Early Spring in Mineral King

This week Trail Guy went to Mineral King to see how things look in early spring. Yes, I know May is not “early spring” down here in Three Rivers, but things are different at 7800′.

Mineral King cabins

These folks have some melting and shoveling to do.

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The classic view of Mineral King, probably the most photographed, and definitely the most drawn and painted scene by this Central California artist. It looks wrong to me with the tall red fir gone. That remaining tall tree is a cedar juniper (Thank you, Trail Guy. The reason I mix these 2 up is that those are the names of 2 similar green colored pencils.) Farewell Gap is more visible this way.

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Daffodils are not native flowers, but they are a welcome sight.

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These folks have some melting and shoveling to do.

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They can use the door on this side of the cabin instead of fighting all the snow off their deck.

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The sunny side of the valley is where Trail Guy spent many an afternoon when he wintered in Mineral King. (I didn’t know him then.)

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There is plenty of snow in the shade and on the north facing slopes. It just makes it fun for kids to make snowballs, and slippery for adults who want to walk a bit.

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More daffodils. Thanks, Van and Mary, for planting these. Isn’t this a cute cabin?

Thanks, Trail Guy, for your early spring reconnaissance trip.

The road will be open to the public on Memorial Day weekend.

Drawing Lessons

Since 1994 I have been teaching people how to draw. Each class has 3-5 people who meet together for one hour per week. There are 5 of these classes in Exeter at the Courthouse Gallery on Tuesdays. (but not in July, August or December)

Each person works at his own pace on his own drawing. Some have been with me for a month now, some for about 10 years. The only ones who don’t learn are the ones who quit too soon.

Everyone comes for a different reason. Here are some:

  1. To learn how to get their shapes and proportions more accurate so they can paint better.
  2. A desire to prove some art “teacher” wrong, who told them they have no talent. (Isn’t that mean!? Wasn’t the “teacher” there to help?? )
  3. A love of learning how to do new things.
  4. A desire for a new hobby.
  5. Always thinking it might suit them, and finally making the time to investigate that interest.
  6. Already knowing how to draw but needing a specific time and place.

Have a look at what some of my students have either just completed or are currently working on:

Spice Cat

joshlyn

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There are specifics about drawing lessons here. (Click on the word “here”).

My classes are full right now but you can get on a waiting list. Sometimes people do quit. I don’t think I drive them away. . . life changes, or they got what they came for and move on.

Coloring Book Report

Whole lotta reporting going on this week.

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While preparing for the Redbud Festival, I decided to add a few more oil paintings and finish the giant painting of the Oak Grove Bridge. Then I wisely decided my time was better spent elsewhere.

So, I began working on a new coloring book design. No telling how long this adult coloring craze will last, so I’d better make hay while the sun shines.

Here is the cover, version #1:

heart of mineral king

This is too hard to read, so I redesigned the cover.

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Then, I finished all the crazy-making computer work, and sent it off to be printed.

NEW COLORING BOOK COMING SOON!

It will have fewer pages and thus will cost less than Heart of the Hills. THIS ONE WILL BE CALLED HEART OF MINERAL KING.

Please excuse me for shouting at you. This is very exciting and fun.

It should be available in two weeks.

Redbud Report Continued

Heart of the Hills

Yesterday I told you that fifty-eight coloring books, Heart of the Hills, sold during the annual Redbud Festival in Three Rivers.

Lest you think I could have just skipped the booth set up and plopped myself at a card table with a stack of coloring books, plenty of other items also sold. I even had the privilege of seeing some new friends from Fresno who came specifically for pencil drawings, which I had to race home and retrieve. So glad I live close, and that Trail Guy delivered my car to me, since I had walked to work that morning.

Cards, small oil paintings and tee shirts remain popular. But the coloring book stole the show.

My booth was busy almost the entire time, and sometimes I’d see someone sort of hovering around the edges. While I’d be talking with someone else, I’d just pick up a coloring book and pass it over the the hoverer, who invariably said, “How did you know that is what I was looking for?!”

I lied and said I had read her mind. (I hope no one got freaky about that.) It was just obvious to me, taking into account the tremendous popularity and publicity the coloring book is receiving.

Besides, I’ve been doing this show off and on since 1987, so I can read people pretty well.

Wow. It was a busy busy weekend, and I am so thankful to have had this pleasant and peaceful walk to work each morning of the show.

It is truly a blessing to live in Three Rivers.

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Redbud Report

Redbud is shorthand for The Redbud Festival, an annual arts and crafts fair in Three Rivers. It happened this past weekend. Because I live nearby, I was able to set up my booth on Friday afternoon with the help of Trail Guy and the trusty Botmobile. (That is his 1986 Toyota pickup with 300,000+ miles. If you need a fabulous mechanic, I HIGHLY recommend Foreign Autoworks in Visalia – Toyota, Honda, and their derivatives only. 559-734-8285.)

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I purposely brought fewer oil paintings than usual. Just wondering and experimenting with how the booth looks to see if less is more or if less is a bore.

IMG_2816I knew that coloring books would be the big deal, so I hung the somewhat cheesy sign where it could be seen from each entry. And I brought the finished commissioned painting of the Three Rivers house, along with the in-progress version of the Oak Grove Bridge.

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I liked the uncluttered look of the screens. Along with oil paintings and coloring books, I had Mineral King tee shirts (now sold out enough to be removed from my website), notecard packages, and Wilsonia cabin books.

It was all mostly a backdrop, a little gallery for the purpose of selling coloring books.

FIFTY-EIGHT COLORING BOOKS SOLD!

Heart of the Hills is available here and at Kaweah River Trading Co., Three Rivers Mercantile, and the Three Rivers History Museum, all in Three Rivers.