Indian Pipes

The Indian Pipe, also known as the Ghost Plant or the Corpse Plant, pops up the woods in the late summer.

They are eye catching in their pale rosiness.  They lack any chlorophyll and are essentially parasitic.

Most importantly, they are fun to draw and paint.

They were the star of one summer’s Cottage Cards.

If you enjoyed this post, please like Ashley Wolff Art on Facebook, visit my webpage here, my Etsy shop, or follow the blog by hitting the “follow blog” button at the top of the sidebar. 

 

Editing

As I, too, move and pare down, this eloquent post by Margaret Chodos-Irvine speaks loudly to me.

 

Editing.

A Mural for Karla’s Room

I grew up with a fold-out frieze of Noah’s Ark running around the top of the walls of the room I shared with my sister. Gazing from my pillow on the top bunk, I studied every detail of those animals. I’m sure that must have influenced my choice of subjects to this day.

Last summer I painted a fantasy mural of a clearing with a pond, horses and some little houses for my grand niece Julie Anna. Her family had a new baby on the way and this summer,  7-month-old Karla got her own fantasy mural.

To prepare, we set up lamps and a worktable, and draped the room with sheets.  

I began with an spongey oval to echo Julie Anna’s  Pastoral scene, but I decided to go underwater this time.

I added a sandcastle in the background and built up turrets and windows and seaweed until I was happy.

Now it was time to introduce the star–a fat, little mermaid with long dark hair.

Of course she needed an entourage of sea creatures,

including a whale for Julie Anna, a dolphin for Karen, and an octopus for me.

My other favorite bits now are the pearl in the oyster and the eel in the cave.

Karla seems pleased. No smiling for the camera this time–she only wanted to pat, pat, pat her little mermaid.

 

If you enjoyed this post, please like Ashley Wolff Art on Facebook, visit my webpage here, my Etsy shop, or follow the blog by hitting the “follow blog” button at the top of the sidebar.