Check.......

packed the cars with paintings, cards, tent, panels and more 

 for San Diego Botanic Garden Expressions Show.......................................check

packed 2 suitcases for Create in Chicago.....leaving on Monday with Jane....check

packed supplies in both suitcases for Create.....with little room for any thing else...check

will pack lightwieght artsy clothes and wear the rest that won't fit into suitcase.......check

                                                         "Torrey Pines Morning Trek"

watercolor



Daniel Essig in Asheville

 One of the highlights of my visit to Asheville was  to see  Daniel Essig's Studio. Dan met my husband and I and gave us a grand tour of his woodworking Book Arts studio. I was awestruck with the amount of materials he had and the random order of things....his books speak volumes, with aged perfection and weight.
Dan is coming back to San Diego next year to give a workshop for San Diego Book Arts . All info will be up online when it becomes available.

 View of the studio.....

 My husband discussed machine lathes and wood patterns with Dan......

 A look into Dan's display cabinet with a multitude of hand made books just waiting to be held......

 a fine fish with a book to hold.........

and this is the door leading into the studio spaces at Grovewood.....if you ever travel to Asheville be sure and stop by  Grovewood Gallery. Dan is one of nine studio artists residing there.   The

studios, gallery, cafe and two museums share several 1917 pebbledash buildings nestled on eleven acres next to the Grove Park Inn.

Montecito Family Camp Summer 2011

Last week I taught some very talented and fun students watercolor at Montecito Family Camp in the Sequoias. This is a wonderful week long camp for all ages, sing-a-longs at the campfire, painting lessons, mountain biking, archery, hiking, horseback riding, coffeehouse night, variety show night, somemores at the campfire, the list goes on and on. I love teaching there.....thanks to all of my students!!





my sister painted the butterfly on her journal....I'm so proud of her!














A very kind grandfather painted this....a view of the Sequoia mountain range......









my youngest student painted this pretty  butterfly.......
Joan's painting at lakeside.......
Mouse and cheese.......don't you love this?
Plant study on the first day........

weekend workshops

I taught two painting workshops over the weekend, one at Bravo School of Art in San Diego and one at San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas, CA. We had a blast both days.....thank you to all of my students! I will be returning this Fall to both locals...info will be up soon on my website and blog.

 What a fine group of artists!

My friend Cheryl Tall created this magnificent sculpture for San Diego Botanic Garden for the annual Sculpture in the Garden Event.



Ah....Asheville!

Just came home from Asheville, North Carolina, where my husband and I spend some time exploring the artful city and  I taught a mixed media workshop at Random Arts in Saluda, NC

...Here are some of my happy students!

a beautiful tree of life by my student from Florida.......isn't it grand? I love the color palette......

very cool works in clay from our visit to the River Arts District

The Carl Sandburg home outside of Asheville....the air was lovely....you could just hear the poetry.....

Home Thoughts

The sea rocks have a green moss.

The pine rocks have red berries.

I have memories of you.

Speak to me of how you miss me.

Tell me the hours go long and slow.

Speak to me of the drag on your heart,

The iron drag of the long days.

I know hours empty as a beggar’s tin cup on a rainy day,

Empty as a soldier’s sleeve with an arm lost.

Speak to me . . .

The Biltmore House....faithfully preserved estate...the largest private residence in America.....county home to the Vanderbilts.....these are photos from the architectural tour. We hiked up to the roof for some splendid views.........

Ranching in the Heart of Nature

Dear Friends...Santa Rosa Plateau Reserve is one of the last reminding pristine ecological meadow land areas left in CA.....it's a wonderful place to hike, bike and paint at....
My paintings will be included in the annual art exhibit "Ranching in the Heart of Nature" , a fundraiser for Children's Education programs -July 9th to 20th


Please join me next Saturday for the reception!
Opening Night, July 9, 2011

Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve
39400 Clinton Keith Road, Murrieta
5:00 – 9:00 Open to the Public. No ticket required.

5:00 – 7:00 Artists Reception on the Reserve
Special Tented Area
Hearty Hors d’oeuvres, Specialty Wines, Acoustic Entertainment
$15 donation. Advance reservations.
(Donation to support the children’s education programs.)

as the Santa Rosa Foundation states..The Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve

Roaming deer, vernal pools, Chocolate Lilies, education and schools.
Prairie bunchgrass, hiking trails, wild Poppies, Cougar tails.
Ecological wonders, hundreds of birds, human history, interpretive words.
Historic Adobes, Engleman Oaks, ancient creeks, historical folks.
The Nature Conservancy, State Fish and Game, Federal Fish and Wildlife, research fame.
Metropolitan Water, Riverside County Parks, Native American history, and Meadowlarks.
How wonderful is that?

Random Arts...July 6th...

In a little over a week's time I'll be at Random Arts in Saluda, North Carolina teaching my workshop
"Batik Tree of Life" ...a wondrous collection of mixed media, paint, canvas, collage birds, and little things.....sign up soon!!

I've never been to the Asheville area...can't wait to see it! My cousin Steve lives there and  is going to "art me to death" ....true story...he said that I'll never want to come home cause there is so much art to see! American Style Magazine called Asheville "#1 in the top 25 small cities" for Art in the USA....winning over Santa Fe, New Mexico!  My fav Book Arts  teacher Daniel Essig lives there too....can't wait to see his incredible book sculptures.

"So much time, so little to do....strike that....reverse it".....
                                           "willy wonka"

San Diego Watercolor Society Plein Air Demo

I spent last Saturday morning in Valley Center leading the San Diego Watercolor Society Plein Air Demo and Critique at the lavender fields. We spent the morning painting the iconic southern California vistas with brilliant purples from the lavender fields bursting in the sunshine.

                                       A fine group of painters really for the critique....and lunch

                                           

                                                    My demo .......not finished yet......

Many fine painters came out to paint....our easels wrapped around the pathway at the top of the hill. A good time was had by all.....thank you SDWS for a lovely day!

Lavender Fields forever

Come out to the Lavender Fields this Saturday morning to paint on location. The weather should be nice and sunny and the fragrances delightful.  I'll be demonstrating for San Diego Watercolor Society as part of their Saturday Paint Out series held once a month.
Here are the details:

 JUNE 18   9am to 12:30pm
"Our demonstrator is Helen Shafer Garcia, who created all of those illustrations for San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles Magazine.The lavender will be in full bloom in June and should be beautiful. It will be warm so bring a hat and water, of course, and I suggest packing lightly as there is a short walk to the demo area and some of you may want to wander farther to paint later. Also, some of the paths are rough. I do not know if food is sold, so bring a sandwich. They did have iced tea available when I was there at the end of April.
I have made arrangements for us to park in the “private reserved parking”or “even parking,” so when you enter the property drive through the main parking lot and follow signs to reserved event parking — quite farther up the road. I will have several SDWS signs on the way. Once you park, unload and walk down the
curving stone paved path to the demo area in the vicinity of the “Tea House.”Everything is well marked in a rustic manner. Also, restrooms are available." SDWS newsletter

Directions:
Highway #15 to exit Gopher Canyon Road / Old CastleRoad. Turn right at light, and turn right again - short
distance to traffic light. Turn left. You will be on OldCastle Road. Go for about 5 1/2 miles to bottom ofhill. Turn left on Lilac Road and go just over 2 miles,past a yellow veggie stand called ”The Yellow Deli.”
Turn right at Keys Creek Road / Old Lilac Road. Thereis a wooden Lavender Farms sign there and a lavender triangular flag. (If you miss this turn, you will be on Dowling Road - turn back to Keys Creek Road, a dirtroad. Stay on Keys Creek Road (good condition) for 1 1/2 miles. Do not turn into any other roads. You will see occasional lilac flags. When you enter the farm follow directions above.

Sharon's painting

Sharon painted this lovely succulent at one of my classes that I taught in Fallbrook this spring. The colors are bright and strong and the shapes are wonderful.

I'll be back teaching in September...Watermedia with mixed media, Book Arts, Pastels-Plein Air and in the Studio, and Watercolor Basics.  Fallbrook is a great artful town to come to! Check it out......