Laurelines

Walking the walk

In February, I started power walking three times a week,  an hour and a half each time, all around my town. I feel reborn! Not only do I get the endorphins whipped into a frenzy, but I'm getting to know my town in a new way---I'm finding streets and neighborhoods I had no clue about. I've run these streets, I've biked these streets. I've driven these streets. But walking these streets... that's a different story. As is my wont, I've thrown myself into this new pursuit with all my heart. Here are some books I've read on walking, for example: The Lost Art of Walking by Geoff Nicholson. A thinnish book that meanders a bit too much, mixing some history with personal anecdotes and a filler chapter on photographers. Worth reading if you stumble on it (get it?), but not worth making a trek for. (Oops.)

The Places in Between by Rory Stewart. He walked ACROSS AFGHANISTAN! In 2002! He's young, he's extremely passionate! Very worth reading, especially in these times when we need to cure our ignorance about this country and its neighbors. On Walking by Joseph Amato. Just started this one. More scholarly than Nicholson. There's lots of anthropology and careful historical context-laying. Not a page turner, but then, we weren't expecting it to be. Were we?

Combining sketching or painting with walking isn't my focus right now, since I'm in it for the hard workout, but others do this very successfully. Julie Oakley is one such, a pioneer sketcher/walker, whose One Mile from Home project can be seen here. Katherine Tyrrell is another such. As is HER wont, she's organized a whole new group called Sketchercise and she's invited me to participate. I'll keep a sketch log of things I pick up while walking and draw later.

I found some wonderful shoes for summer walking. They're pictured above. They're lightweight (so packable) but sturdy and supportive. I think they're technically water shoes, but, good. If I encounter any rushing torrents or tsunamis in our neighborhoods, I'll be ready for them.

Oh, and when the time for Brittany comes, I'll be walking, I'll be sketching, I'll be painting. I'll be wearing my shoes.

What about you? Want to go for a walk?

My Life as a To Do List

Finally finished one of the two paintings I'd been working on before life got so frenetic. Must finish the other one so I can start an illustration job, due end of June. THEN (or sooner, depending on how the illos go) I can turn to my koi series --- I'm getting closer every day! Bit by bit, we work through that great To Do List called life! May I just say that I've never been so glad to say 'this thing is finished' than I was earlier today, when I said of this swimming-pool-with-two-butterfly-chairs painting, 'This thing is finished.'

Acrylic on board 16" x 20." 

I made some quick sketches of bits that were washed to the ground after a sudden rainstorm this morning. I love the way fallen twigs, leaves, and petals make a kind of found calligraphy on street surfaces.  I am sure their messages are worth deciphering. Don't you wish we could?

Looking ahead to Brittany

And why not look ahead to this fall for a minute or two, In the midst of a busy present?  At times like this, I like to think about slightly less complicated scenarios to come. And what could be more perfect to think about than my three week painting trip to Brittany, starting in mid-September?

Want to see some glimpses of the house I've rented?   To me, it looks comfortable and well appointed, which is just what I was looking for---nothing fancy, just right. I'm including one or two of the surrounding area, including one by Christian Wilt, (whose wonderful photos can be found here,)  of the kind of rock and water coastline I sought and found! And, speaking of trips, I won't be making the trek to Newfoundland this summer. Instead, I'm going on an even more adventurous trip in December---it will be one of the very most exciting things I've ever done. Anti-luxury, pro-exhilaration of the Laurelines kind.  Can't wait. But will.

I am also making a short leap to Austin, Texas tomorrow, to see my daughter. Back Wednesday night and then I'll be mostly staying put until August. Mostly, not entirely---you know me,  I've got Wandering 

Legs Syndrome!

Grace's wedding sketches, last installment

So I winnowed the sketches down to nine. I'm sending the suite of nine drawings to the bride and groom, with color copies to her parents.

I have two more big items to cross off my list before being able to get back to my watery paintings:  making illustrations for a foodlovers' guide to my area and selecting images and writing about myself in response to a request from a BEAUTIFUL magazine that will be featuring Laurelines in its fall issue! More about both later---don't want to queer either deal. (So forget what you just read until both are faits accomplis ;D.)

For images of another beautiful Savannah wedding, please go to my dear friend Tara Bradford's blog Paris Parfait. Her gorgeous daughter Jordana was married there last week!

Grace's wedding sketches, second installment

These are coming out in dribs and drabs, it's true, but I'm working on several projects at once. Day by day, I push each of them farther along, closer to completion. These sketches were done on site, but I'm adding watercolor washes here in my studio. I figure I'll be through with all my current projects by end of June. Oh, koi, don't leave me! I am longing to get back into painting my watery subjects, but I've got to take care of business first. 

What you'll see today:  chandeliers floating above the garden where the reception was held, a chuppah made of vintage table linen dangling from spanish-moss bestrewn live oak branches, and narcissus and juniper and scabiosa bouquets tucked into Ball jars and other assorted vintage bottles, gracing the dining tables!

Grace's wedding sketches, first installment

The Grace of this post is, you will remember,  Grace Bonney , whose wedding took place in Savannah last Saturday. I wanted to caption these sketches on the pages themselves, but my daughters have ridiculed my handwriting for so long, I'm afraid to do it and mess things up! Now, my daughters are normally kind and well-mannered, but they do have their little ways. If I weren't giving the sketches as a gift, I would be fearless and scrawl away. What do YOU think, should I scrawl or desist?The first sketch is The Corduroy Road, a great bluegrass band from Asheville, rehearsing for the wedding at Orleans Square.  Click here to read about them and hear some of their music! The second is of the bar where sweet tea (isn't that such a charming idea for a Savannah wedding?) was served before the ceremony and wine and mixed drinks and beer and such, afterwards.  The third is a tablescape from a photo shoot session that Martha Stewart Living were doing the morning of the wedding.  More sketches are in the hopper, so y'all come back, you hear?

Finally, I'm sharing a photo of me sketching, taken by delightful Anne of equally delightful blog Prêt à Voyager (from her blog title, I'd say she and I have a lot in common ;D), so you can get a sense of what I was up to that day! And, please, check out Anne's blog---it is a must read for all us Francophiles and designophiles and artophiles and travelophiles.  You'll see what I'm talking about ;D.