#simplegrace

The simple grace of a tiny palette on a long  road trip

Each year, for as long as I can remember, I've chosen a word to define my goals or mindset for the new year. This year the word is grace. It's something I've been thinking about for awhile and intend to make it a continuing focal point in 2018. It has many definitions and should make for a year of interesting discoveries!

Grace(as defined by Merriam-Webster)

1 a: unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or
        sanctification

b: a virtue coming from God

c: a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine assistance

2 a: approval, favor stayed in his good graces

b: archaic: mercy, pardon

c: a special favor: privilege

each in his place, by right, not grace, shall rule his heritage —Rudyard Kipling

d: disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency

e: a temporary exemption: reprieve

3 a: a charming or attractive trait or characteristic Among disagreeable qualities
        he possessed the saving grace of humor.

b: a pleasing appearance or effect: charm

all the grace of youth —John Buchan

c: ease and suppleness of movement or bearing

danced with such grace

4 used as a title of address or reference for a duke, a duchess, or an archbishop

5 a short prayer at a meal asking a blessing or giving thanks

6 Graces plural: three sister goddesses in Greek mythology who are the givers of
        charm and beauty

7 a musical trill, turn, or appoggiatura

8 a: sense of propriety or right

had the grace not to run for elective office —Calvin Trillin

        b: the quality or state of being considerate or thoughtful accepted his advice
        with grace

and Grace(as defined by me)
1      unexpected moments and insights that make us draw breath and smile 
        #simplegrace

Where Did Summer Go?

Time does fly when you’re having fun. Years ago I read French Women for All Seasons by Mireille Guiliano. It’s one of my favorite books. I love the change of seasons and all it brings, the changing light and color, in season foods, special holidays.

Fall always seems to be a new beginning for me. Maybe it goes back to all those years of starting a new school year. I also like the realization that the fall "new" year resolutions can get a reboot in January if necessary!

Goodbye fresh peaches, barbecues, and sunflowers. Hello, falling golden-leaves, pumpkins, and mums!

“Live in each season as it passes;

breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit,

and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.”

-Henry David Thoreau

Do Blue and Yellow Always Equal Green?

This Christmas I received a Pocket Palette. I've finally gotten around to filling it! Though the palette will fit a maximum of fourteen pans, I decided to use only twelve.That leaves room for one square pan that I can use for mixing. 

There are so many beautiful colors to choose from when designing a new palette it's hard to whittle the choices down to twelve. Hard to choose, but I had fun playing with the paint to see what combinations would give the colors that pleased my eye. 

I fell in love with Daniel Smith's Cobalt Teal but wondered if I could make it work in Chicago's light. Experimenting with it and Ultramarine, Verdifer Blue, and Quin Gold, I discovered, yes it can!  One of the things I love about watercolor is watching the colors run together with a little push from my brush (either end) and the water. This was a fun and surprising exercise. I share my squiggles and splotches experiments here.

This is how I decided to fill the palette:

• Quin Gold
• Yellow Ochre
• Quin Scarlet
• Burnt Sienna
• Verdifer Blue
• Cobalt Teal
• Sap
• Olive
• Mauve
• Opera 
• Buff Titanium
• Ultramarine

                              …at least for now!

See!

Each year I choose a word that sums up an attitude or encourages an action that I'd like to emphasize in my life. I've been doing this since I was in college. Some past words are grace, simplify, joy, draw, do, color, feed, marvel, savor, and intention. Do you notice a theme running through these words? I do. It's basically, a reminder to slow down and appreciate where I am. It's even more important today than those many years ago when I began with this tradition.

In today's multitasking world we seem to always be rushing from one thing to another often missing simple graces and daily little pleasures that are all around for us to see and savor. This year's word is "See."

It reminds me of a quote by one of my favorite poets.

"For how many years did I wander slowly through the forest. What wonder and glory I would have missed had I ever been in a hurry!"
  Mary Oliver (Leaves and Blossoms Along the Way)

Wishing us all a year of appreciating simple graces and ordinary miracles. 
#simplegrace

Talk about Happy Holidays!

Christmas Floral #simple grace

This has been quite a holiday season for us!  We've had family house guests that included five grandchildren, chaos, and lots of fun. Yesterday,  I found a chance to do a quick sketch just for fun. It was like a little vacation. It was drawing breath away from the holiday hub bub. Ahhhh.

Adding to that, I've been busy working on the Urban Sketcher's 8th Annual Symposium that will be here in Chicago in July 2017, plus other USk surprises! Remarque Design had a flurry of end of the year commissions and business to add to a successful year. So much to be thankful for as 2016 ends and 2017 begins.

Happy New Year!

"Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit." Henry David Thoreau

What to Do on a Cold Chicago Day

Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago

Sunday USk Chicago met at the Garfield Park Conservatory for our regular sketch crawl. It was a cold day but the Desert Room was the perfect place to warm up. I was really taken by the textures and colors. What a delightful place to spend a cold afternoon! 

It's been a busy time! Urban Sketchers 8th Annual Symposium will be held in Chicago in July 2017. Admin for USk Chicago have been helping the international committee with the planning. There is so much that goes on behind the scenes to bring a successful symposium to fruition! I'm honored to lend a helping hand, but it does cut into blogging time. I'll try to do better.

Chicago's Chagall Oasis

Chase Plaza, Chicago

It was a beautiful day in Chicago today. I sat in Chase Plaza with a couple of other Chicago Urban Sketchers and was taken by the color and texture of the garden. It almost over powered the Chagall mural. You can see a hint of it here, peaking out among the trees. The plaza is a beautiful oasis in a bustling city.

Of course, I can't sketch the city without a few quick reminders of the endless cast of characters that add so much to the city's story.

You CAN Teach an Old Dog New Tricks!

Morning light in the alley

There's always something new to learn! I spent Saturday in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood at the workshop "FEARLESS Sketching in Pen, Ink and Watercolor with Adriana Gasparich."  What a fun day! The workshop was held in Ingrid Albrecht's studio in Ravenswood.

As an artist, no matter how much experince I have or how much I know (or think I know) there's always more to learn. That certainly was the case last Saturday. Thank you Adriana and Ingrid for an inspiring, friendly and encouraging day!

I'm a big pencil fan. I love the feel of it on the paper and the expressive lines you can draw with it. It was great to challenge myself and just jump right in with ink. These sketches were done with a black Sharpie in a Stillman & Birn Zeta Series sketchbook. The watercolor was my usual "out and about" palette you see in the blog header.

It was typical Chicago fall day, warm in the sun and chilly in the shade. The changing light was fantastic.

Afternoon light

360° and 365 Days a Year!

Recently I was discussing my favorite places to draw in Chicago, places that I return to and sketch at least once a year. I have quite a few! It dawned on me, I also have favorite things that I draw over and over again. The Hancock Tower is one of them.

Northwestly view from Olive Park

The Hancock Tower is the fourth tallest building in Chicago and surely one of the city's architectural icons. I don't know if it's one of my favorite building to draw, but from the number of times I've sketched it, it sure calls out to me. Though sometimes it plays hide-and-seek, it's always there for me to draw.

It's my directional beacon. It's also my neighbor, greeting me when I look out the window.

Looking East

Good morning, Chicago!

It's always there, calling me home.

Meet, Sketch, and Share with Urban Sketchers

Ping Tom Memorial Park

WOW, I can't believe I have been away from this blog for so long! This is a sketch from Sunday's sketch meet with Urban Sketchers Chicago. It was such a beautiful and fun day! We were happy to welcome lots of new faces to the group!

Speaking of Urban Sketchers, here's some fabulous news. Urban Sketchers Chicago is excited that we were chosen to host the 2017 Urban Sketchers 8th Annual Symposium! We're happy to be working with the international team to make it possible. Right now we're busy seraching for a location to accommodate over 450 sketchers from all over the world to meet, sketch, and share! I'll keep you posted!

Can You Keep a Secret?

Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, Chicago

The Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool is one of the best-kept secrets in Chicago. Our Monday sketch group makes sure to go there at least once a summer to sketch.  Peaceful, quiet, (well, except for the birds, frogs, and breeze through the trees) and uncrowded, it's definitely the pause that refreshes. I was thinking about that as I was drawing. It seems no matter how tired or crabby I am if I stop to sketch a little my smile comes back!

I couldn't resist a quick sketch of the heron that briefly came into view!

Dream or Nightmare?

Bahá'í House of Worship, Wilmette IL

Wow, I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've posted here! It's been a crazy busy time. There are some good things coming. I'll keep you posted!

I did manage to catch my breath last Sunday with the Chicago Urban Sketchers, at the Bahá'í Temple. The sun was shining and the hospitality was warm so I hardly noticed how chilly the air was. The building is beautiful, covered in intricate designs that look like stone calligraphy. The details are an exercise in drawing negative space. I kept changing my mind between "This is a dream," and "This is a nightmare." I decided to go for the dream rather than the reality.

Happy Earth Day!

i thank You God for most this amazing

day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees

and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything

which is natural which is infinite which is yes

- e.e. cummings

Pick Your Battles

One would think that after all these years I would pay attention to the paper! I took this sketchbook on a recent sketch outing and fought the paper with watercolors the entire time! The Lincoln Park Conservatory stick-on covers a spot where the paper won.

Actually, the paper (Hahnemüehle) has a beautiful hand and I look forward to working on it with pencil and markers. 

Surprise!

Pods like these fall all around our neighborhood. The other day I picked up these two. My intention was to practice painting subtle dark values. I accidently step on one. Whoa! What a surprise! It's incredible how something can appear so plain on the outside and, on the inside, be so colorful and bright. I think people are often the same way.

If Winter Comes Can Spring Be Far Behind?

Well, in Chicago it can be W A Y behind!  This is a sketch of Washington Square Park. It looks more like autumn. Note: I didn't sketch it while the snow was falling.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Crèche from Samoa #LUMA

Art & Faith of the Crèche, The Collection of James and Emilia Govan is the annual holiday show at the Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA). It's an exhibit of Nativity scenes from around the world. This year there's a special focus on South America.

This is a quick sketch I did last year of one of my favorites. It's also today's featured crèche in LUMA's online Advent Calendar.

No Excuses, But…

It's been a busy September. Yesterday, I managed to spend a couple of delightful hours at Ping Tom Park in Chinatown. It was the USk-Chicago yearly sketching visit. The weather was perfect (not always the case) and the company was fun (always the case). It was good to welcome sketchers who first joined us at the July seminar and some new faces from the Evanston outing last month.

Chinatown has many interesting views and places. This time, I looked to sketch things I haven't done.  I already have some ideas for next time! I've been using this 8x8 Hand•Book sketchbook in hopes of encouraging myself to work larger when on location. As you can see old habits die hard, but I'll keep at it!

Ah, Wilderness!

Belle Maison, Algoma, WI

We're just back from a brief vacation by the lake in Wisconsin. The all too-short days and nights included kids (4) and grandkids (5), chaos and champagne, sparklers and shooting stars (Perseid meteor shower) and most of all lots of love and laughter. 

Who Thinks of Summer in the City as Green?

North Sculpture Garden at the Art Institute of Chicago

It's been along time since I lost a sketchbook but… 

The sketchbook I've been using strictly for urban sketching is gone. I keep hoping I've only misplaced it but I've searched high and low with no success; it's time to move on. For awhile now I've been toying around with the idea of using a square format and working larger when on location. Monday was as good a time as any. 

This is an 8 x 8 Hand•Book I bought the last time I was in San Francisco. It's now been officially designated as my urban sketching book for USk sketch crawls and the Monday Sketch Group. It's a good way to keep a record of our outings. The Monday group met this week at the Art Institute and sketched in the north sculpture garden. We've had a lot of rain lately and also some real summer heat so there were few flowers to be seen but a million lush shades of green. For me the greens even overpowered the sculpture.

Lush greens, loud cicadas, dappled shade and sketching, despite not being thrilled with the sketch, I'll smile when I look back at this page.