Shopping for Art Supplies!

Week 4

I entered a brand new world this week, with shopping for my art class.  The instructor has a video and a supply list which are both extremely helpful - without them I'm not exactly sure what I would have purchased or what I would have started with on Sept. 20th  LOL!!

As it was, I was able to order all the materials from Amazon quickly and easily.  I received these packages just yesterday....                            
       And here's what was inside!!
       
 
I have learned that the texture/surface/coarseness of a sheet of paper is called its "tooth".  This Strathmore 400 series Drawing paper is "Medium Tooth".  It is recycled paper, which is a brighter white than the Strathmore virgin paper, since the recycled paper is bleached more.  It's also acid free.  I am now the proud owner of a range of pencils from 6H to 6B, and the harder the pencil, the lighter and finer the line, with 6H being the lightest and finest, while 6B gives the darkest and widest line.   I have several erasers (and an erasing shield) -  a standard plastic eraser and a "kneadable" eraser, which, apparently, the more I knead the better it will be :)  And finally I have some "stumps" or tortillions which I've never even heard of before, but which are used for blending graphite to achieve even or gradual tones.

The class starts tomorrow. There is a closed FaceBook group for us to connect with each other (I don't know how many others are enrolled at this point) and the instructor will release two videos a week.  I'm excited to get started!

I completed my Olympic Tri on Sunday! My training worked out really really well and the entire race felt great :)  I finished 32 miles (1mile swim, 25mile bike, 6mile run) in 3hrs 8minutes and 48 seconds.  My family was there to support me and it was a wonderful day all around 🏊   🚴  🏃 💪  💜


                                                 

Networking and Reading

Weeks 2 and 3

Chatted with Vicky Normandy.  She is an agronomist who, for the last 9 years, has focused on supporting organic farmers (her contact information was given to my by David Vose at Blue Sky Organic Farms).  Vicky also works with vineyards which are predominantly located in the Cottonwood/Sedona area and Ajo, Saguarito, Benson (S. AZ) area. She is pondering some potential projects, maybe tied to ways that plants can be stimulated to naturally fight pathogens with applications of things like neem or rosemary oil or other microbial preparations, and will get back to me next week.

Have been reading Lab Girl by Hope Jahren.  (In the spirit of sustainability I checked it out from the local library 😊  )    I'm loving it so far.  I first learned about the book after hearing an interview with the author on Science Friday on NPR.  You can listen to that (or read a transcript) here.


Following the success of this memoir she was also interviewed on morning edition.

I love the frontispiece (I think that's what you call it) quote.  It's very applicable to botany and sustainability:

The more I handled things and learned their names and uses, the more joyous and confident grew my sense of kinship with the rest of the world.
           - Helen Keller







I have received the Eden Project Guide to Botanical illustration - it's very focused on watercolor, so may be a leap too far for me at this point, but I'm excited to give it a go.  My Drawing Fundamentals class starts on Sept 20th and I have been shopping on Amazon for all my supplies.  I think that will be my next post - it's a whole new world of technical jargon and items I had no idea existed!








I have been creating a list of contacts and websites for the various citizen science initiatives on the West side, primarily associated with the White Tank Mountains Conservancy and the Maricopa Trail project.  There is considerable overlap with these two groups so it was hard to keep everything straight!  My first event with these groups is Oct 14th.  It's the New Steward Orientation for WTMC. However, before then some other Estrella Mountain folks and I will be meeting down at the Tres Rios Trail Segment along with staff from the Maricopa Trail and the Cities of Avondale and Phoenix (Sept. 23rd).  Our plan is to finally confirm the trail route, access points and other logistics for this segment that is a little complicated due to a combination of private land, city land, AZGF land, Waste Water Treatment facilities, PIR etc. etc....

My 30-day progress report is due on Wednesday the 13th. It seems straight forward enough and I hope to get it submitted a couple of days early :)  (That would be a first :)  )  Plus I'm delving more into this whole blogging thing - check out the emoji's, pictures, and links this week! Soon I'll be making $$ with click-thru links 😜.

AND... My first Olympic Distance Triathlon is getting closer and closer!  September 17th!

Getting Started

Week 1 

My sabbatical officially started last week, when the rest of my colleagues returned to campus for accountability week.  This week has been the first week of classes and I've been following my work family mostly via Facebook this week.  I've got to admit - I miss them, and these days are going to take some getting used to and will need some some self-imposed structure.

I plan on using this blog for multiple purposes:  1. chronicle my sabbatical activities   2. reflect on my professional growth   3.  as a note book to jot down things I think of and future plans. 4. as a personal diary to reflect on my personal growth and experiences during this year.                

As a step towards daily self-imposed structure, I have scheduled the following weekly activities.  I'll be using recurring google calendar reminders to keep me on track.

• Read New Scientist and High Country News regularly. These publications help me keep in touch with science news and Western environmental issues

Since my daughter changed schools my ability to attend certain courses has changed.  Instead of traveling to Tucson for botanical art classes, I have found several online options.  I am signing up for the "Drawing Fundamentals" course offered by Mindy Lighthipe that starts on Sept 20th.

Here are the other online botanical drawing courses I found, for future reference.  If the fundamentals class goes well I think I might like to continue with some of these in the future

• Cornell Cooperative Extension Botanical Illustration course (8 weeks per course, and they offer I, II, and III)
• Dianne Sutherland courses (longer, 6 months)
• Mindy Lighthipe.

Also I learned that the Strawbale Building workshop I had planned on attending in Nevada in November was cancelled.  I have the option of going to one in October in Choctaw, OK, or taking my chances and waiting for the 2018 schedule and attending one in May.  I have yet to decide for sure but I'm leaning towards the May 2018 option. 

In terms of personal well-being, I'm continuing to train for my first Olympic distance triathlon which is on Sept 17th, and I've been tackling some home projects which is a relaxation for me.