Clik here to view.
Hello Soul, Hello Mantras: Discovering personal mantras
Acid-bright colors take me back to grade-school days drawing with crayons! While I waited for my acrylic paints to arrive, I spent the week working on the writing and guided meditation exercises that...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Current projects: Fall bounty
Last Sunday was cold and snowy here in the high desert. I didn’t need much encouragement to spend the day in the studio drawing and painting. I love decorative gourds and Indian corn. They are so...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hello Soul, Hello Mantras: Using intentions while painting
I find that painting intentions work best when they relate to the subject at hand–in this case, detailed rendering of an ear of Indian corn. One of the key aspects of Kelly Rae Roberts’ Hello Soul,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Blue Monday Inspiration from Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The sky is the daily bread of the eyes.” Ralph Waldo Emerson. Today is Blue Monday, supposedly the gloomiest day of the year. Whether you take seriously the notion that the third Monday in January is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tools of the trade: Using a smartphone to record progress
A snapshot a day keeps discouragement away when working on big projects. Painting a botanical art plant portrait is a slow and laborious process. Details build up slowly, almost invisibly. It’s easy to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Robert Burns Day and Happy Birthday, Nevis!
The birthday boy is quite the dignified wee Scot. Today is Robert Burns Day, the day set aside to celebrate Scotland’s first national poet by drinking whiskey, eating haggis, and reciting Burns’ poems...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The fruit of winter’s labor: A painting of red Indian corn
So many details! Working on this 30″ x 22″ mixed-media (colored pencil and watercolor on paper) painting, “Red Indian Corn,” challenged and developed my rendering skills. I’m so pleased to share this...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Watercolor of a tulip, loose and free
Observational art doesn’t have to be tight and detailed! This loose, gestural watercolor sketch offers a strong impression of a dying tulip flower. I painted this rough sketch of a fading tulip on...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Some big changes afoot in my life
Just a quick update to let you know that there are some exciting events occuring over here in my little corner of the Land of Enchantment! I’ll be making an official announcement this week or next,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
My big news: Studying botanical illustration with the RBGE
This detail of a pencil drawing was part of my application portfolio to the RBGE program In April, I received notice from the Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh that I was accepted into their...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Exhausted but proud
The leafy branch exercise. The parking lot at a local supermarket has a lot of these trees with bright orange berries. It’s probably Sorbus americana, or American mountain ash. Yesterday I uploaded...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Wrenaissance Art is posting at Instagram as @NewMexicoWildflowers
These dramatic yucca seedpods are a sample of the wildflowers and nature photos I’m posting on Instagram @NewMexicoWildflowers This summer I’ve started posting at Instagram. The topic matter is New...
View ArticleBook of the Month Club: Land of Enchantment Wildflowers
Land of Enchantment Wildflowers is an informative book for the wildflower lover, but is impractical for use in the field. Continue reading →
View ArticleWorking in the field: ASBA’s new code of ethics for botanical artists
This year, the blog will feature several posts about "Leave No Trace" and "outdoor etiquette" for artists new to hiking and nature painting! Continue reading →
View ArticleIntrepid Women: Annie E. Hoyle
Annie E. Hoyle was a US Forest Service botanical illustrator and a most exceptional Intrepid Woman. Continue reading →
View ArticleHow it began: My introduction to botanical art
I became a botanical artist thanks to my 2008 trip to the Amazon. Part of the March Meet the Maker Challenge on Instagram.
View ArticleMy Etude Series is now available for purchase
My botanical watercolor "Étude Series: Radishes" is now available for purchase!
View ArticleMy secret project: Painting heirloom fruit trees
I'm starting a major project of painting some historical fruit trees!
View Article
