15 trees.

...Fifteen trees.  I surpassed my original goal of ten and now I am half way to my new goal of fifteen.  (see slideshow, above) I photographed what I have so far, I can see where some days I focused my attention on the tree, sometimes on the background…just depending on my mood and perhaps what I was listening to on my IPod.  This is just preliminary drawing on all of these; I will go back into each one later and add more details, color, etc.  For now, just enjoying making black marks on a brand new piece of paper.  It is daunting (and exciting) to see that expanse of white and make that first mark. 

Besides completing the fifteenth tree today, I also took some time to open a book on Mucha and just sit and read.  To pour over the pictures, to try and expand my knowledge base.  Klimt and Mucha are two artists that I admire, but how much do I really know about them?  I know a little, I need to know more.  So…I just sat and read, looked.  I have all of these art books, I get so excited and I buy them.  Sometimes I look at them all the way; sometimes I just shelve them, like some treasure waiting for a time to be explored.  And I don’t always take the time to do just that.  So this summer, this fabulous summer, I am going to read every book that I own related to Art Nouveau, Gustav Klimt and Alphonse Mucha.  When I am done reading them I am going to go through them again and sketch and make notes.  I am going to increase my vocabulary and knowledge of these artists and their work, and figure out the connections to my own art.  

Tomorrow, tree number sixteen awaits.  Tree number sixteen, now just a thought, to be put on paper tomorrow, marks to be made.

Special thanks to my husband for picking the music for the in-progress slideshow. (Cat Stevens, The Wind)