I've been working on this show so hard I forgot to write a post about it! These oil on paper paintings of landscapes from the American West combined with houses from my neighborhood have been my big studio project for the past year and a half. I installed them as a show in my studio and tomorrow I'm giving a free studio talk sponsored by a Bridging the Distance grant from the Urban Art Commission. The talk is about my studio show, having a studio practice, and about making time and space for something creative in your life. It just might keep you sane during a pandemic!
Studio Talk: Wednesday, June 30, noon CST via Zoom
Registration Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIkc-uhqDIsHtESUN1jbCyoJ75KCSjDSrw3

I was inspired by trips out west - to Utah and Nevada in 2019 and to Yellowstone in 2020 - but felt compelled to include houses from my neighborhood to feel safe while I was working on these during the pandemic. Some include our tent from the camping we did on the way to Yellowstone, our temporary home for part of that trip.
I'd love to tell you more about my process and how it helped me survive the pandemic - join me for the talk tomorrow!

Here's how these outings are possible - I got the vaccine! It was really exciting and I'm so incredibly grateful to have gotten both of my shots.
I got both of my shots at the Pipkin Buildings at the Memphis Fairgrounds. It has garage-like doors on either side, so they directed people to drive right through the building to get their vaccines. On the right of the top sketch you can see the line waiting to drive in.

On the top left is the inside of the building, with the medical professionals giving the shots in front of the outside door. I think they must have had us wait in the building, but I can't remember now. I went to vaccination sites six times - I took my mother-in-law twice, my husband twice, and myself twice. Each time was a completely different process.

By the time I got my second shot, the National Guard had set up a temporary location next to the Pipkin building to accommodate more people, so here you can see some of the medical professionals preparing to give shots to everyone in the bus in front of us. 
One of the National Guards asked if we wanted a sticker and he was surprised to get a loud and emphatic, "YES I WOULD LOVE A STICKER!"
I want to say again how grateful I am to have gotten a vaccine so easily. I am having so much fun hugging my friends again.

I went out for some non-grocery-related sketching - I've been doing that more here and there lately. This is an easy spot for good sketching because it's right in the middle of the city - the Old Forest at Overton Park.

I go more places than just the grocery store these days, but it's the only place where I always sketch. Here is my sketch from today, plus a very quick sketch of the Clark Tower (those stripes!) while I was filling up the car with gas and while my pen was running out of ink.
Today I sketched with a Sailor fude fountain pen, which I've just fallen back in love with. It took me a long time to get used to it, but once I did I loved it. I guess my love faded for a while but it's back now.

Some days I get lucky and get the first pickup spot, where I can practice one-point perspective. I also felt the need to pay tribute to the hardest working machine in our house.

Sometimes I get the view of the back of the fire station that's next door to Kroger. Sometimes I get a banana.

I was excited to have a new subject to draw while waiting - bikes! I love the confusion of lines when drawing bikes. The bike rack and lock added extra challenges. Today (top sketch) I had a different view of the bike rack and was able to show it in context.