Saturday Morning Idyll

Does it fit into my schedule?  Not really.  Would more get done around the house if I didn't take the class?  Probably.  Does it make me very happy and therefore worthwhile?  Yes!  I am winding down an 8 week watercolor class at the Newburyport Art Association every Saturday morning.  The teacher is wonderful, the class is small and not to be too cliche about it...but it really is a delight!

This village by the sea is my favorite place.  We used to live closer and I'd be here two or three times a week just breathing in the salty air.  Nothing like it.

My class is another two blocks on the left heading towards Plum Island.

The Art Association is here and the classes are taken right in the gallery, surrounded by old, lovely brick walls and rotating art exhibits.  If you can't get inspired here, hang up ye olde paintbrush!

The old iron gates guard the most beautiful Unitarian Church. 
As many times as I've walked these streets I always think of those that came before.

If you were, say, a private investigator trying to track me down, I might as well have lime green paint on the bottom of my shoes because from class I head directly here to Greta's Great Grains.  www.gretasgreatgrains.com

All items made there, smell is out of this world, fresh coffee and truly, honestly, really, no-lie, the most delicate, fluffy and perfect almond croissant I've ever had.

Heading out of town on Scotland Road, I always stop at Colby Farmstand for organic chocolate milk, fresh eggs and cinnamon bread from a local bakery. 

It's the country life for me.

 

Oh yes, and the artwork.  Ha ha.  Appears to be almost an afterthought!  Not really, though I am truly as inspired by the town and the bricks and the water as I am by my wonderful teacher, Beverly Mitchell.
It is of no use to paint watercolor on cheap paper she has taught me.  Yet, I forgot my "good" stuff at home.  Although my classmates offered some of theirs,  I didn't want to take from their stash (a pad of good Arches brand paper can cost $40.00) so I set out to cut up my so-so paper and make pretty holiday tags out of them. 

I finished this up last week.  The photo on the left is a tear sheet from a decorating magazine and my watercolor likeness is on the right.  Oh yes, it took me hours and hours.  Not as simple as it looks, but wouldn't trade one of those hours away.  Dirty laundry will wait.  Now what shall I paint next week?  Hmm.