Old Mission Point near Traverse City

On our way up the left coast of Michigan (sunset side bordering Lake Michigan) we stopped at some of the "tourist spots" and one of them was the drive to the end of Old Mission Point Penninsula. It was beautiful...there are quite a few Wineries along the way, but we didn't have time to stop for very long. Drove to the end where there is a lighthouse and walked around there for awhile. We were scheduled to check in at our hotel in Petoskey that evening--and we still had to drive past Traverse City (lots of congestion). So I tried to do my watercolor best in my journal doing a picture of the hills and vineyards, etc.

We were driving to our meeting place in Bay View to paint for the last class day...and these pink (?) lillies were blooming right in the middle of other "stuff" that didn't matter--and they took my eye so I quickly sketched them and painted them at home--then added the house in the background and was not going to color it, but my paintbrush got ahead of my brain. Cliff thought it might've been more effective with just the ink- drawing behind...too late now!

Inside my Purse Watercoloring

Donna took pictures at our outdoor Watercolor Painting Class--she saw me using the inside of my purse for supplies (those are paints and a little sponge in an Altoids Box). I always have these with me for "mobile painting" inspirations. You can't see my tiny bottle of water that I also carry in that pocket next to the pencils. I won't explain the rest of that mucky-muck in my purse--well, there is a cell phone in the colorful mini-zip purse and a calendar, and a wallet, etc. etc. A colorful mess--wouldn't you say?

Petoskey Michigan Sunset Afterglow

One more Petoskey, MI picture!!! The Sunset was beautiful, but the "afterglow" about 25 minutes after the sunset was quite spectacular.
Met some new friends in watercolor class--lots of hobby-painters out there.
Heading for home tomorrow.....

Watercolor Journaling Class

Last day of our Sketchbook Watercolor Journaling Class in Bay View, Michigan (near Petoskey, Mi) right on Lake Michigan. It's a beautiful area with very old summer (only) homes that people keep beautiful with all kinds of flower gardens. I'm not in the picture because I took it with my i-phone and figured out how to put it in my computer and then blog it... :-)
The two pictures below are results of these classes I attended for several years. Our Artist-Teacher (Catherine Carey) is on the left sitting down doing a "demo."
We always do "plein-air" painting unless there is thunder and lightning. Rain makes us take shelter on one of the many big porches on these wonderful homes but we keep right on painting.
I think I'll sign up again next year :-) :-) :-)

Sketchbook Watercolor Journaling

We are in Petoskey, MI enjoying the "Up North" area -- and I am attending Catherine Carey's Sketchbook Journaling Class in Bay View, Mi. The topmost picture is the scene in front of the "American Spoon" Cafe in downtown Petoskey. The Flowers and trees pictured above are in the Garden on Little Traverse Bay--just west of Stafford's Bay View Inn. We paint outside every day.....