AT LAST, FINISHED!

One of my favorite images taken by Katherine when we were visiting the Quechua children at their school in the high altitudes of Peru has been waiting patiently at my easel.

I absolutely love the faces and close gathering of the children which makes for a delightful composition. They are such sweeties! The textile colors of their clothing adds pizzazz.

The medium is water-based oil paint on a 20" X 16" canvas.

Quechua Children
Joanne Osband

Sunday Sketches

Always a Merlyn fan, recently I have been re-reading books about him and King Arthur. Mary Stewart has a trilogy of the Arthurian Legends, and T.H. White wrote The Once and Future King with an unpublished conclusion, The Book of Merlyn. This last book has become my favorite with the fabulous illustrations by Trevor Stubley and the analogies of man and animal especially when Merlyn turns Arthur into an ant and a goose.

I admit to taking Trevor's illustration of Merlyn and Archimedes (his owl) and adding color and my spin to the characters.

First Art Class

Yesterday I visited an art class for two year olds at Gymboree in the Bellevue Mall, Washington.

Can you believe the class lasted an hour!?


My grandson, Haeden, will be two next month. I have shared his artistic experience finger painting, but this was his FIRST art class.

There were five children in Haeden's class. The first project was painting and he eagerly engaged. Look at the joy on his face!



Keeping an eye on what else is going on.....


Haeden started moving around the room painting with others. As he traveled with paint brush in hand, many of the adults moved away in defense of getting painted.


Next project was chalk on black paper. After a few scribbles, with hands full of chalk, Haeden started running laps around the room while the others were seriously creating chalk masterpieces. Haeden decided to find out what was in the cabinets. He helped himself to musical instruments and danced to the music that was playing.

Story time was next. The children were asked to sit on rugs to listen. Haeden, on the other hand, had to help turn pages and be up close and personal with the teacher. When she asked what sounds the animals made he was very animated. But the best part was when she asked what sound the pig makes. Well, my son has taught Haeden to snort. Of course, this made everyone laugh and Haeden continued to snort throughout the reading of the book.

More art! Tin foil, crayons, and paper were provided for each child. Haeden took off with the tin foil. Then, with crayons in each hand he ran laps around the room. He did stop when the teacher provided foam brayers and paint. This kept his attention for a little while. Last came the play dough. Haeden enjoyed squishing this through his fingers and was not satisfied with a small amount. He dumped the entire bucket and played.

Needless to say, I was exhausted keeping up with his enthusiasm and curiosity. He truly exhibits the joy of life.

I did recommend to Mom that he might enjoy the music class which would give him more physical self-expression. Haeden and I will continue to create art together.

Sunday Sketches

Getting excited to see color and spring flowers after the doldrums of winter!

I am intrigued by the unique looking Hellebore flowers. They come in various colors of purple, pink, green and also white. They are a wonderful delight this time of year and bloom for a long time. They have been a subject matter of several of my paintings and sketches.



Visit other artists........Sunday Sketchers

Spring Teasing

It is so exciting to see the green tops of the spring bulbs protruding from the earth. A sure sign of spring coming.

Surprisingly, other spring signs include flowers blooming NOW! Some of the previously planted primroses have been developing leaves, buds, and flowers from rather dead looking plants. A subject of last week's Sunday Sketch.

The unusual looking Hellebore are blooming. I sketched and painted one of these flowers today which I will post for tomorrow's Sunday Sketches.



Did you know that there is a outdoor hearty version of the favorite indoor cyclamen? I planted these last year and they made it through the winter. They are a delightful addition to the early spring flowers which are such a joy after the doldrums of winter.

Check out these tiny gems:

Sunday Sketches

THE RETURN OF THE PRIMROSE!

I get sooo excited when those dead looking primroses of winter start to bud and grow green leaves. It is a miracle!

I also like the shapes of the leaves and the contrast of the dead brown color to the new green and bloom. I found this one growing out from the hole in the pot which use to hang.

2012 Mandala

Mandala, a sacred circle, creations have been a discipline of mine to connect with myself. I began these way back when I was in a masters program in art therapy and learned that Carl Jung began this method of self-discovery.

What I really enjoy is the freedom and meditative state which occurs when creating mandalas. I guess the process is most important to me regardless of the product. Process versus product is the continual tension of art therapy theory.

After several inquiries about mandala paintings on my website, I realized that I had abandon this practice. Why?

Why not! Even though I sat down to create a mandala in December, it has sat uncompleted at my drawing table until today. Being in an introspective couple of months, I was open to what transpired in the process of creativity. I know frogs represent cleansing, but I am still wondering about the meaning emanating from this creation.

Frog, kaleidoscope, rocks, grounding..........hmmmmm?

Amazing Photo

The Pacific Northwest can dazzle the eye at times.

Here is KING 5 Weather's amazing photo of Mt. Rainier at sunset with two bonnets.

These kind of clouds foretell the coming of inclement weather. They are also known as lenticulears.

I think they look like spaceships ;)

Sunday Sketches

I do not know about the Ground Hog, but yesterday was spring-like here in Washington.

After pruning my fruit trees, I was sitting in the sunshine having lunch when I thought about doing my weekly sketch. Why go inside? Instead, I continued to enjoy the sunshine while creating.

This is a fabulous driftwood log I come across when I take a walk along the inlet near Burfoot Park in Olympia. I love its grace....



The Olympic Mountains are in the background.

Another stellar day outside today :)

Dog Art

The William Second Gallery in New York City offers an exhibition and sale of more than 150 dog and animal-related works of art from Dodge's personal collection.

February 11 through March 24th

Portrait of Geraldine Rockefeller in 1906
by Friedrich von Kaulbach
Dodge Room in the Morris Museum
Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge came from a life of incredible wealth, but what is not as well known is that she lived her days immersed in the company of dogs.

She founded the prestigious Morris and Essex Kennel Club, wrote books that helped establish the English Cocker, Spaniel, and German Shepherd Dog in the U.S., bred and owned some of the most influential show dogs of her day, and was the first woman to judge Best in Show at Westminster without the input of male colleagues.

"An Artistic Legacy: The Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge Collection" includes 19th century paintings; bronzes; silver dog show trophies; and over 40 watercolors of Dodge's dogs by British artist R. Ward Binks; other dog artists work include those of the late George Earl, Gustav Muss-Arnolt, and Percival Rosseau.

Proceeds benefit St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in Madison, New Jersey, which Dodge founded in 1939.

The Making of an Artist

Yes, Haeden is advancing in his art training.

From fingerpaints to WINDOW CRAYONS!