~The 2013 Project~

Last Christmas I received a card from an old friend; inside she wrote a beautiful haiku.

Snow softly falling

Landing on trees,glistening

This Christmas evening.

I've been writing haiku for more than 15 years; usually inspired by something very beautiful or memorable.

I was introduced to the idea of creating haiku for my art after a presentation at the art guild I belonged to in Denver. However, most of the haiku I've been writing has nothing to do with my art;  it's been inspired by memorable events, deep emotions or sites I've seen while travelling.

At the same time that I received my friend's Christmas haiku, I was taking an art workshop on-line.  In this particular lesson, we were learning how to apply different watercolor techniques to various subjects.  I became mesmerized by the dandelions.  I don't know how many I attempted before I got it right; but after one, I painted another then another...a had started a 'series'.  While painting, the haiku just spilled out.

That is how the "project" began.  Each subsequent painting has it's own haiku.  Here they are:

Dainty fluffy tufts

Dancing wistfully along

Through Nature’s playground.

Dandelion painting done following Art Tutor artist Sian Dudley's tutorial.

In the midst of winter

I reflect on what has passed,

Dream of what’s to be.

The Art Tutor December Watercolor challenge photo.

Majestic abbey

On craggy promontory

It’s Mont St. Michel.

Mont St. Michel is located off the coast of Normandy.  It's a place I've always wanted to visit and have tried painting many, many times.  This pen and watercolor technique was taught by Art Tutor artist Joanne Boone Thomas.

Snow covered mountains

Veiled in a mantle of clouds

A cold, crisp morning.

My nephew Matt, who lives in Bozeman, Montana shared this photo.  I had to paint it.

The dancer transforms.

Movement becomes poetry,

Sensuous with grace.

Another Art Tutor inspired painting.   The tutorial was in the Drawing category. The subject was figure drawing.

Medieval fortress

Built on a tidal islet

Scottish sentinel.

The February Art Tutor Challenge.  The subject is Castle Stalker on the west coast of Scotland.

A blast of winter
fierce,cold relentless wind
epic storm Nemo.

This painting was inspired by a video a friend took looking out her back door (New Harbor, Maine) during winter storm Nemo.  In the video, the trees were swaying and the blowing snow almost obscured the scene.

I am very excited by the start of the New Year and by this project.  I have 2 paintings, one in my head and one to start on the table.   It's great to be painting this much.

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