Summer Hiatus

carrot sketch

approx 7" x 12" gouache on colored paper

©2012 Stacy L. Rowan

Hot humid days are upon us, school is winding down and the farmers' market is in full swing. That means it must be nearly summer.

Every year I look forward to summer. The pace of our days is slower. We have more time together as a family. Days often start with breakfast on the screen porch. It feels like a special time.

As has been my tradition for the last few years, I am planning on taking a hiatus from my blog over the summer months. This will be my last regular post until the beginning of September.

The good news this year is that I will still be sending out my monthly email newsletter over the summer months. If you want to stay in touch all you need to do is subscribe. You can do that here. If you hurry, you can sign up in time to receive the June edition which is scheduled to be emailed next week.

Besides squeezing in some time to relax on the porch and have fun with the kids, I hope to make progress on a few art projects which I have been contemplating. So when I return to my regular posting schedule in September I should have a lot of new things to share.

In addition to publishing my newsletter, during this recess I will probably also be popping into Facebook with short updates, so you might want to "Like" my art page there if you haven't already.

I hope your summer is filled with all the best that summer can bring. I look forward to coming back together here in the fall and reminiscing about catching fireflies, eating ice cream and jumping waves. In the meantime, I'll see you in your inbox!

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About the sketch: I am ridiculously pleased with this sketch of carrots. It is one of those instances where the process just flowed and the outcome matched the image that I started with in my head. I love when that happens! I am hoping that my summer schedule also provides me more time to play with these gouache paints and all my other sketching materials.

Sketching on Vacation

Clock tower of Carbon County Courthouse

graphite in Moleskine pocket sketchbook

©2011 Stacy L. Rowan

Last weekend I went away with my family for some end-of-summer family fun. We spent three days enjoying nature and touring the small town of Jim Thorpe, PA.

Jim Thorpe is an interesting town for a number of reasons. At one point it was the number two tourist destination behind Niagara Falls. It is located in the coal region of eastern Pennsylvania along the southwestern edge of the Pocono Mountains. The Lehigh River runs through town and the combination of coal, canal boats and railroads made the town prosperous in the 1800s. At one point 19 of the countries 26 millionaires owned property in Jim Thorpe!

For us the town provided the perfect setting for a long weekend get-away. It's combination of natural and historical attractions gave us plenty to see and do.

During the first two days we went hiking and white water rafting. Day three was spent in town touring the Asa Packer mansion and the old jail. These tours gave the family members over the age of twenty (I won't mention any names) a chance to recover from the more strenuous outdoor activities of the previous two days.

In between the two tours my family allowed me a few minutes for sketching. There were many worth subjects, however, in the end I chose to sketch the clock tower on the county courthouse. Mainly because there was a comfy bench strategically located across the street.

You can see the resulting sketch above.
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Related Links
Jim Thorpe, PA
Asa Packer Mansion
Old Jail Museum

13 Things I Love Best About Summer

Quick ink sketches of day lilies

©2011 Stacy L. Rowan

Here are some of the things I love best about summer...
- the slower pace
- vacations at the beach
- riding in the convertible at night with the top down
- starting my morning on the screen porch with a bowl of cereal or a cup of coffee
- ice cream
- seeing my kids enjoy their free time
- locally grown, fresh and delicious produce (especially tomatoes, blueberries and peaches!)
- blue skies and bright sunshine
- hydrangeas, day lilies, marigolds and all the other flowers
- not having to do the dishes (because we passed that chore on to the above mentioned kids after noticing how much free time they had - insert evil laugh here)
- not having to wear shoes, socks or a coat
- small summer purses (how come I carry so much more in my purse the rest of the year?)
- frequent trips to the library

I am doing my best to savor every minute of summer. I'd love to hear what you love about it too. Let's turn the comments section into a big list of summer love!

Sketching the Blue Summer Sky

watercolor sketch

©2011 Stacy L. Rowan

This summer I have started many of my days sitting out on my screen porch. On this particular day in June I couldn't help but notice the beautiful bright blue sky framed by our trees and the roof of our neighbors house.

I decided to make use of the slower pace of summer and enjoy a quick watercolor sketch. I hope you enjoy it as well.