Maria Coryell-Martin: Expeditionary Art

Greenlake

Maria — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:16:56 +0000

I completed this plein air sketch at Greenlake on Saturday afternoon using my Art Toolkit. Its compact size is great for carrying around town and I enjoy using the small palette with water-brushes. With this sketch, I was pleased to include people and tried to use more saturated colors.

5" x 5" number 5: Greenlake plein air sketch

Sunrise

Maria — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:53:10 +0000

Another beautiful day in Seattle! This sketch of Mt. Rainier from the Union Bay Natural Area was inspired by my morning run.

Mt. Rainier at Sunrise, 5" x 5" sketch

Cattails

Maria — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:20:55 +0000

We had our first taste of the coming spring today in Seattle with sunshine and a warm breeze in the air- it was wonderful! Darin and I took a walk to one of my favorite places, the Union Bay Natural Area. It’s a former landfill that’s been restored to a beautiful wetland that now is one of Seattle’s birding hot-spots. I found a sunny patch and started the following sketch of cattails, number three in my 5×5 series this month.

5" x 5" sketch, Cattails, Montlake Fill Seattle (initial)

The sunset and changed the light dramatically before I was able to complete the sketch, so I finished it in my studio. Now it looks like this:

5" x 5" sketch, Cattails, Montlake Fill Seattle

I think the challenge in depicting detailed scenes is to simplify them as much as possible with big shapes. Then the trick is to suggest foreground details through calligraphic strokes and textures. Practice helps, too!

photo credit: Darin Reid

Birches at Dusk

Maria — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:30:48 +0000

This is number two in my 5″ x 5″ series of the month. The sketch is inspired by the Paper Birch trees and sunset outside my studio windows this evening. My palette is Daniel Smith’s cobalt blue, cerulean blue, deep scarlet, burnt umber, and a touch of hansa yellow medium.

Birches at Dusk, 5" x 5" watercolor sketch

5 x 5 = 25

Maria — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:17:51 +0000

Happy February! Instead of new year’s resolutions, I prefer to make monthly goals for myself. For January, my project was to stretch every morning for 15 minutes and complete a set of physical therapy exercises (tendonitis issues). It’s now a habit to stretch first thing before breakfast and I’m ready for another project.

This month, my goal is to paint 25 5″x5″ watercolor sketches. Years ago I learned to accept that my studio time ebbs and flows with periods of “CPR”: concentration, preparation, and rest (read more about my work rhythms). Lately I’ve been in a period of preparation, working on applications and planning ahead for the coming months and years. I’m ready now to concentrate on painting! This evening I prepped 25 pieces of Arches 140lb cold press watercolor paper, and I intend to do about one sketch a day and post them here. Stay tuned!

5" x 5" #1: Fall Colors, Hidden Lake Lookout Trail

Arctic Tern Video

Maria — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:36:31 +0000

Radio producer Ari Daniel Shapiro put together a great mini-documetary on Arctic Terns using Google Earth. I was delighted to see it feature the research of Carsten Egevang, the Danish researcher who tagged Arctic Terns from Sand Island (NE Greenland) to track their migration to Antarctica. When I was on Sand Island in 2010 for my High Latitudes expedition, our research team was tasked with recapturing any additional birds with data loggers. We spotted one over a two week duration, but were unable to capture it. I’m fascinated by the epic journeys the tiny Arctic Terns embark upon and plan to continue my series of paintings exploring their migration.

Studies of Quiet Tones

Maria — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 23:55:58 +0000

These are color studies of quiet tones I’m exploring for a new project I’m working on. More to come as I develop the paintings!

Happy New Year!

Maria — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:42:56 +0000

ps. I’ve dreamed of taking a hot air balloon ride for my 30th birthday for years and years. My birthday is this January 28th! I hope to take to the skies in a colorful balloon sometime in 2012.

New in the shop & free shipping!

Maria — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 19:46:58 +0000

I’ve updated my shop with all sorts of new work- paintings, sketches, bird blocks, as well as a set of greeting cards. I’m offering free shipping on everything through Saturday, Dec. 17th. Check it out!

Port Townsend show

Maria — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 18:15:17 +0000

First Snow, Wolf Canyon. 29" x 15" watercolor. $800 or $1100 framed

I’m delighted to be part of the group show Ice, opening next week in Port Townsend, WA at the lovely Artisan’s on Taylor gallery. The show will feature images that depict ice and a sense of winter… right up my alley! Other exhibited artists include Helga Winter, Barry Connolley, Jesse Watson, and Christopher Mathie. The reception is Saturday, December 3rd, from 6pm-8pm. It should be a great time and is also the town’s gallery walk as well as holiday tree lighting! I’d love to see you there. 911 Water Street, Port Townsend, 98368.