I have been helping a friend from my church, whose husband died recently. She had asked me to help her with his art supplies as she had no clue what to do with them or even what he had. What he had (has) is a mini art supply store! It reminded me of when there was a small store set up at the Art Student's League of Denver when they were located in LoDo. Drawing pads, watercolor pads, pastel paper pads, of all sizes and brands. Pencils: colored - including a 132 Prismacolor boxed set; Derwent - watercolor pencils and regular colored pencils; pastels; 100's of tubes of watercolors as well as travel sets (6); a pochade box as well as 3 other easels. ETC. Suffice it to say, I, in my entire career, have not used or needed the amount of supplies this man had. I am still using the same Pelikan travel set I bought as a student in the early 1970's which needs to be held together with the rubber band. I have replaced one color tray (olive green) in all those years. I can see why she was overwhelmed and had not idea where to start.
I also came across these old blank postcards. I have not checked to see their value and maybe I should before continuing...but I remembered reading about an artist who was painting on index cards. I have a friend who has COPD and is house bound that I have regularly been sending postcards to. In an effort to bring a smile to her face I keep trying to find a new way to do this. She received the first attempt of my drawing on one of these cards. I did not take a photo of it unfortunately. I wasn't sure how watercolor would do on this old card stock, but I need not have worried. It works just fine. So at the last minute finished my drawing of a cone flower in my garden with colored pencils.
The next one I did was of a day lily. I did not think it worth keeping but then changed my mind. I made it for my friend whom I have been helping. I also wrote around the edges of the first card I did.
Here is the last one, another cone flower, this time in watercolor. I have other flowers in my garden but I do tend to want to be in the shade, so depending on the time of day I go out determines the subject.
It is not written on yet, as I have not decided to whom it is going. I want to do a few more so that I have more choices. So far, I am using up those that have corners bent or in the case of this last one, it had a start to a name written on it so that I think will decide the recipient. May as well go with the flow, so to speak.
I am enjoying this little endeavor as a way to be creative; be enjoying my garden and spreading a little sunshine. We could all use a little love in these unsettled times.
