My first entry into a Juried Show

 Feb, 2024

Vail, AZ

Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild (SAWG) Fiesta Sonora Show

Last December's Holiday Show marked the first time I had ever entered a show, and the first time I sold a painting; the Fiesta Sonora Show is the first time I've had a painting juried into a show! 

I had been watching the slow death of a barrel cactus in my front yard and was caught by all the different textures and colors that came and went as it decayed.  This painting was an attempt to capture that.

Desert Elder
Watercolor and Ink

Travel sketch journaling - even if you can't draw!

After watching me sketch at various RVing Women Camping Rallies, I was approached to do a quick workshop on how to keep a travel sketch journal. I was thrilled to be able to do this - not in small part because I got to shop for art supplies - always a fun thing.

I had a never used set of KOI watercolor tube paints in a split complementary palette with a few convenience colors that I could donate to the workshop.  I decided to copy my everyday sketching setup: a small 3.5 x 5.5" soft cover sketchbook, pencil, fine tip pen, a waterbrush, a 'dot' card of basic colors, and some miscellaneous supplies, all packed into a re-sealable sandwich bag.  So much to put together and the class was really fun too!

Dot Cards

I used 5x7 watercolor cards for the dot cards.  I painted one half with white acrylic so that it could be used as a paint mixing area.

Completed Kit

Compact and ready to go sketching!