HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Interesting Year End

It’s an interesting year end. Last week the dryer quit and we used insurance to get a replacement. That took a week to get a new dryer. Two days ago the main refrigerator quit and Dale went out and bought the replacement which arrived yesterday. I got up at 4:00 this morning and started filling it from the back-up frig. It’s always interesting to find out what’s in your frig!

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Scammers

Adding to this, on about the 22nd I got scammed and the scammer had everything. We never got to the purpose of his call. I said I couldn’t talk with the commotion behind me. “Call back.” He never did. My banker said to cancel all credit cards…just before Christmas.  We had house guests and company coming.  Except for Chase, when the replacements arrived, the paperwork didn’t say which card corresponds to which account. You get to guess.

As I’m writing this, I’m on the phone on hold with Citibank to find out what card goes with what account. It’s 4:21 and I can start writing my blog while on wait. I bet I’m one of very few people who can find something to do while sitting ‘on hold’!

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Sketching Changes

Have you noticed how your sketching changes? Sometimes great and sometimes yukky, sometimes strange and new? We’ve just had a lot of rain and no really cold weather here in Tucson. I have a favorite place which is wooded, no cactus. The cottonwood trees are finally turning yellow and the desert willows are orange. The grass is tall and brilliant green. Here are two sketches from a few days ago.

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Isabella Lee Preserve

Isabella Lee Cottonwoods

Of course, they are sketched with the water soluble Pilot Razor Point pen. This is what I think I saw. Now, for contrast and a fresh view, I want you to see another way of working.

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​Permanent Pen Sketching

​Carolyn O’Bagy Davis Is a good friend who also sketches a lot. She uses a permanent pen, the Micron, does the sketch which dries as a line drawing, and then adds the color. The color is not diluted and it sparkles! She has agreed to let me show you her technique. Here are two of her sketches. I absolutely love her work and can’t do the same thing! We are all different. And we are each different on different days. What fun!

Carolyn's Arizona Inn Xmas Tree

Carolyn's Sketch

Carolyn primarily writes books. She wrote Willard J. Page,  Artist on the Southwest Road. Page traveled in a home-made van with his wife, Ethel, sketching “suitcase souvenir paintings” (3.5 x 3.5 inches) which he sold as a livelihood. Carolyn did amazing research and the book is fascinating and inspiring.

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Workshop Enrollments - Openings Available

​B​asic Workshop HOME STUDIO Jan. 9, 10, 11. It is limited to 7 people and there are 2 spaces available. 
Basic Workshop ONLINE Jan. 16, 19, 22, 25 and 28.  Enrollment is limited to 13 and there are 7 spaces available. Each session is recorded and the recordings are available for two weeks so you don’t miss anything. I’m amazed at how well people learn in this format. We may continue these.
We may announce live workshops in March and April as both months are reliably wonderful weather. This is our 'Season' in Tucson!
Contact Kath

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In July we are booked once again at the Pacific Northwest Art Center in Coupeville, Washington. Amazingly, this is the first place ever to call me to book a workshop! I have solicited every workshop I have taught for 15 years. How could I turn down Lisa Bernhardt? I couldn’t. This is a gorgeous place on Whidbey Island west of Seattle right on Penn Cove with fresh mussels everywhere. Comeonup!

July 10, 11, 12  Basic Workshop  Pacific Northwest Art Center

July 20, 21, 22 Refresher Workshop  Pacific Northwest Art Center 

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On a practical note...We need to raise our prices as shipping (and some of our costs) is eating us alive.  Ten percent should do it.  New prices go into effect January 2, 2026.

​HAPPY SKETCHING!