Garden Variety Doodling

Inspired by a new rainbow set of favorite pens, I spent some time relaxing with a movie on a recent evening, enjoying some plain old fashion doodling. 

The movie - Wes Anderson's 'Moonrise Kingdom' was a delight. If you haven't ever seen it, you are in for a treat. Anything Wes Anderson, actually - the man is a kindly genius!

Marvy Pen in 6"x9" sketch book

I also highly recommended mindless doodling!

And for those of you who do not follow my Instagram account and may be wondering, Flossy is alive and well, and counting the days until Spring.

 

She hopes to write to you here, soon.

In Flossy's Opinion

Well, finally I am allowed to give my Views on Life again.  Much has changed since our relocation to The City.  We live in an Apartment but it really seems more like a house especially since we got furniture, and we have an actual yard.

I am constantly on the alert in my new yard.

I have made many friends here.  

Meeting Other Dogs is one of the best parts of living in The City.  I met this chap at a recent street market.

  

My Grandparents live with Pogo, who is my best friend.  I lived at their house in Denver for some time this spring, but we all live here now.  Pogo’s apartment has an elevator, and lots of Other Dogs live there.

Pogo and I get many treats but also get warned not to bark so much, even though we are well within our rights.

Some things never change.  Mother still goes to her studio and relies on me to do calculations for her all day long.   

We still take at least two walks every day in fascinating neighborhoods with beautiful gardens and many cats.   

Sometimes we walk down to the Ship Canal where I visit with the ducks and geese.

There is a good beach, and fine woods.   

The big problem is the squirrel population.  They do not respond to my barking at all.  Mother says I will get a sore throat.   

Hmmph.

  In summary, so far a moving goes I find truth in the old adage ‘wherever you go, there you are’, which seems to mean that a Dog is about as happy as it has a mind to be.  

 I hope you are enjoying a fine summer (or winter) where ever you are! 

Persistance in Beautiful Surroundings

Flossy and I have been enjoying exploring our new studio 'hood on the north shore of Lake Union during our lunchtime walks.  Yesterday we found a tiny park right across the street with some really beautiful views.  Have a wander with us:

Yes, that is the Space Needle, center right.

The Freeway bridge arches overhead (kinda noisy in a white-noise way).

The University bridge is the view to the east.

Indoors, progress was made - I began working on prototype models for some books I have in mind after being inspired by the 'Word Play' book arts exhibit over at the UW which we visited late Wednesday afternoon.

About 4 inches high x 22 inches, folded Arches cover with watercolor, graphite and pigma pen.

I ended up with something completely different than I was heading for, but the process was delightful, and it was only intended as a draft anyway.

This is a detail of the inside.  The text is a memory of driving in the dark.

Later, I had a painting session that started out horrible and ended up flying happily along.  I am still getting my sea legs after my long time away from the brushes.  The struggle with my mind telling me 'oh, you can't really paint' is best overcome by just keeping on pushing the paint around until something starts to emerge.

detail, acrylic on paper

'Buoy Bag' (about 9"x6")

Wishing you a good weekend.  Persist at what ever it is that makes you smile!

Upper 10

At last, we have moved in!  The new studio is ours!

Flossy was all sorts of help, of course.

She is a good little decorator, and knows all about 'Fang' Shui.

 

To the right is the free dresser I discovered half a block from our house yesterday.  Daughter and her pals helped me get it into my truck.  On Saturday, I got a couple of excellent work tables (see center and left) and two upholstered stools at a shop going out of business, and hauled them away for practically nothing.

One of the work tables even has a drawer.  

Flossy suggests that it would be a fine place to store dog treats.

I am going to Denver in the morning for a few days, and have a lot to look forward to when I come back!  

What are you grateful for this week?

My Journey Outside (by Flossy)

As Readers may know, Mother and I have moved to the City.  I thought an account of our voyage here on the Alaska Marine Highway would be of interest as a cautionary tale if nothing else.

Mother's last maudlin walk with me down Sing Lee Alley toward our former studio (distant center roof with dormer) was a very cold one.

We boarded the ferry in the dead of night.  (I was too exhausted for observation, but Mother did post a picture or two of me on Instagram).

Wrangell was our first port of call, at 6 am after only about 3 hours of sleep.

The view from the forward observation lounge approaching Wrangell.

I was certainly ready to get out of the truck and go exploring.

The long blue thing on the left is the ramp one enters and leaves the ferry by - even cars.  Dogs have to stay out of the way.

Turns out there was a great Pack traveling with us! 

This lady had a very nice Beagle and a 20-year-old Italian Greyhound named Luigi who was too cold to say much.

 When we were back on board, it was time for my breakfast.  Well, guess what was forgotten?  My food and water bowls!  Mother improvised, using a CD case for my plate.  I drank some water from a paper cup. 
Hmmph!

 When we got to Ketchikan mid-afternoon, Mother redeemed herself by purchasing a lovely heart-shaped crystal water bowl and adequate food dish at a very nice Thrift Store we found on our walk.

 The sunset on Wednesday was beautiful, Mother reported.
Dogs are Not Allowed on the upper decks.
Hmmph again.

We traveledthrough Canadian waters all day on Thursday.

I had to take her word for how stunning the views were.

 Since there were no towns that we could stop at, the Ferry Captain ordered Car Deck Calls so People could come visit us Dogs.
The Others were actually relieving themselves ON THE DECK! 

 Quelle horreur!  It was so WRONG!  I absolutely refused to sink to that level and steadfastly waited until we were safely off the ship at Bellingham.
Dare I say, Hummph?

 The rest of the voyage was a blur...

 Finally, early Friday morning right on schedule...

...we drove off the ship!

I was as glad as Robinson Crusoe to be on dry land again, I can tell you!  We stopped for a lovely walk at Larrabee State Park.

We were both thrilled with the warm good smelling air and beautiful scenery of our new home.  Glad to know that the City is not all buildings!

If you are Canine and ever have to travel by Ferry, get one of those 'Service Dog' vests and ride in style with the People on the upper decks.

DC: Vase

This drawing challenge called up a memory of the optical whimsy 'Faces and Vases' which I first learned of as a young child when my mother was taking some art classes.  Later, in my own art studies, I learned that the illusion illustrates the principal of figure-ground reversal.

'Faces and Vases' - pigma pen and prismacolor pencil in 5x7 moleskine

I was actually given a vase of flowers at a small and intimate birthday celebration with my friends Wednesday night.

The bright blossoms within the vase are a sweet harbinger of spring.

The days are growing longer.

Some winter-loving people say 'Spring schming.  Who needs it!?"

Thanks to our hostess Ariane who suggested this week's drawing challenge.  There are more vases on view over at her rose-colored place.