Springtime

Lupines

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The Fort Hill area of Eastham, Massachusetts on Cape Cod is a beautiful rolling field overlooking the ocean that explodes with colorful wild flowers in late spring and early summer. On this day, the first bloomers are the Lupines in a compact area just off of the trail. Lupines have soft green to grey-green leaves which may be coated in silvery hairs, often densely so. The leaf blades are usually palmately divided into five to 28 leaflets. The flowers are produced in dense or open whorls on an erect spike, each flower 1–2 cm long. The pea-like flowers have an upper standard, or banner, two lateral wings, and two lower petals fused into a keel. The flower shape has inspired common names such as bluebonnets and Quaker bonnets. Holbein watercolors with Lukas gouache and Faber-Castell Art Pens in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.

2016-06-03 Lupine

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Golden Shower Tree

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The Golden Shower Tree is native to the Indian subcontinent and adjacent regions of Southeast Asia. The golden shower tree is a medium-sized tree, growing to 33–66 ft tall with fast growth. The leaves are deciduous and the flowers are produced in pendulous racemes 8″ – 16″ long with many individual flowers. In full bloom, the tree looks like a waterfall or shower of golden yellow draping flowers. This is tree is actually in our yard and is amazing that it is growing this far north. Holbein and Daniel Smith watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.

2016-06-02 Golden Shower Tree

Blue Flowers

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My wife Lisa took a photo of some beautiful little blue flowers peaking out from under out porch steps. I am not sure what they are, but we were taken by the contrast between the blue flowers and the deep shadows under the steps. I know we did not plant them under the steps, so they are a wonderful Spring surprise. Pilot Falcon fountain pen with Noodler’s Black ink and Holbein watercolors in a Stillman and Birn Beta sketchbook.

2016-05-24 Blue Flowers

Magnolia

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Magnolias are thought to be one of the first flowering plants to evolve on Earth. According to the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society, fossil remains show that magnolias were around some for 100 million years. Basically all magnolias follow the same blueprint. Ancient magnolias are still recognizable today as magnolias. Therefore, a magnolia means stability and grace through the ever changing ages. We simply enjoy the beautiful flowers as they bloom in the Spring. This year, the flowers remained on the tree much longer than usual without the rain and wind to take them too early. Pilot Falcon fountain pen with Noodler’s black ink and Holbein watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.

2016-05-23 Magnolia

Red Tulip

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It was a pleasure to return from vacation and see our tulips at the house in full bloom. the weather was so cool and damp while we were away, that the blooms slowed down. Typically they are only in bloom for a day or 2 until the deer eat them. There are 4 colors and they are beautiful. Over the next few days I will be sketching each of them. Holbein and Daniel Smith watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.

2016-05-10 Red Tulip

Grand Opening

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Tonight we attended the Grand Opening of Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, New Jersey. The club just completed a multi-year, $15,000,000.00 dollar renovation to the clubhouse that was designed by my firm. The  project turned out beautiful with great architecture and wonderful interiors. There were about 450 members and guests at the opening with plenty of great food and drinks. We totally reimaged the club based on its culture inside and out. This is a view of the Main Entry Portico in the early evening prior to the event. Lamy fountain pen with Noodler’s ink and  Pelikan watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.

2015-10-18 Canoe Brook

Fruit Vendor

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New York City is such a vibrant and colorful atmosphere. I just love the street vendors, especially the fruit vendors that bring color and life into the city. The Green Vendors, with the support of city government, immigrants from all over the world sell healthy food on the streets in low-income neighborhoods to not only tackle the urban food crisis in areas bereft of nutritious fare but also in the hopes of providing a better life for their children. Faber-Castell Pitt pens with watercolor in a Stillman and Birn Alpha 9 x 12 sketchbook.

2015-07-23 Fruit Vendor

Rhodies

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The Rhododendrons in our yard are bursting out and are beautiful. Rhododendron (from Ancient Greek ῥόδον rhódon “rose” and δένδρον déndron “tree”) is a  genus of 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae), either evergreen or deciduous, and found mainly in Asia, although it is also widespread throughout the Southern Highlands of the Appalachian Mountains of North America. This is my first attempt at negative painting and may be used as a study for a larger painting. Utrecht Watercolors in a 5″ x 9″ Moleskine Watercolor book.

2015-05-17 Rhodies