sketchbook :: Happy Christmas!

Few quiet moments these last days before Christmas. Yet I did steal two in order to spend a little time with my sketchbook. It's a new sketchbook for me, begun at the Solstice. A sketchbook made by Cachet, with multi-media paper and a spiral binding, one that I can enjoy yet not allow it to become too precious. My poinsettia above was sketched lightly in pencil, washed with watercolor, then purple ink lines added.

And Kiddo's Christmas cookies were sketched with watercolor pencils, then washed lightly with water. I do like the paper in this book. It's not slick, like some multi-media sketchbook papers, so it does behave a bit more like watercolor paper. It has a slight texture, not too much though, just about right for pencils and ink. Over the past few months I have tried and abandoned a few other purchased sketchbooks for one reason or another. This one though, looks like it may be a keeper. And now that the rush is over I am looking forward to a few more quiet moments, hopefully spent with my sketchbook!

I hope your holidays are happy and that you have a joyous, and art-filled, new year!

sketchbook :: lessons in sketching

Last spring I treated myself to Cathy Johnson's Mini Art Class on Ink and Wash. This is a technique I have admired in Kate's and others' sketches, and have attempted myself from time to time, so I was eager to take advantage of another one her wonderful courses. And even though I love the effect of line combined with watercolor wash, I have always been a little intimidated by drawing in ink. I had worked through several of Kate's exercises in the course but my head just wasn't in the right place to devote my attention to something different. Now lately, I have been rethinking my approach to my sketchbooks and I revisited the Ink and Wash lessons. The timing was better. Kate's wise and gentle approach to teaching resulted in one of those "a-ha" moments. I grabbed my pen, travel watercolor set and sketchbook and settled into my comfortable chair with a cup of tea nearby and sketched Kiddo's Santa hat sitting before me. It was a pleasure to just let the line wander about the paper until it found the form. A quick dash of color and the hat came alive. Sometimes it's more about what is left out, what you let go. Thank you Kate, for your inspired teaching!

poinsettia

Poinsettia

watercolor

5.5 x 7.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Getting into the holiday spirit with this painting of a poinsettia blossom. I was captivated by the leaves in the sunlight creating an almost abstract design of light and dark. As I completed the painting I decided to use this image for our greeting cards this year. After some comparison shopping I choose to go with Zazzle for printing the cards. I like that I can customize the cards with printed messages. And since I was doing all of that, I also made this image available for cards for purchase from Zazzle. You can click the link here or the one over on the side bar. Are you ready for the holidays?

Our Art Exhibit at Valdese

This past Monday we hung our show at The Old Rock School in Valdese, North Carolina.

The show includes my work in oil, colored pencil, and watercolor, as well as watercolors by my hubby, Gary Nemcosky. All of the art work that we selected for this exhibit has a coastal theme.

Our exhibition space is fairly large, but we were able to fill it up! I didn't manage to get one clear picture, but these at least give you an idea. We also have many original works matted that are not hanging, but in a rack for display.

If you happen to be in Western North Carolina during the holidays please stop in and see our art exhibit!

sketchbook :: garlic keeper

Last month we played tourists and visited Beech Mountain's Oktoberfest festival. They had the oompa band, folk dancing, and of course lots of crafters selling their wares. It was there that I found something I had been seeking for a long while now, a garlic pot or "keeper". The artist, who made these as well as many other items, is Keith Martindale of Keith Martindale Pottery. Even though my sketch of my new garlic keeper is a little wonky, all of his work on display was beautiful. And his booth at the festival was a very busy place! This sketch was done with watercolor only in my hand made sketchbook.

At Tatum Cabin

At Tatum Cabin

watercolor

7.5 x 9.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

This is one of those paintings that I could work on forever. I was interested in having a juxtaposition of loose, washy, areas with more developed, rendered spots. I think I got there so I am calling it finished now before I overdo it.

Last month while visiting our local Heritage Festival at Hickory Ridge Homestead here in Boone, I spotted this scene in one of the cabins. There are several cabins at this living history site and on this day folks were dressed in period costumes and available for demonstrations and talks on life in these mountains during Revolutionary War times. While the guide in Tatum Cabin was explaining the structure and the families that lived there I was captivated by the preparations she had laid out for a mid-day meal. The simple wooden bowl containing tomatoes and leeks and the woven towel she had been using casually laying along side were stunning in the sunlight coming through the cabin's small window. She may have though it odd that I was so busy capturing this display with my camera but I am glad that I did, as I was able to glean enough from my dark and fuzzy photos to make this painting.

just a peek

We've been terribly busy getting ready for an upcoming exhibit. I'll share more details about that soon. In the meantime I have a glimpse of my drawing board, where I have a painting in progress. I am eager to get back to work on this piece.

And a look inside my sketchbook where I sketched (with watercolor only) a group of stones found at the beach. Not a great photo but it will do.

marsh dreams

Marsh Dreams II

watercolor

4.5 x 6.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Here is a small watercolor series that I recently completed. 

Marsh Dreams III

watercolor

4.5 x 6.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

These paintings of marshes are inspired by our visits to Edisto Island on the South Carolina coast. 

Marsh Dreams IV

watercolor

4.5 x 6.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

I love seeing the many moods of the sky reflected in the ribbons of water 

that weave through the marsh grasses.

Marsh Dreams V

watercolor

4.5 x 6.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

beach plein air

I always have high hopes for doing a plein air sketch or two but it rarely works out on these beach trips. However, this time I took along a pack of watercolor postcards and a small sketching kit in addition to my usual sketchbook and watercolor set.

One overcast morning we drove over to the sound side of the island and I brought this small kit and postcards along. While the professor and Kiddo were walking with the dogs and looking for shells I sat on a bench and quickly sketched two views of St Helena sound.

That afternoon the clouds cleared and I brought the same little kit along when we headed down to the beach. I sat on a towel in the sand, with a dog on either side of me, and did two more quick sketches of the ocean while the Professor and Kiddo played in the surf and did more shell seeking.

I had to sketch quickly because the dogs are rarely still for long. They dig in the sand flinging it onto anyone or anything that happens to be in the way. They get excited if someone happens by. They lay their wet, sandy selves across my towel, my legs, my stuff.

So it takes a certain resolve on my part to attempt sketching at the beach. And no concern for the outcome of the sketches. I did manage to find a way by using the little postcards and a small kit that easily fit into our beach bag.

This is my mini sketch kit. It all fits into a plastic pencil box. Not a big deal if sand gets inside, which it did. And on the last postcard above, I added some of the white foamy bits with a white gel pen, not pictured here. I am planning to paste these postcards into my sketchbook as a way to save the sketches, and the memory of doing them, from that day at the beach.

it's about time

It is about time I posted to this blog. As I sit here looking at the snow outside my window it's hard to believe that just a week ago I was sitting at the table pictured above, listening to the warm ocean breeze rustle through the palm trees. We spent a few days at our favorite escape, Edisto Island, SC, and it was warm, it was sunny, and altogether very relaxing. And I did a bit of sketching in between ocean walks and enjoying wonderful meals of fresh fish. In addition to the palmettos, there was oleander blooming right outside our little rental cottage that I sketched in my journal.

From that same table you can get a glimpse of the ocean between the houses across the street. I love experiencing the color changes of the ocean and sky. I recorded the ocean and sky color once each day that we were there.

And shells, of course. Edisto Beach is famous for its shells. These were brought back and sketched at that same table. All of these sketches were done with watercolor only, in my handmade sketchbook.

sketchbook :: algebra

Here is a recent page spread from my sketchbook that I worked on while Kiddo was doing her algebra lesson. It's nice, sitting together at the kitchen table, both of us working. I stay nearby to offer help when needed, but mostly I try to stay out of the way. Especially when it comes to algebra. Although if I had had the benefit of the type of math instruction that Kiddo is receiving, I may have actually learned something in high school math classes. But I didn't have "Bruce". That's what we call the voice of the math instructor from her lessons. By now, Bruce is like a part of the family. Kind and reassuring, he gently inspires his listeners with logical and detailed explanations for every single problem, and never belittles an error or an incorrect answer. It's always okay. Maybe you forgot to reduce to the lowest terms. You get another try.

My new sketchbook doesn't fit onto my scanner. I merged the two scanned pages together in photoshop for the above image, which is why you see a line. I could have "photoshopped" that line out but decided to just let it go. It's either this way or snap a photo of the page spread, but I have a hard time getting the color adjusted correctly from photos. Either way, I enjoyed painting our decorative gourds while we sat together, Kiddo solving algebra problems, and all the while listening to Bruce. Great days.

early light

Frosty Fall Morning

watercolor

7.5 x 9.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

We have seen some gorgeous days lately. Skies bluer than I ever thought possible against the changing color of the autumn leaves have been breathtaking. Yet it's the early morning light that is magical this time of the year. A slight frost on the grass, a little mist in the air, and the sun's glow peeking through those colorful trees promising another beautiful fall day. I enjoyed painting this one, with those playful shadows and that soft, early morning light. This is a view that I captured early one morning, just up the road while on the way to town.

wildflowers

Autumn Field

watercolor

7.5 x 9.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

I love seeing the wildflowers this time of year. In autumn, the fields are alive with goldenrod and purple aster blossoms. This is painted from a view along the Blue Ridge Parkway. We had such a wet summer here in our southern mountains that the wildflowers look more spectacular than ever.

I had been hoping to be making paintings with a little more frequency than I actually have been lately. However, life does tend to take over at times. Plus, I have an exhibit to prepare for that will be happening in at the end of November. Lots of matting and framing to be done. Wish me luck!

sketchbook :: autumn is a time of change

I sketched these leaves that has drifted onto our deck with watercolor only on the first page of my newly made Autumn sketchbook.
I want to approach this sketchbook a little differently from what I have been doing. I had been feeling that these books were becoming a little too precious. So I looked at all the options for purchasing a sketchbook and even tried out a nice spiral bound model, but just couldn't get past the quality of the paper. I like my watercolor paper best, so I put together a new sketchbook, a little larger for me, 7 x 10 inches this time. I think I am going to like this size. On this page spread I played with the composition for a watercolor painting with the small pencil sketch and practiced painting a field of goldenrod and asters with an old fan brush. I love it when the lavender asters and bright yellow goldenrod are blooming, as they are everywhere right now.

Here is the size comparison of my completed Spring/Summer sketchbook and my new Autumn sketchbook. I covered my new sketchbook with fabric left over from Kiddo's sewing project. She made curtains for her room to replace the ones I had made when I was expecting her a little over 15 years ago now. It was time for a change.

pumpkin tumble

Pumpkin Tumble

watercolor on cold pressed paper

55.5 x 7.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

I spotted this lively display of pumpkins outside our local grocery and was inspired to capture them in paint. Yes, I am that woman photographing produce at the supermarket. We did purchase one pumpkin, I think it was the little white one in the bottom right corner of my painting. It now lives on our porch along side a purple mum. It's such a colorful time of the year.

dreaming of the sea

Ocean Dreams II

watercolor on cold pressed paper

8 x 8 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

I am still working out how best to define this series, so is it a series yet? I don't know. The last surf painting was in a rectangular format, this is a square. I really like the square format and can see multiples of these all lined up. We'll see. My challenge here was to keep the soft early morning light on the surf. I used a bit of sandpaper at the end to put some sparkles in the spray. That was kind of fun and kind of scary all at the same time.

Don't forget to visit my Daily Paintworks page to see what works I have available for purchase!

sketchbook :: cinnamon buns

Kiddo's favorite Sunday morning breakfast, sketched with watercolor only in my handmade sketch journal. They are very tasty and very sweet, almost too sweet for me, especially first thing in the morning. I need to inspire her to make muffins, or omelettes, wouldn't that be good!

“In the tapestry of childhood, what stands out 

is not the splashy, blow-out trips to Disneyland 

but the common threads that run throughout and repeat: 

the family dinners, nature walks, reading together at bedtime, 

Saturday morning pancakes.” 

― Kim John Payne

apples

Apple Basket

watercolor on cold pressed paper

5.5 x 7.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

It's nearly apple season season here in our southern mountains. Choosing to paint apples this time, I decided to place them in an old kitchen basket.The variety of textures in this composition was challenging to capture in paint. I did like the warm glow of the basket complementing the crisp, cool light on the apples. Now I'm thinking apple pie, apple bread, apple crisp, apple chips....how do you enjoy apples?

sketchbook :: last of the summer flowers

Summer is fading here in our southern mountains. I found a few lingering flowers from our yard to arrange for our table and to capture in paint.

Ocean Dreams

Ocean Dreams

watercolor and gouache on cold pressed paper

7.5 x 9.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

Available

I have been away from the ocean long enough that it was time to begin painting it again.

Hydrangea

Hydrangea

watercolor on cold pressed paper

7.5 x 9.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

Available

What I am enjoying most about painting with watercolor, in addition to its challenges, are the surprises. Watercolor really is mostly unpredictable. And I love that. When I see something that I would like to paint, I know that if I chose oil, or colored pencil, to create the image then I could be sure of the result. Yet where is the fun in that? By choosing to paint in watercolor, and with all the careful planning I can muster, I am still delighted with a few surprises along the way.

This is a painting of my hydrangea bush that sits beside the corner of our house, right along the walkway. It has been glorious this summer with its large blooms. I enjoyed capturing those blooms in watercolor. Watching the color run into the shadows and highlights of the petals provided many delightful surprises with this painting.

sketchbook :: peach pie

Even though the plate in this sketch looks a bit wonky, the pie really tasted good.

"I cook when I am restless; I like the simple recipes; the preparing of ingredients; the knowledge that if I follow the rules the dish will never disappoint. 

If only people were like this. If only the heart was as simple."  

-from Peaches for Father Francis by Joanne Harris

Pears

Pears

watercolor on cold pressed paper

5.5 x 7.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Here is a painting of pears done in the spirit of the Peaches from my last post. I always fall in love with the color variation and shape of pears, and can't resist bringing a few home from the market every now and then. Luckily, we enjoy eating pears. Our latest favorite way to eat fresh fruit is to mix a variety of fruits and berries with plain yogurt and a little honey. That always disappears fast at our dinner table.

what's new again

Peaches

watercolor on cold pressed paper

5.5 x 7.5 inches

© Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

I have been giving my studio space a good clean out these past few days and came across an old shoe box full of stencils that I used to make for my art work and for decorating the walls of our house. Remember when it was popular to have a stenciled border running around a room? The stencil design that I used for the background of this painting was one that I created years ago for the kitchen at our old house. It was inspired by a set of very old dishes that I inherited from my grandmother. The pattern on the dishes, as well as the color I used for our wall, was a blue much like the blue I used for this painting. I liked how the stencil pattern added movement to this still life of peaches.

And we love peaches. There is a man from South Carolina that sells peaches out of the back of his truck, parked along one of the main roads through town. He has been there every summer since we first moved here nearly 23 years ago. One year we bought a basket full and made peach jam and peach pie. This year I did get a bag full for a peach pie. I may have to pick up some more before the season passes.

sketchbook :: plum

These plums were so pretty in our grocery that I had to buy one to paint. Yep, I only bought one because, you see, I have never eaten a plum and I didn't know if I would like it. It's still sitting in our fridge. I did, however, really enjoy painting it's gorgeous purpley color.

Rain Coming

Rain Coming

watercolor on cold pressed paper

7.5 x 9.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

This is familiar scenery when driving the Doc Watson highway into town. Especially so lately, with all the rain we have had this summer. Clouds building, rolling over the mountain ridges coming from the west, you can see the rain in the distance. No doubt, it will be here soon.

summer song

Summer Blooms

watercolor on cold pressed paper

5.5 x 7.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

This little display of flowers looked so happy sitting in their shiny bucket on that brightly striped cloth. The vibrant color just sings of summer. I loved capturing this image in paint.

I have decided to give Daily Paintworks a go, and have added a few works to my site there. More will be added, including some older works at greatly reduced prices. I need to make room for the new! You can take a peek here or by clicking the link on the side bar.

sketchbook :: blue sky alert

I have been neglecting my sketchbook lately. My spring sketchbook has evolved into a summer sketchbook, which is okay, now that we are fully into summertime. Summer here in our Southern mountains has been wet. We have had a lot of rain. And then more rain. Overflowing creeks and rivers, flooded roadways, and dark, gray skies have been the usual routine this summer. Between rain showers on Saturday I went into the yard to collect a few flowers for our table.

Monday brought a break from the rain with blue skies and puffy white clouds. While Kiddo played tennis I took the opportunity to sketch the sky from a view beyond the tennis courts. It was a pleasure to simply be outdoors on a summer day.

summer blooms

Flowers at the Farmers' Market

watercolor on cold pressed paper

10.5 x 13.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

As you can see, I have painted another scene inspired by our local farmers' market. I am enjoying exploring these compositions with watercolor paint, trying to capture the festive arrays that the sellers display. Of course, there is so much happening in each scene that I end up editing out a good deal in an attempt to get to the essence of what attracted me to the composition in the first place. In this case, it was the variety of blooms punctuated by the three white containers that provided a frame for the lettuce seller in the background. I have purchased an awful lot of lettuce from him through the years. It's a taste of summertime.

Saturday mornings

Plant Sellers at the Farmers' Market

watercolor on cold pressed paper

10.5 x 13.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

Saturday mornings in the summertime, we enjoy stopping at our local Farmers' Market. And it's always sure to be a lively place. Not quite as much in the way of produce this early in the season, but the plants and flowers are a riot of color. I snapped a few photos last Saturday, and decided to try painting this one in watercolor. It's a different sort of image for me, for sure, but I enjoyed the challenge. When I was laying out my drawing I had the happy accident of discovering not just the two figures holding the flowers, but that there are actually four figures in this scene. Can you find the other two? I'll give you a hint. "I see a little silhouetto of a man, scaramouch, scaramouch, will you do the fandango..." kept running through my head while I was working on this. Here's the entire song, just in case it's not already stuck in your head too.

sweet summer

Foxglove

watercolor on cold pressed paper

5.5 x 7.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available 

Happy Summer Solstice to you! We are having a gentle start to summer here in our Southern mountains. The days have been pleasant, although with a fair amount of rain, and the nights delightfully cool. The birds, peepers, and our resident bull frog have been singing their summer songs. And our flowers are beginning to bloom. We have lots of foxglove blooms this year, and they are glorious. So in celebration of summer I had to paint one, plus it provided a nice change of pace from all of my watery scenes.

all ready to go

I admit that laying art works out on the floor isn't the best method for getting a photo, but at least you can get an idea what my work looks like framed. Sorry about the glare. I am pleased with these simple black frames.

So with the Professor's help, all eight pieces are framed and ready to be shipped to Pullen Arts Center in Raleigh, NC, for their July-August exhibit.

I also had help from my Sam, studio assistant. He loves packing, and unpacking, boxes. And he's awfully cute when he's trying so hard to be good by staying out of my way.