Sketches From the 28th World Wide Sketch Crawl

These were not sideways when I scanned them! I don't see a way to make them straight, as they were, though.

Sketches by Barbara Conitz, Cecelia Conitz Heinrich, Nell and Megan Bednarz at the George Bush Library in College Station, Texas July 31, 2010. They were part of the 28th World Wide Sketch Crawl, http://www.sketchcrawl.com

The next Sketch Crawl is Saturday Oct. 16, 2010. In Calvert, meet at Mud Creek Pottery. In the Bryan/College Station area, meet at the MSC Forsyth Gallery in downtown Bryan (the old Woolworths building) about 10:00 a.m.

Sketch your surroundings and post them on the Sketch Crawl website. It's Free and open to everyone!

29th World Wide Sketch Crawl Saturday Oct. 16

28th World Wide Sketch Crawl at the George Bush Library

July 31, 2010

Where has the time gone? It's time for another Sketch Crawl tomorrow and I haven't posted my pictures from the last time. Well, we moved, I've had nothing but trouble with my computer and tv in the new place, and my back is not wanting to cooperate. I do a little bit and just have to sit down and rest because the muscles in my back tighten up.

We learned, as we started to move into the new place, that there is no cable or phone service in this new area. So we had to get satellite for the internet and tv. If it rains or something blocks the satellite, we have nothing. It won't let me send out mail on some addresses, saying I have a conflict of ISPs, or that my e-mail is not set up right. And I just get fed up with it being so slow and not doing what I need to do, fast. I just give up, and decided, at times, to not even try the computer. I couldn't even do Facebook after a week, because it said that it didn't recognize this computer. I couldn't remember passwords, and FB wanted me to identify some pictures. I only recognized one, so it wouldn't let me in. That's not a good way to operate. Some people don't have a picture on their page, or they have their art work, or children, or grandchildren. And I do not recognize people that I had in my classes in jr. high, 30 or more years ago! We've all changed.

I finally got back into Facebook, and then I couldn't remember my password to go back in. I do have a folder with passwords in it, but I didn't write down the ones that have always been automatic.

The same is true of my Sudden Link account. It hasn't worked since I bought my new computer. I can't recall my password as I had not had to use it in years. So, if you are on that e-mail list, please change to grannyc_54@yahoo.com.

We had some interesting things to draw for our last Sketch Crawl. Barbara and I went to the George Bush Library in College Station and met another member of the Brazos Valley Art League, Nell, and her daughter, Megan, who is a grad student at Texas A&M . Nell is also founding director of Katy Area Artists and is secretary for the Lone Star Art Guild.

The special exhibit at the Library was "The Culture of Wine".

We sketched until just after noon, then Barbara and I met my family for lunch at IHOP.

It was extremely hot outside, so the Library was a nice place to sketch. We started out by sketching the fountain and flags on the front of the building. Then moved inside to see the exhibits about the wine industry, and the regular displays in the Library. The cool marble in the rotunda was most welcome on such a hot day, and everyone was interested in seeing us there.

The new exhibit is about the Red Dress with an emphasis on women and heart disease.

Tomorrow is the 29th World Wide Sketch Crawl. I'm asking interested people to meet at the MSC Forsythe Gallery in downtown Bryan about 10:00 a.m. We should have perfect weather for sketching outside. Probably no rain and temperature should be mild.

Remember that this is FREE and open to everyone, all ages, all media. Journaling, sketching, painting or even doodling. Just come out and draw on that day, all day or a few minutes.

I'm going to do a separate post with our sketches. I can't put very many pictures on a post.

Those who would like to sketch in Calvert should go to Mud Creek Pottery to meet. Later, post your experiences and work on the Sketch Crawl website at http://www.sketchcrawl.com

28th World Wide Sketch Crawl

28th World Wide Sketch Crawl

Saturday July 31, 2010

10:00 a.m.

Meet at the Admissions Desk

George Bush Library

College Station, Texas

There is an admission fee to go in the Library. If we have 20 or over, we could get a group rate. Senior citizens and some students are also eligible for a discounted rate. See the George Bush Library website for their admission prices.

If you want to start earlier, or just want to sketch on the grounds, you can do that also.

I was thinking of a place with air conditioning, as well as interesting things to see. And I remembered that some previous "Crawlers" had gone to various kinds of museums. We have this very interesting resource here, so this is a good place to go, especially on a hot day.

There is the fountain in front, the plaza with the sculpture of horses leaping over a section of the Berlin Wall, and a pond behind the Library. Plus the great rotunda and exhibits in the Library.

We can decide on whether we want to work together or solo, get together for lunch somewhere, etc.

Hope to see you there! Should be a nice day.

The guards have been told that we are coming so that should be okay.

See http://www.sketchcrawl.com for more information.

27th World Wide Sketch Crawl

We planned to meet at Wolf Pen Creek Park in College Station for the Sketch Crawl Saturday. Friday night, thunderstorms moved in and it was still pouring Saturday morning. So we went to the alternate place to meet, the new IHOP on the east bypass. It was packed and there was a line. No one else showed up for the Sketch Crawl, though, so I sketched, which embarrassed my daughter, who was driving, and my grandson who came along with his mother. They should be used to it, though, because I always do! The above is my title page for this Sketch Crawl. Rain, rain, rain.
You can see other results of the Sketch Crawl from around the world at http://www.sketchcrawl.com/. Go to the Forum. I had to laugh out loud at one. My sentiments exactly! He was alone, too, and it was also raining there. He drew the cutest teddy bear, with a bag and an umbrella in the rain. His watercolors were really good, too.
The next Sketch Crawl is July 31. Maybe we can get a group then. It will be hot, but we can work inside.

It's odd, but, everytime we go to this IHOP, they seat us at the same table. That's okay because we have a view out the windows and of the restaurant. I thought, "How many times am I going to draw these syrup bottles!" Joni had an omlet with some fancy coffee, Ashton had a cheeseburger, and I had my usual, 2 egg yolks, toast, hash browns, 2 little sausages, and strawberry pancakes. More than I can eat. I wondered why some places keep it so cold inside. Just ruins the food as it isn't so good when it gets cold. Sort of like eating a mouthful of cold Crisco. Ashton doesn't like to eat in the morning. He says it makes his stomach hurt. I'm the same way. But I always like breakfast food. And, since college days, I like a good hamburger around 10:00 a.m.
Ashton did prefer this restaurant because he said it is clean.

Whatever happened to crayons and coloring sheets or puzzles for the kids? I have my sketchbook to keep me busy, but poor kids (and adults) who have to sit and wait in restaurants and other places. One little boy at another table was being passed back and forth between his parents. He finally took the straws and used them as drumsticks, banging away on the dishes and table. He wasn't being noisey, but he was moving a lot! you couldn't help but look.

Finally, along came the "Balloon Lady" and made him a balloon tiger to play with. I know everyone was glad to see her! I sketched her as she was making the balloon for the little boy.

She came to our table and made a balloon tiger for Ashton, too, although he is a bit older.
She was so colorful, I wanted to get a picture of her, and hoped I would see many more interesting people to sketch during the day. Love that purple hat!

This is the "Balloon Lady", Alicia D. Caceres, from Spain. I thought she was a very enterprising young lady. She said that she goes to several restaurants in the area, so look for her around Bryan/College Station. She said that she likes to paint, too, so maybe we will see some of her art work.

Since no one else showed up for Sketch Crawl, after breakfast, we went about our normal errands. A kid sat in the back seat of our van and pulled down the seatbelt that we think is for a baby seat. It wouldn't go back up. So, we went by Lithia and they fixed it with a ball point pen! We also had to get them to show us how to work the DVD player.

I noticed a pickup truck and a small van, both with their hoods up, in the auto repair area. They sort of faded into the darkness of the large area. There was a little light, coming through an open door. The contrast of some red orange posts and fencing of one work area, caught my attention. So, while they tended to the car, I sketched. I didn't have much time, but got down what I needed to see to finish as we drove.

In the parking lot at Target, we saw these 2 little girls, each holding the hand of a parent, and walking to their car in a gentle rain. They looked cute with their little umbrellas, their pastel dresses, and little umbrellas. I thought the one with the yellow duck on a blue oval was particularly eyecatching. I loved my parasol and umbrella when I was a little girl. Made me feel like a movie star, all glamorous and grown up as I walked with my great-grandfather.

In late afternoon, as we approached Walmart, the sky seemed divided. The rain stopped and there was a clear division of clouds and blue sky. This seemed to be the back of the storm.

I had hoped that we could start the day, sketching at Wolf Pen Creek Park, and, that afternoon, sketch the preparations for the concert with Roger Craeger that night at the ampitheatre. I thought it would be cancelled due to the ground being saturated. My driver said she wanted to go home, so this was as close as I got to the concert. She drove by and I got to see a lot of people going to the ampitheatre. I was so disappointed. The last good concert that I got to see here was when Bo Diddley came. The family balked at going to that one, too, but, at least, they went for a while. They fumed the whole time, so it wasn't as much fun as it could have been.

We went home and I watched "Last of the Summer Wine", "My Family", and "Dr. Who" on tv while I ate a sandwich and added more color to my sketches of the day.

I tried to add my pictures to the Sketch Crawl website, twice. The first time, it all disappeared when I previewed it. The second time, I only had Xs for pictures. So, if you are looking at my work on the Forum for Sketch Crawl, you can come here, or on Flickr or FaceBook to see them! I hope I can find out what I did wrong!

Join in the 28th World Wide Sketch Crawl July 31!

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National Day of Prayer

National Day of Prayer

5.5" x 8.5"

ink and watercolor

There has been a lot of controversy this year concerning the National Day of Prayer. Of course, we should have it in this country. No question about that.

This is my little contribution. Remembering Sneed Memorial Methodist Church in Calvert, with the Sunday School Superintendent, Joe Bill Foster, ending Sunday School each Sunday, with the Benediction. The big stained glass window, depicting Jesus, behind him was painted by our artist, Miss May Foster.

Whether you gathered in a big group today, went to a church or community event, or said a private prayer, or painted a window, or a picture, sang a song in a choir or as you drove in your car, were especially kind to someone, watched a service on the computer or tv , I know that you feel better for participating in our National Day of Prayer. And we are all better off for it.

Here, there was a gathering at the Palace Theatre in downtown Bryan. Probably some services in churches around town too.

My yellow is too strong in the scan, again, and I see that I scanned it sort of crooked. But maybe it will stir a memory for you, too.

In God We Trust

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"Last Year on the Farm" Paintings

I'm so glad they put this on YouTube so we all can watch her paint on her farm. Check it out. This is happening in so many places, farms are lost and houses, all in a row, crammed together, are put up.

And it's great to see her paint! We were so priviledged to have her come to Calvert a couple of times.

Colonscopy-The Hard Part

Everywhere I look, there are ads about getting screened for colonoscopy, jokes about it, or some comments about Harry Smith's colonoscopy on tv last week. I thought that I would add my experience, that I kept in my sketchbook. Scott & White Clinic, St. Joseph's Hospital in Bryan, Texas, and Mayo Clinic, and CBS and KBTX tv websites, all have links to information. And, online, you will find everything from pictures to forums on colon health.

Because of the way these things appear on Blogger, I started with the last, first, and now I'm putting the first part of my experience. That way, when someone looks at it, they will, hopefully, be able to read it in the correct order-first to last.

Maybe someone will be able to identify with my experience, or feel a little better about having the procedure, if they are reluctant. I think that sometimes, from what I've read, it can be a lot worse than it was for me. But, maybe if you know that you can ask your doctor for something that is not as bad to drink, for example, that will help.

Of course, there is the issue of the cost, if you don't have good insurance, etc. I always think of that when I see the ads encouraging people to have tests that insurance may or may not pay for. That's a whole different issue! You may need it, and be willing, but can you get it?

I've already talked a bit about my stomach problems that have plagued me over the years. My doctors thought I should have a colonoscopy and encouraged that for years. I knew that I couldn't drink a big jug of nasty tasting stuff. It takes me all day to drink a can of Sprite! I've had swallowing problems, too, that required stretching of my esophogas-similar to the colonoscopy, only the other end and I didn't have to drink anything. Just had to not eat or drink anything after midnight, which seems to be standard operating procedure for so many things.

But, with all the other things that have gone on, I knew that I needed to try to find out what was going on and try to resolve my stomach problems. I decided that it must be Social Anxiety, but there could be something else that we couldn't see. So, I had them schedule the appointment after a conference with the gastrointologist. (I probably spelled that wrong. That's a real tongue twister!)

The above are some pages from the new sketchbook I started January 1. While I'm sitting, I record my memories and thoughts, and, my experiences.

This starts with the dread of the year to come, starting with the thought of the colonoscopy, that loomed over me.

I continued to show pictures and experiences about the colonoscopy in the previous posts. You can scroll down and read more about it.

The preparation part is the hardest part. For some people, it seems to be worse than for others. The main complaint is having to drink a lot of unpleasant liquid, then having to spend a lot of time in the bathroom. And there is the dread of the test itself. The worst part of that, for me,was trying to get an IV in, which happens a lot of the time, in my case. Once you get the "sleepy stuff", you just nap away and don't know a thing.

I went home and had a nice nap with my cat for the rest of the day!

This test, like everything else, came back okay. I sort of wished they had found some reason for my tummy upsets, but I know that it was good that it was clear.

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Started reading "I Hate Red, You're Fired!" by William Stubbs. You can see his tv program, "Moment of Luxury" on Houston PBS and other stations. I really enjoy seeing what he has created.

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