April Sketch In

Carol Sloan here.

Today was the Greenville Sketch In.

We met at Coffee To A Tea (great coffee and food!), then walked down this beautiful "path" to Falls Park.

I didn't get everyone in the photo (sorry) but wanted to show you how beautiful the walk down to the park really is.
There are so many gorgeous places to sit and sketch that many had trouble making their minds up on where to go.
I wanted to walk a little farther in to the park to see the waterfalls after the rain this weekend.
Here's a bit of the Reedy River under the falls.

Here's a shot that includes the falls and the suspended bridge.

The water was rushing over but no kayaks this year!

I walked around to this spot with a new friend, Jeanette, to draw a while.

We found this bench in the shade with a patch of Japanese Iris close by.

Bingo!

 I took a close up so that I could work on a few details (if I choose to) when I get home.
I'm not too sure that I want to go any farther with the sketch but I have that option, right?

Here is Jeannette working on her sketch of this foliage embedded into the rock wall.

 Here's my quick sketch of the Iris. I pulled out my travel watercolors to add some color to the sketch.

I'm drawing on individual sheets so that I can add them into a handmade book  later.

I added a little bit of color, a few small details and dots.

I'm reserving my option to "do" anything with this one...

 I hope that you will join us on our next Sketch In. It will be April 16. Susan and I will post the details of where to meet.

If any of you have suggestions, please let us know! This is for everyone that wants to participate. Let's go to as many different places as we can.

New work and a special Sketch In

I've been working on a new project for a (secret) upcoming book.

I am SO excited about this project!

I can't share anything right now

but I will give you a tiny peek of it!

 I really love using natural elements in my work when I can.
Feathers, bones, body parts (!), dried flowers, Spanish moss, sticks and stones...
nothing is safe from me.
My friends bring me awesome "gifts" all the time - insects, wings, skeletons...
I'm always on the look out for usable & recyclable ,um, parts.

So, stay tuned for more on this project later this year!

Yesterday was our first (special) Sketch In away from town.

Karoline Shaffer (one of Greenville's 3D artists) suggested an awesome site -

Victoria Valley Vineyard in Cleveland SC (not too far from Greenville).

We had a great time - sketching, talking, watching, eating, sipping wine...

getting inspiration from every turn.

Check out the photos on our Facebook site.
Several people have uploaded a few.
I've got some to add - later this afternoon.
I'll leave you with a shot of Susan Sorrel.
We both had the same idea!

Urban Sketching

I did some sketching while staying in a hotel this week. The lobby had a couple of dried flower arrangements that I took a couple of artistic liberties with.
I also added lines for journaling later.

Remember that Susan Sorrell and I are hosting the first "Sketch-In" in Greenville SC this coming Monday, March 14.

Won't you join us for this fun event?

We'll be starting at the Brew & Ewe in downtown Greenville at 108 West Broad Street (Greenville SC 29601).
If it rains, we will reschedule to another day.

Bring your sketching supplies - paper or sketchbook, pencils and/or pens, watercolor paints and waterbrush.
We are planning on walking down to Falls Park and do some sketching.
This is going to be a lot of fun!

How Time Flies

I just can't believe that it's already March 6...
The month of February just flew by for me.

Did it for you?

This month finds me with a couple of deadlines - and I do well with deadlines.
I ignore them (well, I do think about them) until it's time to begin rushing around to greet them.
But as far as working with deadlines, they actually help me to get motivated.

One thing that I am working on is a submission for a new book that will be out later this year.
I am making a couple of projects for it and I am SO excited about it!
I can't tell you anything about it right now except it's going to be fantastic!

Another new thing is something that Susan Sorrell and I have joined together to do.
We are both artists in the "Sketchbook Challenge" project.
And we also live very close to each other.
Some of the other artists have started "Sketch-Ins" in their community.
Susan and I thought that we would do the same thing for the Greenville community!

So, we will be announcing a date soon for our first "Upstate SC Sketch-In".
This is going to be so much fun and it will be a great way to get together with folks that love to sketch.
It will be a no pressure approach to urban sketching.

Susan has started a blog - check it out.
There is even a facebook page for it.

So, keep your peepers open for details.

The details are here!

Meet us on March 14 at the Brew & You in downtown Greenville at 10:00.

And we hope that you will join us for the first ever Upstate SC Sketch-In!

Art Classes

Last week I had the most fun!
I helped Susan Sorrell teach art classes for Charter High School students.
They do not have a regular art program at the school,
so once a year local artists teach them a variety of really cool classes.

They really had a lot of choices in what class to take -

including belly dancing, wire work, stained glass and rock carving to name a few.

Susan and I taught them about hand embroidery, painting fabric, beading and doodle drawing.

They were all great kids -very polite and well mannered, as well as entertaining and funny.
I think I will teach a couple of classes next year.
That's one thing that we, as artists, as adults, need to do.
To share our knowledge with the next generation.
We have to keep our craft, our art alive by sharing it.

Holiday Coffee3s

This is where I went yesterday.


I spent several hours in the company of two wonderful, funny and artsy ladies -
Anne Taylor and Susan Sorrell.
I met some really cool folks too (waving to Bonnie) ("Hi Bonnie!").
I didn't get to go to any of the Coffee3s this year and
was determined to go to this one...
I love going into the Little House Art Studio. The walls
are all such bright colors and Susan has her art work displayed all over the house.
If you've ever seen her work, it's quite bright and colorful as well.


Annie has her own studio room where her gorgeous art photography is out.
She had some of the coolest tiles with not only photos transferred on them
but some of her own watercolors paintings as well.
What a very artistic use of the two mediums.
I loved them!
Susan is going to be offering a new class next year called
"Get Your Sh*t" Together" (GYST) .
Which I definitely need to do...
and I've heard a lot of other artists say the same thing.
Follow the link on the class name to see the info.
I think there are five sessions and each session is two classes -
All Day Classes!
Great price too!
I've signed up-
and I am just putting this out there right now.
I expect a lot of great things to be happening to me this coming year.
Not just personally, but related to my desire to teach, to sell my work,
to write -
to share my creativity with others...
I want to help other people find their own creative voice - it's there people...
You just gotta give it a little encouragement .
So.
There.
Universe - I'm ready.
I'm stepping up to that proverbial line -
and walking right past it...

Dancing In The Moonlight

I have wanted to begin doing more hand work in my fiber art.

After seeing Susan Sorrell's detailed work,

I started this piece.

I don't know if you can see the beading very well

but I have added quite a few beads already.

I have been doing free form embroidery as well.

And lovin' it!

What a Creative Chick

Saturday I had the immense pleasure of meeting Susan Sorrell...

You know, The Creative Chick from Greenville SC.

She had an Open House

with along with Anne Taylor,

an awesome photographer who is also from Greenville.

They share studio space in Taylors, SC.

You should go and see them...

beautiful, filling, inspiring work." Self Portrait" Susan Sorrell
"Hard-Favored Face" Susan Sorrell

"My Aching Head" Susan Sorrell

"Singing In The Rain" Susan Sorrell