Day 31: James Gurney - Gurney Journey blog

James Gurney has a fabulous blog.  It's always full of interesting observations, interesting drawings and paintings.  Today's blog entry is all about observing shadows cast by tree leaves and why they look like they do.

An entry last week was of an older man at a concert. James travels with a Moleskin sketchbook and colored pencils and water pens and does these wonderful, onsite, immediate drawings. 

Done while the concert was going on.  It was also very interesting, to me at least, to read people's comments and questions regarding the above drawing so if you go to this blog entry, be sure and read the comments.

I'd say, just for an interesting read every day, subscribe to James' blog.

Day 30: 2012 And The Traveling Chicken Continues....

The Little Chicken was sent by me, Jill, to Ann Feldman of Illinois, who took her on a vacation with her to Quebec:

Traveling Chicken's blog:  http://travel-chicken.blogspot.com/

Hello Fellow Traveling Chicken friends!

Here's the latest on the traveling Troop of Chickens: They arrived here in Chicago a few weeks ago from Jill's house. The Little Yellow Chicken (or Le Petite Poulet as she is known in Quebec) accompanied me to Quebec City and Montreal for a week of sightseeing and listening to jazz at the International Jazz Festival. Her feathers were a bit ruffled after she got re-routed to Newark for one night when the suitcase she was tucked into went to Quebec via the scenic route! I tried to explain to her that it was for her own good that she spent the night in a sturdy shoe. But all was very well after she was placed into many beautiful flower boxes for her portrait. She even managed to be captured in a couple of toy store windows and restaurant table setups. As her temporary host mom, I've been busy painting away, finishing up these little paintings now that we're home.

I have a painting to share with you, below. Doesn't she look happy there? She is a wonderful travel companion, and she picks up new languages quite easily-- "Le Clucque" is her favorite new phrase!

Thanks so much for entrusting the little troop to me-- it was great fun spending time with them!!!

~Ann

Ann Feldman

Visit my blog:

www.annafeldman.blogspot.com

And Jill says we're asking Ann to send us the other photos she has of the Little Chicken and we'll post those on the blog too.

And now the Little Chicken goes to K.S. Stitt of California.....

Day 28: 2012 Some gorgeous brushwork by Nora MacPhail

One of the artists, Sandy Sandy, (that's her real name) who's one of the artists selected to to paint the Little Chicken mentioned Nora MacPhail in her blog as someone who does great contour drawings and then emphasizes them with watercolors.  They're wonderful!  The link below is fun - it links to Daily Paintworks - and shows one of Nora's paintings with the ability to magnify the painting.  Look at how many colors, look at how many placements of color..........it's wonderful!

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/nora-macphail/may-lilies/70860

I subscribed to Nora's blog and keep getting these wonderful emails with her artwork. Today's morning started with the most gorgeous oranges!!  Enjoy.

Day 29: 2012 Two Fabulous Blogs

The talented woman who is behind the blog "A Jarful of Words" mentioned another blog that she follows: "Letters of Note".  Today's post from "Letters of Note" is wonderful.  For your first reading of one of the historical letters, just enjoy.  It's Will Rogers writing to Charles Russell, the famous western artist.  Charles has passed away and Will is writing to Charles' widow.

And if you haven't looked at "A Jarful of Words" yet, would you please? I think the woman who writes it is fantastic!   Today she is celebrating July 4th.