Life keeps on moving...

I'm not sure anyone even looks at my blog anymore - it's been so neglected! I was going to post all the photos from the cruise, but it seems so long ago. Life just keeps on moving at great speed, doesn't it?

In the meantime, I finished another dog portrait using watercolor pencils, colored pencils and soft pastels. I'm very pleased with the way it turned out!

Lola keeps growing at warp speed. Just six weeks ago she was still a tiny puppy.

Now she's at least twice the size and is starting to lose her very sharp puppy teeth, which we are grateful for! 

Also, my sister, her husband and their two fantastic boys (12 and 13 years old) came to visit during their spring break. We had so much fun together and it was wonderful to spend so much quality time with all of them. When we visit them in Germany, our time is always so limited because we are trying to see everyone, so when they visit here it's quite different!

It's been a strange spring - much cooler than normal, which we are grateful for. The cats (peabody in this picture) are happy though that its finally warming up some. They love to just lounge around in the garden.

So now that taxes are behind me and my time is my own again, I am hoping to spend much more time in my studio again (if Lola lets me...). I have several commissioned paintings and drawings to work on and hope to show you progress as I go along. I hope you are all doing well!! 

❧ Silke

Last Art of 2017

2017 is coming to a close and we've had a few busy months! I'm still making art right now that is much more realistic than my colorful paintings and I am so enjoying it! I got to draw this beautiful dog as a Christmas gift commission. I used watercolor pencils on Pastelmat paper as a first layer, followed by several layers of colored pencil, a technique I really like.

After I got this finished we went on a cruise to the Caribbean and had the best time! It's such a perfect way to relax and still see a part of the world. 

This time we both took art supplies. Daniel took watercolors and I took watercolor pencils, which I really haven't used very much at all. Daniel painted almost every day and I got two small drawings finished. 

This one is of one of the six-toed cats at the Hemingway House in Key West. I think it turned out alright.

In San Juan, Puerto Rico, Daniel took a photo of a large hermit crab that I found so fascinating that I had to draw it. Such great colors and fun detail. 

Before I started the commission of the dog above, I was following along on a tutorial about drawing with colored pencils. It takes a good long time, but it's quite relaxing actually.

Now that we are back I want to finish this. It should take me a few more days to get it done. After that I have another pencil drawing lined up, which I can't wait to start.

I'll be posting a few photos from our cruise after I've gone through them all. It truly was a beautiful trip!

I hope you are all doing well as we head into 2018. Our weather has become very cold for the South and is supposed to stay that way for a little while. Other parts of the country are going into deep freeze it seems. And many places are seeing a good bit of snow. I just looked at the webcams in my hometown of Münster in Germany and it was snowing quite heavily.

Wherever you are, I wish you cozy and warm winter days!

❧ Silke

A Long Overdue Update!

Wow, this was a long break from blogging! I was going to start again in September, but then we were preparing for a hurricane evacuation and Daniel's start of school. We ended up being able to stay home during Hurricane Irma as it had weakened to a tropical storm, but we didn't know until the last day. Luckily, we had no damage at all except no power for four days, which was nothing compared to what others experienced and are still experiencing.

I also spent the summer trying to understand the mind-boggling political situation in this country and the world. I will continue to keep my blog free of politics, but I did want to mention it here since it defined my summer to a large extent.

The paintings above and below were really fun commissions I worked on during the summer.

It made me feel quite powerless and so sad and angry to read about what this current US administration is doing and undoing. And then came the unbelievable natural disasters that were happening too fast and were too destructive to fully comprehend: incredibly strong hurricanes, earthquakes and now the deadly fires in California.

There was and is so much suffering so close to home and all in places we have visited. They are all places we love. And I have to say, this year's hurricane season was so unbelievable and so much more stressful as we often didn't know if we were going to be directly in the path. I'm so glad the season is finally winding down and the communities affected can heal and rebuild.

I noticed over the summer how my art was changing. At the beginning of the summer I still liked working loosely with acrylic inks and acrylic paint. I liked the element of surprise. Not so much later in the summer. There had been too many surprises that I had no control over and I noticed how I craved taking my time with my art and drawing more intentionally and realistically.

I found a wonderful young British artist on Patreon whose tutorials have taught me so much. Here's the link if you are interested. The golden retriever above I drew with charcoal pencils and my nephew I rendered with graphite and charcoal.

What I really want to learn is how to draw realistically with colored pencils. I followed Kirsty's tutorial for this kingfisher bird using colored pencils and solvent and absolutely loved it.

I used to think I wasn't patient, but that's not true. I am so enjoying these drawings that take me many hours to complete. I'm working on one right now that's going to take me a few more days until it's done. Again with colored pencils.

Thank you for sticking with me. I have missed our interactions. I'll do a few more blog posts with all the photos I've taking over the summer in our garden and a few knitting projects I've finished or am still working on.

In the meantime, I hope you are all doing well!!

❧ Silke

Charcoal Drawing

You all know I love color, but my other obsession is with charcoal. I am practicing getting an actual recognizable likeness in my drawings. This one is of my sister and after several attempts, this actually looks a lot like her. Not exactly, but closer than any attempt before. I am sure I'll try again...

Wishing you a gorgeous weekend!

❧ Silke

Charcoal Love

Dear friends, I know I've been quiet as of late. I've been busy enjoying the rest of the summer with Daniel before he starts teaching again. And...I've discovered a new love: charcoal!

Those of you who have followed this blog for awhile know that I've always had a fascination with portraits and it seems I'm getting back to that (while still doing my colorful animal paintings).

I've had such a yearning for working with charcoal in a style that's been in my head and is finally finding expression.

Here are four larger charcoal drawings I did in their various stages of development. Enjoy!

Even though this isn't painting in the strict sense of the word, I am still linking to Paint Party Friday, a wonderful place to gather creative inspiration of any kind!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

❧ Silke

Roadtrip and Art

It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted. Life has been a little busy with family visiting and then taking a road trip to Franklin and Nashville, Tennessee for our niece's wedding.

I had never been to Nashville and had so much fun! It is THE place to visit for country music fans, but even if you aren't (which I am not for the most part), there is so much to see and do.

One of the places we visited was Leiper's Fork, a small art community that is still quite rural and very beautiful.

And then there was the wedding, which was just beautiful and so happy! We loved being there for it!

Back home I haven't done a lot of art. Somehow I got out of the rhythm and haven't quite found it again. But I will! I did play some more with charcoal and gesso and refined this drawing a little more. I'm glad I didn't stop where it was in my last blog post.

This below was a quick 30-minute drawing. I love the mood of it.

And then with this drawing below I covered the paper with oil bar and then drew on it with charcoal. It gives it a very different look. I also used some gesso for the highlights.

All of this black and white drawing reminded me of this amazing moth I found on our front steps a couple of weeks ago. It was big! And I found out it's called the giant leopard moth. I've never seen one before. What a beauty!

And, of course, there has to be color in my life. Lots of it! I finally finished this little cow painting a couple of days ago and it's already on the way to it's new home in California. Apparently the grass is greener there... :)

Speaking of color, I'm loving my new crochet project. It makes me happy!

Our weather has been gorgeous and our garden is exploding with color. I might have to do a blog post just with garden photos. In our climate, things bloom pretty much all year round, but never as beautifully and lusciously as in the spring.

Linking this to the fabulous creativity of Paint Party Friday. Go visit for more amazing art!!

Warm wishes for a sunny week for you!

❧ Silke