Author: Lynn Holbein

The Serenity Prayer

The Serenity Prayer has guided me through personal and political distress, and now it is guiding me through an epidemic. “Stay home, wash your hands, maintain healthy habits, and release the rest,” seems like the current version of this prayer.

Prints available here.

Here Comes the Sun

Last week was gray, rainy and cold in New England, adding to Covid Claustrophobia. So the sunshine now is very welcome. On Saturday I spent a blissful hour in our front yard, sketching the emerging plants and chatting with neighbors (from six feet away) as they walked by. You can see from the photo below that sketches don’t have to be realistic — you can choose, alter and rearrange what appeals to you. Hence the term “artistic license.”

Pen & ink and watercolor on artist board, 9″ x 12″. .

Visitors at the Window

We have devised several strategies to stay sane in this crazy time. First and most important, limited exposure to the news. Second, quiet classical music on the radio all day. Third, staying in touch via phone and video chat (Skype, FaceTime, WhatsApp, Zoom). Fourth, feed the birds! Here are a Carolina wren and a male goldfinch who visited our feeder last week.

I love sharing with you, especially now, and a number of you have written you feel the same. If you know anyone who might enjoy receiving my posts, please forward to them. They can sign up by emailing me at lynnholbein@gmail.com, or on the right-hand side on my website www.lynnholbein.com. Stay safe!

Promise of Spring

Here in southern New England, the leaves of the tulips are just starting to poke up through the warming earth. So today’s post owes more to the florist than to the current reality of our front yard.

The Serenity of Nature

On my daily walk, there are many reminders that, while the human world has changed dramatically in the last month, the natural world goes along unfazed. Pollution over Wuhan has disappeared, emissions from planes and cars are reduced, and more. Meanwhile, the birds are winging their way north and the earliest buds are preparing to unfurl. Here’s my painting from the edge of a lake.

Original watercolor, 10″ x 13″, $100, info here.

Cleaning Up

Now that we’re all spending a lot more time at home, it’s a good time to make our space as clean and appealing as possible.

My art table had been cluttered and messy for months, so I have been avoiding sitting to paint. This week I spent two hours cleaning and decluttering it, and even walking by it makes me happy.

Our Collective Pause

Some people are suggesting we treat this pause in our busy lives as a holy moment. Anxiety, yes, but also clarity. We’re getting real clear, real quick what is important.

Every morning with my cup of tea I sit quietly for a few minutes, counting my blessings from the day before, and visualizing a balanced day ahead.

Take a Walk!

Amazing how the world has changed in a single week, isn’t it?

This may go on for quite awhile, “the new normal.” So let’s think of ways to safeguard not just our physical, but also our mental health. Getting out in nature, especially now that spring is unfolding, is great for our outlook and the exercise is great for our health. It’s easy to maintain “social distance” from strangers, and even friends, while walking. Bruce and I are resolved to take a walk each day. Sometimes, for a change of pace, we’re going to drive to a nearby green space for our walk. Here’s a sketch I did a couple of years ago of one such place.

Despite It All, a Crocus

The human world is going a little crazy right now, reeling with anxiety about the coronavirus and its economic fallout.

Meanwhile, quietly, Mother Earth is starting to open toward spring. Here’s a gem hidden among the dead leaves in our front yard this week.

8″ x 8″ original watercolor $85.

Paco

Paco looks like such a happy dog, I couldn’t stop smiling as I painted his picture. It was a commissioned painting to be given as a wedding present to his human companions.

In 2020, at least 50% of money earned from my art sales (originals, prints, house and pet portraits) will be donated to fund voter registration drives in swing states.

Pet Portrait info here.

Remembering Thailand

At this time of year, I get an itch to go someplace warm and exotic. But that’s not happening this year, so I have to rely on memories. Five years ago this month, our son Andrew and I spent ten days in Thailand, a truly amazing trip. Two highlights were close encounters with other species. The first was a ride on an elephant, sketched here. The second has to be seen to be believed.

Winter Birdfeeder

There’s nothing more peaceful on a cold winter day that to sit cozy inside with a cup of tea and watch the birds coming to the feeder. These goldfinches will start to molt into their brilliant yellow outfits in a month or so.

P.S. Thanks to the many people who replied to my last post “Two Versions.” Opinion was pretty evenly divided between which version of the red onion was better.

Original 9″ x 12″ watercolor sketch, $60, info here.

Two Versions

After 20 years painting in watercolor, learning acrylics continues to amaze me because you can change things over and over.

Here is the evolution of one painting of a red onion I worked on this weekend. After I finished the second version (on right), I wondered if I should have stopped at the first. Which do you prefer?

Warm Color with Accent

The basic principle of color is that red, yellow and blue are the three primaries that can’t be mixed from anything else. The secondary colors are made up of two primaries each: red + yellow = orange, yellow+ blue = green, blue + red = purple. Red, orange and yellow are considered the warm colors (think fire), while blue, purple and green are cool. A classic color combination is predominantly warm (or cool) with a touch of the opposite. Like this one.

Original watercolor, 8″x 10″ matted, $50.

Women’s March, Redux

Yesterday I went to the fourth Women’s March with my daughter Kate and granddaughter Lila. I attended the first two in Washington, the third in New York, and the fourth in Raleigh, N.C. Here’s my painting of the first Women’s March in January, 2017. Prints, to benefit 2020 voter registration in swing states, are available here.

Boston Panorama

One of the best views in Boston is from the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA). The entire side of the building facing the water is glass. You can see part downtown Boston (left) to the Tobin Bridge and Logan Airport (right). Last week it was fun to sit and sketch, and paint later at home.

Watercolor 5″ x 8″ sketchbook, open to 5″ x 16″.

Thanks to our Doctors!

Four years ago today, Dr. James Phillips replaced both my knees. He literally put the spring back in my step. I owe so much to him, and to Dr. Asmal and Dr. Bala (my PCPs for more than three decades) for keeping me healthy.

To what medical professionals do you owe thanks for your quality of life, or even your life itself? We are so incredibly blessed to have modern medical care available to us.

Happy New Year!

May you and yours have a healthy, happy 2020! And thanks to all of you who have written to me over the last year. I love painting and sharing with you, and you are a major motivator in my artistic journey.

In honor of the 2020 election year, 50% of the proceeds from the art I sell this year will be donated to register voters in swing states. So if, during 2020, you are interested in an original, a print, or a commissioned painting (like a house or pet portrait), and you’d also like to help make sure everyone votes in November, just let me know.  Best, Lynn

Two Cyclamen

A teacher once told me that she almost always crops her paintings because she only likes parts of them. That was the case in an acrylics workshop I took last month, where we painted a big still life with lots of objects. The cyclamen were the only parts I felt came out well. Both of these are cropped from much larger paintings. They are similar, but do you see the differences? Do you have a preference?

Two Amaryllis

To me, amaryllis symbolize the beauty of winter and the holiday season. Watching the stem emerge from the bulb, without water or even soil, gradually stretching its neck until finally the fat blossoms and flowers appear, is a sort of miracle. Here are two watercolor versions I’ve done of amaryllis over the years. Which do you prefer?


Favorite Fruit

Avocados, in my mind, are the fruit of the gods. Beautiful color, creamy texture, delicate taste, they are great from guacamole, salads, sandwiches, or alone with a sprinkle of salt or lemon juice. Here’s my tribute to them.

Original acrylic on 6″ x 6″ board.

Cat Poised

I’m enjoying my newfound love of acrylics, which have intense colors like oils, but dry quickly and lack toxicity. Pinterest is a great source of ideas and subjects, and I thank Katya Minkina for inspiring this one.

Original acrylics on 6″ x 6″ board, $80.

Tulips, Two Media

The difference between watercolor and acrylics (or oil, which is similar to acrylics but dries more slowly and isn’t water soluble) are shown by these two paintings. Note the difference in transparency vs. opacity and delicacy vs. richness. In watercolor white is the white of the paper, because it’s transparent you can’t paint a light on top of a dark, and it’s hard to correct mistakes. Whereas in acrylics you can paint white on top of black and repaint endlessly. I’ve been painting watercolor for 20 years, but just started acrylics six months ago, and I love them both. Which do you prefer?

Brooklyn Brownstones

This is the Brooklyn brownstone where our granddaughter Maggie, now 1 1/2, spent her first year. If you look closely you can see Maggie, our daughter-in-law Eva and son Andrew in the second floor window. Because there was so much detail, I used watercolor pencils as well as watercolor paint.

House portraits make great Christmas gifts. If you would like to commission one, please let me know soon. Information is here.

15-Minute Portrait

Painting faces is intimidating, because it’s so easy to get “the most carefully studied 22-square inches in the universe” wrong. Since I took a portrait workshop in September, it has been easier. The Newton Watercolor Society hires models every other Friday morning, who sit for a series of short poses. This is my result today of one of the 15 minute poses. I see some mistakes, but believe me, 15 minutes goes by quickly.

Striking Portrait

This is the first facial portrait I’ve done without a teacher. Because we know the human face so well, it’s challenging, but also rewarding when you produce a reasonable likeness.

Original watercolor 10″ x 14″ $195.

Ramen Noodle Shop

In New York last weekend, we had delicious bowls of soup at a ramen noodle shop. It was fun to eat and sketch. When you compare the sketch with the photo, you can see I took a lot of liberties, especially with the signs and walls, which were mostly neutrals. I paint because I love color.

Central Park

This weekend I visited my friend Jeff, the grandson of my mother’s best friend, who is 26 and a graduate student in New York studying how to assist in international humanitarian crises. Saturday was a beautiful fall day and we spent time in Central Park. I spent a wonderful half hour sketching the view across a pond.

Watercolor sketchbook 8″ x 10″.

My Eye

I’ve felt stuck lately in my art. Just not excited. I poked around on the web and saw a painting someone made of their own eye. Decided to try it and, while I was painting, I felt that sense of delight and “flow” that is so sought after. It’s elusive and short-lived, but that’s why we create.

Acrylic on board, 6″ x 6″.

Red Tulips

Having fun learning the ins and outs of acrylics. The transparency of watercolor is magical, but acrylics offer such vivid colors.

Original Acrylic Painting on Board, 6″ x 6″, $80.

Your Dog or Cat

Portraits of a dog or cat (or bunny or hamster or …) make a great present for yourself or someone else, especially for birthdays or Christmas. If you’d like to memorialize your animal companion, get information by clicking here.