Bee Season

First bee of the season. What it collects honey from at this time in Iowa I fear I don't know.

I wonder how intense bee-keeping is? Maybe I'd do better just sticking to planting and caring for pesticide free gardens filled with flowers they like.

Rest Stop

Working, working, working...

At this point in a book project, I think I've arrived at my own personal  Death Zone in that Climbing the Illustrative Everest analogy. The enthusiasm is all there, but mind and body are beginning to weary. Hallucinations must be close.

For a break (and to work out some technical printing issues I'm having), I worked on a composition from last year, a little piece inspired by a rest area we stopped at outside of McMinville, Oregon. The Douglas Fir towered above me and my fellow travelers (I didn't exaggerate the human scale here!). Taking a stretch under the dappled summer light offered complete restoration before continuing our journeys, back into Subarus and CRVs.

Haven't had time to color it, but thought it might be interesting for you to see what value does in between all those tree trunks, before and after I add color and shadow. It looks chaotic now, but there is a pattern in there! I'll post the color work when I finish.

Rest. Stop. Go.

Of restoration and uncertain harvest

Just had a week in the Pacific Northwest, a nice break from work and snow. All the spring flowers were out there and I long to draw and scratch some, but the book is beckoning to be finished.

The mudslide in Snohomish county, WA (about 45 minutes north of Seattle) has me grieving for the community. Washingtonians are made from tough stuff; keeping up on the news of recovery has me daily inspired. The clean-up is grim though; indeed, they have uncertain harvest in their future. One victim described the devastated area as not even a junkyard, but more like a landfill.

This morning, I pause to hear the hope of spring in our birds and send strength to those in the search efforts.


Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today;

And give us not to think so far away

As the uncertain harvest; keep us here

All simply in the springing of the year.



—Robert Frost, excerpt from "A Prayer in Spring"

Wild cherry, Oregon grape, rhododendron,
taken on the University of Washington's campus

Spring preview at Urbanity

I'll have a few new spring things at Urbanity in Iowa City this Friday, March 7, on the gallery walk. Birdies on twiggy wreaths, framed robin art, cards and prints. Join us between 5pm to 8pm! Friends Tom Langdon (photography), Kay Irelan (painting), and Kathy Hayslett (jewelry) will have new work as well.

Urbanity, for those not local is located at 511 Iowa Avenue, Iowa City, Iowa; the Midwest; United States; North America, Western Hemisphere; Earth; The Milky Way Solar System; The Universe!

(I think I may have liked "Gravity" too much!)