2025-2026 in the studio

Where are we?

Washington DC, among the giant Southern Magnolias. They are a common sight at older locations, towering and evergreen with heavily scented, white flowers the size of generous teacups or small teapots blooming in humid summers. Unless kept tidy, the massive feet can be invisible to fast-moving passers-by. Heavy, low branches can form links to the ground, rooting and sending new trees up in vertical columns. This can lead to rare sightings of close-knit groves of vertical trees joined with arcing bridges.

Sketches combine visual elements from multiple trees.

What colors do we see?

While living leaves are deep green and scattered dead leaves are pale tan, we are focused on the heavily fissured bark. The feet are distinctively, deeply textured, often including multiple, fused trunks with expansive exposed roots. The bark is predominantly gray with undertones of warm, light brown. It is smooth, with occasional rough, square-edged scaling and flaking at the edge of bark plates.

What tools are used?

Very small, softcover, Moleskine pad in landscape format. Two Rivers, rough watercolor paper, 6x20”. Blackwing pencils of various hardness. Daniel Smith watercolors. Antique dip pen with flexible tip. Dr. PH Martin liquid watercolors.

Where are we?

Deep within old sketchpads and ambitious, unfinished 2025 printmaking projects. A hint of new ideas and confessions. Confessing to the need to have someone else sharpen my woodcut tools and needing to use a magnifier for small details. 4th Century BC pottery designs adapted to a flat circle with a Shina plywood plate on my bench hook. Flowing, Celtic Christian era spirals from the tenth century. Later Tree-of-Life sketching. And two originals with moth sketch and prepared, intaglio drypoint “tulip tree” acrylic plate. Printmaking on the schedule this spring, heavily influenced by Celtic patterns.

Tools? More on that later.

Where are we?

All around Michigan from Detroit to Manistique. Chasing maple trees through the seasons. A series of interesting trees to develop my portfolio.

What colors do we see?

Any color you can imagine from blue skies, summer sunrises, and spring greens to October flames to winter browns. Mostly graphite pieces with added color.

What tools are we using?

Blackwing pencils, multiple weights and sizes of Two Rivers hand-crafted papers in white, gray, blue, and pale green. Daniel Smith watercolors, Princeton synthetic watercolor brushes.

Anything else?

Just sorting and considering my options for progress. Starting in January there will be sketches. Something every day. Will I share? I want to feel free to screw up, so maybe not. But maybe.

• Keep practicing. Use old sketches to move forward, not obsess over mistakes. Muscle memory requires repetition. Move yourself.