Hibiscus

6x6"
pastel on archival sanded paper

When you look at a flower, as a whole, it is beautiful.

But have you ever stopped and just looked inside.

It's a whole nutha world in there!

Today's focus is on the beauty that is in within.

Dig deep. Look, and really see.

Purple Crocus

5x7"
pastel on archival sanded paper

Crocus are thefirst flowers that come up around my house.

A welcomed sight, after a cold, uncolorful winter.

For today's painting, I wanted to make the blooms really pop

with color, so I used a dark background to help with that. Notice

that it's not black either. Just an intensely dark purple.

Cherries

6x6"
pastel on archival sanded paper

Today's painting was about capturing

the shadows. Have you ever noticed that

any cast shadow will have a hard edge?

See the shadow cast down from the bowl.

Have you ever noticed that any form shadow

will have a soft edge? Look at the shadow

that forms the bowl.

Next time you're out, study some shadows.

Ok, enough of the art lesson, check out my recipe

for cherry pie.

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie

(I use the Crisco shortening recipe)
4 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
4 cups pitted cherries
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).

Place bottom crust in piepan.

Cover the top crust and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine tapioca, salt,

sugar, cherries and extracts.

Let stand 15 minutes.

Pour fruit mixture onto the bottom crust and dot with butter.

Cover with top crust, flute edges and cut vents in top.

Place pie on a foil lined cookie sheet --- in case of drips!
Bake for 50 minutes, until golden brown.

Pastel Weave

5X7"
pastel and colored pencil on paper
Today was an experimental day. I cut
two sketches and wove them together.
Interesting effects I think. Can you
find the Degas blue dancer?

American Goldfinch

8x10"
pastel on suede mat board
I am trying out this new ground to work on.
It's very soft and it accepts the pastel well, but it
is not very forgiving in that any misplaced marks
cannot be erased. It works well for the texture
of the soft feathers.

Pine Cone Treat

4 1/2 cups rendered suet
1 cup dried and crumbled whole wheat bread
1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1/4 cup millet
1/4 cup raisins or chopped dried apples

Melt suet in a saucepan over low heat.
Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a large bowl.
Allow the suet to cool until slightly thickened,
then stir it into the mixture in the bowl. Mix thoroughly.
Stuff the mixture in between the "petals" of a pine cone.
Hang onto an tree and watch your birds devour it!

Cardinals

8x10"
Colored pencil on paper

Raccoons

16x20"
Colored pencil on board
This was a commissioned piece
for a lady who loves raccoons.
Such expressive eyes they have!

Gold Pears

5x7"
pastel on archival sanded paper