Suzanne
Forum Replies Created
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I love to draw and paint, usually still life, so this course gave me a new direction, nature as my subject, especially birds. Many members of my family are birders, but I had resisted until now. Instead I watched the bird feeders in my backyard. Once I started this course, I realized how interesting the details of wild life around our feeders are. I am now drawing and painting all the birds that visit our yard: cardinals, sparrows, finches, blue jays, cat birds, hummingbirds, chicadees, robins, starlings, butterflies. Now I see the variety and am inspired. I really appreciated the self-pacing, opportunities to return to previous lessons and try again, and the constant encouragement by Liz.
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Your choice of leaves is a nice departure from the more dramatic flowers, yet they are so pretty and offer a wonderful comparison. City life offers possibilities, too. Bravo.
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Love the details and colors. Both plants are delicate, but so different.
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These drawings are gorgeous and so detailed. They leap off the page, and it is so artistically arranged. Inspiring.
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I love this black and white drawing and the detail, too. I have both in my yard. I am tempted to try these, as well, or perhaps couple the bleeding heart with an azalea nearby.
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Your drawings are stunning, as though ready for a magazine. The detail and color inspires me to try this, too. I often color in Johanna Basford books. This is far more beautiful; its real.
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I love the way you used art so beautifully to illustrate the changes in the iris. I am inspired to try this with some iris in my yard next spring. Perhaps I will use hostas or astilbes this year. There is still time.
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From my sit spot in my yard,
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I love the storm clouds. Such a great metaphor for our times. Thank you.
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What an inspiration! Off to my backyard to observe my pond and stream. You have inspired me. Thank you.
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I love Mary Oliver, too. Thank you for the lovely reminder that she has much to say about our time spend in nature. This journal page is wonderful. I am keeping a photo of it for inspiration as I observe nature and connect with Oliver again.
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I taught this text for over twenty years to high school juniors. As part of the assignments they were to keep their own journal by observing nature in their yards, on their walks with friends, on bike trips, and any other opportunity. It was usually done in the spring for two weeks, but once it was done in February. Though the students at first were a bit reluctant, most of them at the end of their experience said it was one of the most worthwhile things they had ever done. They had never noticed before what was around them. Now that I am retired I, too, notice what is around me every day in my yard, on my walk or bike trip. As the air clears all over the globe, due to Covid 19, I am grateful that Mother Earth can breathe again and that I have time to notice her beauty even just in my yard. I will draw and paint and record and feel soothed and refreshed and grateful.
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My chat turned out much better than the warbler. The body shape and position is better and the coloring. I will try to get better at drawing the warbler, but at least I know I can do one fairly accurately.
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My first water color attempt. Many errors, but at least it is a start. I usually paint in acrylics, so this was quite a challenge. I will try again later. Practice makes it better, I hope.
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Here is my refined drawing. The hardest part was getting the proportions right. I am not sure they are right now, but I am satisfied with the drawing. Short sketchy lines, value, negative space and breaking down the subject helped me capture it. I still need to work on proportions and value.
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I tried three times before getting to this one. That was a challenging assignment, but worth the time. I really had to study the image carefully and used lots of measurements to even get this one. I will use this to capture one of our white-throated sparrows; they are all over our yard now. I love how they scratch for seeds like a chicken.
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Grey squirrel on a search and eat expedition at one of our feeders provided practice opportunity this morning. I still need to practice more and the drawings of his face need a lot of work, but he was fun to watch on the ground, not on the feeder as he usually is.
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I will refrain from putting my four images up. Too embarrassing, but I will suggest that it is a very hard activity, especially not peeking at all. I can see the merits of doing it. Perhaps doing it a few times will be beneficial overall. I will try that.
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I compared the leaves of three backyard plants. The rhododendron and the laurel were very similar and symmetrical while the azalea was quite different with a rather random, but connected series of paths, suggesting that the laurel and rhododendron might be related. The actual rhodie and laurel plants themselves are quite different though and the laurel shape is more closely related to the azalea in shape with multiple stems coming from the ground rather than one or two stems rising with multiple off shoots like the rhodie.
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Though our pond has been here for 3 years, this is the first time I have had a sit spot next to it. What a pleasure it was to watch the fish patterns and hear the squirrel and crow scold me for showing up on their land. I enlarged the single koi in the pond to get a better sense of his appearance. Our koi is all white with some grey. All of his peers have failed to survive, but he survives with his gold fish minions each season. The pond it 8 ' by 11" and 3 feet deep with two water falls. Since it isn't opened yet, there is no sound of rushing water yet. Perhaps in April.
From my sit spot in my yard, 
I taught this text for over twenty years to high school juniors. As part of the assignments they were to keep their own journal by observing nature in their yards, on their walks with friends, on bike trips, and any other opportunity. It was usually done in the spring for two weeks, but once it was done in February. Though the students at first were a bit reluctant, most of them at the end of their experience said it was one of the most worthwhile things they had ever done. They had never noticed before what was around them. Now that I am retired I, too, notice what is around me every day in my yard, on my walk or bike trip. As the air clears all over the globe, due to Covid 19, I am grateful that Mother Earth can breathe again and that I have time to notice her beauty even just in my yard. I will draw and paint and record and feel soothed and refreshed and grateful. 
My chat turned out much better than the warbler. The body shape and position is better and the coloring. I will try to get better at drawing the warbler, but at least I know I can do one fairly accurately. 
My first water color attempt. Many errors, but at least it is a start. I usually paint in acrylics, so this was quite a challenge. I will try again later. Practice makes it better, I hope. 
Here is my refined drawing. The hardest part was getting the proportions right. I am not sure they are right now, but I am satisfied with the drawing. Short sketchy lines, value, negative space and breaking down the subject helped me capture it. I still need to work on proportions and value. 
I tried three times before getting to this one. That was a challenging assignment, but worth the time. I really had to study the image carefully and used lots of measurements to even get this one. I will use this to capture one of our white-throated sparrows; they are all over our yard now. I love how they scratch for seeds like a chicken. 
Grey squirrel on a search and eat expedition at one of our feeders provided practice opportunity this morning. I still need to practice more and the drawings of his face need a lot of work, but he was fun to watch on the ground, not on the feeder as he usually is. 
I compared the leaves of three backyard plants. The rhododendron and the laurel were very similar and symmetrical while the azalea was quite different with a rather random, but connected series of paths, suggesting that the laurel and rhododendron might be related. The actual rhodie and laurel plants themselves are quite different though and the laurel shape is more closely related to the azalea in shape with multiple stems coming from the ground rather than one or two stems rising with multiple off shoots like the rhodie. 
Though our pond has been here for 3 years, this is the first time I have had a sit spot next to it. What a pleasure it was to watch the fish patterns and hear the squirrel and crow scold me for showing up on their land. I enlarged the single koi in the pond to get a better sense of his appearance. Our koi is all white with some grey. All of his peers have failed to survive, but he survives with his gold fish minions each season. The pond it 8 ' by 11" and 3 feet deep with two water falls. Since it isn't opened yet, there is no sound of rushing water yet. Perhaps in April.