Of hearth and home

Yesterday morning when I woke up at my usual hour of 5ish am (otherwise known as insane o'clock,) it was 15F here. My husband lit a fire and I sat in the dark living room and sleepily sketched light and warmth.

Today, I turned to our entryway and drew a vignette of the tabletop and mirror there.

For comparison, here are two sketches from January, showing the same rooms. Interesting to see the differences?

 

Comments

[Sue Smith]

Wow--I just somehow stumbled on your site and am bookmarking it--I love your style and it occurred to me that you are a "neighbor," as I live in Cary, and certainly know Fearrington Village and its environs very well...your work is lovely! I am thoroughly enjoying it. I'm also a watercolorist, but I am not as accomplished as you are, so you will inspire me.

[wagonized]

Je ne sais pas par quoi commencer. Premierement, la comparaison de la cheminee est assez frappante: tu sais maintenant comment faire "eclater" les couleurs avec l'aquarelle -- chose que les crayons de couleur ne semblent pas permettre.
Je trouve tes vaches toujours aussi belles, et moi aussi me demande a quelle vitesse tu dessines. Tu me disais que ton crayon "danse" sur le papier -- chose que je fais tres raremement, surtout quand je vais dans les details.
Il me tarde de voir ce que tu nous concoctes pour janvier...
Oh, mais encore une chose: ton interieur est tres parisien! On croirait un appartement du XVIe arrondissement a Paris!

[df]

Thanks for showing the difference a year makes. Keeping a sketchbook is so great isn't it?
The previous year fireplace looks like an illustration (not that there's anything wrong with that) while your new version actually emanates warmth. Very nice!

[Paris Parfait]

Your home looks so cozy and warm - the perfect way to start a morning. Your sketches are simply breathtaking! As for your entryway drawing, I have those same candlesticks!

[Laura]

Thank you so much, everyone! I agree with all of you say you see more fluency and I appreciate your noting it. It's a lifelong task, this artmaking. Marly, you do have a way with words, but then you would. Thank you for such lovely lines. Katherine, I don't think I draw any faster (I've always drawn fast,) but I think I see better what I'm looking at. Yes, Emotenote, he did and it isn't a gas fireplace! Jana, I should show more of my house (there are more sketches of it in the archives for January 2006.) We do have lots of French furniture. Zephyr, the Daniel Smith mineral-based paints and Kremer paints, too, are such fun to use and give such great textures.

[zephyr]

oh Yum!
and yes
how interesting to compare.
i am loving the texture and colors
in the amarylis painting particularly
especially the wall