I enjoy pen and ink and drawing.  I enjoy painting is an entirely different way, but my first love is drawing. Here I've done pen and inks of the same scenes (all local scenes),  These aren't really the same as a value study of the scene but close. They force me to really break down the values into 5 to 7 values.  The pen and inks I concentrate on values, yes, but texture is the other element that I like to play with.  I do value studies for painting and drawings, especially when I do plein air but they are quick and in three values only,  I carry markers in black and gray when I'm out painting.  In the studio I  should do more value studies and thumbnails, but I get lazy. 

I traveled to Nashville this morning to draw during Open Studio at Warehouse 521.  I love this place but I don't care for the drive. A hour and a half on the road with lots of traffic. When I start drawing, I'm at peace. This model was so still and was always in pose after breaks.  She is really good.  The other artists skill levels are amazing, they challenge me to work harder to get better.  When I start drawing I'm in my own world, I zone out.  I only see the model and I hear nothing (no one talks, they are drawing or painting).  When they call time for a break, it's as if I wake from a dream.  I am in total harmony with myself..  When I paint, I don't feel this way, I'm stressed.  

I drew this pen & ink last night.  I photographed Reelfoot lake about a month or so ago when I was looking for a place to park my camper for Tom Lynch's Workshop.  I knew I would be in Nashville most of the day today and I just wanted to get something done art wise.  I will be in Nashville tomorrow at Warehouse 521, drawing a live model.  So I have to get up early so I better sign out for tonight.   

No, I'm not actually running but it seems as if all I do lately is run back and forth in the car.  I go and go and it never seems to end.  I went to Clarksville this morning (I was in Clarksville yesterday too), came back to the studio for about two hours and then home.  I put some  masking on the watercolor again. So while it dried, I cleaned the studio.  I went back to the painting and added some darks at the bottom of the painting. 

Last night I did the small pen & ink pictured above, it's 6" x 9"  and might could use some more darks in the foreground.  I'll look at it again tomorrow.  It is of an area at Cross Creek Wildlife Refuge near Erin.. 

About a year ago I did the artwork for Ann Hagler's book, THE SETTLING PLACE, published by Cordelia Hollis Publishing. It is now available in paperback with another of my artworks on the cover.  
You can get Ann's book from our local bookstore, "Reading Rock Books" in Dickson, TN, 615 326 0401

Warehouse 521 in Nashville offers, Open Studio" drawing / painting from a live model on Fridays.  I've been on their waiting list for a while now and I finally got a spot. Today we my first day and it was wonderful.  The model was wonderful and I really enjoyed drawing today.  I was a little rusty but I should get better with time. The photos below are 5 minutes and some are 20 minutes.   

I only got to the studio for a very short time today.  I put in some washes over the masked areas and then removed the masking.  I'll put in the details in the foreground tomorrow and it should be done,  I did this scene in Acrylics and wanted to try it in Watercolor and larger.  This is one of my favorite spots on the Clarksville, TN Greenway.

Today I had a doctor's appointment in Clarksville.  I left early enough to get a few art supplies at Hobby Lobby and I did a little shoe shopping.  I had a wonderful lunch with my sweet, beautiful daughter in law and managed to get the oil changed in the car before returning home.  I had another wonderful day.

These beautiful flowers appear every year on the creek bank.  I don't know what they are and I always forget to photograph them.  Yesterday, I stopped on the way in and finally took a photo.   

I started this one during the Tom Lynch Workshop.  The last day we talked about shadows and lights and this painting is about light.  I hope to finish it Thursday.  I worked on it today at the studio and my painting Buddy came in today from Wavely to paint with me.  We always have a great time.  It was really nice to be sitting in my studio at the drawing board after two weeks of workshops.  Life is GOOD.