Sunday, November 11, 2012

ON THE MOVE! FROM ORCAS ISLAND, WA. TO SACRAMENTO, CA. !

Susie Shipman hand made leather bound watercolor sketchbook (binding)

Susie Shipman Leather bound watercolor sketchbook front cover

LIME KILN PARK, SAN JUAN ISLAND, WASHINGTON...Hike to light house 

MORAN STATE PARK, ORCAS ISLAND, WASHINGTON....waterfall trail hike

MORAN STATE PARK, ORCAS ISLAND, WASHINGTON....waterfall hike

My youngest son bought a beautiful secluded vacation home on Orcas Island, Washington.  We spent the week up there enjoying the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.  This involved taking hikes which are often challenging for me.  My boys watch out for me and help me with the steep and/or slippery spots.  These little watercolor paintings were done from photographs I took from the hikes.  The sketchbook was a gift from my children and I had the wonderful good fortune to meet the woman, Susie Shipman, who hand makes these fabulous books.  The paper is Saunders Waterford from England and I am able to paint on both sides without buckling.  She told me she used to sell them all over but has scaled back and now I believe they are only available on Orcas Island or you can order from her website.  If you want more information, here is a link for Susie  . The size I have is 5 x 7 and, as you can see, I was able to flatten out the page and paint across the paper for a 2 page spread.  

Barely back from our great adventure up North and I am preparing to drive to Sacramento tomorrow for a demo for the Watercolor Artists of Sacramento Horizons Inc.  It will be around 2PM when I start and is being held at the Sacramento Fine Arts Center.  If you are in the area, I hope you will be able to stop by.   For those of you who can't make the drive, I will post the results on Tuesday.




12 comments:

Dee Doyle said...

So, Myrna, You will be in "my neck of the woods" more often. Let me know when yo want to do a workshop up this way, and i could probably organize one! :-) [I live in La Conner]

Myrna Wacknov said...

Dee, how wonderful!! I will definitely let you know next time we are up your way. I would love to do a workshop with you. Let's work out the details.

Autumn Leaves said...

You are such a wonderful artist, Myrna. And it looks and sounds as though you had a magnificent trip. I sure love Washington state and so enjoyed living there. The weather was spot on perfection for me.

Meera Rao said...

Beautiful sketchbook in worthy hands ;) I loved doing a daily vignette during my stay in India - pleased as punch that I have 124 little (2.5x4") sketches now ! Love your sketches in the book ! Happy sketching !

Liz Hill, irreverent Art said...

love this and love your little paintings, obviously you can do anything.

Liz Hill, irreverent Art said...

love these and your work

Myrna Wacknov said...

Thanks Sherry. I will enjoy returning to Washington State. So fresh and green!

Myrna Wacknov said...

Meera, India is such a colorful place. I would love to see all your sketches!

Myrna Wacknov said...

Liz, I think we have a mutual admiration society going here!

Meera Rao said...

Myrna, happy Thanksgivng! I would love for you to take a look at my sketches from India and give me your feedback :) I am back from India but still slowly posting the sketches in my blog (www.artbymeera.blogsopt.com)I was way behind in posting while in India but very religiously stuck to sketching every single day For four months!- It gave me a great sense of accomplishement too. I am also looking for sugesstions as to what to do with the journal - whether to keep all the sketches together or tear some apart and frame them.....or in some way get them published other than on my blog! BTW, My journal was strathmore mixed media journal and so I was featured on facebook page of Strathmore Art Papers about a month ago :) - That was exciting!

just wanted to share my excitement with you so decied to communicate thru your comments page - so I am not really looking to see this on your comments page ;) Take care, happy painting and sketching!
Meera

Myrna Wacknov said...

Meera, I am in awe of your dedication and consistency. I will check out your blog again. Looking forward to seeing more of your India sketches. My suggestion is to photograph each image and make a book in Blurb. It will preserve everything in one place, make it archival and duplicatable. You can make it available to your fans, have copies made for family and free you up to separate some of the sketches for sale or framing if you wish. Contact me if you have any problems with making a book in Blurb. I have made three so far.

Meera Rao said...

Thank you so much Myrna! And I am sorry about the typo in my web site address :( - here is the corrected one : www.artbymeera.blogspot.com
And I will look into Blurb. I have seen your books there and really like it. I will have to figure how to arrange the sketches and details. Thanks again for your sugesstion, your input is highly appreciated!

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