Residency #1: Tuesday, June 22, afternoon hike, The Black Gum Trail

After hiking and painting on The Big Beech Woods Trail, I had lunch, took on some fluids and had a look at the trail map. I decided to head out for the gum tree forest. Stupid me, I didn't know exactly what a gum tree looked like. I didn't even give it a thought.

All I knew was that my Mom wanted, Daddy to dig up a gum tree because it had the most most gorgeous star shaped leaf. Daddy didn' t want to do it for two reasons: it colonizes by underground runners, and it has prickly seed pods a little smaller than a golf ball. But, of course, Mommy got her way!

I suppose I saw gum trees, but they must have been tall, mixed with beeches, huge oaks and smaller maples, and pawpaws, too.

It was a nice hike, and I decided just to hike. No painting gear. I found interesting stuff on the trail. It's funny, when you spend enough time in the woods, things start to jump out from the ordinary. Usually it's color related, but sometimes, you wonder why you notice something, for instace, the plant in the first photo. It was off trail about a foot, and you could easily walk right by it. Squaw 'something' is what Betty called it.

The last photo is a rather freshly fallen limb off of a tulip tree, the yellow poplar. My Dad spoke with reverence about this tree, so I've never forgotten it. The limb was blocking the trail. I had to walk off trail to get around it. By doing that, I found at the leafy end the bud of the spectacular flower of this tree.

Residency #1: Falling Behind

I haven't had the energy or time to blog enough to keep up! Next up, photos from the Black Gum Forest two days ago.

Residency #1: June 22, my 12x10" painting

Here is the start of my painting - the block in that I spoke about - in the Big Beech Woods. When you're surrounded by greens and silvery bark, a colorful mushroom in all health and splendor, sitting in a bed of moss, with beech roots poking through the ground, right at the edge of the trail, is something you just can't walk by. It was like a beacon in the night! Obviously the fungus knew an artist was coming and put on a most colorful outfit.

I worked for a couple of hours, with my feet slanting in two different directions. Painting on a slant is not the most pleasant way to paint, on two slants even worse, but the subject was so enticing.

Residency #1: June 22, making friends with Beeches

So on the way up the trail, you come to a Beech barrier. It's a huge limb that feel from the tree with the initials carved into it's bark. If I were a giant, I'd just step over it. But since loosing an inch of my height, I now measure 5'3", and had to take off my easel, sit it on the otherside of the limb, then with backpack still on, one leg over, and while I'm there, why not just sit for a few minutes?!

I did. What fun. The bark was still in great shape. I rubbed my hands on it, looked down the length of the main limb with tree major branches. I felt like a Hobbit, riding on an Ent! But the bark's texture reminded me of the feel of elephant skin (Martin, Ray and I on an elephant in India - 2011), which I thought felt like roofing shingles.

I enjoyed sitting on this huge limb letting my mind wander playfully, and thinking about trees. What magnificence they have. How they stand, what they've witnessed, and how I was a kid again for a while. Not alone, but in company with nature.

The limb is starting to decay and serving as host for many years to insects and a host of organisms such as this rust colored hairy moss.

Residency #1: June 22, Big Beech Woods

I enjoyed my hike on the Beech Trail today. Three of our artists said this trail was all uphill, and taxing with a pack on your back. So, I took out everything that was non-essential, leaving just paper towels, solvent, brushes, a PanelPak holding two 10x12" panels, my tripod, half a cheese sandwich, 4 clips, trash bag, and water! I was ready! I put on the pack, light as a feather, and then, I slung my paint loaded easel over my shoulder, and off I went.

It's a 2 mile loop trail, and does go up, but not too bad for me. I had one my Camino boots and both walking sticks. I confess, I took tons of photos, again.

Here's a sign that I rarely see here, no yellow arrows either. I was told that the trail is being diverted away from some of the largest trees, and the second photo shows you why.

Residency #1: Monday, June 22 - The Big Beech Trail

I'm taking a break after doing a block in of a 12x10" painting here in the Beech forest. I love beech trees, and there are some really nice old ones here. What a pleasure to be among them all alone. Of course there are birds singing all around me, and insects buzzing, too. So far, not biting.

Below, pawpaw seedlins, about 4 feet tall nestled in the feet of a big old beech!

Residency #1: June 21, continued

John Matthew Waddell is the name of the man who built the Beechcliff Lodge in 1912. He's in the backrow ans second from the left in the family photo.

Residency #1: June 21st - As Sherlock Holmes would say

"The most heinous of crimes happen in the country."

Betty found me at TES Farm last night to tell me that a missing young woman's body had been found in Rocky Fork Creek. She was found Saturday, the day of the OPAS paintout by a hiker.

Police will be searching the area today, so not sure how that might effect us.

I am off to a late start this morning. I didn't get to bed until around 11:30pm, and the 6:20am alarm seemed to be an awful early call, even if I was awake.

Think I will try the Beech Trail today, or maybe head for a forest of gum trees.

Residency#1: June 21st, Summer Solstice!

Last night, all five artists-in-residence residence were here together. We had a good time BS-ing. This morning, the "chicks" on the left (Doreen St. John & Bridgette Turner)of me went home. Now, I am left with "the roosters"! ( Chris Leeper & Robin Roberts)

Okay, we got sun, storms on the way this evening, so gotta get back out and paint.

Residency #1: Saturday. June 20, the Beechcliff Lodge

Today, on theast day of spring, the rain bucketed down. A paintout was planned for this day, and we had four brave souls come out to paint, in addition to the five artists-in-residence.

You can see myself and Edie Dean painting high and dry today on the "white porch" where you enter the house. The second photo is the "eating porch".

The lodge was built in 1912, by John Warren from nearby Greenfield. (I need to double check the guy's name.) What parties they must have had here!!! In 1915, the first inground swimming pool in the area was built, and filled by water diverted from the Rocky Fork Creek. Mr. Warren was the first person to swim in the pool. Once he was in and wet, the others followed.

The original old stove is here, but the kitchen has been all kitted out in modern appliances, sink and mouse-proof cupboards! (BTW, mouse traps were placed here several days ago, and five have met their demise.)

Two albums of photos and documents from the family and their friends tell the what history of them and this lodge has been collected. Each of the five bedrooms has an original sink, soap dish and hardware, and two twin beds.

There are three wonderful porches to the house, some with swings and gliders, some with old white wicker furniture, one with a stone floor and long tables to seat a crowd! We usually eat on that screened porch and try to imagine the parties, good times and conversation that took place on that porch.

It's a fantastic lodge, birdsong all the time, and just one of the Sanctuary's places available for rent and retreatlast

Residency #1: Friday, June 19, words of wisdom

We can never have enough of Nature. We must be refreshed by the sight of inexhaustible vigor . . . the wilderness with its living and its decaying trees, the thunder cloud, and the rain which lasts three weeks and produces freshets. We need to witness our own limits transgressed, and some life pasturing freely where we never wander.

    --- Henry David Thoreau

Residency #1: Thursday, June 18

The sun came back for most of the day! We all packed our gear and headed out for the Etawah Woods Trail and on to The Three Sisters. My Sherpa and I had hiked the trail last Saturday, and then after lunch, we went back with the painting gear.

I took 16x20"  and 12x12" panels. No sooner did I start the 16x20" panel, it started to rain. Sigh! We took all the gear under a rock ledge, and as the rain fell down, I had time to look at the new surroundings, just 6 feet from my original painting spot.

It was relatively dry, save for a drip or two coming through the dolomite shelf overhead that was sheltering us. I studied the rock and the trees and decided I would not waste the time spent here. I started a new painting on the 12x12" panel.

I just knew that if I started a new painting, that the rain would stop. And, it did. But I was interested in what I was doing, so gave up on my sisters start for the time being.

I worked until I was as far as I could go, not sure that the painting was complete, but I was tired after the one and a half hikes, and not a comfortable painting position sitting on a small rock outcropping, and still had to hike out of the gorge. I looked at the painting yesterday and decided it wasn't too bad. Fresh brushwork, clean color, and it the feel of the day.

Residency#1: Wednesday, June 16 - Let's play spot the poison ivy!

I've never been around so much poison ivy! So, knock on wood, I have managed to live beside it and no reaction. Dawn dishwashing liquid, original blue formula, and I have a date in a few minutes.

Residency #1: June 14, afternoon

This afternoon, I agreed to work with a group of day camp children for a few hours. First the 3 - 7 year olds. They all wanted to paint! No lesson needed except trying to explain to wash the brush between colors. When you're three, it doesn't always stick in you head, so at intervals I'd tidy up the palette a bit, and help mix colors.

The 8-12 year olds were more image oriented, had great brushwork as well. I helped mix more sophisticated colors, and started them off at their request, with two rough drawings of chickens = 2 triangles.

After all said and done, they had a great time painting two 16x20" paintings in acrylic. I received many handmade thank you's from the little kids, a popsicle from the camp guy, and many thanks from the organizers. Plus, a good feeling in my heart.

P.S.
I felt compelled to ask one parent to back away from the easel and allow the "artist" to paint without being told what to put down, or how to mix. One girl said, "My Mother doesn't let me paint at home." I said, "Really!? My parents always let me paint at home. Sometimes parents can be pesky." I just looked up the definition of pesky, a word I don't remember using for a very long time. Oh my!

Residency #1: June 14, morning

I went out to TES Farm to get a signal and paint something small and quick since I was scheduled to work with day camp kids at Noon.

I pulled into the well hidden drive whose slope I've traveled many times now. When I got only about 10 feet in, there were milkweed plants in full bloom. I'd never seen one in bloom, and these were fantastic! I'd been out there the day before to test some drawing materials in a new sketchbook. I drew milkweed then in Senelier Bistre ink, with a brush, as I couldn't get the reed pen to release the ink onto the paper. Next I added watercolor, which I felt ruined my drawing. Maybe it was the blue color that seems out of place, or just being tired after having survived four thunderstorms while painting at the bottom of the gorge earlier in the day (story yet to be told).

I decided to paint the milkweed in bloom, working in oil on linen panel for 2 hours, and see how much of the painting I could get finished. But first, I'd take some photos. I'd seen a large Daddy Long Legs on the underside of one leaf. And there were fireflies, and later honey bees and bumblebees, working these plants. But I was amazed by the number of DLL arachnids all on one flower.

I got out my field guide last night and discovered what I had seen was not a spider. They are called Harvestmen, in a class with mites and ticks. Harmless, eight legs, which by the way, can drop off away from the body if you grab one!!!!

Residency #1: June 15, of mice and butterflies.

My Facebook friend, Linda Crank, posted last week the need for a butterfly for a painting. While hiking a few days back, I saw a beautiful gold and rust colored one flitting about on the trail before me.

Later that same day, I found a different butterfly dead on the road on my way home. It's Cave Road. You know, the same road where the turtle hangs out sometimes.

Well, I had to collect it, and placed it in a glass in my car for safekeeping. I carried the glass into my bedroom, put it on my little table, and it still sat there as I drifted off to sleep.

I woke at 6:20am, as I do each morning, and when I looked in the glass, I saw that a mouse had eaten the body, and left only the wings and maybe an antenna.

Sigh! Who knew? I was pretty disappointed.

Residency #1: June 13th, Etawah Woods Trail

It's been so hot, and hats make you hotter, so I'm wearing a visor with a kerchief over my hair to protect me from ticks. My deceased sister, Cheryl, gave that shirt to my Dad, so I feel 5he were both on the trail with us yesterday. They'd have loved this.

My sister would have love Mother Nature's "dish garden"!

Residency #1: Sunday, June 14th, Workshop Day

Today was my relief printing and bookmaking workshop. 15 students embraced the process and had a fun time making leaf prints.

One man, Rodney, among 14 women, one of those his wife.

Residency #1: Saturday, June 13, Martin arrived!

Yesterday was an active day. My Sherpa, Martin, came at 7am to share his day with me in the forest. I wanted to walk the Etawah Woods Trail. We took our time going in so I could get photos and look have nature has put her garden together in a haphazardly organized way.

I was glad he was with me because this trail has some steep spots, and my Sherpa has the balance and agility of a mountain goat!

We hiked the trail twice: once to see what was there, once to carry the painting gear in to paint.

We were caught in a thunderstorm at the bottom just as I started to paint. But, we tucked under a dripping rock ledge and watched the rain pissing down all around us. I had time to look at my surroundings, and decided to start a new painting. Of course about 30 minutes into that, the rain stopped, but I wasn't gonna move a second time.

I think we clocked about 7 miles of walking with up and down elevation. Felt good, like being back on the Camino.

Residency #1: June 12, gifts

We received a packet of info at orientation. There was also the gift of CD'S of bird voices and field guides to butterflies, damsels, moths, birds, turtles and other reptiles, amphibians, and plants, and such. I finally opened them to identify a few butterflies.

At around 1:30pm, I went back out to paint and on my way back in on the Cedar Run Trail, I stopped to watch this damsel - I think - got to check him against the book! He was a great model changing poses several times for me. The wings look black at a certain angle, but at other angles you seem to be looking through a brown veil!

I was the solitary human for about 4 hours, surrounded by huge slump rocks, the creek bed, horsetail, damsels, frogs, and hundreds of unseen creatures and plant life. At one point, a racoon passed by me to hide away in a large cavity at the base of a huge slump rock. There I was, just painting and observing what happens in the forest when one is quiet.

Residency #1: June 12, painting

Residency #1: Friday, June 12 - one hot morning!

An expected high of 91 today. Doreen snapped this photo of myself and Bridgette painting at Nancy's place. The goat was smart, he stayed in the shady barn.

At the end of this painting session, the wind came and white puffy clouds blowing by. The photo of my painting might be too high res, so I just posted it on my Facebook page. Now lunch and fluids!

Residency #1: June 11, bedtime

Here's part of my little room, and my bedtime partner.

Residency #1: Thursday, June 11

Saw a few more sites yesterday, one with a pond, and TES farm, with this great cathedral window. The property is abandoned. You could buy it, sell it back to the Sanctuary and lease it for the rest of your life with the understanding that it becomes part of the Sanctuary when you die.

The turtle is possibly the same one I saw a few days ago. I stopped this time, and he let me snap his photo. Fun.

Residency #1: June 10th, final

After dinner, Betty and John took us to a few more locations. Their place looks down on the river, but when the trees are leafed out . . .

Then we headed out for Nancy place. Nancy is the person that started the Highlands Nature Sanctuary. Her location with a fantastic house, barns, one with an owl we are told, has fields and long views. Here's Nancy with the last of her herd of goats.

Residency Paintout, June 20

Hi folks! M workshop is this Sunday, June 14th. It's full!!!!

Ohio Plein Air Society paintout is Saturday, June 20th. Please RSVP to the OPAS facebook page or through the website if you plan on attending that.

Residency #1: June 10 - our hosts

Photos of Ann and Joe. Ann's just finished her Mom's recipe for new potatoes and green beans sated with olive oil and lots of garlic.

Joe was the grill man, but here he is standing beside on of his Mother's watercolors.

Ann will be taking my printmaking and bookmaking workshop this coming Sunday. And, she's bringing me a start from one of her mint plants.

Residency #1: June 10th continued

I followed my battle of painting the deep woods, with light patterns shifting every
10 minutes, with a 5x7" painting on Gessoboard, a very smooth surface. Felt
so good!

I didn't think of taking a photo, because we had a 6 o'clock dinner
invitation at Ann and Joe's. Fantastic time. With wine in hand, we toured
the gardens, then entered the screened in porch for Betty's asparagus tart!
The main menu was beet burgers, garlic potatoes and green beans, fresh
local produce from their gardens or the Mennonites, fresh Montmorency
cherries took me back to my youth. Dessert, a blueberry cobbler with
vanilla and chocolate ice cream.

This post had 5 photos, but the file size was too large for it to go through. So, not as many photos this time.

Residency #1: June 10 - #2

The start of my battle, and the end.14x11" oil on RayMar panel.
No title as of yet, but it was certainly a challenge.

Residency #1: Wednesday, June 10

Great day! Hot. Lush painting material at Cedar Run Trail, but, the richness of the entire Sanctuary is mind boggling.

Yesterday, I did a 14x11" painting in deep woods, of horsetail and mossy logs. I'm working on one of my most hated surfaces, RayMar original weight cotton panels. I've had these for years, sitting, because for me, this surface has too much drag. But, it's what I brought, and I'll make friends with it or not!

Residency #1: Tuesday, June 9th

We decided to visit a few locations we'd learned about the night before. One has trails down to Rocky Fork Creek without having to do steep steps, the other was to see the cedars trees and fields at Dale and Charlotte's.

Charlotte offered freshly baked oatmeal raisin cookies right out her front door. Then we decided to hike the 2-1/2 mile Kamelands Loop. They came along with us, and along with gaining more knowledge of the plant life in this temperate eastern forest, we happened upon this baby box turtle. Dale held him for scale. Pretty cool!

Residency #1: Monday, June 8th

After a weekend of sun and pleasant temperatures, it started to rain this past Monday. It was roughly a two hour drive to get to the Briarcliff Lodge, my home away from home for the three weeks of my residency.

Charlotte and Dale were waiting in the parking area. Betty was coming with the keys, and Bridgette and then Doreen arrived shortly after.

We unloaded the cars, sat down to a nice orientation, and then we're served a light dinner of salad, fresh tomatoes, fresh snow peas, deviled eggs, three cheeses from the Mennonite Market, bread and peach tea. Conversation was delightful, and mostly about the Sanctuary, plants and animals. Dessert was Betty's homemade ice cream and Charlotte's brownies!

I decided to start off with a photo of poison ivy, for those of you who don't know what it looks like, and for those painters who will be coming down for the paintout later this month. It's in profusion this year, and oh so pretty.

Giving Back: one-day workshop

Relief Print: Red bud leaf and seeds

When you are given the gift of time to work, generally the organization running the Artist Residency program asks for you to share an educational program with the public. I offered to do a relief printing and book making workshop. One day, June 14, 9am - 4pm. I provide all the materials, and anyone wanting to take the workshop gets it for free.

I decided to test the products I'm using, and here are the prints I made today. One is also printed on the back. I focused on leaves from the trees on our property: redbud, oak, elm, locust, pawpaw, beech, maple, wild cherry - maybe. Some work better than others. All will be bound into a little book.

My old gal, the Yarka!

So much, most likely too much, to take to the Highlands Nature Sanctuary Artist Residency. Still, I need two easels for a one-day program I will be doing with a group of 15 youngsters.

The kids will be working on two 16x20" paintings. So, I need another easel besides my EasyL. Had to break out the Yarka. I bought her in the late 90's, and this one is very well traveled, going to India twice, England once, and many places around the USA.

She's an old workhorse that I put out to pasture and showing her age with missing parts, a dent in one of the metal legs, and  broken slat inside. Elmer's carpenter's wood glue and a bulldog clip helped fix her insides, and WD40 applied to her legs helped get them lubricated, but the dent in her leg means she gets off to a slower start. Just like me!

And just like me, I know she'll love the kids!

My Multimedia Print in Denison Magazine

Denison Magazine Spring 2015

I haven't really talked too much about the many months I spent in the Denison University Print Studio as a Licking County Community Scholar. But, my time there consumed me from January 19 until May 11, 2015.

I signed up for the Advanced Printmaking Class with Professor Ron Abram, who was my teacher the last time I'd set foot in class in 1995. It was an etching class then, and Ron was new to Denison U. After 20 years we had a long embrace of a reunion at the entrance to the studio door. Over the years, he'd been showing my old prints to his first year students! We were both very happy that I was in this class.

There were 9 of us: 7 Denison students, two of whom were doing independent studies, and two community scholars. Ron dubbed us the Denison Print Collective 2015. He set up a heavy load of work for us, and I embraced it with all my heart and soul, and it pulled things out of me that I had never explored. My entire time in this class was about experimentation.

I live in Licking County, and since 1991, a copy of the Denison Magazine has shown up in my mailbox each year. I never ever expected to be inside it's covers. Below is a link to the article focusing on the work my class as a multimedia experience with Denison's Tutti Music Festival this past March. My etching/workblock print has a full page image, with part of my artist's statement and comments from the composer whose work I chose to inspire me. On the facing page is the work on a first year print student, but graduating senior, Brittany. I was thrilled to be on facing pages with her, as I bought one of these drypoint prints from her edition of the image in print. We are on the last image page.
https://denisonmagazine.com/features/all-together-now/

Organizing and Packing

Packing for two residencies, and two workshops is so much fun. Plus all my stuff is getting sorted, cleaned and refilled, such as these brush washer cans.

The big one on the left was a recent gift from artist friend, Peg Vasil. The two in the middle are from Hobby Lobby ($13.99 last I purchased). The one on the far right is from Holbein years ago, available in 4 sizes from Blick ($69+ to $139+).

Last night, I saw the smaller cans in the center available on the Artwork Essentials website for around $19.99 + S&H.

Years ago, my artist friend Sarah LaDuca told me to use Murphy Oil Soap to clean oil paint from my brushes. It's a great product. Removes paint from clothes and much more.

My artist friend Margaret McWethy also recommended Lestoil to remove oil paint from clothes. It works great, too!

Still, not much that I know removes the stains of the Pthalo colors from a light grey carpet!