A New 'Master Naturalist' - Sketching and Painting

High Tide Spring (available here) - based on a watercolor sketch at the Connecticut River

This year has been so exciting so far, and we're almost 2/3 of the way through!  And there's still more exciting things yet to come! 

Perhaps you can join me at the next "Nature Sketchbook Journaling" class at the CT Audubon center in Pomfret, CT. 

  

August 20th - Saturday - 9am to noon

$5 for CAS members, $10 non-members

This fee goes to support the center!

After completing the Master Naturalist class with the CT Audubon in Spring, I've been able to expand my role from simply 'nature lover' to one who shares with my community.  Currently my  role as master naturalist is to continue learning everything I can about our natural world here in Connecticut, and share/teach this to others in the form of sketchbook journaling. 

 I grew up in Florida, and always loved being outdoors.  From a lifetime of learning in the south, I felt I knew and was familiar with all of that region's 'flora and fauna' but knew little of my adopted home state here in Connecticut.  So I jumped at the opportunity to learn through the Master Naturalist program at the CT Audubon Society center in Pomfret, CT.  

As a painter and a naturalist, in a time when so many are dis-enchanted with our world and things that are going on...I wanted to help people become "enchanted" by our natural surroundings and help them develop a love and appreciation for it... perhaps helping them to see things in a new way.  When people see beauty (and learn to see it in places where they might not expect it), they are more likely to love and protect that place or thing. 

I spent the winter and spring in the weekly course sessions held at the CT Audubon center in Pomfret.  Like "drinking out of the fire hydrant" - there is so much material to cover! It made me realize how long it would take for me to feel truly competent!  Luckily, learning is a lifelong endeavor that we commit to.  Each class was fascinating and amazing.  I'd come home smiling those days, feeling like a happy 10 year old Girl Scout!  The teachers were excellent - I had found an entirely new appreciation of my surroundings - the courses had exceeded my expectations!

 Each of the new master naturalists is asked to give back 40 hours of volunteer time.  I am thrilled to be able to share and teach "nature sketchbook journaling".  As a painter, I love the look and feel of paint and ink on paper.  But as a life-long nature lover, I especially enjoy going back through old sketchbooks.  I can see what was blooming on a certain date the previous year, remember funny incidents like the antics of a chipmunk.  This little creature chased a group of sparrows all around a garden bench...while they continued to taunt him!  These painted sketches bring back so many more wonderful memories than most photographs ever do!

Sketching has a meditative quality to it, and sketching from life - out in nature - allows you to see things you would NEVER notice if you were just hiking through.  Time seems to stand still, while you observe things like a dragonfly trying to lift off the ground with a small crab he has captured; or a hummingbird that is hovering over your page as you paint red flowers! Nature is enchanted indeed. It cares not of our skill in drawing or painting, only that we witness it, and fall in love with it - and preserve and protect it!

 I'd love for you to join us in Pomfret on the 20th; call and reserve your spot

CT Audubon Society- 860-928-4948

and be prepared to be enchanted! 

Nature Sketchbook Journaling class -CT Audubon Society

 Join me this Saturday, July 23rd

9:00am 'til noon

at the CT Audubon Society

Grassland Bird Conservation Center

218 Day Road

Pomfret, CT

 for 

Nature Sketchbook Journaling! 

Cost - $5 CAS members, $10 non-members

This is my "give back to community" class, all proceeds go to the CT Audubon Society right there in Pomfret, CT.  It looks like it may be a 'hot one' outside on Saturday. No worries, if it does indeed turn out to be a scorcher, we'll stay inside in the BIG room (in the air-conditioning) and I'll show you how to make a gridded page of "found objects in nature".   

You'll spend time sketching and painting from nature/objects from nature, using pencil, pen and watercolor.  Learn new skills or develop ones you already have. I'll show you how to simplify what you see and teach basic drawing and quick intuitive watercolor techniques.  Enhance your creativity, observe nature, record the day and enjoy the meditative qualities of sketching! 

Materials you'll need to bring:

-pencil, eraser

-permanent, waterproof, black drawing pen (Faber-Castell PITT artist pens, or Pigma Micron pens are good brands) Sharpies tend to bleed through most papers

-watercolors (a travel size or kid's set)

-watercolor brush (you'll want to start with at least 1, choose anything between a size 6 to 10)

-watercolor sketchbook/journal (regular will buckle, make sure it says "watercolor or multi-media" on the label)

-water bottle

-small plastic container for rinsing

-camp chair or stool to sit on outside (if we end up outside!)

-sunscreen, bugspray, a hat with a brim/visor

 The center is in a beautiful, rural part of CT, with inspiring views. Even if we work inside (if it turns out to be hot and muggy), our room has a big spread of windows on 2 sides- great light and views. 

***You may want to bring some 'found objects' of your own, flower heads, seed pods, pine cones, abandoned bird nests, interesting twigs, shells, feathers, leaf stems. There's lots of fun ways to design a page with these little treasures of nature!

Hope to see you on Saturday!!

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Garden Sketches - Roses, Lavender, Peonies; all the favorites!

My favorite time of year here in New England - summer, glorious summer! This climbing rose is the most fragrant thing, right by our front door! The little nest had been abandoned, and built within the canes of the rose, mid-way up the pillar! Isn't that a romantic little home? Except for it being in a rather busy spot...and later being blown out by a storm! Now, as for the sketchbook itself, it's made by Nujabi, from India, and is a very soft beautiful handmade paper with a deckled edge. It used to be my favorite paper. But I've found one that I like much, much more! (which I'll talk about in a later post). I've been enjoying using a Lamy Joy fountain pen to draw with, and use a variety of watercolors (Winsor Newton, Daniel Smith, M. Graham). In some areas with finer detail I use a Pitt permanent pen.

The front garden is so inviting! I love being in this area! The fragrances are wonderful, and when one plant goes out of bloom, another is just coming into bloom! The peonies have just gone by, the roses are still hanging in there, and the lavender is just bursting open! Oh the color and fragrance!

We have 2 different varieties of peonies, one is pink and the other white (but do I remember the names?, no, that's what I depend on my garden guru hubby to do for me!...I remember the fragrance and color!).  The white variety in the front garden is heavenly! 

 Just a nice spot to sit for a short while...not to linger very long. But it certainly is inviting to come home to!

The pale pink rose is along the fence, it took a hit from a winter thaw followed by a snow storm. During the thaw, it was just long enough for things to start budding. Froze back most of my hydrangeas, too. The darker pink rose is wonderfully fragrant, and a lovely climber. We've trained it up the pillar on the front porch. 

 One of my lavender varieties, the darker purple Hidcoate is beautiful! I just love the color! It's shorter in height than the lavender grosso variety we are also growing, but the fabulous color certainly makes up for that! What are your favorite garden plants? I have to admit - our gardens have turned out to be so satisfying! The work never ends, but the results are so delightful!

Bringing Home All The Fun!

Join me in Ireland this September, on a sketchbook tour! I'll teach you watercolor sketching techniques & you'll be bringing home fantastic memories & new skills. #art #travel #Ireland #sketchbook #watercolour

A video posted by Roxanne Steed (@roxannesteed) on Feb 18, 2016 at 8:08am PST

I've been enjoying a bit of fun on Instagram (just look for roxannesteed on there. I had never tried taking those little video shorts - oh my goodness, now that is a cute little blast of fun.  Hoping to share it here with you. Just working on some sketches, planning our trip to Ireland this September 11th through the 18th.  For specific details of our trip, you'll want to check out this link.  

Can a place be exciting, mysterious, beautiful, charming, restorative, and intriguing? Well, it is all of these things on Valentia Island and the surrounding areas that we go painting and exploring. I've been back many times now, I'm starting to feel like a local. Our host Barbara Mastaglio lives there part of the year, and takes us places that "the regular tourists" don't get to see or experience.  I do hope you'll join us. For all levels of sketching experience- I'll teach you techniques to use, and you'll be bringing home all the fun - memories you'll treasure forever. 

Cinderella Pumpkins - Watercolor Sketchbook

I've got to admit, I love working on this particular watercolor paper in this particular sketchbook. It's handmade paper, from India, a Nujabi watercolor sketchbook...and suddenly they are becoming very difficult to find. I've got a couple on back-order, that I hope will actually come in. They are such a delight, nothing quite like them. A paper that is sturdy, yet flexable, gorgeous deckled edges, and it just drinks the color off your brush, 'just so'.  Of course finding things you love is like anything else, one man's passion is another's poison! Here's the two pages close up!

 This variety of pumpkin we planted from seed in our front yard. They are truly shaped like Cinderella's coach! Just big and beautiful! These sketches were done over a week ago, but are particularly meaningful today, as the last pumpkin from the vine is cut and on our front porch! Yesterday we pulled up all the vines in that part of the yard...for today's project. Visit tomorrow's post for the news- what's going in the garden!