Sketchbook Tuesday-Sanibel Island, FL

Hi Everyone!

               Welcome back to the Lighthouse Series!

This week we will be visiting Sanibel Island on the West Coast of Florida.


  This is a very popular place with the shell crowd, the best shells are to be found on Captiva.  My husband and I visited Sanibel in early June before the official summer "tourist season" and found it to be a lovely island setting, miles of sandy beaches, glorious sunrises and sunsets and a great place to "chillax".  It was pretty HOT there with little to no breeze so we did a lot of chillaxing by the saltwater pool (first time in a saltwater pool and it was fabulous) and napping under the palms; when the breeze picked up in the late afternoon hubs fished and I looked for shells.

  We found most of the larger conch style shells in the water, still alive but we weren't sure about taking them from their native habitat and so we left them for others to enjoy.

              The Sanibel Lighthouse was different from other lighthouses I'd previously visited, it is an interesting open metal framework.

           
           

Click HERE  to read some interesting history about Sanibel Light and it's keepers.  I'm always amazed by these brave men and women that are called Light Keepers and this story is no exception.  If you are interested in reading more I would suggest this book: Sanybel Light An Historical Autobiography by Charles LeBuff.  It is a fascinating look into the lives of a Light Keeper and his family.   Also it is a comprehensive History of Sanibel Island, its lighthouse, and the National Wildlife Refuge.  Worth reading!

Come back and join me next week when we head up the coast to Georgia to visit Tybee Island Lighthouse.  Until then, grab your sketch pad and pencil and head out on an adventure today!!

Sketch on!
Suzy

SKETCHBOOK TUESDAY-BEACON OF LIGHT

Hi Everyone!

Beacons of light dotting the coastlines reaching out into the night....Lighthouses! A welcome sight to weary souls in the darkness. 

It was a blazing hot day in July when Bonnie and I went over to Mayport to catch the ferry. I don't remember where we were going only that we got waylaid when we spotted the lighthouse.  Man it was hot out that day, a skin sizzler without a breath of air, we pulled our chairs from the trunk and I donned my Dad's borrowed straw cowboy hat (I know. Geeky perfection,right?) for protection against the intense heat. The lighthouse is just off the main drag to the very busy ferry entrance on a side street not heavily travelled.  There were a few cars that came by and gave us the once over, but not much to be concerned with (you know, the people that always want to see what you are doing, that makes me very nervous). We plopped our canvas chairs next to a 8-10' chain length fence (apparently the lighthouse is actually part of the Mayport Naval Air Station) and started to paint.

 Like I said, it was HOT and summertime, so eventually there would be cooling breezes from the inevitable afternoon showers.  We were just finishing up our paintings of the lighthouse and a little church when the skies began to darken and a breeze started to blow in from the water, large raindrops began to fall as we dashed to the car, laughing all the way. 

Each time I see these plein air paintings I think of that day in July, I can hear the seagulls, feel the warmth of the sun, smell the rich earthy dirt when it rains, and remember what a great day it was to be out painting with my best friend.
You can read more about this lighthouse by clicking on the link above (in bold). 

I would encourage you to seek out and visit a lighthouse on your travels, it is a wonderful way to spend a few hours painting or sketching and learning about an area's history. 

Keep Sketching!
Suzy

SKETCH BOOK TUESDAY-NEW BLOG

Hi Everyone! 

Welcome to Sketch Book Tuesday!  I'm so pleased to announce my best friend and I have created a new blog together!  It is called Sketchy Girlz and will feature lots of sketches, paintings, drawings and whatever we come up with each week to share with you.  We'll post on Monday and Thursday so come on by and check us out.  This is our logo created by Bonnie, you can click on the side bar logo and it will take you directly to SG. 

There will be stories (may a photo or two)  from our 40 years of friendship that will make you laugh and if that doesn't do it, there is art work that is pretty fun...at least mine is.  Bonnie is a decent artist but me, well I just have a go at it and sometimes it turns out okay and other times, not so much.  I'm putting it out there anyway, if anything it might encourage someone to start sketching or drawing or painting.  We all have to start somewhere.  I hope that you will start today. Pick up your pencil and get going.....I'd like to hear what you are doing and who knows, maybe you will be featured on Sketchy Girlz (when we figure out how to do that). 

Till then......Happy Sketching!

Suzy

SKETCHBOOK TUESDAY-Computer Sketching

Hi Everyone!

It's SKETCHBOOK TUESDAY!  Something new happened this week! I've been sketching on my computer using a Windows based program called PAINT.  My best friend Bonnie and I have been collaborating on a new project (more news later) and I remembered that she liked to draw on the computer, little cartoon like drawings and she is pretty good at it too! Recently I purchased a new laptop with Windows 8 so I wasn't sure I even had the Paint program....I Googled "paint programs for Windows 8" and found out indeed there is a Paint program on Windows 8 and all I needed to do was type in the letter P and the program should open....tada! YES!! So that's what I've been up to this week, computer sketching...it is SO MUCH FUN!! Seriously, if you haven't tried, do it! FUN FUN FUN.

Here's one of my first sketches and there will

be more to come.....

Happy Sketching! 
Suzy