All posts in Uncategorized

27 Nov

The Marquis Artist Easel: A Great Easel for Anytime, Anywhere!

In Art in Nature,Uncategorized by admin / November 27, 2011 / 0 Comments

marquis-easelAre you looking for an easel you can take with you anywhere? I’m an artist on the go and I absolutely love my portable artist easel.

I use the The Marquis Artists Desk Easel at home and I take it outside, to painting class, or anywhere.

If you’ve got an artist in your family, it’s a great gift. If YOU’RE the artist, it’s a great gift for you!

Compact & Portable

I’m one of those artists who prefers to paint while sitting on the sofa or outside on my balcony, rather than at a floor-standing easel. Instead, I set my easel up on a footstool next to me – wherever I am.

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14 May

What Moves an Artist to Paint?

Springtime Succulence

Inspiration for Springtime Succulence

What moves an artist to paint a particular subject? Probably the same force that enables special stories to be written.

I call it pure inspiration. Something special jumps out and shouts for our attention, like this grouping of prickly pear cactus did for me one spring afternoon.

I’d started along a familiar trail in the Anza Borrego Desert CA, and as always, I had my eye out for that unique element in nature that would inspire me to paint.

Approaching the path in the warming sun, I rounded a bend and saw the many sprinklings of flowering desert plants that dotted the ground like confetti. The beauty stopped me in my tracks. I’d been to the desert many times, but had never seen so many flowers blooming all at once.

As I looked closer at the landscape, I was impressed by the ocotillo, with its tall, spiny columns and tassels of brilliant red. Nearby were a variety of succulents and cacti, which were also topped with dashes of color.

Standing amidst the colorful landscape my eyes rested upon this particular patch of cactus, so full of open, pink blossoms that it reminded me of a bouquet of fresh cut flowers.

These beckoning pink blossoms created such a beautiful sight that I knew I had to paint them. I asked my husband to take a few photos, with his great camera. He’s a hobbyist photograph, so this turned into a  full photo shoot.

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24 Apr

Earth Day Video

In Art in Nature,Environmental Learning by admin / April 24, 2010 / 0 Comments

BristleconePineMy husband recently shared this video with me, and I was inspired by its creator, Tom Lowe.

This talented photographer has found a artistic niche with his time lapse photography. Tom states that he took these photos during a trip to Yosemite and California’s White Mountains, an area that’s filled with ancient Bristlecone Pines.

Timescapes Timelapse: Mountain Light

Looking at the videos it felt like I could almost hear a faint chorus of “Happy Birthday” — which is perfect timing on Earth Day!