lilies in bloom at descanso gardens where i went on a morning jaunt. i padded down an oak woodland trail and right there next to the path…a fragrant stand of lilies.
i paused for a few lungfuls of their fresh scent. mmmmmmm…
mild days here in los angeles. the mornings are cool, the evenings are cool. hints of fall. but not for a couple months. first we have to get through our hottest month – september!
doing this: making quick rough gouache sketches in my floppy sketchbook with the thin crinkly paper.
the bowl of fruit is from an old paint-by-number leaning against my desk.
i’m reading self-published travelogues from amazon’s kindle collection. nothing extraordinary, but i love reading trip reports. it’s the time of year when i start looking ahead to my next break – 3 weeks at christmas – and planning a getaway.
the december trip is a beacon of light. an adventure on the horizon. i always need one of those.
i try not to think of the day when i’ll be too old & frail to make these trips. i’ve got a long way to go, but still. old age is out there.
somewhere.
ya know?
i’m not scared of it exactly. just of losing the ability to escape. best i stop thinking about it and go make a green smoothie.
I loved everything about your post- from the evocative smell of that lily to your lively paintings that are always inspiring me to try more with gouache.
But what really tugged at my heart was reading what you said about thinking ahead to a time, hopefully in the far distant future, when wandering is not so easy. I, too, think about that as I age. I guess those of us who live to travel face that at some point. Just the way you put it was so sweet…
I’ve got a few years on you. The journey forward requires balance (wobbling allowed). Shifting away from the anxiety with creativity, and dwelling in possibility. Due to my wandering lately, I’ve been binge viewing your posts. So much good stuff! Exactly what I’ve come to expect: Mary Ann does life. Huzzah!
Thank you for taking me down that trail, I can small that lilie from here! I know your sister gets first dibs on the still life but can I get seconds in case she changes her mind, man that it awesome! Not to mention the portraits! Again, sigh…..
please, do not worry about … as you could do something in art, you will be happy AND NOW THERE IS INTERNET !!! the entire world will come to you if you would not be able to go away when you will be older, believe me ! – concerning your style, do you know Titouan Lamazou ? A great sailor and waterpainting artist – Look at his one color watercolors, you will be amazed … “Haut les coeurs !”
Interesting. I just made a drawing of Vanessa Bell – pencil, though.
I think that, having all the experience of going new places you will be able to go for many years to come. I am 73 and planning a trip to Europe with my husband and granddaughter. It might not be as adventuresome as your recent forays, but I am certainly looking forward to it. We had thought of going to England again, but your trips to Norway and Sweden might have changed my mind. Hubby has Norwegian antecedents, so that might be it although Sweden looks amazing. (my history is the usual English, Irish, German, French – ho-hum).
I need that bowl of fruit “still life” for my dining room! send it to me STAT!
P.S. When we are frail but still want to go on adventures we arrange for velpers. that is vacation helpers. I have it all planned.
Funny you mention smoothies – I’ve lived most of my life with no interest in these things, and now I’m All About the Smoothie! Where have they been hiding out? Why did I not realize their combination of healthsome and virtuous qualities was also so tasty? Like hanging out with your plants at breakfast. I need to find some more good recipes – last week was collard greens, grapes, mango and lime juice (sounds a bit odd, tasted great). Glad you are planning your next jaunt.
OMG! i squealed in delight when i saw you did a portrait of vanessa bell! Thank you so much for sharing yesterday’s video. I watched it many times and also led me to watch other videos of the Bloomsbury group, Charleston, etc. I recalled i saw the interior a few months ago in a Period Living magazine. I have been looking for my copy of it. I know it is somewhere. And i actually started a few paintings of the place in my sketchbook. It’s just so inspiring. AND that fruitbowl is so deliciously painted. I can see the spontaneous movement of your brush strokes from the awesome lines. I love it! Your sketches are inspiring. Thanks!
Perhaps you’re familiar with simplegreensmoothies.com
I think you might enjoy it.
Ann Dettmer