"Spring Visit to Marblehead"

The Ohio State Park art project continues........I have finished my second piece in this series. It is a graphite drawing of Marblehead light and keeper's house. My husband and I frequently travel up to my friend's cottage on Catawba Island in the springtime. On this trip in April of 2011, we took the short drive over to Marblehead to see the lighthouse. We had packed a picnic lunch and planned to eat it at one of the picnic tables overlooking Lake Erie. But the sky clouded over and weather turned cold and windy so we went back to the car and had our lunch there instead. After we finished we braved the elements (it really wasn't that bad ;) ) and hiked around on the rocks by the shore. We continued on the path that brought us behind the keeper's house, an area of the park we had not been before. And that's where I shot this photo. Imagine - a chilly wind, the sun trying to peek out from behind the clouds that were racing by, the buds just beginning to break on the trees....

This is the result of our "Spring Visit to Marblehead". 

 A Limited edition of 100 prints are available of this drawing.

Planning...

 Since deciding to visit the Ohio state parks as part of a personal ongoing art project, I have received lots of information from the state park system both in the mail and on-line. I have set up a "planning central" of sorts to keep it in front of me for motivation and also to keep the info in one place as I plan. One thing that is very helpful is the map of where the many parks are located. A few that we would like to visit this year are:  the Lake Erie Islands, Mohican and maybe Malabar Farms in the late summer/fall.


Last weekend my husband and I began by traveling to Marblehead Lighthouse on Lake Erie. I should have a couple preliminary sketches to share in the next couple weeks -- sketches that will be made into larger, more detailed artwork at a later time. 

The State Park Art Adventure

As the end of a year approaches with thoughts of a new year ahead our minds sometimes turn to 'what's next?' This is especially true for a wife and mother who has finished raising our 2 children wondering what to do with the next season of life. We all want to make a difference. We want our lives to be significant in some way. We all need a reason to get up in the morning with something to look forward to each day. Lately my ear has been tuned to stories of people who are doing what they love to do and wonderful things have been coming out of their journeys. 


Inspiration to do something BIG has been everywhere lately. Last month I heard a story about the son of a couple I know. He had made it a goal to drive to every town in Ohio on his Honda motorcycle. Having achieved that, it is now his goal to drive on every road in every county of our state. Last weekend I heard Greg Miller, son of a dear friend, share about his life leading up to his Big Year -- "an informal competition among birders to see who can see or hear the largest number of species of birds within a single calendar year within a specific geographical area..." His story has been included in a book titled, The Big Year, and soon to be released in a movie by the same title. These were 2 men from ordinary families who I actually know just doing what they loved. 


So this brings me to my new adventure. This will probably not sound very significant to most people--maybe to none at all. But to this northeastern Ohio girl, living in the same area all my life who loves to travel and make art with next to nothing in the travel budget, this seems to fit the bill. I am planning to visit all of Ohio's State Parks and produce some form of art to represent each. This could very well be a lifelong adventure--I only have 3 visits planned this year! But I think that makes it all the better. I think it's something my husband can get into with me...or maybe not. (You local friends, don't be surprised if you get an invite to travel with me sometimes.) So, from time to time I will be posting an update, painting, drawing or other "something" from my trips.


I hope that in sharing this someone will be inspired to do something you really want to do, large or small. The ordinary just might become extraordinary.


Happy journeys and happy 2011!

Pictured above:  East Harbor State Park, Port Clinton, OH