Gwen at Big Sur
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Faces: Gwen

by Mary Stebbins Taitt · 158 words

We met Gwen on our trip to California and fell in love with her. She was living in her car in Big Sur because she wanted to be in a beautiful place. Big Sur is certainly beautiful.

She told us the cops said that she couldn't sleep in the roadside turnouts "forever." Then added wryly, "But I won't be here forever."

She shared water with us from a spring in the side of the mountain where we had stopped. She told us about her life, and we told her about ours. We stayed and talked with her, and she mentioned good spots to stop along the way to see elephant seals and striking vistas.

We were reluctant to leave her and be on our our way. She half wished she would be discovered in Big Sur by the right man. We sure hope he finds her. Soon. A good man, a kind one who loves beauty, true beauty.

"Zen" Beach

I call these my "Zen" beach pictures, because of their simplicity.

The last one is a door latch at a Catholic Monastery, included for
its Zen-like simplicity.

Youngster

Photographer at Yosemite

Photo Friday's challenge for the day is "Youngster." I took this
picture of a boy at Yosemite (with his parent's permission.) He's not
only a youngster, but also a photographer.

Carrying the House of Fear

Carrying "The House of Fear"
Digitally altered watercolor painting.

You can see here a story that goes with this illo.

Love's Fleurs Quick Sketch

Love's Fleurs, Mary Stebbins Taitt, for Keith, artrage on iPad, quick
sketch. Keith gave me these for our anniversary. (Click image to view
larger.)

Emerging from the Flood

Emerging from the flood

Manipulated digital photographic composit, by me, Mary Stebbins Taitt

Acrylic Sketches while Camping

I did these while camping at the Pinery in Ontario, Canada.  I was hoping to finish the book up there, but we had too much rain--and you can't paint in the rain.  (I can't, anyway.)  The first two are in Ellen's Moleskine and the the third is in my own sketchbook--I painted it with leftover paint from the other two. I'm including it as a peak into our life in the dunes up there.  I have one more piece to do, the half collab for Ammon.

I like to participate in the Virtual Paintout sometimes, where you go to the monthly chosen city and paint something visible from google maps street  views, as if you were at a real paintout.  Interestingly, in Jerusalem, the old-city srtreet views include scenes inside the bazaar, which is what I painted in Ellen's Moleskine.  It was strange painting these dark scenes in the brilliant sun of the dunes of the Pinery.

Jerusalem Old-City Bazaar #1
"Caught"
in Ellen's
acrylic

Jerusalem Old-City Bazaar #2
"Alcove"
in Ellen's
acrylic

"Reading in the Dunes"
Biker Buddy relaxes
(This is in  my own sketchbook)
acrylic

Poised to Strike

green frog
"Poised to Strike"
acrylic on paper
by Mary Stebbins Taitt

Self-portrait of the artist at the gates of Hell

Self Portrait of the artist at the Gates of Hell, by Mary Stebbins
Taitt, for Mick Mather. This is a digitally altered composit of
photographs. The photograph of me is a self-portrait taken yesterday,
5-2-12.

Benny and the Urchins Preliminary Sketch

Benny and the Urchins
watercolor sketch
9 x 12
Canson Multimedia Paper

This is my sketch to prepare for the final one that will be in the permanent collection at the Brooklyn Art Library.  The final one will be smaller.

There are four urchins in this picture.

I'm excited and pleased because I did the whole thing without looking at any reference photos--maybe it would be better if I had, but there it is--completely uninfluenced by anything but my own mind.  Yeah, there should be another rock in front of the tide pool, but no one is perfect.