Nestled in to Autumn - October 29, 2009

"Take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash."

– George S. Patton

Nestled in to Autumn

4.5" x 7" Watercolor

I painted this little watercolor from one of my photos, taken on my recent trip to Idaho. It just didn't look finished to me. There was no real depth. After reading Leslie White's blog last Friday, I was inspired by her technique of using colored pencil to bring more detail into a painting. So I tried it.

It worked better for Leslie. I kinda just made a mess of my little painting. Not being one to give up easily, I took an eraser to it, then played with watercolor on top of the colored pencil that remained. I used a bigger brush than I would normally use, so I wouldn't be as tempted to fuss too much.

I like it. It's still not a first class painting, but I was tickled with the possibilities. Who knows what the next step may be. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Thanks, Leslie!

About George S. Patton

George S. Patton, the American Army general who fought in both World Wars, received numerous awards during his 46 years of service, including the Purple Heart and the French Legion of Honor. He was born in 1885 in California and was descended from a long line of soldiers. He was an early advocate of armored warfare and led the U.S. Tank Corps in World War I. The 1970 movie Patton cemented his reputation as "Old Blood and Guts." He died in 1945 of injuries sustained in a car accident.

Autumn Jungle - October 2, 2009

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul." John Muir

Autumn Jungle
5" x 7" Watercolor

John Muir (1838-1914) was a Scottish-born naturalist, author, and early advocate of the preservation of wilderness. His essays and books were fresh with the spell of wilderness, particularly of the Sierra Nevada in California. Muir popularized the idea of nature as healer. Yosemite and Sequoia National Park, the Sierra Club and the modern environmental movement, are direct results of his gentle insight.

With the influence of a rigid, biblically-minded father, Muir, by age 11, could recite most of the bible by heart. Words and turn-of-phrase did him well, and while he escaped orthodox beliefs with little apology, he wrote well and often of a universal view of the power of deity through attention to nature.