Meet the Correspondents - Linda C. Miller

Linda is a full time artist with both her decorative painting business and her botanical art.  Her life has been filled with botanical art activity over the last few years.  She held her first solo exhibit last year at The Williamsburg Regional Library and initiated the Botanical Art Workshops at The Elizabethan Gardens on Roanoke Island in the Outer Banks. Linda also hosts botanical art demonstrations at The Gallery at York Hall, creates botanical murals for clients, and paints botanical portraits in her studio.

Linda also volunteers her time as a Virginia Master Naturalist teaching children how to observe and draw nature, especially flora.

Williamsburg, Virginia
millerlcmiller@yahoo.com



Memberships......

American Society of Botanical Artists
Botanical Art Society of the National Capitol Region
This Century Art Gallery
Virginia Master Naturalists, Historic Rivers Chapter
Virginia Native Plant Society, John Clayton Chapter

Meet the Correspondents - Maree Clarkson

Hi, I'm Maree Clarkson and first a thank you to Cathy for inviting me to join 'Sketching in Nature'. It really is a wonderful honour. Kate seems to have an endless amount of energy sketching, painting, running various blogs, promoting her CD's (which are wonderful, by the way - I can recommend that you try one!), her offerings on eBay, her support of Breast Cancer and I'm sure much more I don't even know about! Great work Kate!

I live on an 8.5ha smallholding in the countryside in Tarlton, Gauteng, South Africa, about 50km from Johannesburg, together with my husband Dave, our Fox terrier x Jacko, and a menagerie of other animals. My passions are sketching and painting, nature, the beach, crystals, useless information, technology, my MAC, my Landrover, gardening and discovering anything new in life.

We run our business from home, selling tractors, tractor spares and classic and vintage cars, like Austin Healey, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Morgan, Triumph, etc., which is my husband's passion.

I have been sketching and painting and tending to animals for as long as I can remember.

I am a self-taught watercolourist and haven't had any formal art training apart from a couple of semesters of art in high school in the ninth grade, but paint what I feel and see from my inner being. Sketching and painting is part of my daily life, like brushing teeth.

Looking back at some old paintings, I realised that I only took up the brush again in 1985, and then only sporadically. It was only in 2001 that sketching and painting became a solid and regular part of my life again.


'Shed and Birdhouse' watercolour in Moleskine Watercolour Notebook

About two years ago I discovered blogging and networking and it seemed like a perfect outlet for my creativity, to be seen, to be heard and to be recognised. This year I have been painting, sketching and blogging daily and can't seem to tire of it! I post my artwork on my blog ART & CREATIVITY and I also keep a Nature Journal at HEDGIE'S JOY! and THE BUSINESS OF BLISS is where I chat about how blissful life can be.

My tagline is "There is a fine line between dreams and reality; it's up to you to draw it."

Regards,

NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS--Laura Frankstone in Artful Blogging

Our own Laura Frankstone's wonderful blog is featured in the August 1 Artful Blogging magazine! Be sure to find it, and check out the particulars here on her blog, Laurelines. You'll see more of her nature sketches as well as some of the wonderful work that's come from her year-long focus on painting water--always a challenge, as I'm sure you know.

Congratulations on a well-deserved honor, Miss Laura...I can't wait to get my copy of the magazine.

And to our other correspondents, please keep me up on similar happenings in your lives and we'll share them here!

Taos Rhododendron 1

Taos Rhododendron 1
Originally uploaded by Ricky Holtman

This is one of the sketches I did while on an art trip to my old painting area Taos, New Mexico. The colors always overwhelm me when I go back. The forest and flowers etc are just crazy there. Everyone is probably familiar with these flowers because they grow all over the world basically. I love them with their big bloomy selfs and different greens that cascade from them. I didn't do it justice but I enjoyed it. Done in my little Moleskine in watercolor.
These can grow to 6 feet high over a decade time span. Enjoy

Cottonwood Tree

This big old Cottonwood Tree was the first tree I had painted in 5 months after surgery last year. It was fall and the air had that cool cleaness to it. I had been out of the studio for almost 4 months. Finally I wanted to go sketch plein aire so to Martha Lafite's Nature Sanctuary I went.
What a Cottonwood specimen this tree was but I have not done it justice. All I know is after my diagnosis nature has brighter greens and all colors, air is cleaner, the sky is bluer and I don't think I can get upset about much. Funny how your priorities get in order.
My art pulls me through with a healing process when I engage its creativeness. You can tell by the colors how thrilled I was to be able to stand in the woods and sketch/paint this tree. God is good.
For some reason I thought I would share this even though it was a few months back. It is watercolor and approximately 11 X 15". Please excuse the glare on picture glass. Enjoy.......Ricky

Daisy of a House

Daisy of a House came about while sketching this old home outside of my town. The poor old place is falling in and I was going to give it some dignity somehow. Out of the corner of my eye the wind was waving something. I turned and down in the ditch were these wonderful daisies. It was a bouquet from heaven. Walking to the ditch and taking that angle, my new found friends and I proceeded to paint. This is a watercolor and ink with wild daisies. Nature will always answer the call if you are listening.........God bless HIS creation everyday. Ricky

Sunflower Tea Party

The 'Sunflower Tea Party' was on. A threesome would be the term for this. The big one was all in a clamor about proper manners during a tea party. Come to find out this all stemmed from the 'Tea Parties' of April 15th. So, with a little re-educating them we proceeded with the sketch. They are great subjects aren't they?
I never tire of these beautiful specimens and their special place in our landscapes. This process of watercolor, using positive/negative painting, is always fun and works my brain. Anyone who said painting didn't demand thinking just hasn't been in my world. The process again is healing to me. I used an analogous palette for the most part. Of course I used my artistic license to change anything the subject told me to change. How much more fun can this be. Happy painting!

"THE NEST"

Well I finally felt well enough to get out today and God was good by giving me this wonderful site. I don't know the real name for the tree but if I was to name it legally I would call it 'Thornicus in the Assicus', or something like that.
But here was the big old nest in the top of this thorn fortress.....WOW! Now how smart are those squirrels who built up there and definitely this was not their first season in the woods..hahaha. Anyway I sat down and went at it. If it hadn't been for the strong breeze it would have been perfect...but.. come to think about it, if you can get out to paint they are all good days. Hallelujah! Can I get a witness on that from somebody out there. hahaha.
This is watercolor with some ink and a whole lot of fun and love thrown in to the process. There is so much healing for me in the process I really wished I could keep going.

The Gauntlet

There I was 25 feet in the air on my deck and the rain was coming down. It was the Lake of the Ozarks and the Dogwood Festival was in full swing without me. This Shagbark Hickory had caught my eye so what better thing to do when raining than to paint somewhere dry.
It wasn't long before a commotion was going on and some slight whispering was being thrown toward me and the Hickory. It was faint at first and then grew louder. I have learned over the years that it was the trees. The clamor was coming from a nearby Walnut and Oak tree.
By now they were shouting that they were better looking, had smoother lines and was stronger that any old hickory. A question was being hurled as to why I was painting the Shagbark Hickory like it was something special.
Well what could I say and nary did I have a chance to say anything because Mr. Hickory tree interjected with his insults right in the middle of them questioning me.
Minute by minute this grew into a full fledge woodland brawl and I was caught in the middle. I wished I had never come out on this deck to paint.
After their long discussion between them they decided that I should judge who was the best tree in the forest. Since I was an artist they wanted me to paint a picture of each of them and then decide. At this point I wanted to tell them about my ongoing "Tree Troll" series but I didn't dare bring that up!
So I agreed to the competition and judging but with one stipulation. Since I wasn't a fair enough artist they needed to give me a chance to do approximately 500 paintings of their family and then decide from there. Boy, they did not like that and especially when I said there was no time table and I could choose from all the woods in all the country as long it was family.
Well they agreed and I told them that there would be no more fighting because that affects my creative abilities and besides that the creator didn't like it either.
So it got peaceful and I went back to work and here is the end result of the Shagbark Hickory after "The Gauntlet" had been thrown down by Mr Walnut and Mr. Oak tree.
Now some of you may say..."Is he nuts?" but please give your self time and the opening of spirit to connect with nature while out there. I'll guarantee that the voices will come and a oneness will settle over you and nature will show you its most glorious sites, sounds and smell. Have a great time painting.

Beetle

There I was drawing and was attacked by these 25 pound, orange bugs..........No that's not true. They were orange but the 25lbs might be an exaggeration. But gorgeous they were. Here sat an artist with multiple shapes of bright orange and pumpkin colors, polka dots everywhere and me an amateur colorist. So I redirected my efforts and captured them in my infamous moleskine. I did look them up and if I'm not mistaken they are a BEETLE. I pray my art did them some justice. Soon their prettiness wore off and they became pests. The day sky was a brilliant blue and here their color of red-orange on a bed of semmi spring greens. How much better could it have been.

Tree Troll

The afternoon was gorgeous and me in my favorite place the woods. I was looking for peace and quite and a reason to paint. The red birds were going off, but I love them. After sitting for a while there he was....what I call a Tree Troll. To me they are gorgeous but you have to catch them when they start showing their colored bark. I caught him and he had to pose until I got done.
The patina [some people call lichen, I think] of his bark was just WOW!. I know my painting never does them justice but I keep trying and trying. Someday, God willing, I'll maybe have a happy accident in painting.
This oak tree allowed me my artistic license, which I use religiously. I'm not a botanist, horticulturalist, naturalist etc... wish I knew what they know. But I love all the things created on this planet and plan to paint as much of it as I can.
I used watercolor, ink line, and some gouache back in the studio. The woods is coming alive with color but I love what a rain will do to bark for a few days afterwards.
Some plants had green coming on, some fall colors still left with everything in between right now. I am getting better at identifying plants, trees etc.. But taking those books along, which I have in the past, and my paint equipment gets me bogged down. So forgive if I offend anyone by not knowing the species, subspecies and so forth. Maybe you can help by telling me what I painted. That is if I paint it well enough for you to recognize it. It'll be fun for all of us. Thanks

Meet the Correspondents - Laura Gillis

I am not sure where to start so I will just jump right in.... I am an artist living in the Rolling Plains of North Central Texas. Many visitors (and folks who live here) complain that it is not very scenic or ‘pretty’ here and we lack natural diversity but I think it is one of the best places in the world -- you just have to slow down and look! (We don’t have all those pesky trees and mountains to get in the way of our view. ha!) I am an active member of the Rolling Plains Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists and we help educate the public on the natural wonders of our area.

My journals are mostly ink and watercolor but I also like pen & ink and pencil. When I am not nature journaling, I create welded sculptures by recycling or re-purposing scrap metal, tractor parts and found objects.  My day job is at an advertising agency.

I come from a very creative family but I don’t have ‘formal’ training. I am mostly self-taught with a few workshops thrown in here and there. One of the best was with Hannah Hinchman in Yellowstone in 2000. It was a wonderful experience to say the least. 

I am technologically challenged (mostly by choice) and I don’t have a website yet but I am working on it... in the meantime, you can check out my blog at (http://yellowcatart.blogspot.com/)

I am very honored to have been invited to participate in this site and I can’t wait to get going!

Happy Sketching!

Misouri River on Rainy Day

Well the day was rainy and the wind blowing driving the 44 degree temp to 34 degrees windchill. My chemo was giving a rough time. Noon came and the rain let up so I took off to the Missouri River outside of Liberty Missouri.
The light wasn't the best but I was starting to feel better just thinking about getting a sketch today. Art will do that to you. I came upon the bank spot by the railroad crossing and there it was waiting on me. A big pile of concrete debris that the Highway had dumped making the area look bad. But being an artist I sat and soaked it in and then the picture came like lightening from the sky. The biggest bunch of abstract conrete blocks with perfect backdrop and nature at its best all around not minding the concrete at all. Well that did it and out came the sketchbook with 90lb paper. The colors were mute but so was the occasion, rainy and all.
I didn't have time to do it justice and we will meet again but I got my skectch and headed home. The best part was how much better I felt after a session of art. The stump brush busting through the rock was really a beautiful contrast of warm against cool and smooth against rough. Can you close your eyes and see yourself there?
I hope this is a fun sketch for you as it was for me.

Meet the Correspondents--Rick Holtman

Hi friends, my name is Ricky Holtman and I am a plein aire artist as well as a studio artist. I've been doing art since childhood and have had a studio for the past 32 years. Yes I work at it full time. Although I don't do the show circuits anymore except national or state, just galleries, universities etc. My wife is Chery and I have two grown boys but no grand kids yet. There is an art muse in my life and his name is Buzzy the Jack Russell.
I am a self taught artist, but aren't we all. Fortunately for me I have studied with some of the top in the nation over the years and have attended some chosen classes at Kansas City Art Institute. My degree is in bible theology and then I attended seminary. No, I am not a preacher but have preached and do teach bible weekly. Art is a gift I feel the Lord gave me, like DNA. I can't ever leave it.
Presently I am on chemo and was diagnosed in december of 07' with colon-rectal cancer, stage lV advanced. So folks I am not suppose to be here now but because of the grace of God, prayers, and believe it or not ART, I wouldn't be.
Art is such a healing thing and someday I may share more with you about this. I love painting and drawing any subject and have worked in all mediums but watermedia is my choice. My website is www.RickyHoltman.com
I look forward to learning with each of you in the future of this great new blog. It is fortunate for us all that we have Kate Johnson to lead us in this effort. Thank You kate and happy painting to all my fellow artists out there. I forgot you can also go to my flickr account from my web site. Thanks

New members, already, too! Welcome aboard...

Please, new correspondents, feel free to add your posts and sketches/journal entries, starting right now.

I'll be tweaking the site (I always do) and any suggestions will be welcome. As we get new members I'll add them to the list of correspondents at left. I'd like to put your website, too, so if you'd write me at kate@cathyjohnson.info to make sure I have the right one, I'll add it! (Sorry, don't know how to make that a live email address...)

I hope to have about 20 correspondents to start, and have invited about that many so far today--artists whose work I know from nature journaling, books, the Nature Journaling Yahoogroup, Everyday Matters group, local artists, and our Flickr group pool, Sketching in Nature...I'd like to see us be as wide reaching with as many different habitats (and continents!) represented as possible.

If you know an Irish or Australian or Japanese naturalist, for instance, please let me know and I'll check out their work!

This is going to be fascinating...