2 things i really enjoyed in palm springs.
- working in my big black derwent sketchbook
- discovering andreas canyon
i was here last in the mid-90’s and it’a a blur, BUT i did remember the shaggy palms. like all great trees that cast spells on me – joshua trees, coast redwoods, sequoias, italian stone pines, my beloved quercuss agrifolas (coast live oak) in my front yard, monterrey pines, and many many more – these palms have personality.
they are big and friendly and want to be admired. i was only too happy to run my hands over their grassy skirts and study their textured trunks.
a thick ribbon of palms wind their way along the canyon bottom. there was a creek rumbling along when we were there. i imagine it is only active during winter and probably is created from snowmelt from the san jacinto mountains that tower above palm springs.
this area is a wonderland of desert beauty.
next time you’re out this way venture into the indian canyon parklands home to the agua caliente band of cahuilla indians. this is the easiest of half dozen or so hikes you can take through these lands. a very scenic path winds through the canyon past groves of washingtonia filifera – california fan palms.
some close-ups of the pages i showed in the last post.
i snapped this picture at the art retreat last weekend. pam’s bag crammed full of thangs and a few of my sketchbooks on the floor beside it.
home again home again jiggety jig.
if rudy giuliani had a younger blue-haired sister, my portrait of carol below could be her. just saying.
it’s taken me all week to paint these shells. 20 minutes here, 20 minutes there. like that.
i hope you’re shakin’ your groove thing, making big plans, taking lots of naps, rustling up some tasty meals, lost in a stack of new books, staring at the winter sky, dozing in front of a roaring fire. you’ll keep me posted.
xo
thanks again for a lovely visit with your art!
I love those palms, too. However, they are home to some very large nasty insects…like giant flying roaches for example. Love looking at your wonderful art – you are so inspiring. Thank you Mary Ann!
most everything good seems to be home to a few bad things. whaddayagonnadoooo? wish i had seen one of the giant flying roaches. i could have painted it!
What a wonderful adventure you all had! In our younger years, my husband and I would visit Palm Springs as often as possible, renting a condo from a friend. We always went during the summer (in those days, it was not at all crowded during that time of year) and my husband would lay out and bake for hours, with an occasional dip in the pool, while I stayed inside and worked on projects. We also went bicycling every morning, and since we were furnishing our first house, we then made the rounds of the consignment shops. Since hubby experienced skin cancer, he no longer wants to go to P.S.–can’t think of much he wants to do since he can’t lay out in the sun and swim. Revisiting this hike will be our excuse to go again, plus we love visiting Shields Date Farm and have a favorite restaurant in Rancho Mirage. Thanks for the continual inspiration!
how nice your former palm springs summers sound. maybe your DH would enjoy a winter visit and a nice hot soak in a jacuzzi every morn & night…?
Hot tube is a good idea–thank you!
I love all your photos and now I want a black sketchbook!!!
well they ARE awfully fun!
You just made my day! Love your photos and paintings as always, they are all spectacular!!
why thank you sharon dahling 👋
Those trees are huge and fantastic and make me think of a prehistoric land. They also make me want to cross the globe to see them! Thank you.
Loved seeing your sketchbooks again. Beautiful.
I don’t know anyone else (except you and me) who says “home again, home again, jiggety jig”.
Do children even learn nursery rhymes anymore?
Ok, I’m off to market, to market, to buy a fat pig ….
nursery rhymes are wonderful and play a starring role in the development of literacy. a decade ago when i taught 2nd grade some of us were still using them.
I’m doing ALL of those things that you mention! Love seeing all your pictures and reading about your adventures…and your cats too!!
oh i do wish i were doing all of those things each and every day. sigh. lucky lucky you! xo
Those palm trees are amazing! And hairy! And HUGE! Also, I must have that Derwent black sketchbook! Not yours, although that would be generous of you. Must buy my own😂. So glad you all had fun on your trip❤️
karen, carol my sister just found a stillman & birn black sketchbook! i didn’t know they existed. i do love this derwent though!
I am so ignorant about how to manage gouache. Do you fill your own pans and then reuse them once they’ve dried? I filled pans with the WN high end gouache but the paint shrunk down by about half and scared me off. Your pages look wonderful! I just finished reading Wild and those pics seem like they could be from that book!
hi christina i show i set up my gouache palette in my online class OH MY GOUACHE! – details in the footer of my blog. the short answer to your question is YES i fill my pans with gouache – the really good brands like schminke don’t shrink as much, but they all do.