Happy Valentine’s Day!

In between making sketchbooks, making Valentine’s Day cards and a multitude of other projects, here is my map for Valentine’s Day, which is also up on They Draw and Travel’s website.

My favorite candy is Lore’s Chocolates in Philadelphia. But I love See’s and I like Kilwin’s ice cream (their candy isn’t bad either.) See’s candy has a special fondness in my heart because my grandmother used to buy us a box every year for Christmas. John and I found a See’s when we were in Seattle last year. We bought a pound and it never made it home. Castronovo is a new favorite, they make the chocolate right from the bean. OMG it is amazing.

However you like to celebrate Valentine’s Day, I hope yours is sweet!

Enjoy and Happy Valentine’s Day.

Here is the link to my map on their website.

http://www.theydrawandtravel.com/illustrations/10985-candy-sweet-shops-throughout-the-us

Paint the Great South Bay Quick Draw 

Today was quick draw day.   I checked the artists in and stamped their canvases/paper in front of the Patchogue Theater.  It was a good morning for painting!  The artists were given a timed painting session from 9 am and had to be back by 12 pm to be judged.

 Because I was doing administrative work, I decided to paint in front of the theater with a cleaner medium, casein.   So my view across the street was Kilwin’s, a much welcome addition to Patchogue.  And easy on the eyes, if you like ice cream and chocolate…

Once everyone checked in, I set to work sketching out my underpainting, then proceeded to lay in the paint.  Cars kept switching spots so I waited for a car that would be there a while.  

Finally, one lady parked in front and put money in meter.  Ha! Jackpot!  I asked her if she was going to be there long, and, seeing me with an easel, her cranky pants response was “At least 2 hours!” 

“Perfect!” I said, “I’ll paint your car!”  So I added her car to the painting.

I finished the painting at 11:58, lol.

I used a plastic palette today for the casein,  freaking awesome idea, wish Inhad thought of it sooner….here are photos of the painting and the tubes of casein..thank you Richeson company!  Love casein!

I will sketch for ice cream!

One of the Paint the Great South Bay’s mini challenges was a sketch hour at Kilwin’s of Patchogue.  The owner, John, offered the PGSB artists a free ice cream in trade for a sketch in his shop.  Hell yeah!  I was there, John and I have been on a strict eating and exercise plan but I was taking the night off for a Kilwin’s ice cream. We had an hour to complete the sketch.

This is my sketch that I turned in for an ice cream…these chocolate covered cookies looked yummy!