Outside the easel

Note: Currently this post is here, on blogger, and at erinhardin.wordpress.com. For previous posts not found elsewhere, go to this post and earlier. 

This past weekend I took an awesome watercolor journaling workshop with amazing artist Marilynn Brandenburger. It’s been sort of a rough couple of weeks that have thrown me a little off-balance. So, time with other artists exploring a medium that I don’t normally work in a lot was just what I needed. Here are some pics of what I did during the two day workshop:

I’m a pretty detail-oriented artist (not that you would know if from other areas of my life… for example my messy sock drawer), but I am. So, these watercolor sketches were a great exercise in loosening up…

The simplicity of the sketches captures the moment in a way that words alone cannot do, however still allows time for added thoughts and feelings.

If you get the chance to take a workshop from this fantastic artist (and great teacher) I highly recommend it.

Exploration

Just a Spoonful of Moss

Sorry I've been M.I.A. I've been off exploring exotic and far off places. Like, for example, my backyard. Hanging out with a toddler is great for training the eye and soul to notice and delight in little things. On our explorations we picked up dozens of acorns, some with "hats" some without. To most of us, one or two of these treasures would have sufficed, but not so for my 14 month-old. She had to have as many as she could hold in her tiny hands and when one would slip out and roll away, she'd chase it down crying, "Oh no!" My favorite discovery was this cheap, cafeteria style spoon partly buried in the dirt with moss growing in the bowl. We live in an older house and finds like this always lead me to wonder how they got there. A little boy digging in the dirt? A family picnic in the yard? What do you think? Any ideas?

Sweet Little Feet

Sweet Little Feet

There is no making a 1 year-old sit still for a portrait, however I did manage to catch her little crossed feet at she sat in her high chair. Ah, the magic of graham crackers to keep a toddler still!