#ArtAdventCalendar Day 10: The Cloth Shop This is an ink & wash piece of a shop on London’s Portobello Road. It was tricky to capture the layers - exterior/front, reflections, display & shop interior. I loved the details. Exercise in patience & brought back good memories. #ArtYear #watercolor #ink

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 9: Rush Experimental abstract - limited palette with different tools and techniques. #ArtYear #acrylic

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 8: I Know You by Touch This was an interesting exercise. Using blind contour and continuous line, touch your face slowly and draw without looking in a mirror. It felt so unusual - my brain worked differently. #ArtYear #drawing

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 7: Written in Stone Inspired by a Spanish castle ruin. I loved the layers of history and the textured stone walls. Acrylics are new for me, and this is the 4th painting on the same canvas. #ArtYear #acrylics #painting

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 6: Flight of the Hummingbirds This was inspired by watching hummingbirds at dawn during fall migration. Pale lilac sky + the colors of the birds. It’s like a flight tracker of the paths from trees to feeder & all over the neighborhood. Magnificent. #ArtYear #watercolor #ink

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 5: Autumn Morning, Kansas City I did this little ink & wash piece when it was still hot as hell down here in Texas. It has Kansas City landmarks & images that remind me of fall in KC. It’s for my dad, who’s in memory care. Memories for both of us. #ArtYear #watercolor #ink

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 4: Ruins of a Distant Future I love ancient cities & ruins. This scene shows a crumbling hilltop fortress & cave dwellings in an imaginary world. I love painting with watercolors & good paper makes a difference! #ArtYear #watercolor #ink

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 3: Arboretum Trails Tried out Caran D’Ache Neocolor II #crayons & drew some impressions from recent walks. I loved the feel, bright colors, and mix of marks & watercolor. The one on the upper right is done with #watercolor & #pencil & the rest are Neocolor. #ArtYear

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 2: Diary Madrid A visual diary or artist’s journal is a good way to observe, record thoughts, experiences & memories, use watercolor, pencil & ink, and do some urban sketching. Fun & meaningful. #ArtYear #watercolor #ink #journal

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 1: “Early Morning Rain” This is inspired by a beautiful morning when the sun was shining and rain showers looked like shimmering crystals. I’m enjoying the beauty in my feed - so many different works from talented artists. It’s good to be back. #watercolor #ArtYear

Artists & art lovers - are you ready? It’s time for the best Bluesky tradition - Art Advent Calendar! December 1-24. Post original work, discover new artists, celebrate every day, flood your feed with joy. #ArtAdventCalendar Hosted by @jayispainting.earthskyart.ca #art #artsky

“Our Land, Once Big and Beautiful” While we’re being distracted by Epstein files, MAHA Coke & racist team names, our public lands are being destroyed in the name of Energy Dominance. Nothing beautiful about it. More in alt text 👇 #ArtYear #mixedmedia #watercolor #ink #contecrayon #coloredpencil

I could paint imaginary cities every day. Look closely & see the textures of ancient walls, stone archway, roofs, wooden doors, balconies & windows. I love this lesson from “Creative Abstract Watercolor” by @essoldodesign.bsky.social. #watercolor #ink #creativeabstreactwatercolor

A summery watercolor painting for a friend who lives by the water. Inspired by a lesson in “Creative Abstract Watercolor” by Kate Rebecca Leach at @essoldodesign.bsky.social #watercolor #nature #artyear

Hand-painted watercolor fairy house for a special friend. #watercolor #painting #creativity #imagination #artyear

“When you are lost, choose beauty.” This really spoke to me this morning. Gina is finding a way through, one stitch at a time. Beautiful work.

Street art by abstract_avila in Galveston, Texas. #streetart #urbanart #galveston #texas

I just called my Representative using 5calls and spoke to a staffer about H.R.1. CALL NOW & let your voice be heard! Thank you @5calls.org! And thank you @repfletcher.bsky.social for being accessible to your constituents & opposing this monstrous bill. #biguglybill

Every time I start a journal, I get tired of my introspective drivel, stick the diary in a drawer, find it years later & shred the pages. But stories are different. Moments are like little movies. So I write them down & sketch what I see. Enjoying this more. #ArtYear #journaling #storytelling

Since we’re on the cusp of hurricane season down here near the gulf coast… It’s helpful to know the difference between a watch & a warning. The Fort Bend County library system explained it perfectly. Using a language we all understand. #taco #hurricaneseason

Mindful & meditative art inspired by A.A. Murakami’s Floating World immersive exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Materials: Faber-Castell aquarelle pencils, ruler, circle template, aqua brush with water. #ArtYear #watercolor #mindfulart #color

A visual diary or artist’s journal is a good way to observe, record thoughts, experiences & memories, use watercolor, pencil & ink, and do some urban sketching. It’s fun & meaningful - can’t wait to do more! #ArtYear #drawing #sketching #watercolor #ink #journaling #urbansketching

I was so pleased to find Thomas Dambo’s “Malin’s Fountain” (#127) in Austin, Texas. Malin's Fountain symbolizes the community's strength & ability to come together as one. Thomas Dambo is a Danish recycling artist & his mission is to 'Waste no more'. #thomasdambo #artsky #art #sustainable #austin

It’s serious, y’all. 105 degrees in May.

“View of Sepúlveda” This is a view of the medieval town of Sepúlveda, Spain, with its stone walls, Romanesque church & old buildings, and narrow winding streets. I’m back to 3x3 watercolor & ink and enjoying focusing on all the details. #watercolor #ink #artsky #ArtYear

Pay attention, but remember there’s beauty in the world. See the comments for a healthy dose of Vincent Van Gogh.

So beautiful, and pulsating with life energy. Thank you @wonderloststudio.bsky.social for sharing your work, process & inspiration.

Street Messages “No Estress” (no stress) & “No Te Compares” (don’t compare yourself). Interesting what you notice & what speaks to you. Seen in the streets of Madrid, Spain. #graffiti #streetart

“Make Art, Not War” Collage art by @prospektcol.lazzaph (IG) on a wall in the Lavapies neighborhood of Madrid More details in alt text 👇

The last few weeks have been about exploring and gathering ideas & inspiration. This is a quick watercolor sketch of a street in Pedraza, a walled medieval town in Spain. It was good to just get the pens & paint out & make some marks. #watercolor #ink #ArtYear

On April 28, 2025, a major power blackout occurred across Spain, Portugal & southern France. Everything came to a halt & shops, hotels, metro stations & restaurants closed. ATMs out of order. Cash only. Some waited it out at bars with friends. Cheers in the streets when the lights went back on.

“1984 - Orwell was right” Note the surveillance camera image in the eye. Graffiti seen in Madrid.

Enjoyed Pinta Malasaña, Madrid’s annual urban art festival. 2025 marked the 10th anniversary & 100 artists covered walls, windows, plazas & shop shutters in the University neighborhood with their work. The talent is amazing & I love the color! #madrid #artsky #streetart #urbanart

Day 55: “Simplicity” One-line tulips and a few additional lines. Stripping things down to focus on loose lines and color. Life is busy and this has turned into the “Create when you feel like it club,” and that’s just fine. #watercolor #ink #artsky #the100dayproject #ArtYear

Astounding! I love the use of color and impressionist brush strokes.

Day 50: “Hollyhock Cottage” This is an experiment in continuous line drawing, with a few accent lines. The act of letting the hand freely “trace” the contours promotes a state of flow and connection with the subject being drawn. #watercolor #ink #drawing #artsky #the100dayproject #ArtYear

Day 48: “The Front Porch Remains” This old abandoned house is in shambles, but the thermometer still says it’s warm for spring & the porch remains. Spirits linger & I wonder about their stories. A string of lights awaits the dusk. #watercolor #ink #artsky #the100dayproject #ArtYear

Day 47: “All That Glimmers” Testing some paints, including Beam’s glistening Dreamers Gold & Wintery Night from the Waasnoodin-Northern Lights palette. #watercolor #artsky #the100dayproject #ArtYear

Day 46: “Pueblo Andaluz” “White villages” are small Andalusian towns in southern Spain. This was an exercise in mindfulness & my imagination traveled through the ancient winding streets of whitewashed houses built by the Romans & Moors. #watercolor #ink #mindfulart #the100dayproject #ArtYear

Day 42: “Humanity Lost” On Saturday, I visited the Holocaust Museum - a deeply disturbing reminder of the power of hatred & our infinite capacity for cruelty. Started with power, book burning & bans. Aided by laws. Could it happen again? Will we let it? #watercolor #ink #the100dayproject #ArtYear

💥Don’t miss it! Join historian Heather Cox Richardson & Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett to learn more about how Project 2025 is being implemented & what YOU can do about it!

Day 44: “Galactic Trapeze” 3 square inches isn’t a lot of space & complicated scenes with microscopic details just ain’t working for me. So I’ve taken a mid-century modern approach - lighthearted, with a touch of the Jetsons. #watercolor #ink #MCM #design #artsky #the100dayproject #ArtYear

Day 43: “Project Row Houses” Today our road trip takes us to Project Row Houses in Houston, Texas - an experiment in art, cultural & historic preservation, revitalization & empowerment. Now on display, works by local graffiti artists. #watercolor #ink #houston #artsky #the100dayproject #ArtYear

Bridget’s adventures: Art, music, humor & a time traveling cat. Delightful thread full of creativity & imagination. It will make your day! #artsky #art #cats

Day 41: “Honky Tonk” Want to take a break from this week from hell? Let’s take a road trip. First stop, the Smallest Little Honky Tonk in Tomball, Texas. Watch your hat as you enter & get ready for some great music. #watercolor #ink #texas #roadtrip #artsky #the100dayproject #ArtYear

Self-sufficiency, growth, sustainability & resistance all meet up at #TheOutpost Follow, learn & find kindred spirits! #sustainability #gardening #herbs #health #resist

Day 39: “Mindwalk” Sometimes when it seems like the world is falling apart, I take my mind on a walk through the woods. And I realize that nature will have none of that nonsense. #watercolor #painting #trees #nature #walking #artsky #the100dayproject #ArtYear

Day 38: “Good Trouble” So much courage, truth, commitment to the ideals of this country. All I could do is witness this historic moment & sketch. Thank you @booker.senate.gov for taking a stand. We the People. What comes next? #watercolor #ink #sketching #artsky #the100dayproject #ArtYear

This is fabulous. Haunting.

Day 33: “Tulip Fields” Day 33 - and 33 years ago our family moved to a village in the Netherlands near the “Bollenstreek,” or tulip fields. Spring there is like another world. #watercolor #aquarellepencils #spring #holland #flowers #nature #painting #artsky #the100dayproject #ArtYear