a poem

The Peony

bush rises from the bare ground with its shiny green leaves

and sends up long slender stems with small fists.

Too frail for their growing burden, they arch over,

bending and bending until they touch the ground.

I rescue a few to bring inside, caress the pale pink,

silky, soft petals, blow off the ants,

their dark attendants working tirelessly,

and put them in water.

In the garden the rain beats them down- a tragedy,

white swan feathers lie about muddied on the ground,

not like the sturdy daisies, not at all.  

Every spring, they arrive with no thorns, no defenses.

I hold one tenderly to my cheek.

Peonies don’t count their petals,

they are lavish and pure like love.

They are rich without regard to money.

They just need someone to hold their necks.

sketching fredericksburg

I'm trying to get out for a little sketching every day that I go into the studio in downtown Fredericksburg.  I have a folding chair in my trunk, I grab it and my sketching kit and go walking, looking for a shady spot with a good view.  There are so many great houses here, it is fun to sit and study them.  Many of them like this one just above have metal roofs with ridges and little gadgets to keep the snow from sliding off in big sheets.  I am still experimenting with my tools.  This one was done with a micron pen, a brush pen with water soluble ink and a water brush pen to create the shading. 

artist talk

Everyone is welcome! I am doing an artist talk for my show at Westminster Canterbury Richmond. There will also be a reception afterward.  The talk is at 4 pm, tomorrow, May 11th. 1600 Westbrook Ave., Richmond, VA 23227.  If you can't make the show come by and see it later- it will be up through the end of June.  

new work

                                                                             12x24

another painting inspired by my trip a year ago to Skagit Valley, Washington State