July in Rhode Island, 2013

It's been strange weather this summer. Hot, hot, hot for weeks, then cool and rainy. Still, it's been lots of fun with teaching a summer class at RISD, working on a book dummy, doing a job for Cobblestone Magazine, and enjoying lots of social events.

A pool party at my friend Linda's with our writer's group was great. The highlight for me was picking sweet blueberries from her extensive garden with these enthusiastic folks. 

Coming into the village.

I also enjoyed a trip to Pawtuxet Village with my hubby on a spectacular summer day. Pawtuxet is best known for it's early revolutionary fervor, when two boatloads of men captured the crew and burned the Gaspee in 1772, a ship sent by King George III to enforce British trade laws.

I love the water views, with marinas and New England houses, and you can find fantastic scenes like this all along Rhode Island's coasts. Of course we stopped for ice cream at Dear Hearts Ice Cream Parlor, and gave thanks that no revolutions were brewing in Rhode Island that day.

Looking east from the bridge in Pawtuxet Village.

Looking west from the same bridge... what a difference!

Another fine day trip took us to Portsmouth, Tiverton and Little Compton.  We took a spin around the coves in northeast Portsmouth, Island Park, Long Neck, Old Orchard and Blue Bill, and past the remnants of the long-gone Stone Bridge. We crossed the new bridge (the one that is causing controversy because of tolls). The views along Route 77 south are spectacular, and the drives along back roads in Little Compton were bucolic, in the full flush of summer.

A view of Gould Island from Park Ave. in Portsmouth.

We also enjoyed a trip to Bristol, one of our favorite stops in Rhode Island. I was fascinated by the precariousness of this waterside foundation. 

Bristol RI

This week was inspiring, as I met with artist friends and soaked in the talent of the folks around me. Not only did I meet with my artist's group, Freelance Artist's Network at a member's lovely home in Falmouth, but I also attended a tea party with artist friends in Medway. I saw oil paintings, jewelry, illustrations, licensing art, acrylic abstract paintings, pastel and ink sketches, greeting cards, and so much more. I always come away from these meetings re-invigorated. (I was also able to get valuable feedback on the book dummy I've been working on.)

Freelance Artist's Network (thanks for the photo, Judy)

Dale, me, Kay Life, Ruth F., Ruth L. and Judy (our fine hostess)

And one more trip to Bristol for dinner with my brother and sister-in-law on a perfect summer evening. Dinner by the water, and a stroll along the waterfront walkway and park looking across Bristol Harbor to Poppasquash Point.

The harbor in Bristol, Rhode Island

A beautiful sunset in RI

And last (for July), but not least... the sunset at Oakland Beach while we enjoyed Iggy's clam cakes and chowder!

 Summer passes quickly, and July is almost done. I'm glad I was able to enjoy friends and students and creative work and my beautiful surroundings during this fleeting time. I am blessed.

The view after enjoying clam chowder at Iggy's.

Life is Sweet

Illustration Friday # 28: SWEET, RISD CE graduation, and chickadees

Life is Sweet  ©Cheryl Kirk Noll

You can see the passage of time... here the snowbell flowers are budding.

Spring is my favorite time of year. Classes finish up. Students graduate. Flowers bloom and babies hatch.

This year has been particularly productive for my garden. A cute little birdhouse that my dad gave us at least ten years ago has it's first tenants this year.

Our chickadee family settling in at Songbird Hollow in the styrax obessia (Fragrant snowbell tree)

The flowers have blossomed. Breath in the fragrance!

A black-capped chickadee couple made Songbird Hollow their home. The birdhouse hangs from a styrax obessia (Fragrant snowbell tree) right outside our back window, so we were thrilled to watch the pair nest-building. On Tuesday, I heard the babies peeping for the first time when their parents arrived with food. Within two weeks, they should be flying away.

It's a life-affirming process to watch.

After the 4 day heat wave, the snowbells are gone, but roses are out!

My job as the adviser for the Children's Book Illustration certificate program at RISD-ce is a thrill for me too. I often meet students when they start the program, and I always have them for at least one class, meet with them for the final portfolio critique, and have the honor of handing out their certificates.

 I'm thankful to my brilliant program coordinator, Francoise McAree, to the CE staff, and to the fine teachers in the program who have led these students along the way.

I'm so proud of this year's 11 graduates. I'm as proud as a mama chickadee, and I can't wait to see where they fly, now that they've left the nest.

l-r sitting: Roya Ma, teacher assistant Susan Novich, Sherry Brodeur, Sarah Luz, l-r standing: Laura Foltz, Jeanette Bradley, Instructor Judith Moffatt, Mary Jackson, Emily Laramee, Meg Sodano, Peter Sentkowski, Anne Wert (missing: Karen Sculos)

To see more about the graduating students and the program, go to the programs informal blog, 

Drawing Together

The Joys of Gardening and Teaching

This spring, I am once again enjoying my tiny postage stamp garden. I was especially enthralled with a few tulips I grew, and the way they changed over their bloom time.

The first is a lily-blooming tulip, Ballerina.  When it was new, on cool days, it had gorgeous tones of purple that picked up on the grape hyacinth behind it. As it matured, it mellowed into a pumpkin-y orange, and it's pointed petals looked nice with my lacy Japanese maple.

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Lily-blooming Ballerina tulips against a dwarf Japanese maple.

The second is un-named. I don't remember buying or planting it. However, I was thrilled to watch it change, from a pale lemony yellow in the early days to a stunning sunrise array as it matured.

unnamed tulip with ajuga and euphorbia

the same tulip as it matured

     Watching these flowers grow and change reminded me of teaching. I feel the same thrill when I watch my Children's book Illustration students at RISD-ce. Their hard work is beautiful at every stage, and it's so satisfying to see their art grow and mature.

Children's Book Illustration 2 students, 2013- Corey, Jeff, Claire, Sarita, Rebecca, Bob and Chie.

Illustration Friday # 27: TRIBUTE

This week, I'm posting an older piece for the Illustration Friday "Tribute" prompt word.

This is a CD cover I did for Rochel Coleman, a professional storyteller who has lived in Providence. His uncle was one of the historic Tuskegee Airmen, black pilots who flew combat missions over Africa and Europe in WWII, and one of the stories that it tells is a tribute to these men, who broke racial barriers.

On a related note, I recently read an interesting YA book by Sherri L. Smith titled "Flygirl." It was about a young black woman who "passed" (as white) in order to serve in the Women's Airforce Service Pilots during WWII.

ILlustration Friday # 26: FAREWELL

Finished this by the skin of my teeth. Worked on it most of the week. From a Japanese folktale I rewrote.

© Cheryl Kirk Noll

Watercolor with some colored pencil.

IF # 25: TRAIN

I didn't manage to post the piece I worked on for this weeks Illustration Friday on time, but here it is. My thinking... you must TRAIN your eye to become an artist.

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© Cheryl Kirk Noll, watercolor and colored pencil

I started this some time ago, but I reformatted it, reworked the main character and added some details. It is for a project I'm working on with my friend Linda. The story takes place in France in the 1880's.