Here’s a really nice display of New Hampshire themes at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord, New Hampshire, the state capital. My book Colorful Journey is right in the center of the photo, behind the two cups. Gibson’s is a really fine independent bookstore, and large too. I just happened upon the display as I went in after two months away.
Here is where the ‘away’ was, Edmonton, Alberta, in western Canada. Where our adorable four grandchildren live, with their parents.
Anyway, back to art. I set off to the pop up garden centre (British/Canadian spelling) in the parking lot at Super Store with my sketch pad and the goal of five drawings. Picking a number of drawings to do is a way I motivate myself. In the rest of my life, I am definitely not a number oriented person.
Here is a row of lettuce growing in pots. Just after I finished the pencil sketch, they were moved to a less windy location.
Rows of objects is one of my recurring motifs. It is a theme and variation theme.
More rows of flowers in flats for sale for eager gardeners in Edmonton. Mind you, they are not safe from frost yet, but the tender annuals are for sale anyway. Buyer beware.
But they were fun to draw and color and reminded me of Holland, in a miniature sort of way.
More rows, and lineups of pots too.
Who does not love a topiary? And one made of lavender. Think of the people who have been growing, caring, and pruning these plants for how long.
See how easy it was to find inspiration at the pop up garden centre?
OK, this is a line up of only two objects, also closely resembling one another. Our two year old grandson’s suede shoes. Shoes are very evocative. Vincent Van Gogh painted muddy field boots. Actually, I drew these shoes right after scraping mud off of them.
The tangle of bright laces was so much fun to draw. Once you take the time to look carefully at something, you can never unsee it.
And what could this be? A rocket ship from a very colorful alien planet? No, it’s a plastic slide for a two year old who calls it his ‘whee’. It is all interlocking pieces. He rolls a ball down it, he slides down it, and he loves to hide underneath it.
One more bit of color. Our daughter’s front garden greets us. How we waited this year for the tulips to open.
