemplate light and colors, sketch out and mask, but then I may be able to do up to two paintings in an 8-hour day.

Last week, I finished four of the Liltie Series watercolors: Lake Effect; Favorite Spot; Fishing Buds; and After the Storm. All are 4” x 6” with double mats and shadow-box frames. See more on the website at www.wildriverarts.com

Smoky Blue

This last week in July is always a favorite for family vacations. This year, though, the intense heat, drought conditions and horrific wildfires in Canada, are not really conducive for outdoor adventures. But I think staying home has some wonderful advantages – the birds are in a feeding frenzy most days at the feeders, the gardens are truly at their peak with everything in bloom, and we can hear the loons on the lake most evenings. And driving in the country, you are sure to see a couple or even a whole gaggle of Sandhill Cranes gathered in the fields or meadows. It’s a thrill to see them thriving again! We so enjoy living in this region.

This week’s painting, “Smoky Blue,” 7” x 13” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, captures a forest landscape on a hazy day.

Summer House

It’s the countdown to the Fall line-up of art shows, and I’ve got renewed energy to get back to more regular times in my studio space. This week’s painting, Summer House, 9” x 11” on 300 lb watercolor paper, is a return to one of my favorite scenes. I love the light and reflections of this secluded lake and summer place. 

In-person art classes!

 Due to the COVID pandemic, it’s been over a year of isolating and social distancing. However, with the vaccinations, small groups are beginning to gather again. So when Lisa Lee asked me to teach a watercolor class at their new storefront in Amery, WI, I was excited to get back to in-person classes. The first class sold out and I’ve got four students signed up for the 2nd class slated for Saturday morning, July 24. It’s a fun time of sharing information and being surprised by their astonishing results. As my daughter said, “Mom, their paintings look like the actual photo!” 

With beginning watercolor painters, I think it’s fun to just explore my favorite elements – sky, birch trees, water, rocks, and this time, we’ll be trying our hand at reflections! I’m hoping they enjoy this as much as I do. This week’s painting, “Lake Reflections” features one of our lovely northern lakes in the heart of summer!

Harbor Blue

And the living is . . . hot! Although we are grateful that we’re not in the “heat dome” of the Northwestern States, we’ve spent most of this past week indoors. It’s been a difficult summer for many parts of the nation, with many areas suffering from severe drought, so any complaints we may have are trivial. We have much to be thankful for!  

This week’s painting, Harbor Blue, 9” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, features a welcome sight on a hot summer day - the chance to take a lovely boat ride on crystal blue water!

Back to the Woods

I’m getting ready to deliver another group of paintings to Plum Bottom Gallery in Door County and bring fresh art for my displays in Arts in Hand Gallery in Spooner. In addition, the Baker Orchard Art Festival is scheduled for the last weekend in September and I’ve been accepted for an exhibit, October-November 2021, at ArtReach St. Croix in Stillwater, MN. Whew! But the gardens are blooming, the ballgames are mostly done (and cheering on the grandkidsies!) and this is the perfect time to focus on full-time painting.

This week’s painting, Summer Light Birch, 9” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, captures a group of birch trees in the fading light of a warm summer evening.

In-person Classes Again!

For the first time in a couple of years, I hosted an in-person watercolor class. Due to COVID, since March of 2020, no onsite classes have been held. With things beginning to open up and small gatherings now allowed, it seemed to be the perfect time to reconnect with others and learn how to paint watercolors. My good friends, Lisa and Randy Lee recently opened a new storefront on the main street of Amery, WI, so this class was held at their new Tin Cat Studio location. We painted one of my favorite scenes, and the five participants had such a good time painting “Go to the Lake!” Looking forward to hosting another class in the near future!

Featured Artist – artZ Gallery, Amery, WI

 I’m honored to be one of the featured artists at artZ Gallery in Amery, WI, for the months of June-July 2021! A collection of my latest watercolor paintings are now on display in the gallery along with the beautiful artwork of Ruth Ronning (Pastels) and Barb Tanner (Jewelry). Plan to stop by the gallery soon to view all the creative work of 15 member artists and several guest artists! artZ Gallery is open, Thursday-Sunday each week, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Due to the road construction on the main street of Amery, detour signs will direct you to the parking lot and entrance at the back door of the Gallery.

Teaching Again!

Wow – I hadn’t realized how long it’s been since I posted on this site! From April, we raced into the Earth Arts Spring Tour weekend (May 3-5, 2021) and then right into gardening and baseball season! For the first time in a year, we were able to see our grandkids play ball and it was such a thrill! Paul and I sometimes went to 8 games in a week, and it was a joy to be able to cheer them all on – Anabelle in softball; Andrew, Haddon, Schaeffer, Casper and Jaxson in baseball; and Riley in soccer! We missed Grace in her track events and Brecken in soccer! Maybe next spring! And spring in the garden is a huge consuming passion for me. I love getting out in the yard and digging in the dirt! Now, in the middle of June, all is set and we’re celebrating today with a banner rain! It’s been so hot and dry that this is just a huge relief and we are so thankful.

After a year of COVID 19, in-person watercolor classes are beginning again! My first class will be held later this week, on Thursday, June 24, at the new Tin Cat Studio location in Amery, WI. So far, I think there are three students – maybe more will sign up this week. It’s been a terrible summer to be a business owner in Amery – the highway crews have totally torn up the main street and a cumbersome (and daily changeable!) detour has been in effect since the first part of April. Hopefully every little promotion will encourage new folks to come see all the neat shops in this hometown.

This week’s painting is the one that we’ll tackle in the class. “Let’s Go to the Lake” is one of my favorite scenes and features a variety of fun watercolor basics: water, rocks and birch trees! We’re meeting at the art table in Tin Cat Studio shop on June 24, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The cost is reduced to $40 – and includes all the supplies you’ll need to take home a finished 8” x 10” watercolor painting. For more info, send me an email at dstullkinsley@gmail.com and I'll make sure you're registered for the class. 

Barn & Blooms

I recently participated in a Zoom workshop with renowned Artist Paul Oman. He’s a favorite watercolor teacher and for this class, the focus was on painting daisies. So it seemed the perfect time try my hand at flowers and paint a lovely Wisconsin barn with daisies! And it’s Earth Day today, so later this morning, I’ll head outside to dig in the gardens and transplant the Sweet Pea plants that our grandchildren, Riley and Jaxson, carefully planted in early March. I’ll have to wrap the arbor in netting to protect them from our herd of deer – a group of five ambled through the yard a couple of days ago and we just discovered that they had a feast on our Emerald Green arborvitaes over the winter.  We'll have to see if those trees can even recover over the summer.

This week’s painting celebrates the wonderful trips across Wisconsin this winter on our way to drop off art in Door County. Barn & Blooms, 9” x 9” watercolor, reflects a late summer day in sunshine. 

Prairie Spirit

After growing up in Minnesota, over the past seven years, I’m finding such incredible scenery and sights throughout the State of Wisconsin. One of my favorite sightings are the wonderful old barns scattered across the rural landscape. This week’s painting is of another of these wonderful gems and recently discovered by us as we traveled across the northern tier of our state. Prairie Spirit, 9” x 12” watercolor painting, reflects the incredible craftsmanship and endurance of these historic structures.

Get Ready . . . 2021 EA Art Show!

I’m into the countdown leading up to the 2021 Earth Arts Spring Art Tour! It’s happening the weekend of May 7-9, which means I have about 2 more weeks of painting and then we’ll be in the all-out framing mode! This will be a first for me and for the Amery Ale Works. It’s the first time, they’ve hosted a Guest Artist for this event, and I’m looking forward to setting up an exhibit in their beautiful barn. Jenna J. is the brewmaster, and she and her crew have worked hard over the past few years to restore the historic barn and build up a wonderful taproom and restaurant business.

This week’s painting is a return to Door County and the incredible scenery along the eastern shore of the peninsula. Whitefish Dunes, 10” x 13” watercolor painting, features the picturesque white sand dunes along the clear waters of Lake Michigan.

Liltie Series Continues

I’m continuing to paint 4” x 6” watercolors and it’s so fun! Here are two of my latest paintings – Liltie: Skyline Rain and Liltie: Corrib Boat. 

More Lilties!

Here are two more of the 4" x 6" Liltie Series ready for the upcoming Earth Arts Spring Art Tour – May 7-9, 2021. This week's paintings are Pasture Pals and Garden Folly. 

The Lilties Series

In the Irish, a “liltie” refers to a little song. Recently I’ve been working on a series of 4” x 6” paintings, and they remind me of lilties or miniature watercolor songs. I’m preparing for the 2021 Earth Arts Spring Art Tour, scheduled for May 7-9, and open from 10-5 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. And I’m honored to be the featured artist at  Amery Ale Works, near Amery, WI.  My paintings will be on display on the main level of their beautifully renovated barn.

The featured painting for this week is one of the Lilties Series: White Pine in a beautiful frame created for this series by Randy Lee of Tin Cat Studio. 

Prairie Beacon

We drove to Door County last weekend and were surprised again at the amazing historic barns scattered across the state of Wisconsin. While some are in a state of decline, others are being repaired or restored and many are still in active use. It has to be a significant investment to save these massive structures, but they are such a wonderful sight on the rural landscape. This week’s painting, Prairie Beacon, 9” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, captures one of these incredible barns.  

Birch Tree Study

I spent this past weekend glued to my computer taking in the presentations and activities of the 2021 PBS Wisconsin Landscape and Garden Expo. Although it would have been so much more fun to be at a civic center surrounded by the sounds and aroma of garden expo, this was the next best thing! The content of the presentations was excellent with the added interactive bonus of being able to ask questions. It was great time of learning from other WI gardeners including an Indigenous Agri-Culture org dedicated to reviving native food culture; the Victory Garden project bringing healthy food and garden practices to a neighborhood in Milwaukee; restoration of a prairie; and the logistics of how to build a rain garden. I’ve got my plans organized and ready for Spring - never mind, that we still have the fickleness of weather in March and April to go through!

This week’s painting, “Birches in Sunlight,” 11” x 15” on 300 lb. watercolor painting, captures a grove of birch trees in the early morning light of Spring.

  

Cliff's Edge

We took a road trip the other day to Superior, WI, and ended up spending a lovely, windy, icy cold, day seeing sights along the North Shore – from Duluth on up to Split Rock Lighthouse! The lake was partially frozen along the shoreline – with fish houses dotting out onto the icy landscape – and a frightening reminder of an emergency rescue earlier this week when a rogue wave split the ice and sent several ice fisherfolk adrift out into Lake Superior. Fortunately all were rescued, but I think several lost expensive gear in the process. 

This week’s painting, Cliff's Edge, 8” x 10” watercolor painting, recalls warmer days along this beautiful shoreline.