Sandhill Cranes

"Sandhill Cranes 2"
watercolor and ink on 6"x4.5" Arches Hot Pressed watercolor paper, 140#

Was it just a few weeks ago that I wrote about my sense that I could see compositions everywhere I went? I was on such a high after those two Scottsdale workshops in gouache and watercolor-sketching. 

Well dang, the honeymoon is over. The painting above was not a labor of love. It was just labor. Nothing happened that surprised me. It's too controlled. I wanted to do this without the ink lines but just couldn't pull it off. 

I painted the one below a few days ago. Same deal: too controlled and those lines just kept getting heavier and heavier.

The good part is the trip last week to Kearney, Nebraska, to see sandhill cranes before they migrate north. At least the paintings can remind me of the magic of hearing and seeing thousands of them. 

I guess it doesn't have to be all about art, does it? 

Plus: I'm sure I learned something with these two paintings. I'm just not sure what yet. 

"Sandhill Cranes 1"
 watercolor and ink in Beta Series Stillman Birn Sketchbook, Mixed Media, 5.5"x8/5"
Extra Heavyweight, Cold Press Surface