Category Archives: drawing and painting outdoors

Cape Cod Art and Nature Outdoor Classes: Summer Summary

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Sure, the summer was hot, humid, and still incredibly dry here on Cape Cod. Twice I cancelled class because of predicted rain that never materialized. Mostly, however? This summer was amazing. We went to locations all over the Cape on Thursday mornings and sketched and watercolored enough memories to help get us through the cold months ahead.

We begain in early June at one of my favorite outdoor places to paint, the Shirley Cross Wildflower Garden and grounds of the Green Briar Nature Center in East Sandwich. We were serenaded by birds, watched by painted turtles and rabbits, and surrounded by beauty everywhere we turned.

The Stony Brook Herring Run and Grist Mill in Brewster is always a wonderful location. The birds were amazing–herons and egrets in feeding frenzies down in the creek with ospreys calling overhead as the baby herring headed back toward the sea. There are so many lovely vistas and subjects to draw and paint that we could return there again and again.

The next class was held at Frances Crane Wildlife Refuge off Rt. 151 in Falmouth (Hatchville). Always a wonderful place for colorful wildflowers and butterflies and on this day, model airplanes being flown by the local club.

Work by Michelle Law

A private garden tucked away in historic Sandwich Village is always one of our favorite spots and it didn’t disappoint this summer. In fact, the gardens seemed even more beautiful this year.

Popponesset Marketplace in Mashpee seemed like a fun spot to try out. There were lots of architectural elements and some fun people watching and sketching, too.

Bismore Park at Hyannis Harbor is another picturesque spot that is easily accessible and fun to visit.

The green in YarmouthPort where the Gorey House is located was a new one for us this year and although rain was predicted it waited– just until we had finished.

Our plan to visit Bourne Farm was quashed when we got there and found it closed for a special event but the lovely director there pointed us to a nearby cranberry bog which turned out to be a lovely location.

The grounds of the Aptucxet Museum and Trading Post in Bourne have turned out to be among our regular places to go since it offers multiple subjects and views. This summer most students chose to paint by the Cape Cod Canal where there was a breeze.

Last week we went to Wellfleet Harbor where we stayed for lunch and an ice cream from Mac’s on the Pier and a visit to the Frying Pan Gallery. It’s another great location with many options to paint.

This week is our last and we will meet at Spohr Gardens in Falmouth to close out the season.

After that we will have 3 all day trips–to Provincetown, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard.

Thanks to all who attended my outdoor classes. We had crowds of 14 and intimate groups of 2 and 3. These classes have been my favorites every year ever since I began them back in the 80s.

If you are interested in learning more, please email me at capecodartandnature at gmail.com to be added to my email list.

Cape Cod Spring Sketchbook

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Wow! It’s been awhile since I wrote a blog post. I’m busy on Facebook and Instagram (just search for Cape Cod Art and Nature) these days but would like to get back to posting here as well.

It’s been an interesting spring so far. Spring, you say? What spring? It’s been a non spring, actually! One of my recent columns talks about this and you can read it here.

I’ve joined a #100dayproject challenge this year and have been updating my sketchbook daily. I’ve always kept a sketchbook journal but it hasn’t really been daily, except in small spurts. I try to draw on location out in the field but to be honest, it’s been too cold to paint out there. I add the color with watercolor in my studio. On rainy days I’ve used things like shells and feathers from my collections.

On one rainy and blustery day I sat in a beach parking lot and drew these flirting laughing gulls.
Lichens are always interesting and challenging to draw. I often add notes, thoughts, questions to my pages. I also list the birds I see or hear. I’ll be offering an online nature journal class that will start in the next few weeks. No experience is necessary, just a willingness to get outside and observe. If you would like to be added to my email list please let me know at capecodartandnature@gmail.com For some reason wordpress doesn’t allow email links in posts so I apologize for the extra step. Just copy and paste in your email bar.

I’m heading off to a writer’s conference this weekend. And yes, I finished my middle grade novel for kids. I’m hoping to find an agent. More on the book soon. Until then, enjoy what could be spring weather this weekend!

Field sketching for birders

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This past weekend I was at Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary to teach an intensive two day Field School focusing on Field Sketching for Birders. I never know who will sign up for such a class or what their expectations will be so it is always a bit of a challenge setting up the schedule.

Drawing birds seems like a simple thing but it is actually quite challenging to get them right.

photo 2The weather forecast was for rain and cold wind for both days which made it difficult to work outside. The first day we worked indoors but we did manage to get out several times on Sunday.

In the classroom we began by drawing bird shapes from memory and then worked on drawing bird silhouettes, as correct shape and form is important for bird identification. The students had different goals and different levels of ability but this exercise went well for all.

photo 3We worked on drawings of bills and feet, bird anatomy and then from bird pictures in field guides before venturing out to the feeder area. Drawing live birds is quite a challenge but these folks were up to it! They worked very hard and although the birds were in constant motion the sketchers were able to pin down characteristic moves and postures.

photo 1At 7 a.m. on Sunday we headed out in a cold drizzle to see what we could see for birds with naturalist and birder, David Clapp. A great egret was a highlight as were several green winged teal in Goose Pond. The rain got heavier and we returned to the classroom where Melissa had prepared a wonderful hearty continental breakfast for us. Warm beverages were especially appreciated.

photo 4We drew from feathers and from the bird mounts in the WBWS collection. We returned to the feeders but also worked on bills and feet from the mounted hawks and songbirds on display in the exhibit area.

All this drawing was pretty intense and some people began to fade. Unless you’ve actually sat or stood and drawn something for almost 8 hours it is hard to describe the concentration and attention required and how tiring it can be. Also, drawing small moving targets can be frustrating. And yet, the students put on their brave faces and kept on drawing. I was impressed with their attitudes and their willingness to really work hard. Their drawings were impressive, even if some of them were frustrated by the results of their own labors. This is not easy stuff! They did great.

At one point one of the students mentioned she and her mother had seen a nest on the ground with a broken egg. She thought the nest was woven into the grass. I was curious and she took me out to see it. I photographed it as well as drew it and showed it to the bird experts when we returned to the building. After some discussion it was decided it was….

photo 5a woodcock nest! It had not survived a predator attack but it was still cool to see such a thing. I brought all the students out to see it and it made a nice little finish to the workshop.

My next field school session will be in July and will be Nature Sketching for Scaredy Cats.

 

 

 

 

Get out your sketchbooks!

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Do you like to draw, sketch or doodle but somehow you never find the time? Join me and some of my students in a Spring and Summer Sketchbook Challenge, just for fun!

002All you have to do is get yourself a sketchbook and your favorite drawing tool–pencil, pen, colored pencils, whatever.

044And then, get outside or sit inside or go to a coffee shop or wherever–but draw! Daily, weekly, it doesn’t matter. Just do it!

Add notes, snippets of prose, lists of birds, bugs or plants….anything you want.

Send me a message to join the loose group we’ve formed so you can get email prompts each week or just go it on your own.

Have fun!

Kids love to draw and be outside….

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I know this is true…

This little girl was jumping up and down, pulling her friend’s hair and screaming really loudly just before she sat down to draw….she sat like this for over half an hour filling page after page with pictures of leaves, flowers, birds and bugs…. Continue reading →

Time to get outdoors….

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You know by now that I try to spend as much time outdoors as possible. I draw and paint outdoors almost every day though the recent spell of rainy weather hasn’t been too good for outside painting. Even so I can take cuttings of branches and flowers from the yard and paint from those.

Many people are afraid to draw or paint, indoors or outdoors, mostly because they are afraid they don’t know how. Wouldn’t the world be a nicer place if everyone could just have fun with their creativity and not judge the results so much? Anyway, I encourage you to take a notebook or sketchbook outside this summer and have a little fun with some pencils, colored pencils, paints, whatever. Never mind what it looks like. Enjoy the process.

Hang out with a friend while you paint. It’s a different way to spend time together and many people, no matter what their ability level is, find this to be very relaxing.

Bring a kid along. Kids love to draw and paint and you don’t need anything fancy. Use a sketchbook or just clip some blank copy paper to a clipboard that makes it easy to walk around and find cool stuff to draw because you have your “table” with you.

If you feel uncomfortable going out by yourself, check out my summer schedule. Beginners are always welcome and the full schedule is on my Cape Cod Art and Nature website.