Trees #105–108

 A tree. 5-18-12

 A dead tree in our backyard. 5-21-12

 Another tree in our backyard. Good thing

we have a lot of them. 5-22-12

 This was done at bedtime, by memory, of a flower bed

that I had weeded late in the afternoon. 5-23-12

Trees #100–104

 Just scribbling trees at Wall Park Lake. 5-6-12

 This is, again, the small branches at the base of one of

our Silver Maples. I finally had the nerve to wet the

watercolor pencil-ing with a paintbrush of clear water. 5-9-12

 Looking up at one of the branches of our pear tree–

the promise, once again, of pears if we can get them

before the squirrels do. 5-14-12

This is a tree I could see from my seat accross the lake

at a picnic table in Wall Park. 5-15-12 

I stopped on my bicylce ride through Walnut Park

to "catch" the trees and bushes on the bank accross from
where I sat on a bench next to the opposite bank
of Turkey Creek. 5-16-12

Trees #97–99

 These are bushy, tree-like plants in our backyard—lots of

"unauthorized foliage" like this grows out there. 4-29-12

 That pine tree that died late last summer from the drought

 and anohter unknown tree with reddish brown leaves. 5-2-12

Small branches that grow out of the main trunk of one

of our 50+ foot Silver Maples. I like the low brances

growing there, as they soften the view of the

bare fence behind them. 5-4-12

Tree #96

As you can see, I'm having trouble getting the sketchbook

to lie flat enough on the scanner plate. This is the south

side of the yard with one of the Silver Maples, with the

English Ivy-covered trunk, in the foreground. I spent about an

hour clearing tall weeds, some very prickly, out of this area

and my arms are all scratched. The ground is covered by the

same English Ivy that grows up the trunk of the tree. 4-28-12

Trees #91–95

 This is an old crooked Elm in the backyard with
sprouts near the base. 4-18-12

This is just playing around—I made it up. 4-20-12

 This is a "white-line print" done in a big hurry in the second

session of the Block Printing Workshop. It was close to

the end of the session, and so I was just slinging paint

on as fast as I could, so I could do a printing before
the end of the class. This is based on a memories
of Wall Park Lake and Lakeside Park Lake. 4-21-12.

 This is the base of one of our Silver Maples in the backyard.

It has a several branches coming out of the base, but

I like the leafy-ness in front of the back wall of the yard. 4-22-12

This is that same knarled Crabapple tree in the

backyard, but looking at a different angle. 4-25-12

Trees #86–90

 An elm in our backyard. 4-11-12

 Silver Maple trees and (?)-tree along the

back fence in our yard. 4-13-12

 This is a collagraph print I made in a

Block Printing workshop, sponsored by the

Visual Arts Alliance of McPherson, Inc. 4-14-12

Another tree in the back yard as seen

from our upstairs window.  4-16-12

One of the Holly trees in our backyard. 4-17-12

Trees #82–85

 This is certainly not in our part of Kansas... This tree
was outside of our hotel in Escondido, CA. I just had
a few moments to try to "get" it. ...probably first time
I have sketched in public. 3-30-12

 These potted palms were outside the lobby window of
our hotel in Escondido. A couch with cusions inside are
in the foreground. 4-1-12

This Sliver Maple is back at home, in the backyard. Small

branches growing down at the base of the trunk. Things got

a little crazy trying to catch up at work after our trip,

so I missed sketching some days. Maybe, I'll be able to

make it up, or my year-2012 will be have to

have more than 366 days... 4-8-12

Our Japanese Maple in the backyard. At least I think it is

a Japanese Maple. Deep reddish leaves. 4-9-12

Tree #81

A tree across the street from our house. Some branches

have leaves, and other don't yet. I sketched this while

sitting up in bed this morning just before the sun came up.

What a way to start the day! Ah, the good life! 3-27-12

Trees #77–80

Our Redbud in the front yard. It has lost several

big limbs and this is what is left. 3-24-12

A tree across the street from the VAAM Gallery. It was my

turn to work in the gallery that day, so I tried to "get"

this through the window glass. 3-24-12

The seed pods we call "helicopters" are just abought to drop from

the branches of our Silver Maples in the backyard. 3-25-12

A different view of the same knarled and twisted Crabapple
tree in the backyard. Now, it's in bloom with lovely fuscia
flowers. I should go back and add color. A few of its branches
are dead and its bark is peeling. Poor tree. 3-26-12

Trees #75–76

This is a bush of some kind in our backyard. If it blooms,

which I think it will, it will give me a clue to its name.

All these years, I haven't paid much attention to the flora in

the backyard—I was always too busy and/or away at work.

The combination of semi-retirement and this tree "project"

has really opened my eyes. 3-21-12

Just scribbling with a box of 40+ year-old Sakura Cray-Pas

that I used in college. I used a few from another one that my

mother used, even before that. These are trees in bloom in

Wall Park several blocks away. 3-20-12

Trees #72–74

 I took a walk around my neighborhood and found this beautiful tree on Kansas Ave. The flowers were bright white in the sunlight. A beautiful shape. 3-16-12

 This isn't really a tree, is it... I bought this new box of Prismacolor
watercolor pencils, so I had to try them out, and the colors were just
brilliant. Somehow, things came up, and I never really got back to doing

a tree. I guess it doesn't "count," does it? 3-17-12

This is a branch of one of our silver maples outside an upstairs window.

The branches change day by day. I am so enjoying the opportunity

this spring to notice and "catch" the changes! 3-18-12

I had to experiment with those wonderful new colored pencils.

Here, I only used pencils that were blues, reds, and yellows.

They blend so beautifully! So much fun! 3-19-12



Tree #71

I see this tree everyday on Elizabeth St. when

I'm going back and forth to work. It's beginning

to get little leaf buds. I messed around

some more with color... 3-15-12

Trees #68–70

A tall tree in our backyard with sprouts near the base.

3-12-12

In the high 70s today, so I went bicycling, but without my camera or

sketching stuff, so this is a little bit memory and a bit imagination.

But many trees are flowering and there's more to come.

I've messed with this sketch a lot and still not happy with it.

But I guess I should just forget it and move on to the next one. 3-13-12

It was in the 80s today. This is portion of a tree I

passed while out walking. Just experimenting to "get" the

new tiny leaves coming out... I'll keep trying. 3-14-12

Tree #67(?)

It's the same spot at Wall Park Lake, but this time I did it from memory

and from the sketch done the previous day. 3-10-12 I'm wondering if my numbering is off and if this actually #68 or #69. Oh well.

Trees #63–66

 I sat on my patio, looking up at a branch of one of the silver

maples above me, and this is what I saw, looking up.

So many trees are budding! Spring is here! 3-6-12

Took a walk to Wall Park Lake in the late afternoon.

This is a scene on the walk home. 3-7-12

 

Playing with a watercolor pencil and a bit of water... 3-8-12

I sat at on a picnic bench at Wall Park Lake and
scribbled away until I got too cold. It was almost 5:30 pm.
Nice that the days are getting longer. 3-9-12
I might add a bit of watercolor wash...

Trees #59–62

 Quickie. I forgot which tree. 3-2-12

 That same twisted, knarled crabapple tree
as seen from our sunroom window. 3-3-12

One little branch from one of our silver maples as seen from an
upstairs window. So nice to see the buds coming out! 3-4-12

Just playing with paint brush and watercolors. 3-5-12

Tree #58

I wanted to understand how the branches and twigs go together.
So I did just a branch detail. Posting the date, I guess March 1
took me by surprise. Where did February go? 3-1-12