My latest work

I have just completed a new watercolor/graphite work, "Nasturtium and Magicicada, 2007". I have tried in the past to combine watercolor and graphite in a botanical, and have not been satisfied with the result. I have seen this done successfully by other artists, but when I tried it, it was hard to incorporate the pencil into the painting. Now, I'm happy with the final product. Here it is:

Second Place in Painting!

Though the weather was hot and sales were off, I was delighted to receive the second place award in the painting division at the Hinsdale Art Festival last weekend. My booth location was shady but overall, the heat and humidity were not conducive to buying much artwork, at least in my case. I do plan to return next year to give it another try. Here's something new: I have been asked to give a demo on drawing pet portraits at an art league in the area. This is a good opportunity to go in a new direction- teaching art to other artists. I have learned a lot this way, in informal groups. More on this in the future.

magicicadas

This is in the wrong order, but this one is fully mature.

This is how a cicada looks after emerging from its shell, but before it's fully mature.
A cicada and its shed exoskeleton.

In the process of becoming an adult.

I'm now able to upload photos, so here are some pictures I took of the 17-year cicadas in various stages of growth. They are now nearing the end of their life cycles, but are as noisy as ever, though many of the dead ones are littering the ground. Though they can be annoying they are a remarkable phenomenon and it's kind of difficult to think of what may be happening in the world 17 years from now.

No More EZ-Up

The TrimLine Canopy has been assembled and is ready to go for the next outdoor show. It has been withstanding rainstorms and high winds for 2 weeks with no collapse or rooftop accumulation. Every piece has been labeled and color-coded with a Sharpie, but it will probably not be a smooth setup right away. It's heavy and expensive, but if it allows me to not panic every time it rains a few drops, it's a good thing. Anyone want a used EZ-Up?