Catching up with you

Hi everyone,  I found  I love drawing with a gel pen in my sketchbook. I haven't  put any color on it but it was fun. Sadie is doing  fine. She is our Labrador retriever and I had a true night of terror when she got a leather chewy  2 in square caught in her throat.  I stuck my finger way down her throat and pulled it out ...was afraid  more was stuck but didn't  find more and watched her the rest of the night.  She curled in my lap all 82 lbs and stayed there. Oh boy you know how much I love her, I truly was afraid. I have been working  on a commission and I had to paint  an owl, I enjoyed painting  her. John and I have been painting  the walls in the den today. Glad that is over. I hope you all are doing great we did get 10 inches of rain before the hurricane but very little storm. So very  sorry for the Carolinas.  Love to EACH of you,Diana ps this SAT. I teach at Norfolk Botanical Garden.  Luna Moth and Ferns.

ER,Pigs and Pears

HI, What a weekend! Mama ended up in the hospital,in the er( emergency room). She had an infection and had to have iv antibiotics for 3 days. She got home yesterday. I've spent the night over there to help Daddy with his medicine(he did well-- but has the beginnings of alheimers),my sister came home from Richmond,Va. and spent a night too, I fixed supper for them last night. She is feeling better but still tired and weak..So glad she is on the mend. I didn't get any painting done as you can imagine. I did take my palette,brushes and paper with me and John suggested my sketchbook.. so that is what I did sketch. It was easier to take out the sketchbook and just draw anything. I had a couple of magazine pages torn out in the back so I drew pigs and pears.. with a #6 pencil. Love the softness of that one!! as I sat near her in the er. Anyway here are the pigs and pears.. Tell me what you are doing or did this weekend. love,Diana  Sadie just ate a brown mushroom.. ran by a 5 foot black snake with a crumpled basketball from the trees.. ..Hope the mushroom is ok.. I couldn't get it away from her.. what a puppy!

E R Visit..

One of those days.. I woke to John standing over me. Your Dad is going by ambulance to the Hospital. Leap. Well sorta.. for me.. stopped and picked up Mama. She didn't ride with the ambulance. He'd taken too many pills. 9 last night.--oh my gosh.. he wasn't trying to hurt himself... He's ok. They checked him over and sent him home. So much of the day was spent down there with my sketchbook. I drew him.. not the best but hey I had a pencil in my hand and it kept me busy.. So that's been my day. This afternoon I've cleaned and listened to soft music..(so I didn't think about what could have happened) How's yours been?? Love to you,Diana

Tree Frog Visits at Midnite and Watermelon Watercolor

HI, I had so many new things to show you. First the watermelon.. it has iridescent paint from DaVinci on it.(I just finished it.( I will frame it to take to the class.) I didn't want to put the iridescent paint on my palette so today I went in the Dollar Tree and got a pill container. It has 7 days so I  put my iridescent paints in it and it's small.

This weekend,  I sketched the K9 doggie from the magazine ad into my sketchbook. I couldn't help myself. This is what my Daisy looked like as a puppy.

Last night, as I was getting a snack,with a mouth full of granola, I spotted a visitor on our kitchen window, a dear tree frog.So I took photos of him and started sketching fast.J. went on to bed,not me, how could I he was so cute- Well, the little frog resting now over top the window perhaps he'll come out tonight again.

I've got more paper to prepare with the masa. Some of it is done. I'll go work on that. take care, Diana

Cardinal Sketching! Happy New Year to you!

Happy New Year! Wishing each of you and your loved ones a wonderful year of blessings and health. I've been sketching a little,so here is Rudy,our 15 year kitty. She doesn't like this cold weather. Today we had maybe 10 snowflakes. They were lovely. I sketched a male cardinal onto this pour. He and his mate have been enjoying the bird feeders in the backyard. One feeder is half a pumpkin with Christmas ribbon as it's handle hanging from the flower hook. Haven't been able to do much. The Spinal headache continues. 6 weeks and one day. I just want it to go away.. and I know it's healing..ah well. I'm pleased I got this sketched. Hope to pick up the brush tomorrow. Take care, Diana

Sketching in Waiting Room

This week I spent some time in a waiting room. I couldn't read. The words didn't want to make sense sooo I sketched. Sometimes it felt like I scribbled but it passed the time and all is well. Have a great weekend! talk to you soon, Diana
Next week I have 2 art shows.. Mason Ave. Art Walk in Cape Charles,Va.at the Tomato Festival and Edward Jones Art Opening in Exmore.

Christmas Past Sketch

HI, yesterdays show at Copper Creations' was wonderful. We had lots of people stop in and good food, amazing art.Lots of Fun and good sales!

Too tired to paint today, so here is a sketch from Christmas Past from my sketchbook, this is of our Christmas tree that year, a white pine. It also shows some of the cards we received. It was my grandmothers practice to hang her cards over the curtains to display them so I do this too. One of these as you can see is from Guy Wilkins,a dear artist friend.

I hope even if you aren't an artist you consider getting a sketchbook and sketching your Christmas memories. Remembering is much easier after you literally draw it. Also here is a photo of my art table now with reflections of this years tree in the mirror(the Christmas Moose is a gift to be)..So I'm going to rest and talk to you soon, Diana

Jealous of An Orchid

Yes, it's Dusty. You see, all afternoon I have sketched these gorgeous orchids,( my husband brought me for Valentines.) I was sketching and everytime I put my hand down a pink nose would poke me and a wiggly body would press up against my knee to tell me she was much more important than those silly long things.. Dusty checked them out as I had them on a stool so I could see the flower upclose. Now, Daisy, of course was much more concerned with the chicken roasting in the oven. She was laying by the oven groaning, so I wouldn't forget that she loves chicken.. ha! It was a nice afternoon. Haven't finished the sketch yet but it's coming! talk to you soon, Diana