Drawing in the Garden: Outdoor Sketching Workshop with The James Rose Center | Saturday (6/28) 2-4PM6/19/2025 Come join me at the James Rose Center to learn more about sketching in this serene and peaceful setting. I will personally guide you through the materials and methods for sketching in pencil, pen, colored pencil and even watercolor. A materials list is available upon registration! More info & Registration: https://www.jamesrosecenter.org/events/drawinginthegarden-june2025  
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 Yesterday, I returned home after an amazing week in Ireland. It was my first time in Ireland and I was there to instruct a plein air group for Travel Fever Tours. The entire experience was beyond words, but I will try to share a little of the magic that I experienced during this wonderful trip! Landing in Dublin, our group gathered and drove about two hours to our accommodations at Ashbrooke House. Ashbrooke house is a beautiful Georgian manor and the estate is still in the same family. The team there made us feel right at home and provided fantastic service. Ashbrooke isn't only a beautiful place to stay, the large estate has a beautiful walled garden, provides other workshops, an equine therapy program and more. For the week, we even had the luxury of a private chef named Joery Castel. Joery made us 3 extraordinary meals a day and they were all top notch; he tailored meals for the guests who had specific diets in a way that showed his creativity and skill. Upon arriving, one of our first experiences was to learn about raptors and the art of falconry from Hawk Walks NI. I sketched as we learned about them, but the greatest thrill was being able to hold these beautiful creatures. Throughout the week, I really enjoyed getting to know all of the participants who came from the US, Canada and the UK. We painted together every day and I did demos and provided individual instruction. One of my favorite excursions was to a giant cliff formation called Slieve League. I had never experience terrain like this so it was quite thrilling as I hiked around. I took some photos and video, but it didn't come close to capturing the grandeur of the experience. After seeing the cliffs, we had lunch at a pub from 1892 called The Rusty Mackerel. The fish & chips with an expertly poured Guiness was sublime. We all enjoyed the meal as the pub's cozy atmosphere was accentuated by a warm fire. In Donegal, our group also got to do a little shopping at a shop called Magee of Donegal. The shop, from 1866, specializes in Donegal tweed and I picked up a "baker's boy" hat and a few scarves. The quality of their products is stunning and I feel very Irish sporting their wears. Another day trip was to the nearby Florence Court in Enniskillen. We had a tour of their estate and walled garden followed by an "upstairs and downstairs" tour of the house. I love learning about these properties so this was another highlight for me. As my memories are fresh and I reflect, I am trying to fully express the beauty of Ireland and the hospitality of its people. From beginning to end, the entire trip was like something from a dream. I want to thank Bob & Cicely from Travel Fever Tours for letting me instruct this wonderful group. And another huge thanks to Christopher, Amanda, Lara and the whole team at Ashbrooke House.  Memories For a Lifetime! Today, I had a wonderful tour of the James Rose Center in my hometown of Ridgewod, NJ. I met with two members of their team and we discussed doing some workshops and other possibilities. I have lived in Ridgewood for my whole life and I can't believe that I hadn't been to this center before. The home and gardens around it are very inspiring, peaceful and transportational; I felt like I had stepped into another upon entering. It also has a very interesting history and I'm so glad that we're connecting to collaborate and explore opportunities. Learn more about the James Rose Center here: https://www.jamesrosecenter.org/ Today, I was able to see the Sargent & Paris exhibit which is at the MET until August 3rd, 2025. If you're in the NYC area then you have to see this exhibit while it's open. These pieces are spread out throughout many museums and even private collections, so seeing it all as one group is a rare treat. I've been a Sargent fan for a long time, but this show really highlights how diverse is body of work is; he excelled at portraits, figures, landscapes--in oils, watercolors and drawings! Honestly, as an artist, he makes me feel inadequate (haha)! But then again, he inspires me tremendously. And Sargent makes me want to try different ways of working. To me, he can't be fit into any mold or genre. Hats off to you Mr. Sargent for creating so many wonderful works! I'll be coming back to visit the exhibition at some point during the summer. And this was a nice boost of inspiration before I head off to Ireland. I only took a few photos to share because they deserve to be seen in person and the photos don't do any justice.At the end of the exhibition, they had some paper and pencils for sketching and writing comments! My own Sargent caricature sketch. |
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