Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland – May, 2019
The Waves of Life.
Remember the stillness before the wave forms.
Understand the friction it took to create.
Respect the energy it fueled.
Ride the power at the crest.
Honor the crash.
Bask in the calm.
The waves
of life.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Cliffs of Moher Pathway, Ireland in Watercolor – 11×14
Painting a Path – Preserving a Memory.
On our recent trip to Ireland, I took over 1,000 photos!
I narrowed that thousand down to about 100 that I chose to preserve in a photo book for hubby as a final gift for his birthday and memory book of our amazing trip.
One of my favorite photos is of this stone-lined path along the Cliffs of Moher.
I decided to try and paint it in watercolor – though I’m not a great landscape artist.
Hubby knew right away what and where it was, which made me smile.
I prefer to paint loose, rather than realistically, but sometimes that is even more of a challenge.
Maybe you see another spot or special place near a beach when you look at this painting?
No matter what you see, my hope is that it evokes joy and a sense of peace and happiness.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Slai Head Drive, Wild Atlantic Way, Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland
Far Away and At Home in Ireland.
I went on a trip
farther than I’ve ever gone before.
I went across the ocean
and to another continent.
It was a different country than where I’m from,
and it’s name is Ireland.
Though it was far away
and across the ocean…
Though it was a different continent
and a different country,
I felt just as at home there
as I feel at home.
I felt loved by the people
and one with the land.
It helped me see a bigger world,
but also made the world feel smaller.
I tried my best to breathe it in
and hold it in my heart and soul.
I’m carrying it with me
wherever I go.
I’m embracing it
as part of who I now am…
As part of who it made me…
on my trip far away
and at home in Ireland.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
A Distant Ship from Shore Watercolor
Distant memories.
I’m not much of a landscape artist.
I try, and I struggle, but I’m going to keep on trying.
One day I was practicing skies and clouds as a warm-up,
and came up with this super quick, simple little study.
It just kind of turned into a beach scene
with sea and sand and tall grasses.
It reminds me of lazy summer family vacations spent
when the boys were young (and so were we!)
It reminds me of Nagshead and Corolla and the Outer Banks in North Carolina.
It reminds me of Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head in South Carolina.
It reminds me of Ocean City, New Jersey and Maryland.
Of hot sand and cool breezes and refreshing, salty water.
Distant, joy-filled memories
like this distant ship from shore.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
#WorldWatercolorMonth
Blue Heron Taking Flight Watercolor – 8×10 140 lb Saunders Cold Press
Blue Heron Taking Flight in Watercolor.
It’s been a busy week and weekend, but I found a little time Sunday evening to do a some painting.
I saw a photo my blogging friend Jenna took and posted on The Painted Apron that really drew me in. Â I mentioned to Jenna the photo looked like a “painting in waiting.”
Jenna doesn’t prefer to paint birds or people. (She says she can’t, but I’m sure that’s not true! Â She is a very gifted artist!) Â She told me she would love for me to paint him. Â So here he is Jenna. Â I could probably do a bit better with another try, but no time left this weekend. Â That’s okay… Â I’m still an artist taking flight, and I’m going to reach for that soar!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Jelly Fish – Georgia Aquarium
It magically floats
creating beauty
and light
in the depths
and darkness.
Glowing
with hope
and inspiring
the possiblility
that magic
can be created
and can happen
anywhere
Seek the magic.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
blue heron with purple feathers – original watercolor- Â 9×12 arches – 300 lb cold press
Why be simply an “ordinary” Blue Heron
when you could have Purple Feathers too?
It’s #DrawABirdDay! Â Why not?
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Punta Cana Ocean Beach Palm Tree Watercolor 10×14
I found some time the other evening to splash with some Cobalt Teal and Prussian Blue, Yellow Ochre and Burnt Umber, Quinacridone Gold and Green Gold watercolor to try to recreate the wonderful feeling of being on our recent little “rum-away” to Punta Cana.
“Landscapes” are a challenge to me. Â After a couple of attempts at this first one, I decided to just splash these colors into an abstract.
Punta Cana Ocean Abstract Watercolor 10×14
I then tried turning my 10×14 portrait page to landscape and creating a scene with a few trees recalling how we discussed how amazing that some of them were still alive bending and swaying in the breeze.  There was one like the one below right in front of  “our spot on the beach” where lots of people stopped to lean on and pose for photos.
Punta Cana Ocean Beach Palm Trees Watercolor 10×14
All of these paintings were done on 10 x 14″ sheets of Arches 300 lb cold pressed watercolor paper.
Hoping they help you to “feel” the ocean breeze!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
This week’s theme at The Paper Players is to make a “Clean & Simple” Beach-Themed card, so for my #PP258 design team inspiration card, I used a watercolor abstract I had made when I was at the beach recently.
I stamped some cute little seagulls on it from the StampinUp Wetlands Stamp Set. Then I simply added a black die-cut “hello” greeting, matted the scene in black, and put on a crumb cake card stock. Voila – a clean and simple “Let’s Get Beachy” card.
Hope some of you will join us this week at The Paper Players with your interpretation of “Let’s Get Beachy!”
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
It was fun to do a little dabbling in watercolor painting while at the beach last week. And it was hard to think of anything besides the beach to paint while there!
One of the highlights of our little trip, however, was seeing a nest of endangered sea turtles hatch and make their way to the ocean. 72 hatched from the nest of over 100 eggs, and only about 1 percent will make it to maturation. There was a group of volunteers that guarded the nest and helped them make it to the ocean safely without being scooped up by the birds waiting nearby. Chances are many will not make it in the sea as so many predators await, but those that do make it to maturity can live up to 80 years. It is quite fascinating actually, and you can learn more about sea turtles here and here.
So one of my paintings is of a sea turtle making its way into the ocean.
Another is a very abstract sand, sea, air painting with a sea gull silhouette flying.
And the other is just a simple seascape and sky with a sailboat.
I made these three little paintings into note cards to send to my three chicas to thank them for a great GFC week.
Hope you have a great day wherever you are and whatever you are doing.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 