I’ve been sitting in the middle of I5 for nearly 3 hours. They’re clearing an overturned big rig with a load of steel I-beams. I’m trying to think of something soothing. How about a butterfly. This one showed up on the porch this morning. Good thing the kitten wasn’t around. Does anyone know it’s name?
Normally, I’d have my sketch pad, but not today. I have a project to finish too. Instead I’ll have to settle for a butterfly.
Here are a few pen and inks of just some of my favorite dogs on Dog Day! Click on the image to enlarge.
I’m up in the red fir. I love this part of the world. High elevation, cool and quiet. 
That’s Shastina hiding beneath the clouds.
Here is another installment of the 60 Second Forester by Frank Barron.Today, he’s talking about Fire History in California and what he says is true for most of our western forests. Managing the fire ecology of these forests is tricky business especially now when our forests are so out of balance ecologically. Overgrown forest resulting from over 100 years of all or nothing wildfire suppression have set the stage for the massive bark beetle infestations and enormous conflagrations. Only through the use of forest management can we bring back fire resiliency to our forests.
It’s our anniversary today. This is number 34 and for fun here’s our story as posted four years ago. Mary’s link to the other side of the story is at Sneaking Bliss
Mary has always been my favorite subject. I painted this just after we were married.
Thirty years ago today Mary and I were married. After all this time I would still choose her. I am a lucky fella. This is the story of how we began. Mary wrote her version of events and it is posted on her blog The Backdoor Artist. Read them both and enjoy.
An early sketch I made of her when we were just dating.
Greg was a friend from high school and junior college. He called me up because he had a favor to ask. We met at my folk’s house for lunch and that is where he laid it on me. Greg asked if I had any plans for that night. I told him I didn’t and then he explained that a mutual friend of ours had broken up with his girlfriend. Kelly…
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This crew is getting ready to start shipping logs. The loader hasn’t arrived yet. The skidding crew is getting trees to the processor. The processor is making logs so there will be enough to load the trucks first thing in the morning. I don’t usually get a shot of the processor working by itself without the loader parked beside it.
Marilyn Monroe in pen and ink.
I’ve been practicing pen and ink portraits lately. I find them uniquely challenging. Some I’ll post and some I won’t, but this one of Marilyn Monroe I decide to post. I’m fairly happy with it, but I didn’t nail it. I didn’t quite capture her essence the way I wanted. I liked the photo reference for the high contrast, which is conducive to pen and ink. Subtle shading is trickier than with pencil or paint. I have a tendency to overwork the piece. It’s been a pretty steep learning curve. Comments and critiques are appreciated.
I realize this isn’t as wildlifey or woodsy as what I normally do, but it’s good to mix things up. Besides, there’s people in the woods too. Although, I’ve never run into Marilyn in the woods, but that would make a heck of a blog post!
The 60 Second Forester is the name of a series of spots done by good friend and fellow forester, Frank Barron. They were originally radio spots done for the local Northern California airways. Now they’ve been remixed for short videos. Enjoy!
Columbia black-tail deer after the shed. It’s hard to tell the bucks from the does.
This gallery contains 8 photos.
THE FORESTER ARTIST 