Art to Celebrate Spring's Rebirth

 

 

Blog 5.2

 

It’s hard to believe, but I have already been creating daily art in my sketchbook for the past five months. In fact, despite visitors and vacations, I only missed one day in March.

During May, I have been especially excited about the blooming flowers everywhere. At home, I studied many of the spring flowers in our garden, finding the white flowers the most challenging. I have been experimenting with Prismacolor coloured pencils with varied success. While I like them for bright flowers, I prefer watercolour pencils for the softer transitions and watercolour effects.

 

  

After my return from Germany, I only spent one day at home before we headed to the cottage for a week of relaxation. I couldn't resist drawing the geese gliding noisily through the water in the Ottawa River, our cute dog waiting for my husband, and one of the cheeky chipmunks that raced around the cottage. I also captured the only tulip that bloomed next to the cottage.

 

Gerbera, Chipmunk, Trillium, Cat, Orange-and-Purple Tulip

 

Unfortunately, I didn't manage to paint downtown during the Tulip Festival, but I still visited Major's Hill Park with my daughter and took photos of the beautiful tulips. At home, I drew the brilliant orange-and-purple tulip above and the pink-and-white tulip below. 

 

The cat above was sitting on the sidewalk next to the house where my daughter lives. I wondered if it was missing my daughter's cat that was at our house at the time. 

 

I drew the Iris during one of our virtual Painting Buddies meetings. After the meeting, I used a water brush to create the watercolour effect. Hélène Martin provided the reference photo. 

 

 

 

Yellow Magnolia, Violets and Forget-Me-Nots, Iris, Pink-and-White Tulip, Rosetta Kalanchoe

 

Usually, I don't touch an image anymore after I draw it. However, I was very unsatisfied with the dull background of the Yellow Magnolia drawing. Therefore, I painted over it with watercolours. Unfortunately, I also reworked the blossoms. After adding several layers to the image, I gave up, because I had already spent too much time on this drawing. It was still a good exercise.

Instead of reworking the image any further, I might try painting the blooms again in watercolour or acrylic.

 

 

On May 23, my three four-week Cartooning and Comic courses at François Dupuis Recreation Centre started. In the first class, the children created superheroes or villains from simple shapes. I was inspired to create a male ice cream character consisting of a raspberry scoop (circle) on a waffle (triangle) with chocolate frosting. 

 

Later, I wondered if the character wouldn't look better with long hair and a skirt. I didn't want to draw the figure again. Instead, I used the photo software on my computer to edit the original image. With a freehand pen, I drew the skirt and outlines, and used the pink highlighter for the hair. The chocolate frosting turned into a hairband.

Bleeding Heart, White Tulip with Rain Drops, Yellow Archangel, and a garden snail

I will post the last May images and my June artworks in my June blog on June 26, 2026.

 

 

Until then, I wish you a wonderful spring. If you enjoy creating art in a social setting, I invite you to my Spring Art Café on June 14, 2026, from 2 PM to 4 PM. We will create beautiful paper flowers from old magazines and books. I will provide all the art materials and light refreshments. Let’s have fun together creating art, chatting, and laughing to build connections. 

Memories of Germany - Travel Art

 

Blog 5.1

 

Due to the large number of artworks since my last blog post, I decided to publish an additional blog this week with the drawings and paintings from my time in Germany. 

 

 

I returned from Germany in early May. During my visits with relatives and many friends, I received so much generosity and hospitality. I witnessed the frailty of my older relatives and realized even more how precious our time together is. Therefore, I concentrated on connecting with the people I only see once a year. I still created daily drawings, often late at night after my parents went to bed, but only started one watercolour and one needle-felted painting.

 

 

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Many spring flowers were already blooming during my visit. My drawings reflect the blossoming nature. I was extremely fortunate with the weather and experienced only three rainy days during my entire stay, with temperatures rising up to 27 degrees in the last week of my stay.

 

 

 

 

Except for trips with my parents and friends, I only relied on public transportation. Therefore, I have some sketches of fellow passengers. For the first time, someone talked to me about drawing people on the train, asking me if I had asked the person’s permission, which is not necessary as long as you don’t create a drawing that clearly identifies the person. I am more interested in the posture and how it affects the body's perspective and proportions. I struggle immensely with glasses. The person concluded the conversation with a dismissive comment about my drawing abilities. I consider it all a good way to practice, whether it turns out the way I envisioned it or not, but someone who hasn’t tried creating art might not understand my motives.

Unfortunately, my pencil sketches are usually very light. When I took the pictures, I couldn't increase the darkness of the images without also increasing the darkness of the writing on the backsides.

 

To strengthen my connections with art collectors and students, I invite you to my free Art Café on June 14, 2026, from 2 PM to 4 PM. I still have three more spaces available. If you plan to join us, please register soon.

This event offers an opportunity to connect through conversation, shared food, and a fun art project. We will create beautiful paper flowers from old magazines and books. I will provide all the materials and some light refreshments. You are welcome to bring a treat, especially if you have any dietary restrictions.


I will publish my regular May blog on May 29 with the rest of my May daily art projects. Until then, enjoy the  abundance nature offers.

There Is Always Time for Art

 

Blog 4

 

I already wrote this blog before I left for Germany on April 11, 2026. Therefore, this blog is shorter than usual. 

First, I share the last four March images, which I created after publishing my March blog.

 

 

The first image was influenced by my final Cartooning and Comics class of the winter semester at François Dupuis Recreation Centre in Orleans. I created an image of Patrick from SpongeBob. I don't recall my kids watching the show. However, they often talked about the characters. Therefore, it is a bit like a trip to the past.

If your child loves to draw, the spring semester runs from May 23 to June 13, 2026. This four-week session is a great opportunity to explore drawing and storytelling while creating their own unique comic.

For the last three days of March, I picked a tea cup from a recent café outing with my daughter. The cup and saucer were challenging to draw due to the perspective and ornate decorations. I almost wanted to switch subjects after the second day, but I persevered.
 

Here are the images from April 1 to 10. I am proud that I continued drawing daily, despite the visit of a friend from Germany and our week-long stay at the cottage, which included our Easter celebration with my family. Luckily, my friend Bob, who has been creating daily art for years, advised me to create my art either before everyone else got up or after everyone else was in bed. I chose the second option because I prefer to work until late at night, when everything is quiet around me.


After a delicious waffle breakfast on April 1, I drew the dish that evening. It was a complicated composition with many fruits.

 

  

Inspired by the Easter holidays, I chose a bunny sculpture for my practice. During the five days, I drew the bunny from different views. I created the first two images in 45 minutes, but needed an additional 30 minutes for the last three drawings. The easiest was the back view. The bunny looking to the left side felt the most challenging, maybe because I am right-handed. 

When I researched my theory, however, I found that many right-handed artists feel that drawing subjects looking to the left is easier. 

Here are some reasons I found online: 

• Right-handed people move their hand more comfortably towards the left across the page, away from their body, allowing for smoother, more controlled strokes. 
• Drawing a face looking left means the dominant hand doesn’t cover what has already been drawn, making proportions and details more clearly visible.
• Many right-handers find that drawing curves feels more fluid towards the left. 

Do you have a preference? 

 

On April 7, we went to the Wilno Tavern in Wilno, Ontario. Not only was the food delicious, but I loved the fresh carnations on each table. While we waited for our food, I sketched one in the sketchbook I always carry in my purse.

After we returned to the cottage, I created a coloured carnation with my watercolour pencils and a water brush. It's much darker than the ones on our table, but I got my shadows too dark, so I had to adjust the light pink of the flower to keep the balance.

Thinking about the last three days before my trip to Germany, I wondered what I could draw, considering that I would not have much time. We travelled home from the cottage on Friday and left for Germany on Saturday. I decided to reverse the order of my previous three-day projects, starting with a one-hour drawing. As the subject, I picked a landscape from our week at the cottage.

 

 

I will post the drawings from my trip and the additional May ones in my blog on May 29, 2026. 

Have a wonderful May and enjoy nature's blooming miracles!

Obstacles and Perserverance: My Personal 2026 Creativity Challenge

 Blog 3

 

At the end of the third month of my personal Creativity Challenge, I am still persevering, although I already stumbled on March 1. We had almost reached the capacity of our online storage, and I was so busy going through photos and deleting many that I completely forgot about my daily art project. I could have given up, but instead, I drew two images on March 2. 

 

  

The next blunder happened only a few days later. On March 6, I used watercolour pencils for my 45-minute art. However, in the middle of the process, I was interrupted. I stopped the timer, planning to resume drawing after the break. 

 

Unfortunately, I opened the wrong page of my sketchbook. Instead of continuing the March 6 drawing, I returned to the drawing of the previous day. I only noticed my mistake when I used a water brush and couldn't blend the colours. At first, I was annoyed at the pencils and their quality. However, after I added another layer of colour with my watercolour pencil, I could blend the top layer. At that point, I finally discovered my mistake. I went back to the March 6 drawing and finished it, blending the colours with a water brush without problems.   
 

 

 

 

On March 7, my drawing was again inspired by my Cartooning and Comic class. The participants wanted to draw the Pokémon character Mewtwo. I had fun changing the colours of this character. The original has a light grey body and a purple tail.

 

 

 
 
At this time of the year, I yearn for spring. As soon as I can find tulips in stores, I bring a bit of spring into my home. Therefore, my drawings were heavily inspired by the tulips that brightened our living area. The pink tulip I drew from March 8 to 10 is the same one I drew before. I had bought a bouquet of orange and pink tulips for my daughter's birthday.  She chose a mix of orange and pink for herself, leaving me with a delightful blend. I even took them to the cottage and created my daily art, even after painting en plein air with my friend Janis.

 

Next, a small teddy bear sculpture on my desk caught my eye. Instead of the flower, the figurine holds a photo wire in the form of a bloom. I replaced it with a red flower.

 

 
  

Preparing the first panel of the comic that the participants of my Cartooning and Comic course will create after March Break, I created an image of Shadow from Sonic and Patrick from SpongeBob, two characters we had previously drawn. All participants will start with the same first panel and can then choose to add other characters while omitting one of the characters. I am excited to see how imaginative their stories will be.

Many of us worry about what age will do to our appearance. However, this tulip had passed its prime, but it was still stunning. It had a couple more lines and lost some petals, but that made it only more interesting. We should look to nature's examples when we fret about the extra wrinkle or age spot. We are all perfect in our uniqueness, and our bodies are mirrors of our lives. This tulip is a symbol of ageless beauty.

 

 

On March 18, some of my Painting Buddies came to my house for a surprise party for one of our members. To disguise the party, I invited everyone to create an image of a still life in my studio space. I chose some shells and stones and created a still life that was much too busy as a whole. However, it allowed for interesting sections from various perspectives. I created a watercolour painting and the first sketch for my daily art. The shells proved to be a challenge. I erased the first steps several times for the first two drawings. I experience that the shapes get easier with every attempt.

 

In my Saturday class, the children started the comic. After drawing the first panel together, they showed a lot of imagination in continuing their stories. After class, I created a mixture of Shadow and Sonic from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. 

 

  

I enjoyed drawing the teddy bear girl so much that I picked the teddy bear boy next. Both figurines are photo holders. For the boy, I left the wire for holding photos out. I also changed the top of his pants. The figurine has a tissue sticking out at the top of the pants.

 

 

I bought the magenta calla lily because I loved the colour, even though I have not been successful at keeping this type of plant alive. I researched keeping it healthy online, so this one should fare better. To complete the final image of this blog in time for publication while entertaining my friend from Germany, I created the last drawing right after midnight. For a night owl like me, that was no problem at all. I love the quietness of the night when most people are asleep.

 

My next blog will only contain the images for the four days of March and the first ten days of April because of my upcoming trip to Germany. I will still schedule it for publication on April 24, 2026 (the last Friday of April).


Which one is your favourite of my drawings?