Mussel shells

I found these mussel shells a year ago at the coast of northern California. Now, the mini-installation on the pages of my journal brings back a lot of precious memories. I close my eyes and see the dark blue waves crashing into the rocks. I recall spectacular headlands covered with wildflowers in bloom, secluded sandy beaches and miles of trails winding along the cliffs. A beautiful, idyllic place that is good for your mind, body and soul.

Bell pepper and artichoke

Whenever I find myself running out of good themes to paint, all I have to do is take a trip to the nearest grocery store. Inspiration comes from everywhere! Even something as simple as a vegetable aisle can provide a bunch of sketching ideas. This time my eyes were caught by the juicy bell peppers and ripe artichokes, so I brought them home and painted in my brand new W&N Cotman sketchbook.

Stonecrops

Did you know that stonecrop leaves are edible? Though I never tasted them, this fact made me thinking of all those flowers that are more than just delight to our eyes. Unforgettable gourmet breakfasts served with edible flowers in a small and cozy B&B on the California coast... Pancakes topped with rose petal jam... Some flowers could even be used for wine crafting! My goodness, these thoughts are making me hungry for real! :)
Anyways, no flowers were harmed or eaten in the making of this watercolor, since I painted it from my memory, after having a lovely afternoon at the nearest botanical garden.
16''x12'' on Arches watercolor paper

Cupcakes

I know you saved some room for dessert :)
7''x10'' on Arches watercolor paper

Winter birdies

What do you think of when I say winter? Here is the list of things that pop into my head:
A lot of fluffy, sparkling snow
Winter holidays and waiting for a miracle
Ice skating and downhill skiing
Cozy evenings at home with a cup of hot tea and homemade cookies
Bright and clear stars in the night sky
Cold mornings and frost patterns on a window
Puffed-up birdies and snowflakes falling softly

The journal

I think I've mentioned my obsession with rare journals before. To be honest, some of my journals are still sitting on a shelf with no paint ever touching their pages. But how in the world could I possibly resist getting another one, If it has such beautiful deckle edge paper, a burlap cover and a lovely button on the end of attached bookmark?!

Chenoa the owl

If you ever find yourself in the university town of Eugene, Oregon, I would highly recommend spending some time at Cascades Raptor Center. My husband and I were really excited about visiting that wildlife hospital specializing in raptor rehabilitation and release. A lot of birds of different species found their loving foster home there after being orphaned or injured. And each one of them has a personal story.
For me, the most surprising resident was a magpie named Miri, which had been illegally raised and imprinted on humans. Unable to survive in the wild, that cute little bird is totally socialized to people. Every time we happened to be around her big cage, she tried to get as close to us as she could. It was so touching and sad at the same time.
And of course, it's impossible not to mention about amazing owls, which are very plenty at CRC. As soon as I saw beautiful and mysterious Chenoa, a Northern Spotted owl, I decided to make her an object for my watercolor painting.
16''x12'' on Arches watercolor paper