Arrove: Aya's Mole in Mary's entryway and Garden

The arrival of Aya's Mole
cell phone shot

This is a cell-phone shot.  The next traveling Moleskine art sketchbook has arrived.  Looking at the pix in the mole as always is such a joy and they are so nice to see in person!

The two last paintings I did of the bison on a bike and the goat and stoat in a boat were pocket items for Aya's pocket, but I did know she had the small size mole.  They were made for the larger size mole and as they are 7 x 10 inches, a good size the bigger moles, they will never fit in her pocket, so I either have to mail them to her directly or enclose in the next mole.

I have to let you know I am still sick AND we are having out of town company for the weekend, arriving today and staying through Monday.  Dunno whether I'll be able to do any art or not, or be online, for the next few days.

Goat Boat Stoat

Goat rowed his boat

With his friend Stoat watercolor, arches 140 lb cold-pressed paper 7 x 10

"Goat rowed his boat

With his friend Stoat" San Cassimally, painting by me, for Aya's pocket.

I painted the boat and the stoat (weasel) with a small koi waterbrush and koi paints from my field kit, because we have company coming and I didn't want to make a big mess, then I got everything out anyway and painted the rest with Windsor Newton paints and one BIG round brush.

I'm hoping to make a kids' book for my grandson.

Our Anniversary today

Silly anniversary Card for the husbter

Early on

the kiss

love

Today is our anniversary, 7 years. I'm too sick to go out, though.  So we're adding anniversary to our list of things t celebrate "later."

Bison bicycled and gave a ride to Shrike on his Bike

Bison bicycled and gave a ride to Shrike on his Bike
words by San Cassimally
art by me
watercolor

I think I get Aya's book next.  This is for her pocket.  Watercolor, 7 x 10 arches paper, Windsor Newton and Turner watercolors, round synthetic brushes and one small filbert.  Oh, and I did the shadow with a chinese bamboo brush, lol.  I'm not overly fond of this, unfortunately.  The calf-bones are too long.  I see now how I might fix it, by making the upper leg larger, but I'd have to start over from scratch.

Decorating the Envelope

Moray Eel
acrylics and soufflé pen
Click images to view larger

detail

Moray eel
acrylics and souffle pen

Ballookey's mole is on it's way to Mike.  I've become fascinated by Moray eels.

Baboon Loon and Racoon

Dropped in a balloon
Click to view larger

I made a second water color for Ballookey's pocket on 7 x 10 Arches 140 lb paper, another illo of San Cassimally's Animal Carnival.  This completes my work in and for this mole, so I will be packaging it up and sending it off to Mike soon.  I did this one with the water brush again, but I will probably switch back to regular brushes.

Juneathon report:  (LOL!):  Yesterday, I did all my indoor exercises and yoga and walked for 30 minutes.  I am laughing because I'm still sick, so the idea of doing Juneathon is sort of a joke.  (Juneathon, for anyone who's not familiar with it, is a challenge for runners and other competitive sports types to exercise daily and report that in the blog.)

Aardvark, Shark, Lark, Ark, Dark: Pocket item for Ballookey

Aardvark with Shark and Lark

Sailed in their ark (in the dark)

This is a pocket item for Ballookey.  It's watercolor on 140 lb cold-pressed Arches paper, 7 x 10.  It was entirely painted with the water brushes that you fill with water.  I got two new ones and wanted to try them out.  One is a fine point Koi that came with a field set, which I'd never used, so I used it last night and in the wee hours this morning when I couldn't sleep.  The other is a Niji flat.  I painted most of the painting with Niji and then added the detail with the Koi brush.

This is theoretically for the series I am doing of San Cassimally's book, Animal Carnival.  However, as you can plainly see, it is in a different medium and different style than the others, so I will probably redo it?  (Or redo the others?)  I really just wanted to play with watercolors.

Bear Hare Air

"Bear and Hare went by Air"
my illo of San Cassimally's kids' book
Animal Carnivalacrylics
click image to view larger

Snail in Phlox
half a collab for Mike
Faber-Castelle pigment pens

I have completed (I think) the work in this rotation in Ballookey's Moleskine Sketchbook.  (I may do a little tweaking here and there.)

Glass Walls, Self Portrait with Eagle

Glass Walls, Self Portrait with Eagle
by me, Mary Stebbins Taitt
Click to view larger

I dream I live in a house divided in half by glass walls.  On one side, I live my life.  On the other side . .  .

Collaboration with Andrea: "If you Play your Cards Right

Collaboration with Andrea

Detail

I think I have completed my collaboration with Andrea in the lastest round of the Moleskine Exchange (although I may see something later I need to do.)