- June - Vegetable patterns, teaching in greenhouses and the colour apricot

Monthly update from my art studio

Hello everyone,

Do you have a favourite colour? Mine is green, but somehow apricot creeped in. Last autumn, in addition to native plants, I sowed several plants in with “apricot” in their name. Geum, digitalis, cosmea, calendula. Although loads of them have been eaten by slugs, they are now all about to flower consecutively, and I can’t wait for the blossoming party to begin.

Geum and aquilegia on my roof terrace

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In the Studio

A recent butterfly in my sketchbook

• I’m working on a project for a client I’ve collaborated with for a few years now, so I’m very happy to work on the sketches. Although it is often exciting to work for a new client, by working with clients on multiple projects, you know what they are looking for. It makes the whole process a bit more relaxed and you can better assess how to achieve a good end result.

• Keeping a sketchbook has kept me motivated, trying out new techniques and materials. I’m currently experimenting with loose watercolours and am now trying to incorporate them into my regular illustration style.

• I’m really enjoying teaching in the greenhouses of the Kweektuin in Haarlem! I will teach a new course this September :)

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Art community updates

We’ve been drawing a lot of nests the past month! Having the right materials for a specific drawing really does make a difference. I’ve been trying out my nemesis: pastel (pencils). I so do love the look of pastel, but I’m not really into the mess it creates.

In other posts and videos, you will find:

Pencil art haul

Replay: Nests

Tiny Floating Coral

(All these posts and more is also available at Patreon)

The Tiny Floating Coral Book

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Coming up :

Our live drawing sessions this month

• Available at Patreon - Meadow Maestros tier:
  Tues 11th of June 20:00 (8 PM) CEST - Seasonal Sketch Session (we draw plants and animals commonly seen in my area this month)

• Tues 18th of June 16:00 (4 PM) CEST - All paid Substack + Patreon members (Artisans and Maestros)
  Theme: CAMOUFLAGE in nature
  SIGN UP HERE

Please use this time zone converter to find the times in your area: www.worldtimebuddy.com

Favorite Art - one of mine and one of theirs

“Skörd” (harvest), is a wallpaper inspired by the cultivator Amanda Hellberg's plot of vegetables (or at least that’s what Pinterest tells me, I couldn’t find the artist). The pattern consists of beetroots, potatoes, artichoke and leaves from dandelion. I think they scanned the vegetables or dried them, to give them their “flattened” appearance, which for me is really pleasing to the eye.

When I stumbled upon the pattern above, it made me think of this “soup” pattern I created a few years ago. I usually draw more flowers than vegetables, but do enjoy a beetroot once in a while:)

A vegetable pattern

Lovelies

Finding the joy in small things:

• The book The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak - apart from the pretty bookcover (I buy books based on their illustrated covers:). A beautiful, rich story, told in a very visual way.

• Eating outside with my family

• Ema Malyauka’s Patreon. Her approach to art is so playful, very inspiring and full of tips.

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Thanks so much for reading, wishing you a flowerful and sunny June, see you in July!