What colors would you use? I hope you picked up my coloring postcards last week at Montclair Art Museum’s First Thursday. They were given out during Studio Montclair‘s Draw Along. Here are my postcards again-with color. Thanks for voting for me and enjoy!
Studio Montclair will be using the postcards for publicity. Call them for your own copy.
I loved the pine tree outside my bedroom window. I watched it grow almost 20 feet and stand tall through all kinds of weather. When the oil tank was removed, my pine tree’s stability was compromised.
I’ll miss the way the snow rested on it’s branches and the way I felt protected by it’s presence. Below is one of my favorite photos of
My Pine Tree.
View our my window. © melabee m miller
According to the book, The History of Arbor Day, found on The Arbor Day Foundation website, the first Arbor Day was April 10, 1872 in Nebraska where over one million trees were planted. All thanks to J. Sterling Morton and his wife, pioneers who moved from Detroit to the Nebraska Territory in 1854. As the editor of a Nebraska newspaper, Morton advocated tree planting as much for his love of trees as for the need for windbreaks to keep soil in place, for fuel and building materials, and for shade from the sun.
As secretary of the Nebraska Territory, Morton proposed a tree planting holiday called “Arbor Day” in 1872 and in 1885 it was named a legal holiday in Nebraska. Since then National Arbor Day is the last Friday in April. Some states have their own celebrations on a day that coincides with the best tree planting weather. For example, Florida and Louisiana celebrate on the third Friday in January.
Above are my photos of trees-care to guess which one is my favorite?
March 8th is International Women’s Day, let’s remember all the women in our lives.
The days are shorter, the weather is cooler and orange becomes nature’s favorite color. It’s mine, too. What’s yours?
On almost every beach we visited in the Virgin Islands there were lounge chairs perfectly positioned to watch the water lapping the shoreline. Find your ideal spot this summer and let me know.
Our first day trip was to the lovely hilltop town of Radda in Chianti in the center of the Chianti region. Our host explained how safe it was by relating this story: A previous workshop participant lost a camera somewhere in the town. The next day it was returned by the Policia. A local resident found the camera, recognized the photos of Borgo San Fedele and knew that it had to belong to a visitor staying there. You can’t get much safer than that.
We found the perfect bench in a small park overlooking the countryside and painted the fabulous views. The Church of San Niccolò is in the center of this circular town so we knew exactly where we were at all times. In the middle of the Chianti region, we found many black roosters (found on the seal of Chianti Classico wine) and the most delicious white wine made with the typical Vernacchia grape.
Of course we didn’t paint all the time. We visited abiti e accessori, a store with home accessories in one room and, in the other, beautiful clothes made with hand painted fabrics made by the artist in the middle of the store. Other stores featured the food of the region including pici pasta and a tasty olive oil, of course. And, don’t forget a fabulous lunch.
The size and friendliness of Radda was just perfect for our first adventure.
Today’s post brings us to Borgo San Fedele, a restored ancient parish church, near the village of Vagliagli in the middle of the Chianti. Vagliagli means “valley of the wild garlic”, which grows in the countryside. The workshop classes took place in the restored church.
At Borgo San Fedele, I heard the crunch of small stones under our sneakers and saw terraced flower and herb gardens, a pond with water lilies and very tall cypress trees. There was a distinctive scent of Linden Trees and the sound of deer barking. (Yes, it turns out small Italian deer bark like dogs.) It was unlike any other place I have ever been.
When I took a photography workshop in Italy years ago, it seemed familiar to me because I was photographing. Well, as familiar as photographing wheat at dawn in Tuscany can be.
I recently spent one week in Chianti attending a watercolor journaling workshop. This time felt different. I was learning new techniques and creating in new mediums. This process helped me to see my surroundings in new ways. I sat on benches and steps, leaned on walls and spent time looking, drawing and painting. I was recording it on paper right in front of me, but I couldn’t resist the urge to photograph. I’m not ready to share my drawings and paintings – yet. In future posts, you will see where I’ve been and what I’ve seen.
The workshop was taught by Sharon Pitts , an accomplished watercolor artist who teaches at the Yard School of Art at the Montclair Art Museum in New Jersey. It was facilitated by Il Chiostro at The Tuscan Renaissance Center in Borgo San Fedele in the heart of Chianti. The location and countryside were stunning and my fellow workshop artists were such a pleasure to work with. I’m grateful to have had such an inspiring experience.
Recently I saw Rooms with a View:The Open Window in the 19th Century, the Metropolitan Museum’s special exhibit of oils, watercolor and drawings of open window views created from 1810-1820. I was impressed with the beauty and somewhat surprised to learn that occasionally artists replaced a dull view with a magnificent scene.
In 1996, I was part of a trip to Denmark sponsored by a local Rotary Club chapter. For five weeks, I traveled north on the largest island, Zealand. I saw incredible sights from medieval castles and Viking ships to the canals of Copenhagen. The best of all these sights were the views from the windows of the many private homes where I stayed.
While looking at the Danish paintings at the Met, I began to think about the most wonderful view I saw from my window. It was in Jyllinge, a small town located on the eastern bank of Roskilde Fjord. During the fall and winter, because of Denmark’s northern location, the sunsets would last a couple of hours, typically from 8 until 10. From my window, which overlooked the fjord, I was always thrilled with the view at any time of the day. I hope you enjoy the ones below as much as I continue to enjoy them.
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