Observe & Record

Happy New Year to One & All. Even for those who found 2010 to be a good year, I imagine there's  hope for 2011 to be better.  That is certainly my wish. As do many, I review the year past before moving forward.  I am blessed and there were happy moments in 2010 but for the world I know there can be more: peace, prosperity, kindness, happiness, goodwill.  I hope we can each help make the world a better place in  our own way.

Focusing on art, one of my goals for the new year is to be more observant and to regularly record the observations. Toward that end I've signed up for the  Sketchbook Challenge and encourage any one looking to develop drawing skills and record inspirations to do likewise.  I also hope to organize my pictures and transfer them to flickr on a regular basis. I uploaded some tonight but organizing is a bigger challenge and will take a while.   

Getting a head start on the observing idea, I took lots of pictures and did some sketches while traveling over the holidays.  Below are a few of the photos. I'll shoot the sketches and post them here soon. I've mostly rested today as I've been a bit under the weather. I think it's a combination of weather change & exhaustion. I hope it doesn't last as I've got lots on my "to do" list, starting with getting the studio cleaned up and finishing projects set aside for the holidays and, of course, the BIGGIE is to finish the projects needing completion for the house to be market ready.....and HOPE we get it sold before the year is very far along. 

We started the holidays in Austin.  This yucca bloom was fading but still beautiful and I expected it would serve as contrast to what we'd see in Colorado.

I never tire of mountain views; could be because there aren't any in North Texas. Of course you don't have to travel to be more observant but it seems I'm often myopic at home where work and routine get in the way.   I plan to work on that in 2011. 

 I love the combination of snow on red rock with green trees.  It was late in the day so the green is a bit dark.

   I think this faded bloom in the snow was sage.  Not sure but I think it's beautiful.

   I got this shot on an icy road that was a bit scary.  I love the snow on the bare branches.  It reminds me of lace.             

    We saw these Sun Dogs in the late afternoon.  Someone posted recently that they are good luck. We can always use that.

 Metal decoration on an 1880's building. I see stamp design inspiration.

Last bit of color in the snow. Always being on the lookout for a bright spot could be a good theme for the new year.