Dem Bones

To mark November, Osteoporosis month, the Ottawa Chapter of Osteoporosis Canada launched a calendar that featured my illustrations.


My job was to create a cartoon character in the shape of a bone...


...doing all sorts of bone friendly activities.


And some unfriendly activities too. I was lucky enough to be working with Natalie who did the layout and coloured my illustrations. I'm craving a glass of milk now.


We even got a mention in The Glengarry News, alongside the baby born in the car and the largest potato grown in the county. Wowza!

Nutmeg, My Inspiration

I'm crazy about all my kitty cats but somehow Nutmeg, with her calico coloured spots, is so graphically pleasing, I seem to draw her all the time. Here's a quick sketch I did a while back...

Drawing Old Houses

Trying to get inspired to take out my colour pencils and get drawing again, I looked back at what has inspired me in the past. This old house was a starting point...


...which led to a more detailed look at the same house.


My friend actually lived in this old home and while sitting on his lawn, waiting for the barbecue to cook our meal, I noticed the pattern of the shadows cast by the setting sun.


This was one of the first old house drawings I did; another local deserted home close to where I live.


This old place attracted me because of its setting and also because the snow was melting and made interesting patterns in the corn rows.


I did a small series of old houses drawn on taupe, recycled paper. I just loved the effect.


One of my favourites I called Ghost House. Still love it.

Drawings at the Show

This mini-sheep was only 3" square. Cool barn board frame that went with it, eh?


I loved these chickadees on a line.


I did a series of cross-hatched birds...


...some with long beaks...


...and others with green feathers.

The Old Buick

My friend Peggi's husband Bill has this fabulous old Buick parked in their yard.


Now I know nothing about cars...


...but I know that this sure is a neat looking car.


I took a few photos of is so that I can draw it again.


I drew it in colour pencil some years back, during the winter. Might be time for another visit?

Into the Woods

My favourite place in the world is the wooded place behind my house. This colour pencil drawing is called April Woods.


This drawing entitled First Snowstorm kind of feels like November.


And this one called Last Snow is what it looks like in the woods right now. Only the most shadowed corners still have vestiges of winter.


My Aunt Sylvia owns this image and at almost 92 years of age, she doesn't get out much. But this drawing I did sits beside her chair and she tells me that when she looks at it, she's out walking in the woods.

Victorian Window

I did this drawing a few years ago. Now if I could just get inspired to get drawing again. It's funny how it's so easy to fall off the creativity wagon but how difficult it is to climb back onto it again.

Still Snowing

The last few days have been very pleasant temperature-wise at about -2C. It's snowed about 4 cm on each of those days and today and tomorrow we're expecting the same. It sure is pretty around here, even if it means pulling out the snow shovel every now and then. Still, it beats freezing rain!

Here's another colour pencil drawing (along with my last post) in my winter series that I did a few years back. I realize that I'd never blogged them before.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all my friends from here in snowy Dunvegan. Here's hoping that 2010 is a healthy and happy one. Cheers.

October Woods

I did this colour pencil drawing and gave it to my sister Marcia for her October 12th birthday. The leaves have nearly all fallen around here so it's nice to remember what those bright, yellow maple trees looked like.

Nesting Time

I love this time of year. Little nests being made on barn ledges and bushes and trees.


The American Goldfinches have lost their winter plumage and are bright yellow. They look like canaries eating at my birdfeeder.


Happy spring!

Cats, Cats, Cats

I guess it's pretty obvious that I am crazy about most little critters. And cats especially.


Since I have five of the little darlings hanging around the house, I seem to be constantly inspired by their peregrinations.


Besides that, they are just fun to be around and I guess that's inspiration enough.

Two Kitties

I did this orange tabby pen and ink drawing for a show a while back and a friend thought it looked very much like her cat George, so she bought it.


Then she commissioned me to do another drawing of George's sister, Gracie. Now I get to enjoy them everyday since they're part of the blog masthead that Susan did for me. Coolio!

Spring Thaw

Every day the snow recedes and more and more of the earthy, damp ground appears. Pretty soon the trilliums will be blooming in the woods. But for now, it's fun to watch the winter disappear a little bit more day-by-day.

Timid Raccoon

My friend Marlana posted a comment on my blog about how my nightly visit from a raccoon might inspire me to draw him. That reminded me of this raccoon which was actually one near Richard's garden that was dozing in the sun last fall but was trying to hide behind a leaf. Kind of silly but sweet.

Winter Light

I love this time of year because the days are getting longer and the shadows are intense on the snow and in this case, the white, tin siding of a house in Vankleek Hill as well. This is a really wide drawing, and was scanned in two halves so it appears to have a line through the middle of it...but you get the idea, right?

File 6, Photo 6

I read quite a few blogs and I found this interesting little thing. A wonderful artist I met thru an article she wrote for ATC Quarterly, Shelly has a blog called Paper Mischief. In it she talks about an idea that has been circulating the blogosphere. Go to the "Pictures" file of your hard drive. Choose the sixth folder. Now, open the folder and choose the sixth picture from that folder. The picture that comes up is the one you are to post.
My photo 6 in file 6 was an ink drawing of a sheep that I did for a Christmas Show back in 2006. What's yours? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Snowy Lane

The lanes are still snowy but the sun is getting stronger and everyone is talking about the first little indications of spring. The chickadees are singing their spring song. My cats are sleeping on my bed and not in front of the fireplace. From Toronto, Peter reports a bit of grass appearing from under the snow. From Ithaca, NY, my sister Marcia says that her dogs are waking up earlier. Have you seen signs of spring?

January Road

I was inspired to do this colour pencil drawing while turning out of Richard's lane. His road was snow covered and the sun was low in the sky, casting shadows from the surrounding trees. And yes, it was cold.

Happy New Year

Here's hoping that you find time to enjoy the sun, snow, fresh air and whatever weather surrounds you. And to wish my blog readers all good things in the upcoming year. Cheers!