Caribou Highway

This is one of my favorite pages from the sketchbook that I made for Gates of the Arctic Nat. Park after our trip down the Noatak River in 2009.  I could make several more books and still not capture all of that experience.  I also made a book of photographs and paintings called "Notes from the Noatak"  I took out the preview because it takes too long to load but you can find it following this link;  http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1350695?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget

another kind of canvas.....

Here's to painting on a totally different kind of canvas. You can tell just how thrilled Thunder, the wonder pony, was at being the subject of this masterpiece!  He will be the main attraction at the Rocky Bay Equine annual bbq this weekend though.... must be worth a few extra carrots don't you think?  Cori and I had great fun and poor Thunder gets major points for equine tolerance!

Happy Birthday Dog

Stacy finally got her Great Dane.... maybe not the one she had in mind but hopefully an adequate "place holder" for now :-)     Happy 50th!  

Autumn On The Hill

A herald of things to come.  Leaves are starting to change although they haven't quite reached this stage yet.  I just needed something to play with so worked from last years photo :}

vote for Harbor WildWatch!

Pepsi is offering grant money for great ideas. Please support our own Harbor WildWatch with your vote! Check out their submission and video, You can vote as often as you like all through the month of September.  It's a great program for both kids and adults.... learn and have fun too!

Pellegrino

Here is something a little different... a celebration.

Day Break

Here's another revisit to Twins Island adjacent to Catala Island in Esperanza Inlet.  This was the calm, leeward side of the island on a serene early morning low tide.

Pray For Peace

From a population of around 300,000, sea otters were decimated by the fur trade.  By 1910 their numbers dropped to 2,000 or so individuals in a fraction of their original range.  While still listed as an endangered species, in Esperanza Inlet they have made a significant comeback.  I counted at least 26 in one "raft" with several other individuals scattered around.  They have eaten much of the local populations of crab, sea urchin and shell fish.   Balance in nature takes time and we can only hope that humans will allow it to happen as the otter reestablish their native range, distributing themselves down the coast as they deplete their local food sources.

Pacific

Missing that Pacific glow since I've been back from our trip to Esperanza Inlet off NW Vancouver Isl.  so traveled back in paint.  We had phenomenal weather, esp. for this summer.  More paintings will come from this trip ;-}

BABC does Esperanza Inlet

Official logo of the BABC aka. BarelyAdequateBoatingClub, for our kayak trip to the NW end of Vancouver Island.  We are taking a converted mine sweeper that brings stuff to isolated villages, it will drop us off around Catala Isl. marine park, from there we plan to explore the area, Neptune willing.  Back in August.

Sherman

Sherman was a perfect choice for my demo painting at the Peninsula Art League Festival today.  I think there were almost as many dogs, of every conceivable shape, size and color, as there were people.  The other bonus was that I didn't even fight with the paint... just laid it on down there.  Guess I should paint with an audience more often.

Destiny's Child

New painting, up at the Gig Harbor Art Festival this weekend.

Summer Clouds

The clouds broke apart in clumps yesterday, lumps of foam in a wave tossed sky. The lowest tides of the summer have been the last few days.... the eel grass beds are full of baby crabs and fish.  If you stop to listen you can hear the tidepool conversations; snaps, pops and sighs of marine creatures adjusting to a dry world.  Birds; gulls, terns, guillimots, crows and the eagle all taking a turn at the smorgasbord.

Painting the Lavender Field

Joined Peninsula Art League painters at the Blue Willow Lavender Farm in Vaughn, WA near my home.  (check out their excellent website) Haven't painted en plein air for a long time and clearly it will take more practice before the results are more about the location and mood rather than about how to apply the paint!  These young lavender fields are neat as a pin, not messy like my rendition.  Good thing the farm proprietors are very accommodating, I'll just have to go back to paint another day.

Got Treats?

I met the youngest, old basset hound named Sherman the other day.  He gives the best "got treats?" look.   I'm thinkin' you may see him on this blog again, I love dogs with character!

Afternoon on the Road

I've been in a painter's slump lately so I'm happy to finally have something to show that I actually like.  Appropriately enough it's an image from one of my afternoon runs which are the main thing that keeps me sane (sortof :-)

Toleak Point

This is a view from the headland south of Toleak Point on an incredible sunny day.

Strawberry Point

Three cousins backpacking on a calm, sunny day at the edge of the sea, what could be better than that?

A Sense of Wonder

Watching the last sun rays bend over the curve of the Pacific Ocean.  We caught a rare 3 days of sunny spring weather while backpacking on the wilderness coast south of LaPush, Washington this weekend.  
  

"I am surrounded by the forest and the ocean, this rocky coast. And this solitude, far away from public clamor. To stand here at the edge of the sea, to sense the ebb and flow of tides, to feel the breath of a mist over the great salt marsh. To watch the flight of the shore birds that have swept up and down these continents for untold thousands of years. To see the running of the old eels and the young shad to the sea is to have knowledge of things that are as nearly eternal as any earthly life can be."   Rachel Carson

I also added a new Facebook to blog and back, networking thingy (see right)  If you would kindly become a "follower" new blog posts will automatically show up on Facebook in a somewhat timely fashion (they assure me it will)  Thanks!

House on the Hill

This could also be titled, "Overrun" as the spring riot of growth overtakes the old, abandoned house that perches above the bay.

Choppy Seas at High Tide

I love watching the squalls in their usual bluster from the SW down Case Inlet, we are certainly getting our share this cool and wet spring. I'm a new great auntie too... a little storm named Alexander Louis arrived in the wee hours of June first to my niece Milissa and her partner Paul.

Jake

Another soulful yellow lab. Don't know how anyone can resist that adorable look! Works every time for that pat on the head and/or cookie, lol.

Unferling

I don't call my place FernWood for nothing! Love spring :}

Bella

The soulful look that only a yellow lab can give...

Winter by the Pond

The bone structure of winter lends itself to a limited palette. Pulling an image out of an abstract background is fun, you never know where it's going to go. I'm glad that I live in this neighborhood!

Arabian Knight

This is the larger painting of the sketch I posted awhile back. I may still mess with the background but the horse part is pretty much finished. Next time I need to remember to do the background first!! I started on a dark toned ground which was also not such a good idea... beginning to like the new longer drying acrylic paint though.

3Trees In Spring

These 3 trees grace the top of my long uphill run on Lackey Road. I’ve photographed them in all seasons and all weather (I often carry a small camera on my runs). This was yesterday; on and off stormy all day, sun escaping late to clip the top branches, moon already high.

Fresh From the Garden

I like how the underpainting shows through on this one :-}

Book, Notes from the Noatak

Notes from the Noatak by robin peterson | BOOK INFO

I just fixed a typo and reloaded my book about the Noatak River in arctic Alaska. Check out the preview here.

Arabian knight

Enjoying the spring greens... and the spring sunshine, a sketch in preparation for a larger painting.

Swing

Everyone should be out doing this today!

Cello Player

Here's something different for you. I enjoyed watching this mini musician master his full size cello. He was concentrating very hard and did a great job, made us all smile.

River Morning

Here is another image in the arctic show that sold during the reception. Thanks to everyone who came and made it fun!

Summit Meeting

Raven and musk ox discussing climate change as the hillside permafrost is melting. Musk oxen have the best dreadlocks ever!

Notes from the Noatak Show

Here's the wall at the Kimball Gallery coffee shop, adorned with images from the arctic. I'm pleased with how it came together now we'll see what the response is. I am hosting a reception on Sunday, April 11th from 3 to 5 PM. There will be a slide show, new book, some better than average "trail" food and coffee of course. Come and kick start your Earth Day celebrations!

Boat Full

Just to mix things up a little, this is a commission I painted awhile ago... it will be summer again eventually!

Watchin' Me, Watchin' You

I keep going back and forth from oil to acrylic, just to confuse myself I think. They are very different mediums even when used in a similar, direct painting technique. So far it's still a love, hate relationship with the acrylic. This is a red fox that I encountered while in Denali Nat. Park last fall. He took me on quite a jaunt through the scrub willow trails, they were easier for him to travel than me (he clearly knew that and was not apparently worried that I would catch him)

Cruisin'

I know it's been forever, but I have been working! I just sent a new book in to be published about the Noatak River, last summer's artist in residence experience. I'm pretty happy with it so hopefully it prints well. I'll let you know :} Lots of sketches, paintings, photos and just a little wee bit of preaching about the wonders of the wild! This image will be in my upcoming show of arctic paintings at the Kimball Gallery next month. We had a harrier (hawk) escort almost every day on the river.

Ladies in Waiting

This is another one that I've played with for a long time, I guess, like it's ladies, it was waiting for spring.

Choppy Sunset

This was fun. I've been struggling way too hard and accomplishing nothing lately and really needed to do something different. Thank goodness, finally something with a little life in it!

Early Spring

Yesterday was the last of several unseasonably warm and sunny days. I spent 4 hours hiking the creek bottom, bashing through the understory..... won't get to do that after the salmon berry starts blooming! The Indian Plumb is blooming already, it's going to be an early spring.

View From the River

The days are rarely wholly without some glow in the drabness, although I can't say that the tundra was ever drab while we were there in the fall. I'm working on images from the arctic for a show in April, you get to see 'em first.

Heading Toward Winter

Back in the arctic..... this is a small sketch that I'm considering developing into a large painting.

Tiger Tango, finished

Finished the tiggers. Still learning about the acrylics. I think they are better for more controlled images like the painting in my last post. I'm having trouble mixing rich, complex colors, like you can make using oils, with these acrylics.... a technical detail that I'm looking forward to improving on. :-}

Dred Hat

I'm quite proud of this artistic creation.... a dred hat for my neice. Knit in 100% wool and then felted, a lot of hair tucks inside there and her dreds pull out of the top, how cool is that?! I think I'm on to something!!

Tryst

This one has been in the works for a very long time. I call it "Tryst", two Townsend warblers meeting in the bushes (Yes, still "trysting" even tho' it is late summer according to the hydrangeas, rather than spring!) It got to be a little too much like wallpaper, but it's finally finished and a welcome color spot on this grey, rainy day. I used the new Golden acrylics that take longer to dry.... I like them, especially good when you have a craving for detail!

Dancing Feet

Poetry by Dawn Brown:

This colorful star fills my heart

With joy & laughter.

While its blinding colors, Red, Blue, & Green,

Shines like the morning star.

I watch it for many hours

As it crawls on the sandy beach.

It moves towards its family.

Does it have 5 legs?

Seven legs? Ten legs?

Or only Six?

These so many.

I can’t tell which one starts

And which one ends.

Rocks, seaweed, and water.

The little creature swims for more.

Curling up its legs as it finds a home

This little creature wants love

And nothing more.

Its tentacles stretch as it walks on end

looking for some place to rest.

As it settles down for a night.

The little Seastar says,

"Goodnight"

Bones by the River

I found elk bones by the Quinault River last year on a late winter expedition. I'm getting restless for an "expedition" soon!

Winston

Here's the mate to yesterday's post. A classic "Morris" the yellow tabby. They'll make a colorful pair anyway.

Mira

Here's a cat of a different sort. This one was a bit of a challenge from the photo ref. but I do think I'm making progress in the cat likeness department (and their eyes are so fun to paint) One more small one to do.... a classic orange tabby.

Tiger Tango..... in progress

Progress view of a new painting, trying the Golden "open" acrylics again. It's been fun so far keeping it loose, going for the action!