The End of Summer At Sitka

As many years of teaching taught me, summer does end on August 31, regardless of what the calendar says. Vacationers generally head home, families have their last vacation before school starts, and of course, the leaves begin to change color. So in the last three days of summer (August 2025), I took great pleasure in teaching art at Sitka Center for Art and Ecology on the Oregon Coast.

In this 3-day workshop, I was sharing many ways to include pen and ink marking with watercolors. This group of 10 fellow art devotees really soaked up the ideas I presented. My goal, as always, is not to have participants paint like me, but to give them various ideas and tools to go home with. 

Day 1: Use a still life set up to paint loosely, then use pen and ink to finish it by containing the painted image in an artistic way.

Teacher's work: 
Garden on a checkerboard

I brought a vase and greenery from home, then painted like a wild woman. I never want my participants to just "watch," I want them to get ideas and go for it! 

I did not bring a tablecloth, but I felt like my bouquet needed to sit on something more substantial than a white table.

As you can see, the participants brought their own style to the

assignment. 

Day 2: On the second day my theme was "No matter where you are, no matter how blah your hotel room is, you can find something to paint. (ABSTRACT!)

Van Gogh's Chair

If Van Gogh painted a chair that now sits in the National Gallery of London, we can use a mug to create a piece of abstract art.

Take a mug then draw it from many angles. Put lines over one another.  Add patterns, colors if you wish, then step back and be in awe!

Day 2 Afternoon: This was a chance to go outside and find an area of the beauty of Sitka to sketch. I emphasized looking for small, medium and large shapes in the trees and shrubs.

Teacher's work
A Stone on the Walk

Sharing What Was Learned

Day 3: I asked participants to come to class with a quote or poem to be the theme of the day's art. I chose a small poem by Mary Oliver. Others used words that represented their goals. Some chose very personal words written by a deceased loved one. 

Teacher's work
Go Outside and Sing

Concentrating

Joy

I hope to return to Sitka next year to share art and art making.  A bonus is that my husband can join me and launch his boat every day!

My Doves

Last April doves appeared on our property for the first time. They were not our native morning doves, but rather the Eurasion collared doves. I was taken by the soft colors--you know the "dove" color you might buy in paints or clothing. I loved their flights in and out of the driveway and trees, so I painted them in an abstract lyrical way. I began with a gold gessoed paper, which requires painting with gouache (opaque watercolor), rather than transparent watercolors. I entered it into one competition where it was not accepted, then stuck it in a drawer where it was mostly forgotten.

Delicate Doves

This year the doves were back, as well as a small flock of morning doves. They renewed my interest in the flights, wings, cooing and gentleness of their appearance. Then I came across a poem written by Louisa May Alcott titled, "My Doves." As I read it I found many of her words related to my own feelings about these creatures. Not only did her words refer to doves, but how I would like our world change to be more full of "contentment, joy, and peace."

After a workshop with Jean Pederson, I've been thinking about how to personalize paintings as she emphasized. It's not enough to just paint a pretty painting, but I have a goal to make it "my" painting--different from others. So yesterday I pulled out the painting and put an archival spray varnish on the piece to prepare it for the words I put on today. I like using pen and ink, so that is how I chose to apply passages from the poem onto the art. Now, should it be hanging in a gallery or exhibit, the viewer will have to get up close to read the words and hopefully become more engaged with the painting and its deeper meaning.

My Doves
29 x 21
Gouache with Pen and Ink

My Doves

By Louisa May Alcott 

OPPOSITE my chamber window,

On the sunny roof, at play,

High above the city's tumult,

Flocks of doves sit day by day.

Shining necks and snowy bosoms,

Little rosy, tripping feet,

Twinkling eyes and fluttering wings,

Cooing voices, low and sweet,-

Graceful games and friendly meetings,

Do I daily watch and see.

For these happy little neighbors

Always seem at peace to be.

On my window-ledge, to lure them,

Crumbs of bread I often strew,

And, behind the curtain hiding,

Watch them flutter to and fro.

Soon they cease to fear the giver,

Quick are they to feel my love,

And my alms are freely taken

By the shyest little dove.

In soft flight, they circle downward,

Peep in through the window-pane;

Stretch their gleaming necks to greet me,

Peck and coo, and come again.

Faithful little friends and neighbors,

For no wintry wind or rain,

Household cares or airy pastimes,

Can my loving birds restrain.

Other friends forget, or linger,

But each day I surely know

That my doves will come and leave here

Little footprints in the snow.

So, they teach me the sweet lesson,

That the humblest may give

Help and hope, and in so doing,

Learn the truth by which we live;

For the heart that freely scatters

Simple charities and loves,

Lures home content, and joy, and peace,

Like a soft-winged flock of doves.

Aww Italy, Part V (Goodbye for now)

 One more time: Milan 

After our travels to the many historic and tourist attractive towns, we were back to a city where modern art and design is the big thing. Our hostess (also our great niece) there has spent the last few years studying design, so we had a wonderful time going to the latest shops and cafes.

Mike and Yoshiko in their fedoras.

As Yoshiko and I wandered around looking at the merch, Mike was busy trying out seats.

Some  seats are more comfy than others.

 

A wire seating area was an interesting look, but a nix on comfort.

Bathroom doors, which one is yours?

Of course we had to fit in a visit to a modern art museum as well as see the historic Castello Sforzesco. This medieval fortification was built in the 15th century, 

On our last day in Milan we toured our nephew's school--American School of Milan. He is the Director of this impressive school. I came away wishing that our schools in America could match what is offered there.

One thing we brought home was the the recipe for an Italian Spritz. When my stubby legs wore out and we still had things to see and do, there is always a little cafe or bar to serve a spritz. Just one drink and I was good for a few more steps. Unfortunately this cute server stayed in Milan.

Aww Italy, Part IV

 Venice

A City of 118 Islands 

We arrived at the Venice train station and the first thing we had to do was cross a canal to get to our third rented home away from home. We would soon get accustomed to crossing canals, as the big island of Venice is really a group of small bits of land. If you are interested, there is a fascinating history about the marshes that became this famous seaport. 

After lugging the suitcase over the big steps, we found we were not far from our small apartment. We were happy to have a small secluded outdoor space to regroup before heading out into the great unknown!

 

Here is the small alley that led to . . .

our little patio. With the thousands of tourists, we were fortunate to land in a very quiet part of Venice. Again we were surprised that it is a very walkable town as well as easy to hop on a vaporetto or water bus. 

 

Being money conscious we never did ride a gondola while there, but really enjoyed sitting on a small canal and watching the gondoliers skull around corners, managing to avoid the motorized water taxis.

Narrow canals and narrow streets describe much of Venice. They often offer a way to escape the crowds.

Here is one of my favorite photos. I just happened to be at the right place at the right moment.

Two gondoliers on their way to work!

However, most visitors here are more interested in seeing the fabulous architecture. As we hopped on our first vaporetto going down the Grand Canal, we had no idea of where we were going or where we might hop off until we saw this marvelous church.

Santa Maria della Salute

This magnificent structure was built in 1630 as a "votive offering" in hopes that the Virgin Mary would bring health to Venice where the plague was wiping out 1/3 of the population. 

The dome of Della Salute became one of the highlights of the Venetian skyline and was later painted by many artists including . Turner, Monet, Sargent and others.

But more famous (and much more crowded) is St Mark's Square, home of St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge Palace. 

St. Mark's Piazza and Basilica

The building of this Basilica began in the 9th Century and was completed in the 1300's. With a combination of Byzantine, Gothic, and Romanesque styles there is an amazing amount of eye-candy.  Historically Venice was the commercial and naval power of Europe, so marbles and stones were imported from far away places to create some of the most remarkable pillars and carvings anywhere. 

Venice is more than monuments, canals, bridges and tourists. It is home for people who shop at the market and go home to cook. We enjoyed seeing both the beautiful history and the reality of Venice.

With one more stop ahead of us before heading home, we took the train back to Milan where we would say Goodbye Italy.

Aww Italy, Part III

 Verona, We Love You

Piazza Erba

We travelled by train from Bergamo to Verona. We had located a nice airbnb on line, which even the taxi driver had a hard time finding. The managers of the room were so hi-tech that it took quite a bit of time to figure out how to use our phones to download info to eventually get into the building then up to our room. No keys were involved! Once again, we faced the traveller's woe of trying to wander through tiny streets of old Italy and get back to our room. Thankfully, again there was a landmark Torre dei Lamberti which we could locate from afar.

Aside from seeing the famous historic art and ancient buildings of Verona, we had wonderful meals, (Mike ordered donkey meat in a pasta dinner), visited leather shops, and were just a block away from a piazza with a big marketplace. We also learned to look down as the city streets have stone sidewalks with remains of nautilus fossils.

As you might guess, this is a very attractive town for tourists. This is partially because it is the setting of Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet. One of the big things tourists do is pay for a tour to see Juliet's balcony. We avoided this for three reasons: we hate standing in line, Juliet was a fictional character, and there is no evidence that Shakespeare was ever in Italy. However there is so much more to see and enjoy in Verona.

Giardino Giusti and Palace

This garden was designed in the 1500's and was one of the most spectacular private gardens in Italy. It is full of statues, mazes, pots and citrus trees. Between storms and wars, the garden has been restored several times, but continues to reflect the style of the Renaissance period.

After enjoying the beauty of the gardens, we visited the "Giusti Apartment" which is a small part of the Palace and was lived in until 1984. This property is still owned by the Giusti family.

A glimpse of the elegance.

            

View of the garden entrance from The Apartment.


Castelvecchio Museum

Built in 1355, this is a structural masterpiece. Inside it's doors are pieces of Gothic and Romanesque art, as well as a few more modern pieces. As you can see from the picture there is a walkway around the castle itself which provides great views of Adige River and Verona itself.

I found this statue of a friend holding Mary up after the crucifixion especially moving.

 

Having gotten our steps in each day in this very walkable town, we sadly said goodbye to Verona. 

Our next stop Venice.