IF: Fuel

Haven't posted in a while but not due to lack of FUEL.
This semester I'm teaching 2 new classes and to reward myself I experimented with mixed media. This piece is collage, watercolor, gouache and colored pencil. I used gum arabic to glaze on watercolor - really makes the colors pop. The collage pieces are from a printout of my rose bear illustration. It was oddly therapeutic to chop up my own work!

IF:swell

It was the first day at his new school . The closer he came the more his anxiety level began to SWELL!

I hope my son will see the humor in this post as he gets ready for the intermediate school!

Back from Blue Mountain

We're back from Blue Mountain Lake and our best family vacation yet! A week of no internet, email or cell phones  - just the woods, the lake, family and wonderful new friends.
It was a week of first  - our son paddled his own kayak, jumped off rock island and made it to the top of Blue Mountain's fire tower.
And I couldn't help but be inspired --- mist rising off the lake, a family of loons, chattering red squirrels, an adorable porcupine and a tricky mink that joined us as we jumped off the dock for afternoon swims!

IF: Obsession

My fascination and attraction to crazy quilts is becoming an obsession! I can "blame" my Great, Great Grandmother Merritt  who created dazzling crazy quilts while she ran a boarding house in the Catskills.

IF: gesture

 The gesture and working out the silhouette...

The drawing....

The finish...

IF: Stay-cation

  Sometimes the best vacations are just 10 minutes away! 

In northwestern Connecticut we have  The White Memorial Conservation Center, 

4000 acres of woods, trails, ponds and fields. 

We enjoyed Father's Day there - in our canoe! 

(We're the 3 bears in the birch bark canoe.)

IF: Remedy

This piece is from my Home Remedies collection. Here are some the coordinating images...

And a mock-up for a greeting card and matching envelope...

The mouse nurse is planning to return to the drawing board with a thermometer and maybe some bandages.

IF: Midsummer Night

Wouldn't we all like a cute yellow dragon to look over us as we settled in for the night?!

IF: Launch

The new leaf has been turned. I am back to the blog-o-sphere. Thought I should start with an IF post.