Leah & Scott’s Wedding
June 11th, 2011
April 6, 2011
Jen & Jess, best friends
Well, I’ve been at it a couple of weeks but I finally managed to complete another pastel portrait - double-portrait, actually. And while I was working on it I actually got the tax return finished and filed :) Here is Jen with her beloved friend, Jess.

Jen & Jess, best friends
While working on this picture I learned something new. (more…)
March 16, 2011
The Hunter Portrait
It would be really great if I could complete one portrait a week! Here is Hunter. I can see I still have a lot to learn, but his grandma liked it

Hoping for better skin tones next time. I loved his cheeky smile - which was even broader than it looks here.
March 3, 2011
Giving up on Graphite
Adventures in Human Portraiture
Oh, no. People don’t have fur on their faces! - and I’m used to doing pet portraits . However, I am just not happy with my shading in graphite. I’m going back to trying people in pastel. My friend Lizzie was kind enough to sit for some photographs I could use as models.

My friend Lizzie
I realize my skin tones need work but I really do think this looks like Lizzie. The photograph I used as a model is below.

Lizzie's photograph
Last year I bought a set of Sennelier pastels (very soft) for portraits so I should have all the colors I need. I guess I just have to keep practicing.
In all honesty, I should post my first attempt… Here is a picture I did of my granddaughter, Emily. The photograph I used apprears below the pastel.


Emily's photograph. Isn't she a cutie??
November 29, 2010
Baldwinsville Rotary - Charter Night 2010
And a great time was had by all!!

Pictures of everyone who attended! click on the “more” tag: (more…)
Rotary Gives Dictionaries to Every 3rd Grader in Baldwinsville, NY
A large group of Rotarians showed up to distribute dictionaries at the Reynolds school this year, Nov 2010.

Reynolds' Third Graders
Here’s Jacquie Olmsted giving an introduction (more…)
October 14, 2010
Rutabaga Apple Soup -a delightful harvest treat
I saw this prepared on the PBS Series: Chefs A’Field. This soup was created by Chef Patrick O’Connell. I was hoping to link the recipe to Facebook but had no luck so here it is:
(Not only do we make it every Fall, but now our friends are asking for it every year. It is really wonderful!!)
Ingredients:
1 stick (1/4) butter
1 cup onion, roughly chopped
1 cup Granny Smith Apple, peeled, seeded, cored and roughly chopped
1 cup rutabaga, peeled and roughtly chopped
1 cup butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped.
1 cup carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
1 quart good chicken stock
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup maple syrup salt and a little cayenne pepper
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, apple, rutabaga, squash, carrots and sweet potato. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent.
Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until all the vegetables are cooked through and tender.
Mash all the soup/vegetables with a potato masher until all the chunck are very small. Add the cream, maple syrup, salt & pepper.
We like it with hot biscuits.
September 29, 2010
People Portraits Update, 2010
I just wanted to add a couple of portraits to the Blog.
The latest one is of Jaimilee and I just finished it last week. I think if I just keep practicing I’ll be able to, eventually, really nail them.
Here’s Jaimilee:

And here is Jaimilee with the photograph that I used for a model: (more…)
February 26, 2010
Practicing Human Portraits…and the latest pet portraits
I’m not sure how I found the time because I’m usually so busy in the Fall, but I managed to try a few more people portraits. The first one I worked on was another Kaya picture, using a photograph taken by my daughter-in-law Joanna, as a model. It was strongly backlit but I just tried to draw what I saw. I decided to use pencil because I believed that I had more control using graphite, knowing I could use an eraser….

The final Kaya Portrait, in graphite
I was really pleased with the way this came out but…. (more…)
October 19, 2009
Foliage in Greater Baldwinsville 2009
I often spend Sunday afternoons with my knitting, watching old movies, and totally vegging. Yesterday was so-o beautiful that I just had to go out and get some new foliage pictures. My friend, Rebecca Jensen was kind enough to drive me around, patiently stopping for every photo opportunity. Here are just a few of the beautiful sights we saw between B’ville and Oswego.

The canal and Lock 24 have not closed for the season yet but traffic has certainly slowed for the second busiest lock in the New York State Canal System
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