Annie Patterson Art and Illustration

yummy watercolor

one thing i love about watercolor paints is that even if you only have a couple of minutes to paint,
you can still make something pretty with just a few strokes of the brush.

Labels: Paint, Watercolor

color memory

 

colors i saw outside, on a recent misty morning

Labels: Paint

Arctic fox, turning white

Labels: Arctic, Photographs, Tundra

Shades of White

I'm having a love affair with all of the amazing tiny tundra miracles outside my
doorstep. I could get lost out there if I weren't afraid of a polar bear sneaking up on me.

I'm interested in finding out the names of the different lichen species. Here is a book I'm going to look for.

1. dew on willow cotton
2. drops of dew accidentally smudged around the lens made this cool affect
3. this one reminds me of antlers
4. lichen cups! love them!

5. pretty ruffles of lichen that remind me of an ocean plant

Labels: Arctic, Photographs, Tundra

I Love August in the Arctic

I'm feeling lucky today to have all of this beauty in my backyard. This time of year in the Arctic is almost awe inspiring to me. Geese migrating overhead, calling so beautifully to each other in encouragement, snowy owls out my bedroom window, tiny flowers and plants putting on such an amazing show before the cold snaps begin. What a weekend!

These flowers are so tiny- about the size of a pinky nail.They are everywhere right now. I didn't see the bug in the flower cup until I opened the photo.

 

These specks of pink caught my eye.

 

 

Mushrooms! Lots of varieties all over.

A flower ring

This is the first I've seen this type of flower this summer. They are one of my favorites.

August

Dew drops reflected inside dew drops! The tundra was glistening for much of today with drops of this dew that gave the whole place a misty look. 

  A bouquet of teeny tiny tundra flowers.

A Short-eared owl surprised me recently - I've only ever seen Snowy owls here in Barrow. A very graceful glider he was.

Catching up

hello! I thought it was about time I popped in and said hello. I've been so busy with my job and my little ones, I scarcely have a minute to post anything! This photo above shows the little ermine who were chattering at us during a nature walk out on the tundra with my watercolor field journal class. They were very cute, and very serious! These two were babies! This walkway you see is put down for researchers who study the tundra every summer.

And here is what we have had to do with every chair in the house since baby Ian started climbing. If we put one down he immediately climbs up onto the table or even the kitchen counter. It gets exhausting lifting him down and hearing him cry about it, so for now this works. Except when we need to sit down!

Some recent tiny ACEO size watercolors. Have to paint fast and small these days!

Watercolors of wild flowers and grasses

 

kite flying in the backyard

Poppies and other wildflowers

 

 

A close up of our trees here in Barrow- willows that grow just a few inches tall.

 

And that's all I've got for now! It might be a while before I can post again. Thanks for visiting!!

Oh, I almost forgot to mention- I would have loved to have flown down to the Eric Carle Museum in MA a couple weeks ago to see Lisbeth Zwerger in person, along with her artwork- but alas I could not. However, they have the exhibition catalog for sale on the museum website. I collect all things Lisbeth, so yay! I ordered it.

Another pretty ice show

Lots and lots of Long-tailed ducks swimming together today along the shore in this little cove that the ice made for them. This photo just captures about half of them. The sound of the ice melting, splashing, waves breaking, ducks calling...amazing. I had a thought while taking these photos- I wondered if I should quit taking pictures with the intent that I will paint them one day, and instead stop and draw the scene, maybe paint too. Right then. It would require slowing down to a pace I'm not used to. It sounds really nice.

Recently

Here are some recent pictures I've taken around town, Barrow, Alaska.

I love the colors!! Can't you just hear the water lapping at the ice?

update: thanks Jeannie Brett for asking- this flower is called Mertensia maritima, or Oysterleaf.
It grows in the sand on beaches and seacliffs. (Info from the Barrow Wildflower Sketchbook by Michele Johnson)

Hooray for nature!!

Does anyone know what kind of duck this is? I think it's a Long-tailed duck?

Baby Ian was very interested in the broom and dustpan today! I like this picture, it reminds me of sweeping brush strokes (no pun intended, really!) and it sort of captures the sweet chaos that is my life right now, raising small kids etc...time flying by...

Arctic Ocean

The water looked so blue this afternoon- I had to pull over and attempt to capture it with my camera. My mind thinks of paint and I mix colors in my mind.

Horn Book Review

 

Thank you, Horn Book, for publishing a review of Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out, in your printed magazine. And for including one of the illustrations!

Here is a nice review from ForeWord Reviews that made me smile, too.

Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out!

Author: April Pulley Sayre
Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing (February 1, 2010)
ISBN: 9781580891486
Reviewed: May/June 2010

On a Florida beach one night, a baby turtle begins her life as an egg, buried in the sand. Thanks to her own instincts and the help of multiple young hands, she successfully hatches, makes it to the water, grows up, and comes back to lay her own eggs, twenty years later. The refrain, “Turtle, Turtle, watch out!” warns readers when the turtle is about to encounter danger, and highlights the actions young human hands can take to help turtles survive. Gorgeous illustrations of evening and underwater scenes make the turtle’s life look magical, and appendices list all seven sea turtle species and worldwide efforts to help prevent their extinction. Actions can be as simple as cleaning trash off beaches and out of the water, or shutting off house lights near the beach so young turtles won’t crawl away from the water and toward the houses. For ages four to ten. Teresa Scollon

Back in the Arctic

We're back home now in the Arctic. Flowers are sprouting. The tundra is still brown, but not for long. These little red flowers were teeny tiny- about half the size of a penny. I wandered around for a while in my backyard, listening to birds and enjoying the cool air. Two geese came in for a landing near me, communicating very loudly to each other as they descended. As soon as they were on the ground they ruffled their feathers and were quiet. Cute.

Vashon Island

 

 

 

 

 

how many animals can you see in the yard?

We have two more days on this lovely island. I'd like to stay. I love it here!

Idaho

 

 

 

 

 

 

We left Southern Idaho last night where we've been for the past couple of weeks. It was beautiful. We stayed in Pendleton, Oregon, last night. Now we're on our way to Vashon Island, Washington, for the watercolor workshop I'm taking. 4 solid days of painting uninterrupted by the duties of mommy-hood = amazing! I'm looking forward to it.

Happy Birthday to My Number One Fella

Ian was just about to fall asleep for a late morning birthday nap here.
And later, cake! Shared with big sister. We had an outdoor party at my
93 year old grandmother's place. Dear friends and family helped us celebrate. Cozy and fun.