Sketchbook Tour of Tuscany

I arrived in Florence four days before my workshop. I used the time to get over jet lag, explore, sketch, sightsee and shop. My favorite way to discover a city is on foot....walking. I like to sketch, sit in cafe with a cappuccino, shop in enjoy gelato. It's easy for me to walk all day and not feel tired. I'm often surprised to see how far I've walked by the end of the day. Six to eight miles is the average.  I enjoy finding unexpected views when I wander.  I want to FEEL the city...to smell, hear, see and absorb everything. 

I left my sketchbag in the hotel room to travel lighter. It's easy to tuck in small spaces and go unnoticed when only sketching with a pen and the sketchbook. Florence was surprisingly hot and humid. The idea of sketching inside a church or museum was appealing.  Especially during the hottest time of the day. Inside was cool with lots of places to sit.

The amazing French Escapade 
Guides and Owners

Three days later I met up with the people in my first workshop and my tour guides. The workshop was hosted by French Escapade. We traveled by van to our home location. We drove in a long road with the vineyard on one side and an olive grove on the other. The air was filled with fresh smells and it was beautiful! Gone was the hustle and bustle of the city.
We sketched hill towns, small villages,  Tuscan countryside and historic cities. Each day was rich with history, beauty and culture. The evenings were filled with good food, lively conversations, shared stories and lots of laughter. It was fun to watch friendships develop.  I had an interesting mix of women from different countries: Norway, England, Australia, Guatemala, Canada and the US.

To see my finished sketches and hear my thoughts behind the images click on the video here.

There's nothing like an extended time to focus on nothing but creativity! No house cleaning, grocery shopping, appointments, yard work, bills to pay, errands or cooking. When my only concern is sketching and teaching my mind is free to reach deeper areas of creativity.

The first time I visited Italy I didn't sketch at all. I know that's hard to believe! But that was many years ago. I was traveling with 5 family members. No matter how well intending people are, it's no fun to sketch when people are waiting for you to get done. Since that first trip I have taught eight workshops in Tuscany, three in France, one in Spain and next year Belgium. Not bad for bad for a small-town girl!

Next year I have workshops all across the US and two in Belgium. To see my schedule and workshop locations please visit: Workshops 2019

Happy Sketching! Brenda

 

Becoming Boone, Part #2

--- Bring Him Home ---

What were we going to do? We had a sick kitten, family waiting in Tennessee and a plane flight home to California in 4 days. I called my son in Tennessee and said we had a “small” delay and we’re running a few hours behind…and by the way do you have a 24 hour animal hospital near you?

Next we drove to the nearest pet supply store and got a litter box, food, water, bowls, flea drops, flea comb, a couple toys. Mike rearranged our suitcases, workshop supplies and sketch bag in the back seat. I now had a litter box at my feet, food and water bowls on the floor…and an exhausted little creature searching the car for a place to…do his business! Obviously he didn’t know what a litter box was. Let’s say he caught on quick (I was only slightly soiled in the experience). Now we had windows open for fresh air, handy wipes for clean up and cruising down the road. A few miles down the road my son called with the number of an emergency animal clinic in his town. We had a new destination!

We arrived at the Knoxville Pet Emergency Clinic a couple hours later. I felt a huge sense of relief…we would have some answers. We filled out papers, gave them our payment info and sat in the waiting area. We were called into an examination room and a tech came in to take his vitals. She wasn’t the most gentle person and I could see he was afraid. When the tech left the room Mike bundled him up and restored the kitten’s sense of safety. About 15 minutes later the veterinarian, Christine Kline came in the examination room. She had a gentle manner, scratched his chin and got acquainted gently. We told her where we found him, our concerns, travel situation. She needed to do tests before we could discuss the future. She bundled him in a towel and took him to the back room for blood tests, dilate his damaged eye, an exam….and we waited.

Stillman & Birn sketchbook, 10x8 tinted paper 

She estimated him at being 6 months old and very small for his age. There was good news and bad news. The good news: he did NOT have FeLeuk or FIV (cat diseases).  There was hope for the little kitten! The bad news: he was dehydrated, had a respiratory infection, ear mites, fleas, laceration on his foot and permanently blind in his right eye. She followed up with…he’s a sweet kitten and will get better. We reminded her or our situation and living across the U.S. She gave us the name of a shelter in the area. Mike and I looked at each other and didn’t like the idea. We had already been down that path earlier in the day. If we found a place that would accept him it was very likely he would be euthanized. Who would want to adopt him in his current health? And we were getting attached. She asked if we wished to have him treated? We said yes. She wrote out 3 prescriptions: Drops for his ears, ointment to sooth his damaged eye and antibiotics for his respiratory infection. 

We went to the waiting area to pay our bill and pick up his medicine. As we sat their Mike and I talked. We tried to make sense of the situation we had gotten ourselves into. The kitten was on our lap purring loudly and so very happy. We had one more question for the veterinarian.  What paper work do we need to take the kitten home with us on the plane? She said it would take two weeks for him to be well enough to fly due to his respiratory infection. TWO WEEKS?!!! 

He would also need all his shots for the required  health certificate.  We had a flight to catch in four days and I had a workshop to teach in 10 days! I felt like we hit another road block.

All three of us got back in the car. I called the hotel and asked, are you pet friendly? The answer was yes. So we headed to the hotel, checked in, carried in our suitcases, litter box, cat food and a the kitten. I got cleaned up. too. Clean clothes felt good. We were half a day late but we arrived in time to have dinner with my son and family.

For the next three days we visited with family and took in the sights of Knoxville, TN: zoo, national park, downtown…but at night we returned to the little guy waiting for us. Each day he got stronger and stronger. The medicine was doing its work! The stronger he got the bigger his personality got…he was so cute!

There was a large uncomfortable question looming over us.  What were we going to do when it came time to fly home? On the second morning Mike woke up and said, do you have a solution yet? I said no, do you? With a cute smile he said, yes. We’re gonna drive home.

All the sudden what looked like a problem became a new and wonderful adventure that would take us all the way across the United States with a little kitten in the back seat… Two days later we traded in our rental car for something more comfortable, loaded up our suitcases, litter box, cat food, dishes…and headed towards home. On this day I named him Boone…the city where the adventure began.

Part 3… The Long Road Home.

If you missed Part 1 click here

Happy Travel,

Brenda

Becoming Boone...Part #1

Each of us have a story to tell…

Last summer I taught a workshop at Cheap Joe's Art Stuff in Boone, North Carolina. It’s one of my favorite places to teach for many reasons. The people are warm and friendly, the country is beautiful and I get to spend time with a very dear friend, Joe Miller (the one and only Cheap Joe). I had the best week ever! One of those weeks we hope for as teachers. My students were eager to learn, positive, nurturing to their class mates, funny, creative…and above all, inspiring women. I came away with a full heart.

The next day Mike and I packed up and started our drive to Tennessee. We planned on arriving in Knoxville within a few hours and would join our son and family for dinner. About 100 miles into the trip we stop to have lunch at a sandwich shop along the interstate. We sat outside in the warm Tennessee air. Within seconds a small kitten appeared. He had been hiding under a boat trailer in the parking lot. He ran to my husband and wrapped his little body around his ankle. It was obvious the kitten was alone and not cared for and blind in one eye. I was very concerned about touching him because he was obviously sick. But Mike was already petting, scratching and comforting the kitten. He was starved to be touched. His desire to be touched was greater than his want for food. 

I started making phone calls looking for a facility that could help him. I found a humane society and animal shelter. I picked up the kitten and we got in the car and I waited for all hell to break loose!!! The odd thing is the little kitten didn’t get excited at all…he just wanted to lay his head on my feet. I’ve never had a cat not go wild in a car! We drove 30 minutes to the nearest animal shelter. They turned us away. Why? Because we weren't residence of that county. No kidding! But the kitten was found in their county. Didn’t that matter? No! They gave us another number to call. That shelter turned us away too. They already had 400 cats that needed homes. At this point we were sitting in the car trying to figure out what to do. And now the little kitten needed to go potty. I got out of the car and put him on a little plot of grass in the shade. Immediately a sad sick cat came out of the bushes towards us. Oh NO! People were leaving sick and abandoned animals outside the shelter! 

What were we going to do? We had a sick kitten, family waiting in Tennessee and a plane flight home to California in 4 days. I called my son in Tennessee and said we had a “small” delay and we’re running a few hours behind…and by the way do you have a 24 hour animal hospital near you?

Next we drove to the nearest pet supply store and got a litter box, food, water, bowls, flea drops, flea comb, a couple toys.

And this is where his story begins…The story of Becoming Boone. 

Be sure not to miss Part 2...it's my favorite! Add your email address to the "Subscribe" box, it's located in the right column, on the top.

Happy Adventures!
Brenda & Boone

The Perfect Sketch Bag

I'm an organized person by nature and the idea of having everything I need in an organized bag delights me to no end. I keep my sketch bag packed and when I get a chance to sketch I grab the bag and go. No need to worry about forgotten items. 

Over the years I have refined the set-up and it works for me. I use a “Rigger Canvas Bag” I found at a tool store called Harbor Freight (they no longer sell the bag but I've seen similar bags at Home Depot and garden shops). I've made a few alterations to the original bag.  I took out some stitching to open up the pockets on the sides, put cardboard inside on the bottom for added support and a shoulder strap. Now my pens, brushes, palette, sketchbooks…fit snuggly. You just can’t beat it! 

I have been carrying a sketch bag around for so long friends have nicknamed it the “Brenda Bag”. I use my Sketch Bag when I travel across the country and overseas. I simply take everything out, roll up the bag and put it in my carry on luggage. Yes, I carry my palette on the plane. I leave it open for a couple days so the paint will harden and put in a plastic bag. 

The sketch bag has become like a old friend. We have traveled across the U.S. countless times…to Prague, Germany, France, Tuscany…by car plane, train…

If you wish to learn more about my larger 10x11 sketchbook, read the "Perfect Sketchbook".

Would you like to know what I keep in the bag? Here's my Youtube video. Click on my Sketch Bag to view the video.

If you have a problem viewing the Youtube video paste this link in your browser. https://youtu.be/iKsme0wedDk 

Happy Sketching!   

Brenda

Don't Give Up!

Thursday mornings I meet with a group of painters on location. Recently the location did nothing for me. The morning was brutally cold (yes it does get cold in California), the sky was gray and the trees were brown. The fact that I had a sore throat dulled my enthusiasm, too. I tried to be positive and stick it out. We'll it comes as no surprise my sketch bombed! I felt defeated. When I got to feeling better I took another look at the sketch. My first impression was correct...it was awful.

I knew the sketch wasn't worth saving but I didn't want to see it every time I opened my book either. Tearing pages out isn't an option for many reasons. For one it's admitting defeat, two it's an opportunity to learn something, third I'm stubborn. I dislike the idea that a piece of paper got the best of me (grin).

Don't walk away when something doesn't go your way...be a problem solver. When you have nothing to lose great things can happen. I decided to try something I hadn't done before. Using clips to hold the sketchbook (Stillman & Birn,Beta) open I used a flat soft brush and water to wash off the image and let dry completely. In a small dish I mixed white gesso with burnt sienna watercolor. With a flat brush I painted the surface leaving white paper exposed at the edges. Now I had a nicely tinted page waiting for the perfect subject to present itself.

Recently I was sketching at Travel Town, a train museum in Griffith Park. A little locomotive named "Charlie Atkins, #1" caught my eye.  Painting on a gessoed surface is different than watercolor paper.  It took me a few minutes to figure it out but in no time I was happily painting away.

What was a defeat in my eyes is now a success. Why is that?...Because I didn’t give up, I tried something new, and I learned something.

Don't give up...Be a problem solver!

Happy Painting! 
Brenda

When I Hurt...

This morning I caught my breath...it has been a year since Daniel and I made our trip to Trinidad,  CA to be with Thomas & Lisa (my oldest son and girlfriend).  The long weekend was perfect in every way... even Daniel catching poison oak was a blessing because it got him into the doctors office. While at the appointment Daniel asked the doctor about a lump he felt on the side of his neck.  Most of you know the rest of the story...(you can read it here). 

A year has passed and Daniel is doing wonderful for which I am very grateful. Nowadays I'm surprised that whenever I talk about it I begin to cry. During the year of turmoil I held my emotions in check (most days).  I wouldn't dare give thought to the idea he wouldn't beat cancer!

Why am I telling you this? Usually I share sketchbook pages that reflect joy, travel,  adventure, and all around happy experiences. Rarely do I share pages of when I'm at my lowest.  For some reason I feel compelled to share my experience of how I process emotions in my sketch journals. Does somebody need to read this today or is it part of my healing process to let it go? I don't know the answer to that question.  I simply feel I am called to do so.

On my page, I AM SO TIRED OF BAD NEWS! I write that along with Daniel my dad's cancer has returned. It's been nine months since I wrote this page. Today he is being treated at the City of Hope and he's not doing very good. My heart aches to see him so sick. I save all his phone messages, little notes... I want to treasure each and every minute with him. Please keep him in prayer. He's name is Wes.

On the page OUCH! I was raw with emotion and wrote some pretty strong words... I needed to get out. When I write something like this I'm conscious that these books will be around after I'm gone.  I don't want my words to hurt somebody I love that is why I'll use a water soluble pen. When I am ready I use a wet brush and smear the words.

We all need a safe place to express ourselves without fear or concern of what others may think. I hope

♥♥♥Me and my Dad ♥♥♥

through sharing these pages I've opened your mind to ways of healing through art and words.

Happy Sketching!

Brenda

Putting Zeta Paper to the Test

Recently the Stillman & Birn Sketchbook Company sent me samples of their new Zeta Series paper. When the paper arrived the first thing I noticed was the papers surface. It is similar to Hot Press watercolor paper. To the touch the surface is smooth, bright white and the weight is 180 lb. The Zeta Series has both internal and surface sizing, it is acid-free, lignin-free and chloride-free.  

Click on image to see larger

Step #1 Pen drawing. I used the technique of Contour Drawing with a waterproof pen.

Step #2 Watercolor painting. I began by blocking in the larger areas with watercolor.

Step #3 Here is where the paper is put to the test. I like to build up rich color in glazes. The paper held up great.Where I wanted to lift color for highlights the color came up easily with a soft brush and clean water.

Pen & Ink

I thoroughly enjoyed how pens move on the surface…they glide! I also noticed that some inks take a little longer to dry than others. This has to do with the papers sizing. This isn't

a problem, just an important fact. Quite often I select pens/ink because they move when wet, but for this demonstration I wanted the line work to stay put. The Pitt Pens by Faber-Castell dried instantly, and this is the pen I used (medium tip). Noodler’s Ink in Polar Brown and Lexington Gray dried instantly, too.

Watercolor
I am predominately a watercolor artist so I was curious to see how the paper would hold up with watercolor. The paper was a joy to paint on! It was easy to build up layers, soften edges, and lift color. I found it easier to work on than Hot Press watercolor paper. All my colors remained clear and vibrant and the paper didn't warp.

Final Thoughts
I take all my artwork seriously whether I'm sketching or painting. The Stillman & Birn Company takes their paper seriously, too. I can’t wait for the new sketchbooks made with Zeta paper to arrive in stores. I will definitely be using it!

Happy Sketching! 
Brenda

Sketching the Rose Parade Floats

Me and my sketching buddy, Judy

I have been sketching the Rose Parade Floats, in Pasadena for 10 years. Each year I go through the process of getting permission to be on the float building floor with hundreds of people who are working on the floats. Most of the floats are built inside two large warehouses that are called float barns. Inside these buildings can be super cold!! This year I had on three layers of clothes and gloves. The float barns are a short distance from Colorado Blvd where the Rose Parade begins. Sketching can be a real challenge. It’s tricky just to see the floats through all the scaffolding and people while staying out of the way. If were in the way they’d ask us to leave. People were gluing flowers, seeds, and spices, cutting stems off straw flowers, sticking vial with water into the float frame to hold roses, moving scaffolding. People look like little specks climbing all over the floats. The P.A system was constantly calling a “Float Chief” to an area. The energy in the building is magical! The floats I sketched this year were, The Lyon's Club International. I loved sketching all of the architectural landmarks, most of these buildings I've seen.  The second float was the Nurse's Float. The title "A Healing Place", stole my heart. As many of you know my son Daniel was diagnosed with cancer in September. Thank you for all your kind words and prayers...keep it coming! We could use some healing in 2013!

Here you can see the birds I sketched, top center of photo.

  Notice I don’t glue on flowers. I’m like a cat and I don’t like my “paws” sticky. 

Happy New Year and Happy Sketching!

Brenda

Sketchbook Snob

I admit it...I'm a bit of a sketchbook snob. I have been sketching for so many years that I've become very set in what I like or maybe more importantly...what I don't like. 
I use two different types of sketchbooks. The first one is a spiral bound book I make. This sketchbook is 10 x 11inches and has watercolor, pastel and drawing paper. You can read an earlier blog post to learn more about this sketchbook. But right now I want to talk about my other sketchbook, my illustrated journals.

Recently I was contacted by a company and asked if I'd like to try their sketchbooks. I like to keep an open mind but I have been disappointed with samples before. Within a couple days I received a box filled with a generous assortment of sketchbooks from Michael Kalman, at Stillman & Birn. I opened the books and felt the different paper surfaces. Each book was unique unto itself but I was especially taken with the Beta Series, Cold Press, 180lb. paper! The book was stitched bound and opened completely flat…and the perfect size 8.5 x 5.5, which means it opened to 8.5x11.inches. It

came in natural white (Beta Series) or ivory (Delta Series). This sketchbook got my hopes up!

I was getting ready to take a trip up north to see my son in Trinidad.  I tucked the new sketchbook away and decided I would play with in on the trip. You can read about the trip and see my sketches in my last post "Bitter with the Sweet". I was able to tuck the sketchbook in my purse along with my small travel palette, pen and waterbrush.

Last week I really put the Beta sketchbook to the test. Most sketchbooks can handle pen and a light wash of watercolor but this book can handle a lot. I am more than impressed!! The sketch of

the pomegranates shows how well the paper held with multiple wet washes without warping, pilling up, or bleeding through. I highly recommend the Beta or Delta Series for watercolor! The books come in a variety of sizes, bindings and paper surfaces. My favorite is the Beta 8.5 x 5.5. Stillman & Birn's focus is on the paper, point blank.

They recognize sketching is an art form, and the sketchbook is no longer just a transitional tool from the field to the studio, it's becoming its own form of fine art. 

They have created the highest quality sketchbook. 

To find a  retailer near you click Stillman & Birn. To see the NEW hardbound "Beta Series"  5.5 x 8.5 or 8.5 x 11 click here.

Happy Sketching!

Brenda

The Bitter With the Sweet

Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse

Buoys in the yard

It's always better to start with the sweet...so here I go.

Sweet
A couple weeks ago my youngest son Daniel and I made a trip to Northern California to spend time with my oldest son Thomas. It was supposed to be two short flights but when our second flight was canceled we decided to rent a car and make the final leg of the journey. That six-hour drive became a road trip that Daniel and I will remember for a long time. Both of us lead busy lives and it had been a while since we had time alone together.  Daniel is attending school full time at Cal Poly to become a mechanical engineer, works part-time and has a wife and two very young children (15 months and 12 weeks). 

 
One of the objectives of this trip was for me to have time with my sons but more importantly time for brothers to be together. On Saturday Thomas took Daniel fishing on his boat. While they spent the day out at sea I spent the day on shore sketching. On Sunday the guys cleaned and filleted fish while Lisa (Thomas's girlfriend) and I went for a walk at Patrick's Point State Park.  Lisa works at the State Park and is a wealth of information...she pointed out edible mushrooms, berries, rock formations, animals and all sorts of birds. When we got back I sketched at the house.

Thomas and the King Salmon

That evening the guys made a wonderful dinner. Lisa and I added to the table by making a boysenberry pie with berries picked in the yard. On Monday morning Thomas took us for a tour the harbor in his boat. Afterwards we packed a lunch, the two dogs (Pixie and Petie) and drove to the Trinity River. Lisa and I sat on the shore while the guys went fishing. Thomas caught a 10 pound King Salmon. It was beautiful to watch him rock the fish back-and-forth in the water. This forced fresh water and air though its gills. Once revived Thomas pointed the fish upstream and released it. On Tuesday Daniel and I made our trip home and return to life as normal... or at least we thought. 

Bitter
While fishing along the Trinity River Daniel got into poison oak. The itching was enough for him to make an appointment with his doctor. During the examination Daniel asked about a lump he had recently felt on his neck. This led to a series of tests and surgery. Yesterday he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. You may ask why am I telling you this? I believe in the power of prayer. God does not waste anything.  I am asking you to hold up Daniel, his wife Heidi, and their two children Joshua and Nevaeh. Of course we are praying for God's healing but also for his strength, grace, and mercy as we go through this as a family.

Bitter and Sweet
Life can have a bitter sting but most days are filled with the sweet goodness of those around me and God's endless love and grace.

Heidi and Daniel

Click here to learn more about Daniel and his journey.

Thank you,

Brenda