EDM 50 - Entryway

I am away from home but fortunately had a picture of my front door on my iPhone. I took it right after I refinished the door frame and door this past spring. What a job it was! 80+ years of wear and an unknown number of paint layers had to be "got through" to reveal beautiful wood, worthy of framing the wonderful beveled glass window.

EDM 50 - Entryway; 3x3" watercolor

Flowers that Will Not Die

I "made" these for my mom who has been in the hospital for a week. I don't typically like to paint flowers, but I do like to paint glass jars with water in them. Putting flowers in the picture seemed logical, because Mom loves fresh flowers and probably wouldn't be interested in a vase of water. :)

Mom's Flowers; 5x7" watercolor on 140 lb. paper

EDM 49 - Interior of the Fridge

I'm away from home, sitting with a relative in the hospital, and I snapped a picture of the fridge of the home where I'm staying before I left for the day. While sitting in the hospital cafeteria, I drew the outlines from the photo on my iPhone. Then, I sat in the hospital room and painted while holding the paper on a makeshift lap desk with my palette and water dish perched nearby. Nurses came and went, and I experienced for the first time having strangers ask what I was painting. I'm just glad I didn't have to explain WHY I was doing a painting of the inside of a fridge. They were kind and did not ask. 

This is my favorite kind of illustration to do. It's fairly unrealistic because of the absolute straight-on, flat perspective. It feels like coloring in a grown-up coloring book. I realize this will never reach the level of framable art, but that's okay. It reached the level of fun art. Good enough for today!

EDM 49 - Interior of Fridge; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 48 - A New Year's Resolution

Every year I resolve to read more, and the only fiction that interests me is classic fiction. I drew this a couple days before I had an opportunity to paint it. It's amazing how rusty you can get in two days.

EDM 48 - New Year's Resolution; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 47 - Something Not Tried Before

I haven't drawn anything actual size yet. I've had this tiny basket for years. Obviously, it is useless as a basket, but it satisfies my taste for all things miniature.

EDM 47 - Not Tried Before; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 46 - Something Christmas

Since it's July, and all my Christmas decorations are hibernating in the basement, I decided my Williamsburg hospitality ball, which hangs around all year, would do a fair job standing in as a Christmas ornament. In July, that's a pineapple on top; in December, it's a pine cone. For the past decade or more we have spent a couple weeks a year vacationing in Williamsburg. I love the Williamsburg "feel," especially the decor.

I don't often say this, but I'm thrilled with how this painting turned out. Thrilled. There. I said it again. 

EDM 46 - Something Christmas; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 45 - Medicine Cabinet

I wish this looked less like a bathroom from a Norman Bates movie and more like the newly remodeled sunny yellow and white bathroom that it really is. I achieved horror-movie gray and sick yellow-green by over painting this. Hoorah for me! Lesson learned? Probably not.

EDM 45 - Medicine Cabinet; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 44 - A Stuffed Animal

Meet George Whitehouse. He was handmade by Linda Spiegel of Bearly There Company in 1985. He was a gift to us from Linda because my husband helped name him George Whitehouse. This gentlebear has lived quietly with us for over 27 years.

EDM 44 - A Stuffed Animal; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 43 - China

This is a cup and saucer from my Noritake china. The pattern is called Evermore, and I will love it that long.

EDM 43 - China; 3x3" watercolor

cup and saucer; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 42 - Something I'm Thankful For

I'm thankful for changing seasons.................oh, and that not every word that I decide to draw has THREE S's.

EDM 42 - Thankful For; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 42 - A Local Landmark

The Star Barn, built in the late 1800s, looks like a church, but it's a barn. Rumors that it was to be demolished before it fell down from neglect were followed by a long, public campaign to "Save the Star Barn," and it was saved. Hoorah! I should have realized that, by choosing the Star Barn to draw, I would have to draw a perfectly balanced five-point star. Ugh!

EDM 42 - A Local Landmark; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 41 - Something with Folds

This the thin cotton curtain on the door to the back balcony off the room where I paint. The curtain is always pleasantly wrinkled, which is visually interesting and perfectly okay with me.

EDM 41 - Folds; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 39 - A "Museum"?

A museum, being defined as a place where objects of value or interest are displayed, got me thinking of places like Barnes & Noble, where many interesting books (and a lot of other stuff) are displayed, but apparently not enough are sold. B&N is nearly bankrupt. Borders succumbed recently. In the 90s, when the Internet really took off, there was great concern that books would become extinct. Then came the super bookstore with the killer coffee shop inside! Seemed like a case of the market reinventing itself to stay alive. And books are back (after having never actually left). The billion-dollar question? Will books be able to return the favor and rescue Barnes & Noble?

EDM 39 - A Museum; 3x3" marker with watercolor wash

EDM 40 - My Toothbrush

In the evolution of consumer goods, where everyday items are engineered to be better and better, there are some relatively non-earth shattering advancements that just make sense. The standing toothbrush and toothpaste tube fit that category. Mine happen to stand up AND be color-matched as well (by sheer accident), so they look "mahvelous" together. I'm not saying they're ready to sit atop a wedding cake, or nothin'....

EDM 40 - My Toothbrush; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 39 - Draw at a Museum

I live an easy day-trip distance from three grand museum-cities: NYC, Philly, and DC. If only I could go to one tomorrow! But alas.... I'll get back to this soon, I hope

Save this Spot; 3x3" pencil

EDM 38 - All Soul's Day

I'm sure that when this assignment was first made, it was around Halloween. The assignment was to draw something related to Halloween, All Souls Day, Dia de los Muertos, or All Saints Day. "Are those the only choices?!" So, here we are with All Souls Day.

I ruined and redeemed this piece so many times, I lost track. Perhaps that's a deep spiritual metaphor for how many times God forgives...or confirmation that I should never paint another cemetery ever again. Let's move on, shall we?

EDM 38 - All Souls Day; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 27 - Some Keys

As I started to paint this, starting with the shadows, a thought occurred to me. What if we were all the exact same color and the only thing that made us distinct is the color of the shadow each one casts? Blue and yellow would stand close, just to look at green on the sidewalk. :)

Most of these keys are "decorating" keyholes in the doors of our 80 year old house.

EDM 37 - Some Keys; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 1-36

Just for fun, this is the first 36 items from the EDM list. I'm gonna need a bigger table!

EDM 1-36

EDM 36 - A Public Place

I did do a little drawing at Alice's Tea Cup in NYC. I just didn't draw there today. Sigh. This is a happy memory of a day in May, spent with my daughter just three weeks before she married. And, on my wish list: a finer-tipped violet marker! Double sigh.

This tea room, Alice's Tea Cup, in New York is magical. It's themed after Alice in Wonderland. The staff was unbelievably friendly and efficient. And, it was really crowded, which is a good sign! Usually, tea rooms are considered a for-ladies-only zone, but at the table right next to us, four guys ordered high tea. It was pretty fun, actually. The food was amazing, though, so I guess we girls can't keep it to ourselves!

EDM 36 - A Public Place; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 35 - A Bicycle

When I was growing up in the late 60s and early 70s, a Huffy bike with a banana seat and chopper-style handle bars was an essential ticket to freedom. I rode mine everywhere. And, red, white, and blue streamers coming from the hand grips were the epitome of coolness. Neato!

EDM 35 - A Bicycle; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 34 - A Fall Leaf

Well, since it's summer, there are no bright leaves on the trees or ground. So, I drew a leaf quilt block in my favorite autumn colors. I used to think that I would be a lifelong quilter, but our lives go through seasons...and eyes get old. I think I'll do more painting of quilts from now on.

EDM 34 - A Fall Leaf/ 3x3" watercolor

EDM 33 - An Eye

So, I sometimes have these conversations with myself. Today, it went something like this:

"So, what are we drawing today?"
"An eye."
"Aha. Does it have to be an ordinary eye?"
"Of course not."
"Good! I want to do a peacock feather. You know? 'Cuz it looks sort of like an...."
"Yeah. I get it. Do you think you can do it?"
"I dunno, but it's worth a try. Only thing is, it's gonna take some time."
"No problem. It's Sunday! Go for it."

So, my 1/4" flat brush and I got busy. There is A LOT of watercolor paint on this little 3" square!

 

EDM 33 - An Eye; 3x3" watercolor with yellow gel pen

So, the next conversation went something like this:

"You should scan this one properly."
"Yeah, you could be right."
"And, you should probably run it through Photoshop for a levels and saturation adjustment because your scanner drains the vibrancy out of everything."
"MY scanner?"
"Yup."
"Well, at least I have a scanner."
"What's yours is mine."
"Uh huh. You know, if you look at this thing long enough, it starts to look like a pig snout."
"Oh, shut up!"
"It does!"
"Scan the picture, would ya?"
"Aye. Aye, Captain."
"Great. Now I can't see anything but a pig snout."
"You're welcome."

Peacock "Eye," 3x3" watercolor, enhanced in Photoshop

EDM 32 - Something Metallic

I know for certain that I would never want to build a new house and make the endless decisions about every knob and fixture and cabinet style and flooring and molding profile and please, make it stop! It took us over a week to choose fixtures when we remodeled our bathroom last year. It was excruciating. I sort of feel that having too many options is the modern-day plague on society.

EDM 32 - Something Metallic; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 31 - Something Collected [by Another]

I don't actively collect antique salt shakers, but I was given a fantastic collection of them by a very elderly woman who just wanted to give me something because my husband had been so good to her. When he was a young boy, my husband befriended the elderly lady across the street. All the other kids in the neighborhood were sort of afraid of her. After we were married, my husband and I continued to visit her whenever we were back in the neighborhood. She had many valuable antiques, collected throughout her long life, and she gave several pieces to us before she died at the age of 104. She was 101 years older than our daughter, and we have a picture of the two "ladies" together. This shaker, which is sterling laid over glass, is my favorite of the group. It is actually prettier when it doesn't have salt in it because the light shines through the silver overlay and casts interesting shadows. The silver layer is extremely thin and delicate, and I'm amazed at how modern the design looks...for something that is approximately 100 years old. Swirls are definitely back!

EDM 31 - Something Collected; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 30 - A Chair

We have an heirloom-quality, custom-made wooden rocker that we NEVER sit in. I call it our "too-good chair." I've written about it in the past, but never drawn it. And, since it "occupies" negative space in this drawing, maybe I need to say that I STILL haven't drawn it. I guess it's too good for everything.

EDM 30 - A Chair; 3x3" watercolor

EDM Rows 1-7

EDM Seven Rows Done

EDM 29 - Something Architectural

Architecture is not my strong suit when it comes to drawing. It pains me to say this because my father's career was architectural engineering. My problem is that I have not studied or practiced perspective enough. I never even learned the concept until my one and only year of studying art in college. Even then, it was a day or two of practice, and then we moved on. I must work on this. But, until I do, I will choose close-up shots of buildings with lots of curves. You can fake the perspective that way! I just happened to have some shots of St. Patrick's Cathedral on my iPhone from a trip I made to NYC for Mother's Day this year. Of course, the entire cathedral was draped in scaffolding. I say, "Of course," because the joke in my family is that every great landmark is in scaffolding the day I visit. It's uncannily true.

What a gracefully gorgeous building St. Patrick's is! I loved studying about cathedrals in art history class. There's so much meaningful symbolism in the architecture itself. Everything has a purpose, and it's usually to draw your eye upward toward the heavens: stunningly high ceilings, lots of architectural detail over your head, gracefully curved arches, clerestory windows that pull warm light across what would otherwise be a dark and cold stone space. And what a space it is! It is vast with relatively little internal structure to clutter the view above you. The structure is in the walls. Those beautiful arches are functional. They allow the upper space to be huge and open, and you feel very small. But, somehow you feel like you're part of the beauty, too, sharing in something glorious. It feels like a privilege to get to see this amazing thing. It's brilliant really. When you're trying to communicate that this is God's house, it had better be pretty fantastic.

EDM 29 - Something Architectural, 3x3" pen and ink

EDM 28 - An Appliance

If your grandmother had a Kitchen Aid, it's probably still going strong, and accessories you buy today will still work with it. (Apple, are you listening?!) It is a remarkably simple machine and timeless in design. Most companies fiddle endlessly with their products, convincing consumers that they need the latest design, even if the old one still works. A Kitchen Aid is an investment. They are built to last, and they do. I find it refreshing that they have remained relatively unchanged for decades with the exception of the wild and wonderful colors now available. When choosing mine a few years back, it was tempting to go with something bright and trendy. Instead, I went safe, figuring that it might have to blend in with more than one change in kitchen color. So, my Kitchen Aid is black, but I suspect it secretly dreams of being the beautiful color below.

P.S. Don't miss my typo on the front round plate! So many times I have done this: fussed the letters and misspelled the word!

EDM 28 - An Appliance; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 27 - A Book

I wasn't sure this could be done--a bird's nest with markers--but when I realized I had a marker in the exact right color, I decided to take it on and see what happened. I love this book and its cover. If there's a lovelier color than robin's egg blue, I haven't seen it!

EDM 27 - A Book; 3x3" watercolor

Book Cover in context

EDM 26 - A Vegetable

I really thought this (painting onions) was going to be easier than it turned out to be. Had it not been attached to a previous picture, I think I would have abandoned it and started over. But, here it is: an overwrought painting, for sure.

EDM 26 - A Vegetable; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 25 - A Glass

I wouldn't mind at all if this Italian glassware were sitting in my cupboard. Not at all. I love the color and the bubbly texture.

EDM 25 - A Glass; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 24 - Fruit

Fruit? Make mine mango. Anytime. Costa Ricans have this right. They eat mango at every meal. Yum! I worked this painting over pretty hard, stressing the paper to its limits, but it held up. I even think that the soggy paper assisted in making the texture resemble the mango skin. It's fun when that happens.

EDM 24 - Fruit; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 23 - My Feet

I guess this constitutes a series, since it sort of matches my EDM10 (My Hand). I've never liked my feet, so drawing them and publishing it here? Scary. Plus, feet are hard. I just kept working on this, and working, and working until I liked it. The paper held up to multiple washes. Impressive for 90 lb.

EDM 23 - My Feet; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 22 - Show Clothes

This was fun! I love to paint fabric. I love fabric period. A few years ago, when my daughter was in the high school production of The Music Man, I was thrilled that I got to make her costumes. I love Edwardian fashion. She loved the two outfits I made for her, which made me happy. I enjoyed drawing this in the style of the old Victorian catalogs and the Dover Publication coloring books. If I'd had those coloring books when I was a girl, I might not have ever come out of my room! (I photographed the finished painting on top of the actual jacket's back collar.)

EDM 22 - Show Clothes, 3x3" watercolor

EDM 21 - Something Old

These books are very old. The open book in the foreground is from 1834. My husband likes old books!

EDM 21 - Something Old; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 20 - Something "Dad"

This wicker basket was a gift from my dad for my 17th birthday, sent across an ocean to me, with a hidden message I found accidentally on my 18th birthday, and it is on the short list of things I'd grab if the house caught fire. I've written about it (at my much-neglected and formerly unpublicized "other blog") and told its story many times, but I've never drawn it...until today. I was determined to not over-paint this. I think I stopped just in time! I've never drawn a reflection in a mirror before. I'll have to do more of that.

EDM 20 - Dad's Gift; 3x3" watercolor

The Lady in the Lid

Dad's Hidden Message

EDM 19 - Something Made by Me

I call this "Made by Me...with Help." These are my children, who are adults now. They are my best work by far, and I am unapologetically proud! Obviously, I will grab any opportunity to do some unique hand-lettering.

EDM 19 - Made by Me...with Help; 3x3" watercolor

 

EDM 18 - A View from my Window

I've never been a scribbler or carefree in any way. My bad. My porch chairs call me every day to slow down and worry less. So I drew them in as carefree a manner as I can manage. 10 minutes, beginning to end. Ah!

EDM 18 - A View from My Window; 3x3" watercolor

 

EDM 17 - A Musical Instrument

Anyone who knows me would expect me to draw a piano...which is why I did NOT draw one. Piano is the instrument I play. But, my favorite instrument to look at and hear is classical guitar. I focused on my favorite part of the instrument: the inlaid wood rosette. I've displayed this in the strings of an old, cheap classical that hangs on the wall of my guest room.

EDM 17 - A Musical Instrument; 3x3" watercolor

 

EDM 16 - A Favorite Tool

Okay, so this doesn't actually exist, but can we all agree that it should? And, if Victorinox ever does put a brush on their pocket knives, can we agree on something else? I thought of it first. :)

EDM 16 - Favorite Tool; 3x3" watercolor

 

EDM 15 - A Leaf

This little piece combines so many of my favorite things: negative space, a hint of autumn, tiny lettering, melancholy poetry, and this poem in particular by favorite poet Gerard Manley Hopkins. Only the fans of Hopkins will read this and detect the "typo" in the verse. Grr.

I hope this will become a larger piece someday, and it will probably communicate better when it is.

EDM 15 - A Leaf; 3x3" watercolor

 

EDM 14 - The First View in the Morning

My goal was to communicate that I am NOT a morning person. At all. I'm all there at midnight, though! It's not as easy to draw off-kilter like this as it might seem. It surprised me what a challenge it was.

EDM 14 - First View in the Morning; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 1-8 Two Rows

Two Rows Done

Turned Around

A quick sketch to illustrate my thoughts today.

Turned Around; 3.5x5" PITT pen

EDM 13 - A Telephone

My childhood bedroom had lavender wallpaper with old-timey phones all over it. I picked it out myself. I just remember liking it, and now I like to remember it.

EDM 13 - A Telephone; 3x3" watercolor