Sherry Meidell's Blog

Starting From The Sketch Book

Taking your jump start for a painting from a sketch in your sketchbook instead of a photo is a fun place to begin. The above is my sketch from my imagination. I wanted to work this up into a little watercolor. I also wanted to place Jesus in an actual place in the Holy land so I used a slide that Dave and I took while visiting Israel. So you know it was a while back because there were slides. The combination of imagination and research made the painting. 

My next “Eating Crayons” short is here.

So you say you might have a sketchbook for church?

Sketching can help you to focus and listen more intently. It provides a spiritual record that you can look back on and be uplifted. It’s nice to bring your sketchbook to activities like the Messiah concerts. You can sketch from your imagination and write down some words that impact you. Your sketches are influenced by the music and the words that swirl around you. It is a good way to stay alert. These are a couple of sketches from one of my sketchbooks. Warning: It can distract the person sitting next to you. They can get lost in your sketches. 

And if everyone is running off a cliff, you might want to go in the other direction.

The above is a link to a video I made about carving a wooden totem this summer. And below is the link to anothe “Eating Crayons” short.

Finding The Time

So you’re going on vacation with family and friends. Are you going to have time to paint or sketch? I have all my traveling paints in a little back pack that I can grab and go whether it’s a long trip or a short trip. It contains a little set of watercolors, three brushes, a pencil and kneaded eraser, a collapsible dog dish to hold my water and some water. It also has a watercolor sketchbook and a sketchbook with a black pilot pen for sketching. 

I can always find some time to do a little watercolor sketch. A good time is early in the morning while others are taking there time to wake up and get started. A long rest stop can provide some time to do a quick sketch. You can capture on paper what you can’t capture with your camera. I also like to add some writing to go with the picture to capture the mood. 

And if you’re active friend who gets you biking, hiking and kayaking, finally lays down on a rock to catch 50 winks, while waiting for her husband you have the perfect opportunity for some life drawing. 

So make your own grab and go sketch bag and use those quiet moments to make your own memories.

Great Gallerry in the Garden

A special thanks to all those who came and said hello Friday and Saturday. It was great to talk with you all. And those who took home some art or books, I hope it brings joy and smiles to your heart and those around you. It is so fun to create the art but it’s also fun to watch other people enjoy it. I watched one lady read Kiss Cuddle Tuck out loud and smile at the illustrations. That brought a smile to my face.

Here is the link for the next Eating Crayons short on you tube.

It’s Here – Gallery In The Garden

The above watercolor is “Shoeing the Horses”. It will be one of the paintings at the Gallery In the Garden August 22nd and 23rd at Becky Hartvigsen’s backyard garden. Come visit the artists. Friday 5-8 pm. And Saturday 11-7pm 120 South 800 East.

And here is the link for the next “Eating Crayons” short. It’s called “Cartoons in the ceiling”

One Week Until Gallery in the Garden

Not this Garden but Becky Hartvigsen’s Beautiful Garden If you’ve always wanted a signed picture book from Sherry Meidell, come and see me at the Gallery in the Garden. If you’ve always wanted to ask me a question about illustrating or watercolors, come see me at the Gallery in the Garden. If you’ve ever wondered whether someone so old paints sitting down or standing up, come see me at Gallery in the Garden.

Here is the link for my next short on You Tube.

Friday August 22nd 5-8 pm and Saturday August 23rd 11-7 pm at 120 South 800 East Centerville, Utah. Come say hi.

Two weeks until Gallery in the Garden

It’s that time again. Time for Gallery in the Garden. Save the date August 22 and 23rd. Friday 5-8pm Saturday 11-7pm. Come visit and see the art. Every year is a delight to visit with those that come to see the art. The above painting “Still the Farm” will be hanging.

And here’s another short:

Ready to Paint at a Moments Notice

What a pretty night. That was the comment and looking up I saw a beautiful light in the sky with quakies silhouetted in the shimmer. I have a backpack that I can grab and take with me most every where I travel. Inside is watercolor paint, a watercolor sketch book and water, oh and brushes. All I needed to capture the light. It’s nice to have around because there is always something to capture on paper. I grabbed it and started painting. My grandson said, “Oh, nice”. So I captured him in a sketchbook. Also good to have handy.

Those are playing cards in his hands. No cell service. Another reason to get up in the mountains. Here is the link to my latest short on You Tube.

A Quiet Moment

There’s a quiet moment when you’re  camping. Everyone is still in a warm bed sheltered from the bite of morning cold. You are not conflicting with the days activities. You get out and hear the morning greeting from songbirds. The sun is just peeking through the aspens giving you the sight of the great morning light and you find the spot that excites you and you grab your watercolors and start painting. 

Or you’re  at the mouth of a cave and have time to sketch what you see. What you capture in your sketchbook is different than what you catch with a camera. You capture some feeling with paint and paper. Different than the flash of the phone. Maybe it’s the time you put into it. 

HERE IS A LINK FOR A NEW SHORT FOR EATING CRAYONS ON YOU TUBE.

Plein Air Sketch Book – Once Again at This is the Place State Park

Fresh air and the sounds of birds, the swish of the paint brush in water and painting with other artists. My sister and I are back at This is the Place State Park doing some watercolor paintings.  One of the artists said I’m not sure how to do plein air. I said just dive in and start. Just get something down on that paper. Here are a couple of watercolor sketches I put in my watercolor sketch book. It was a good chance to talk to some mountain men and see some pioneer dancing and get out with other artists. This week I’ll be teaching at the Writer’s for Young Readers Conference. I’m looking forward to talking about illustrating and writing picture books. 

Above is a link for a video Unboxing the Books and a short video Painting the Ceiling.