tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40604433777038984832024-02-19T04:20:59.450-08:00jane sloss, watercolor paintingsFeatures original watercolor paintings, custom designed wedding invitations and weekly featured artists.Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.comBlogger323125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-56215613761229437092014-06-26T05:30:00.000-07:002014-06-26T05:30:02.474-07:00Cuba: Plaza de Armas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I made this quick sketch painting while sitting in the Plaza de Armas in Habana Vieja. The Plaza is home to a book market, which sells used and antique books. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I sat in the shade of the plaza’s generous trees and made this painting. While I was sitting, a nearby book seller, who was also a painter stuck up a conversation with me. He told me that the statue in the plaza is of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo, who fought for freedom from Cuba’s Spanish colonizers and also for freedom for slaves. </span>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-84825724837569735602014-06-19T05:30:00.000-07:002014-06-19T05:30:02.783-07:00Cuba: Balcony View<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recently had the opportunity to travel to Cuba to conduct professional research. I’ll be working with my colleague and travel companion to document our travel and research in the coming months. it was an extremely interesting trip to a country which presents a myriad of contradictions and complexities. I made a few watercolor paintings while I was there. Most of them were quick sketch paintings made quickly, without much time to linger on days with full agendas. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This painting was made while sitting on the balcony of the casa particular where we stayed in the Vedado neighborhood. The balcony was an extraordinarily pleasant place to sit in the hottest part of the afternoon, or to enjoy breakfast. From the balcony we could see to the ocean and also glimpse the private lives of the nearby residences. I made this postcard painting of a apartment building that just down the street, with aquamarine painted accents.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I took this photo of the painting while in Cuba before mailing this postcard because I had heard that mail from Cuba can take a month or more and sometimes doesn’t make it at all. It has been three weeks since my return and the postcard has not yet made an arrival to it’s U.S. destination.</span>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-78709791836766335022014-04-22T05:30:00.000-07:002014-04-23T07:47:22.064-07:00Lake Harriet Save the Date<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: white;">I recently had the pleasure of creating a <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/184193909/minneapolis-skyline-save-the-date?ref=shop_home_active_1">save the date</a> for a couple soon to marry in Minneapolis. For the save the date, I created a painting the Minneapolis skyline as viewed from Lake Harriet. It is a particular pleasure to create commissioned paintings of places that I have visited and loved. I made<a href="http://waterpaintings.blogspot.com/search/label/Lake%20Harriet"> two visits to Minneapolis last year</a> and stayed very near to Lake Harriet, which is one of the many picturesque lakes, which dot the city. The bride knew that she wanted the painting to have an open sky with trees. We created this design in the depths of winter, the green leaves in the painting were a gentle reminder that spring and summer will return.</span></div>
Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-78818263607110759952014-04-15T05:30:00.000-07:002014-04-15T10:58:38.767-07:00Martha take Flight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am delighted by the barter and “sharing” culture, which has developed with the assistance of the internet. I think Air B&B, Uber, and other services that allow for sharing of resources are fantastic. As an artist, I place particular value on the artistic work of others and want to be certain to recognize their time and effort. So, this painting was made as a barter with friends, who shared their fantastic musical abilities at a Rural Studio fundraiser in August. I’ve also made paintings in barter for financial planning advice and knife skills class. If you’d like to barter, let me know!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The painting was inspired by the song “The Cuckoo” and Martha, the dog of my friends. The words of the song, "Oh the cuckoo, she's a pretty bird, she warbles as she flies…” remind them of Martha. So they asked me to make a whimsical painting of Martha flying through the air with her front paws extended superman style. </span>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-80508241742992979702014-04-08T05:30:00.000-07:002014-04-08T09:23:40.046-07:00From the Archives: Summer Day at Oak Street Beach <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I made this painting in the summer of 2013, while sitting on Oak Street Beach in Chicago. I was surprised when I moved to Chicago that our city has beaches. Of course, I knew that Chicago has a lakefront, what I didn’t imagine was that the lakefront is dotted with beaches, with sand, and in the summer, sunbathers, beach umbrellas, paleta carts, beach bars, teenagers hanging out, and all that one would expect to find at a “beach.” Though I’m frequent visitor to the lake for bike rides, walks and picnics, I rarely “go to the beach.” I did spend afternoon there last summer with some friends. I made this painting on that occasion. It was a challenge to try to capture the crowds of people, in constant motion around us and the dynamic nature of the scene. As you may guess from the painting I made, I was particularly taken with the vibrant blue umbrellas. </span>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-56277394535864846952014-04-01T05:30:00.000-07:002014-04-04T15:22:33.378-07:00 Reid Park, Tucson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On our last day in Tucson, after a relaxed brunch we spent an afternoon at Reid Park. Reid Park is a large public park. which is home to a small zoo, Rose garden, a reflecting pond, with a waterfall. I made this painting sitting on a rock under a tree next to the waterfall overlooking the reflecting pond. It was a pleasant place to sit and paint, even on a Monday the park was bustling with activity, including a group of men piloting their remote controlled sail boats on the reflecting pond. I’m always looking for opportunity to paint the water and the reflecting pond was particularly pleasing to paint, with its serene surface providing interesting reflections and colors.</span>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-88879560848909225672014-03-26T05:30:00.000-07:002014-04-08T09:24:23.605-07:00Desert Diamond Cup, Tucson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part of our visit to Tucson was spent at the Desert Diamond Cup, a pre-season MLS (Major League Soccer) Tournament. In addition, to taking in the soccer, I enjoyed sitting in the warm sun and making paintings. As a painter, I believe firmly in pushing the boundaries of your abilities. In the spirit of the Eleanor Roosevelt adage, “Do one thing every day that scares you,” as a painter I find myself wanting to make paintings of unfamiliar subject matter, sometimes “failing,” but often expanding my perception of what I can do. I made these paintings in this spirit. I had never made soccer paintings before, but it was a pleasant setting and interesting to consider compositions at this venue, over the course of two days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">View of stands from picnic bench at end of field.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sketch of tree made while talking to my friend Brendan on the phone.</span></div>
Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-4426001349201615752014-03-19T05:30:00.000-07:002014-03-19T05:30:02.135-07:00Fort Lowell Park, Tucson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On our first day in Tucson, still weary from a late night flight, we spent an afternoon at Fort Lowell, one Tucson’s public parks and once a U.S. Army fort built in 1873. The park features a duck pond, where families fed the birds bits of bread, bringing back memories of my own childhood outings to the LA Country Arboretum with my Grandparents. I took up a spot on a shady bench and made this painting of the duck pond and it’s desert surroundings. It was a charming spot and a lovely park. The pond provides an unusual contrast to the earth tones of the surrounding desert, reflecting those tones off the water’s surface.</span>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-46182073008699226512014-03-12T05:30:00.000-07:002014-03-12T05:30:03.365-07:00Tucson Travel<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recently spent a week in the desert. It was my first return to Arizona since I lived for a year in Phoenix, after graduating from college. It is always a delight to visit landscapes, which are so different from the places that I call home and I was delighted to explore Tucson for the first time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was particularly taken with Saguaro National Park, located off of Cactus Forest Drive, which is quite appropriate because in the park you can see hundreds of cacti in every direction you look. There is something still and serene in the stark landscapes of the desert. Even the dryness of the desert air seems to suggest a kind of calm and the long view across the desert valley is spectacular.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In contrast to the in the desert terrain of Saguaro National Park, part of our time in Tucson was spent at a lush green field taking in pre-season MLS (Major League Soccer) games at the <a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/11/18/mls-headed-back-arizona-preseason-fc-tucson-desert-diamond-cup-schedule-anno">Desert Diamond Classic</a>. Though the cultivated green fields feel a bit out of place in the Tucson desert, the setting is quite pleasant, with a long view the Catalina Mountains and their rich, warm tones at twilight. I enjoyed not just the soccer matches, but also making paintings and sketches, and people watching players and fans.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkQpldLBTGErCNv4NkGEqiQhVDlsOvIEe9a8_TtvvsIn3IgrxXafS0cZTUHSI1FryRQpfTJ6gO2A_p0jBqgDLTdNk5vzqksfr_Ijtr5zRks2mNhfXZ9JF1skwhrWxe4DbP7U9wXIPDyNa/s1600/IMG_1758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkQpldLBTGErCNv4NkGEqiQhVDlsOvIEe9a8_TtvvsIn3IgrxXafS0cZTUHSI1FryRQpfTJ6gO2A_p0jBqgDLTdNk5vzqksfr_Ijtr5zRks2mNhfXZ9JF1skwhrWxe4DbP7U9wXIPDyNa/s1600/IMG_1758.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bench with water feature at Tohono Chul Gardens</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, of course, there were there are the more urban aspects of Tucson, which sprawls across the open dessert in a more controlled way than Phoenix. I especially enjoyed a visit to <a href="http://tohonochulpark.org/">Tohono Chul Gardens</a>, meals at <a href="http://ghiniscafe.com/">Ghini’s French Cafe</a> and <a href="http://www.bentleyscoffeehouse.com/">Bentley’s</a>, and the opportunity to see Charade on the big screen at <a href="http://www.loftcinema.com/">the Loft</a>. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunset from Gates Pass</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Check back in the coming weeks for paintings made on this desert adventure, and as Chicago finally begins to thaw, I am feeling energized by the painting and travel opportunities to come in the warmer months. </span>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-42901790605558121382014-02-13T05:30:00.000-08:002014-02-17T07:05:01.593-08:00View From a Hill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This commissioned painting was completed for a woman as a gift to her husband on their first wedding anniversary. This photo was taken at the spot where they had their first date and first kiss 10 years ago prior. If you’d like a custom painting, I am delighted to <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/jane101580?section_id=7538131&ref=shopsection_leftnav_3">create paintings to commemorate special memories.</a></span><br />
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Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-62796855188456843512014-02-06T05:30:00.000-08:002014-02-06T05:30:03.437-08:00Chilean Wedding Map<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjds5LIJn3vFJWhm0k2iy46ZyeoeEWkdgoXcVKcS1bWtnFl5ecMq_emvar-qocwYtZl5Lxjs_LkAY0q8wP31mQ7mtR0MPpaIbKrjUrC_Flml_Ejv3IYpBHGnwKh7X_s0_BHAlD6cI5lOXBe/s1600/Map_8.16.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjds5LIJn3vFJWhm0k2iy46ZyeoeEWkdgoXcVKcS1bWtnFl5ecMq_emvar-qocwYtZl5Lxjs_LkAY0q8wP31mQ7mtR0MPpaIbKrjUrC_Flml_Ejv3IYpBHGnwKh7X_s0_BHAlD6cI5lOXBe/s1600/Map_8.16.13.jpg" height="222" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the fantastic things about keeping a modest Etsy shop is that is allows me to connect with people not just all over the U.S. but also all over the world! I’m currently creating a custom painting for a woman in Finland. This project was another such international client. I created this custom wedding map for a bride in Chile. She was married in a Church followed by a reception at a private park. She wanted a map that would convey the feeling of the rural feel of the venue, characterized by rolling green hills.</span>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-47230273908607619442014-01-30T05:30:00.000-08:002014-01-30T05:30:01.779-08:00Custom Castle Invitation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONs2M-O9HqOcSaY9IVZZu7L8YYzUn_SY0CgR9pOm2fPIiauM4gj40qfAtaCil8mFeiRHsJDLmHxjBkExyOTx9JskNXJUYrV_rJ0vgKac4N4I8joJlxlW8cd6JTG65diSp1cujSGlVKwQt/s1600/Save-the-Date_Front_11.29.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONs2M-O9HqOcSaY9IVZZu7L8YYzUn_SY0CgR9pOm2fPIiauM4gj40qfAtaCil8mFeiRHsJDLmHxjBkExyOTx9JskNXJUYrV_rJ0vgKac4N4I8joJlxlW8cd6JTG65diSp1cujSGlVKwQt/s1600/Save-the-Date_Front_11.29.13.jpg" height="228" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I created this custom save-the-date and wedding invitation for a couple who will be marrying at a beautiful castle in the Italian countryside. In the year I spent studying in Rome, there were many travels into the small hilltop towns of Italy.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELh8xQU0a7254pXdaHhoU4rgNopd-FEFEgt0anbs6fWo-wQ5AcMSWAi4ky0SgBLfQDUm_CUmNqUVrfl0TnBaMRZBQjbjZFreLvxEAsLEXT2SYTZp4Uqp5nmtIotcArKdvgNKGp5rFgKDj/s1600/Invitation_11.30.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELh8xQU0a7254pXdaHhoU4rgNopd-FEFEgt0anbs6fWo-wQ5AcMSWAi4ky0SgBLfQDUm_CUmNqUVrfl0TnBaMRZBQjbjZFreLvxEAsLEXT2SYTZp4Uqp5nmtIotcArKdvgNKGp5rFgKDj/s1600/Invitation_11.30.13.jpg" height="320" width="228" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a delight to make this painting and recall those days exploring the beauty of Italy's landscape and architecture. Congratulations to Kelly and Jesse!</span>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-11389283045226862002013-12-20T05:30:00.000-08:002013-12-20T05:30:02.729-08:00Two Paintings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifyAqTDIxYJnFCrxw1iNQiZXTkRwZGRuOxdXTVDahRD3yuRRgzabedVddkqpvEVyKgX5xndaqP5JUnMDYC1we-kWrTiqyWrSv0kOVWFyAJ6NCwdvGQYwFHfbozLrYYaRWNLO19OnLZerY/s1600/Painting1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifyAqTDIxYJnFCrxw1iNQiZXTkRwZGRuOxdXTVDahRD3yuRRgzabedVddkqpvEVyKgX5xndaqP5JUnMDYC1we-kWrTiqyWrSv0kOVWFyAJ6NCwdvGQYwFHfbozLrYYaRWNLO19OnLZerY/s640/Painting1.jpg" width="380" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These paintings were commissioned project by a woman for whom I had <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/101032800/flowers-in-a-mason-jar-wedding?ref=shop_home_active">created custom wedding invitations</a> several years ago. She requested a <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/61758025/custom-landscape-watercolor-8x10?ref=shop_home_active">custom painting</a> of a beautiful bouquet of wild flowers in a mason jar, for her mother. After I completed the painting, she requested a second painting on the same subject matter for her mother-in-law. It was an interesting exercise to paint the same subject matter twice. I think I managed to achieve the same feel in both paintings though the particulars of the colors varies quite a bit. I particularly enjoyed painting the rich hues of the door knob featured in these paintings.</span><br />
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Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-28551675156454991942013-12-05T05:30:00.000-08:002014-03-27T12:46:43.652-07:00Shall we dwell in possibility?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudE6yTYgeF2BHlaoYHjwiZBsF4raYGqbg3iDhwC30mIkvzCxR9LJk3IS8YR_dW8DHRapRINscVXGIB-fk-Px0RvCywTQg-JRcoTvOLoUe3LEvWlNJGko7fgOXr2IibPiT0iX7IDGWs9tD/s1600/il_570xN.533300430_4zhk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudE6yTYgeF2BHlaoYHjwiZBsF4raYGqbg3iDhwC30mIkvzCxR9LJk3IS8YR_dW8DHRapRINscVXGIB-fk-Px0RvCywTQg-JRcoTvOLoUe3LEvWlNJGko7fgOXr2IibPiT0iX7IDGWs9tD/s400/il_570xN.533300430_4zhk.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the passing of Thanksgiving and the design of a <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/171136952/dwell-in-possibility-holiday-postcards?ref=shop_home_active">holiday postcard</a>, I’ve been reflecting on Emily Dickenson’s poem “I dwell in Possibility.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The poem reads:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I dwell in Possibility –</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A fairer House than Prose –</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More numerous of Windows –</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Superior – for Doors –</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of Chambers as the Cedars –</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Impregnable of eye –</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And for an everlasting Roof</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Gambrels of the Sky –</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of Visitors – the fairest –</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For Occupation – This –</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The spreading wide my narrow Hands</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To gather Paradise –“</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In reflecting with gratitude for the year gone by and celebrating the new start of the coming year, I feel aware that the possibility of the present is where I desire to dwell. It’s easy to yearn to hold onto the experiences of days gone by or to project ourselves into a positive or negative future. I will struggle mightily though, to be present to myself and others in the each moment, and to behold the possibility that exists there.</span><br />
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Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-3404237743485368012013-11-21T05:30:00.000-08:002013-11-21T05:30:00.723-08:00Michigan Audubon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJ43tSivXp1BAckSJpvf9g0V3rrkUWz55XXoJ-RaolgsXVgobxXs7wfYpUy9h_xvHoCp9povx4Yn1xBR0d5zO9zeTgmES_0vCkRdO_JBY4mgrQwBd1uyxBriEu4zS-x8YCn6PaRdrSb0g/s1600/IMG_1605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJ43tSivXp1BAckSJpvf9g0V3rrkUWz55XXoJ-RaolgsXVgobxXs7wfYpUy9h_xvHoCp9povx4Yn1xBR0d5zO9zeTgmES_0vCkRdO_JBY4mgrQwBd1uyxBriEu4zS-x8YCn6PaRdrSb0g/s400/IMG_1605.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a commissioned painting, made for a couple who married at the <a href="http://www.michiganaudubon.org/about/">Michigan Audubon</a> in Manistee, MI. This picturesque site along Lake Michigan’s eastern edge is the oldest of Michigan’s conservation organizations. It was formed in 1904 in order to secure protective legislation for birds at a time when the millinery industry was harming songbird populations. </span></div>
Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-65621385839134142672013-11-14T05:30:00.000-08:002013-11-18T07:01:57.301-08:00The Outdoor Art Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGg9pD1v9RSDKvAHFiFZoVzd0MMotJ5GwSPHd1Ss81Y9u47jh5Xe2Xe9XQgZqX8O34cKdBux8MAQCG0yqimi4DC3AqzCsHlvyGy924RTABfBkgWKL_v3ZLP33uXGrJ9RkkPG3h2KuVI7u/s1600/Chris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGg9pD1v9RSDKvAHFiFZoVzd0MMotJ5GwSPHd1Ss81Y9u47jh5Xe2Xe9XQgZqX8O34cKdBux8MAQCG0yqimi4DC3AqzCsHlvyGy924RTABfBkgWKL_v3ZLP33uXGrJ9RkkPG3h2KuVI7u/s400/Chris.jpg" width="391" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In June I traveled to the bay area for the wedding of my friends Chris and Jessie. They married at the Outdoor Art Club, a beautiful venue in quaint downtown Mill Valley. The private, nonprofit women's organization was formed in 1902 and their stated mission is “To preserve the natural scenery of Mill Valley and the surrounding country, to beautify the grounds around public buildings, to work against the wanton destruction of birds and game, to encourage the development of outdoor art and to engage in other civic, literary and charitable work." </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQc76re33dpq_rms2EtBOTK46yI4ae-uFZ2zXR85KITLdFYy6Ynq147vEzupAuSHb1fzi59kmyOXexfNBJRiRleCzXZIJATajRfhgvvx54tSiTu8r0dpT9UQBKab_uM1evE4G4ILkTwMh-/s1600/Outdoor+Art+Club.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQc76re33dpq_rms2EtBOTK46yI4ae-uFZ2zXR85KITLdFYy6Ynq147vEzupAuSHb1fzi59kmyOXexfNBJRiRleCzXZIJATajRfhgvvx54tSiTu8r0dpT9UQBKab_uM1evE4G4ILkTwMh-/s400/Outdoor+Art+Club.jpg" width="313" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a relaxed celebration in a idyllic setting. The reception was colored with delightful teal accents, wild flowers, and a main course of delicious pizza! I was so pleased to be able to celebrate the marriage of an old friend and to visit a Mill Valley and the Outdoor Art Club. I made this painting for the couple to mark the occasion. This is the charming entrance to the Art Club, in June the foliage was lush and I felt as I was passing through the gate into an enchanted garden. Congratulations to Chris and Jessie!</span>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0Mill Valley, CA, USA37.9060368 -122.5449763000000337.8559238 -122.62565730000003 37.956149800000006 -122.46429530000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-38783040806632211262013-11-07T05:30:00.000-08:002013-11-07T05:30:02.334-08:00The South Shores of Lake Michigan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLa83lXLti7CAt4wdnc3yhEIoSiP1BEnRLT2k1g0wTbAgABczTFmu-GhS09oqbfNoK37mE6pldQtA0Ec4wRuv7CyT1VmvkT1QJBeIQLAAc2X6h95m-K_nHqipNHklO2wJANoxbO8Yc3de/s1600/Helens+Wedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLa83lXLti7CAt4wdnc3yhEIoSiP1BEnRLT2k1g0wTbAgABczTFmu-GhS09oqbfNoK37mE6pldQtA0Ec4wRuv7CyT1VmvkT1QJBeIQLAAc2X6h95m-K_nHqipNHklO2wJANoxbO8Yc3de/s400/Helens+Wedding.jpg" width="392" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In August I had the pleasure of joining in the celebration of the marriage of my friends Helen and Tom. They married at the south shore of Lake Michigan in the beautiful Gary Aquatorium. The Aquatorium was built in 1921 as a bathhouse and for years was the focal point of Miller Beach. It was a delightful celebration complete with good company, beautiful scenery, and fantastic music. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqlcEHNfqP0lyo80TrK5ltuzIMR1woKG7qDgC5VNi73quiRaPqeSLyzFnNNj-3MsNT6PuoWqOnnAucB-vbhzCDcGyVtH1N4800itwPF8CIGTnpZwmCZkeoq8zlWDI_Fvm-sNdapSDchwq/s1600/Completed+Paintings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqlcEHNfqP0lyo80TrK5ltuzIMR1woKG7qDgC5VNi73quiRaPqeSLyzFnNNj-3MsNT6PuoWqOnnAucB-vbhzCDcGyVtH1N4800itwPF8CIGTnpZwmCZkeoq8zlWDI_Fvm-sNdapSDchwq/s400/Completed+Paintings.jpg" width="381" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The setting was rich with the opportunities to document the occasion with a painting. I made this painting of the lake as seen from the second story wedding location. I enjoyed painting the unique column capitals of the building, the rich tones of the native grasses, and steely lake beyond. Congratulations to Helen and Tom!</span></div>
<br />Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0Gary Aquatorium, Gary, IN 46403, USA41.6195823 -87.257087216.097547799999997 -128.5656812 67.1416168 -45.9484932tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-24363477869665126252013-10-31T05:30:00.000-07:002013-10-31T05:30:04.207-07:00Sailboat at Promontory Point<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoL08nk0Jbu9MM_EKIytSz39oO0jBdd1hDskpI8kC-UJ4fICstL7EORIu2Dp-jfo9i7Zr4f-nrtMOiJ6IQ-dWanJBN_srnnRLdWQ4jVnvC60tWj3HoCEJt08zm9TSTqBv6f2QkCfqBGFx/s1600/Promontory+Point_blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoL08nk0Jbu9MM_EKIytSz39oO0jBdd1hDskpI8kC-UJ4fICstL7EORIu2Dp-jfo9i7Zr4f-nrtMOiJ6IQ-dWanJBN_srnnRLdWQ4jVnvC60tWj3HoCEJt08zm9TSTqBv6f2QkCfqBGFx/s400/Promontory+Point_blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After spending a longer while making a larger painting of the lake and the billowing clouds, i made this smaller vignette of one of the passing sail boats. The boats move too quickly to capture the whole scene before they are gone, but it was a good exercise in making a simple painting and focusing on the essential relationships between lights and darks.</span>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-91460323513644794342013-10-24T05:30:00.000-07:002013-10-24T06:44:52.219-07:00Painting at Promontory Point<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6FZfLUNvpOH_DwZ3vhPuCyUu35x9327qYavfrpCp-6Dk22uNhK5rkD2eoR8ijtWUqLBOSWVJBWyJF10yBHg1-HGT38i9B02ZUPnzdNO5TxVQUytrsZnEl_FCGW3BgVxx6AMeo2raDsNN/s1600/Promontory+Point_Horizon_blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6FZfLUNvpOH_DwZ3vhPuCyUu35x9327qYavfrpCp-6Dk22uNhK5rkD2eoR8ijtWUqLBOSWVJBWyJF10yBHg1-HGT38i9B02ZUPnzdNO5TxVQUytrsZnEl_FCGW3BgVxx6AMeo2raDsNN/s320/Promontory+Point_Horizon_blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wonder if I will ever tire of painting Lake Michigan. I made this painting while sitting at Promontory Point, one of my favorite parks in Chicago. It was the late afternoon and the billowing clouds were "sitting" along the skyline as I began the painting, as I the afternoon progressed they clouds climbed higher in the sky and the painting evolved with them. As the season changes, and I look upon the seeming endlessness of the lake, I feel aware of the possibilities which lie ahead and curious about what the coming months will bring.</span><br />
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Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-52006546728969778272013-10-17T05:30:00.000-07:002013-10-17T05:30:04.201-07:00Return to Manistee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OfffSeHdVRujqjsK4iVn58qD22dhU8VwUKIUz9qPMEc_EL0ifUcKo8cra27yztEXneDmVj0pj5D60kJFa5vg4BoP67sD0qBw0M_HQW2lyTSBO73DCgbeyTgxvOp9GrVyUg4qf8SAqCyG/s1600/Mardirosian+Cottage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OfffSeHdVRujqjsK4iVn58qD22dhU8VwUKIUz9qPMEc_EL0ifUcKo8cra27yztEXneDmVj0pj5D60kJFa5vg4BoP67sD0qBw0M_HQW2lyTSBO73DCgbeyTgxvOp9GrVyUg4qf8SAqCyG/s400/Mardirosian+Cottage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In late September I had the delight of returning to a friend's family cottage in Manistee, Michigan. It was a cool weekend, so our activities included walking on the beach through the brisk fall breezes, shuffle board play, outdoor and indoor fires, and evening board games. It was a delight o make this painting of the cottage with gratitude to the generosity of it's owners. </span>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-19863417117808354572013-10-10T05:30:00.000-07:002013-10-10T05:30:00.486-07:00Painting at Ghost Ranch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Whof7ITifD42omjCAql0ypBe5lNjdh0Ilq0qH9X-HaW5TfhghUSyiBZSn2mlVr2H1-KzDO-WRs48H6BXj9LKtJqOlPGa80u9Tv6pbHYpkhK2yfRRkWiR8cgMC2uUEHPx-GSAE6MIQxsJ/s1600/Ghost+Ranch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Whof7ITifD42omjCAql0ypBe5lNjdh0Ilq0qH9X-HaW5TfhghUSyiBZSn2mlVr2H1-KzDO-WRs48H6BXj9LKtJqOlPGa80u9Tv6pbHYpkhK2yfRRkWiR8cgMC2uUEHPx-GSAE6MIQxsJ/s400/Ghost+Ranch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I really enjoy the boldness and the subtle abstraction of Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings. So, it was a special delight to visit the landscapes in which she spend much of her life drawing and painting. What delight it was to sit at <a href="http://ghostranch.org/">Ghost Ranch</a> and be able to clearly identify the bluffs that appear in O'Keeffe's paintings and in driving down the highway to see the cloudscapes that were frequently abstracted in her work. It was a pleasure to sit and make this painting in the place that inspired O'Keeffe. It was a challenge to paint a terrain which is unfamiliar to me and a delight to take in the richness of the colors of the place.</span>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-42674185777798077212013-10-03T05:30:00.000-07:002013-10-03T05:30:04.625-07:00Spruce House at Mesa Verde<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDG_NQ_rlJIjYmOYuz3KNdPa0MaOSLCPAlRZ81DV0XSQ5XU5oMNtJ22TU6VbCNfVPEfVxdCPLUwb_y2Y_FyIrf-HBvr6MYRyF_mDDZSVXsVKr7R-qsTxKjj4Ds2FaP4CkzNhJGsHkLAGZx/s1600/Mesa+Verde.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDG_NQ_rlJIjYmOYuz3KNdPa0MaOSLCPAlRZ81DV0XSQ5XU5oMNtJ22TU6VbCNfVPEfVxdCPLUwb_y2Y_FyIrf-HBvr6MYRyF_mDDZSVXsVKr7R-qsTxKjj4Ds2FaP4CkzNhJGsHkLAGZx/s400/Mesa+Verde.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was recently delighted to travel to Mesa Verde National Park to visit both the Cliff Palace and Spruce House sites. I was taken by both the preservation of the dwellings and the beauty of the natural surroundings. I also really enjoyed the story our park ranger told us about the <a href="http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/wetherill-and-mason-discover-mesa-verde">discovery of the Mesa Verde ruins</a>, by Richard Wetherill and his brother-in-law as they searched for some stray cattle in 1888. As I made this painting, I was imagining that experience of two cowboys stumbling upon these ancient dwellings as they rode through the isolated canyons of southwest Colorado.</span>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-89192870812626904342013-09-23T17:30:00.000-07:002013-09-24T14:25:16.108-07:00New Mexico & Colorado<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recently had the pleasure of traveling through northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. The trip was planned as an odyssey to Mesa Verde National Park and the cliff dwellings which date to the 1200s. Though Mesa Verde was the genesis for the trip, I found the travel was particularly interesting because of the variance in landscape and experience encountered. In that spirit, I've compiled a list of the top ten delights of the trip. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAfQ_G-ssRELGwg-Kwho_RSZGdy560bX4FFwsbZ74ukUrLz6IkBZcRJLa4ODqegTiFBZkrkNicNh1gZGy8QWbumR2SCbtytypqIzOae53D66fxmt4MPDVnoBYS1CHO389xx_II5F6JrmQ/s1600/IMG_1435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAfQ_G-ssRELGwg-Kwho_RSZGdy560bX4FFwsbZ74ukUrLz6IkBZcRJLa4ODqegTiFBZkrkNicNh1gZGy8QWbumR2SCbtytypqIzOae53D66fxmt4MPDVnoBYS1CHO389xx_II5F6JrmQ/s400/IMG_1435.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heading north to Mesa Verde</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Being in a National Park</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sadly, I've only been to a handful of our U.S. National Parks. There are many more I'd like to visit than the ones I've actually explored. There is something about the experience that feels really special though. I feel a certain sense of national pride that we have chosen to preserve these places which feel sacred, and am honored to benefit from a history of investment in those places historically by the <a href="http://www.ccclegacy.org/">Civilian Conservation Corp</a> and today by the care of park rangers and other park employees.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-HqRQ3n241ndPOzeoaOGFpw07Wwm4LD6eDSRyTlNAurrfNZgAu2kMSKf8Wq409Q2M2sGE95o07lZEngIg6ku4T9We-H5ZLLBWcV4fYyJSO42nyY5kwl_6oTF1TODVRsP3y8hVXtBT6Ck/s1600/IMG_1440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-HqRQ3n241ndPOzeoaOGFpw07Wwm4LD6eDSRyTlNAurrfNZgAu2kMSKf8Wq409Q2M2sGE95o07lZEngIg6ku4T9We-H5ZLLBWcV4fYyJSO42nyY5kwl_6oTF1TODVRsP3y8hVXtBT6Ck/s400/IMG_1440.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hiking at Mesa Verde National Park</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Mesa Verde Dwellings</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm embarrassed to admit that until recently, I didn't really know that a place like <a href="http://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm">Mesa Verde</a> existed in the U.S. In touring the Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde, I was captivated by the completeness of the stone dwellings which remain, the dramatic presentation given by our park ranger guide, and the breath-taking views from the cliff's edge.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvlMmdiWpxZHBC1oLM2hgrH2hDvQ5nMSgT0xOSSu1cgMKrDgZkxLyYTMDalAK1GFlpXogWHx-gPhzhb04EIYnLlYw6mhzQkofymQx7rEHqdaJG8wClyJdmxK2khPax99c13Hd-MtvtpS8/s1600/IMG_1463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvlMmdiWpxZHBC1oLM2hgrH2hDvQ5nMSgT0xOSSu1cgMKrDgZkxLyYTMDalAK1GFlpXogWHx-gPhzhb04EIYnLlYw6mhzQkofymQx7rEHqdaJG8wClyJdmxK2khPax99c13Hd-MtvtpS8/s400/IMG_1463.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Going through small towns</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The majority of our travel was on small two-lane highways which wind through the small towns of New Mexico and Colorado. it was a delight to glimpse these small towns. Some like Durango were thriving with the liveliness of a local college and others were struggling to remain vital. They had the ruggedness of a rural western town, but the favor of beautiful surroundings. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKy1NbmKP5JhWCqQ6rTuGbN61kSuCPQHISeVCyKfoUqmxau-IMawAGrYz5Zkxj29DC1LZQsqMLW8NGMq0jsgvCrV5PJc1jbmlVQrkNcQRm6ws3Gv_38_AbePx_tgSB21QHQrECYyXqxt6/s1600/IMG_1493.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKy1NbmKP5JhWCqQ6rTuGbN61kSuCPQHISeVCyKfoUqmxau-IMawAGrYz5Zkxj29DC1LZQsqMLW8NGMq0jsgvCrV5PJc1jbmlVQrkNcQRm6ws3Gv_38_AbePx_tgSB21QHQrECYyXqxt6/s400/IMG_1493.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunset at Chama, NM</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Visiting Ghost Ranch </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a painter there is always something inspiring about visiting the places which have inspired great painters through the ages. It was a pleasure to visit <a href="http://ghostranch.org/">Ghost Ranch</a> where Georgia O'Keeffe spent part of her life and to readily recognize the landscapes which inspired many of her paintings. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Marveling at the varied natural beauty</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was a bit surprised by the variety of natural environments we encountered in traversing a relatively short distance from as far south as Albuquerque to as far North and West as Mesa Verde. The landscape changed from brushy arid desert to the dramatic hills and endless pine trees of the San Juan and Carson National Forests, to the beautiful red rock desert near to Ghost Ranch.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKkzzoLhSl5arYb9IYYs7l83YW1ex7Cbzyv5wAtfjRRhUZPkZOAoXxOz1aJiD2ISfAAJSF9XZNOIZSPcfG81FkxmWm4gWe-IojhEGRiC2Cv7X5wrmQGPz-1W2RC5cBY9xYqEG3VZm9Od1/s1600/IMG_1497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKkzzoLhSl5arYb9IYYs7l83YW1ex7Cbzyv5wAtfjRRhUZPkZOAoXxOz1aJiD2ISfAAJSF9XZNOIZSPcfG81FkxmWm4gWe-IojhEGRiC2Cv7X5wrmQGPz-1W2RC5cBY9xYqEG3VZm9Od1/s400/IMG_1497.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Charming building in Chama, NM</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. Visiting the echo amphitheater</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This particular trip didn't offer the opportunity to visit too many road side attractions, we didn't stumble upon the world's largest ball of twine or a house made from beer cans. The best roadside attraction we found was a naturally occurring one. Just north of Ghost Ranch, there is a <a href="http://newmexicooutdoor.com/Echo_Amphitheater.html">naturally occurring rock formation</a>, which serves an echo amphitheater, reflecting your words back at you. It was really fun to speak, shout, and sing into the amphitheater.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. A sandwich at Bode's Mercantile General Store</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part of the delight of a road trip are the places you stumble upon in driving from one destination to another. <a href="http://bodes.com/Our_Story/index.html">Bode's</a> was one of those hidden gems, a general store in existence since 1890, Bode's is that fantastic combination of a place where there is a message board advertising goats for sale and also a lunch counter offering really fantastically delicious sandwiches.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4bIG7Fa8aQHE5xN8Nti5tHk5EdoG4beHKQ8lsJRo_ejTRcIapT6aYTFOpiwfamBe1KaIyPhmCaZxd3qIW6wxhhJ2i35yZ9Re7lssx0uGH20t7Hhh4wYK8JZKVZiYwPA4XeVCOh-UVEpB/s1600/IMG_1523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4bIG7Fa8aQHE5xN8Nti5tHk5EdoG4beHKQ8lsJRo_ejTRcIapT6aYTFOpiwfamBe1KaIyPhmCaZxd3qIW6wxhhJ2i35yZ9Re7lssx0uGH20t7Hhh4wYK8JZKVZiYwPA4XeVCOh-UVEpB/s400/IMG_1523.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scenery near to Ghost Ranch</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. Staying in an Old Style road side motel</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In traveling from Mesa Verde to Santa Fe, we spent one night in Chama, NM. Chama is home to the <a href="http://www.cumbrestoltec.com/">Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad</a> (a national historic landmark) and is dotted with roadside motels. We stumbled upon once such motel, which retained the charms of an earlier era. The rooms were once separate cabins before the current owners made the addition of a single roof and infilled between the cabins. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. Downtown Santa Fe</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had never been to Santa Fe before and was bowled over by it's charms. The downtown has the old world feel of small European cities. The adobe buildings are flanked by colonnades, the heart of the city is a beautiful plaza park and the the city is home to the oldest Catholic church in the U.S. It was an entirely delightful place to visit and meander about. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10. Making Paintings</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When traveling making a painting is always among my greatest pleasures. On this short trip, I had the chance to make two. One of the Spruce Tree House at Mesa Verde and one at Ghost Ranch. Stayed tuned for the next two weeks to see those paintings. </span>Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-39473689044955088762013-09-12T05:00:00.000-07:002013-09-12T05:00:07.531-07:00Thank you!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReG4ZYNNpnDgDgMv_pWERB7mNPNFRYjdfE_2PfYnCKX2yTfjg3Ef1mmY0mgrov7QYUCzbQFIxt-0L3jT4MM84ICoGrISWf0eQx7I0197_fT3HfHzv-IZ43AwUTn-GDU35R6c1SuxPgyrO/s1600/Rural+Studio_Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReG4ZYNNpnDgDgMv_pWERB7mNPNFRYjdfE_2PfYnCKX2yTfjg3Ef1mmY0mgrov7QYUCzbQFIxt-0L3jT4MM84ICoGrISWf0eQx7I0197_fT3HfHzv-IZ43AwUTn-GDU35R6c1SuxPgyrO/s400/Rural+Studio_Blog.jpg" width="397" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photos by Jeff Bone of recent community dinner</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks to your generous support I exceeded my goal of raising $1000! I delighted to report that through the donations by friends and family, I was able to gather $1,202 in donations to the Rural Studio. Not only that, the Chicago Rural Studio Alumni through a recent community dinner and other efforts have exceeded their goal of raising $20,000, with $24,445 raised so far. If you still want to help, though, it's not too late! In order to reach the goal of building homes for eight families and the broader goal of developing a prototype for affordable housing, the Rural Studio needs to raise another $77,883. So, please consider purchasing <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/99612064/support-the-rural-studio-purchase?ref=shop_home_active">Western Avenue Postcards</a> or <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/126728682/support-the-rural-studio-purchase-color?ref=shop_home_active">Color of Light Notecards</a>, or make a donation at <a href="https://tpg.auburn.edu/ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=118&SINGLESTORE=true">SupportRuralStudio.org</a> in any amount (you can purchase a 2x4 for as little as $2.50). </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you again to all those who have already contributed to this effort!</span></div>
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Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4060443377703898483.post-89050068177097805192013-08-22T05:30:00.000-07:002013-08-27T09:49:51.828-07:00RAGBRAI Roadside Painting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWSIQNm9thxXdbZlkMVcc19Bym5MGyrc5edBKI03oUbORB_bjJiMd086HTQTJMWClYdBbQ9Enz2dqlXKfer_chg6eZyXZQPZ-OSen4E0-cOeKM7y5_ORokpvfMAVi_E2F5njcfFRhUqeL/s1600/Ragbrai+1002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWSIQNm9thxXdbZlkMVcc19Bym5MGyrc5edBKI03oUbORB_bjJiMd086HTQTJMWClYdBbQ9Enz2dqlXKfer_chg6eZyXZQPZ-OSen4E0-cOeKM7y5_ORokpvfMAVi_E2F5njcfFRhUqeL/s400/Ragbrai+1002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As with the other painting I made on my recent RAGBRAI adventure, the context tells a bit more of the story<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/160882583/original-watercolor-painting-barn-along?ref=listing-shop-header-3"> behind this painting</a>. It was made at a the corner of two Iowa country roads, which is populated by a handful of structures including a farmhouse and the rustic barn depicted in this painting. Typically, I imagine that on an average day that corner sees sporadic passing vehicle traffic and rarely a visitor who makes a stop. On the day I visited, though, RAGBRAI was passing through and about 30,000 cyclists journeyed through this corner. While, I made this painting the following things were happening around me: </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to my right people spread across an open yard playing frisbee,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a ceramicist stopped by to talk about art and his recent purchase of watercolor paints,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">across the street long lines formed, queues for beer, pork on a stick, corn on the cob, and lemonade,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">people clothed in varied forms of spandex lay on the grass talking, eating, cat napping,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a band played and people danced,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and I painted.</span></div>
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Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16715638165082809926noreply@blogger.com0