Amtrak Station, 2020

Image | | Marlene Lee
Amtrak Station, 2020, 8 x 10 inches oil on canvas panel

Usually the Amtrak Station is full of students and workers going to the Bay Area. But now it sits almost empty, just a few people on and off.

Available for purchase on my website at Daily Paintworks.

Yolo Art & Ag Paintings

Image | | Marlene Lee

I was able to produce three paintings from my visits to the ranches and farms that were part of the Art & Ag Projects. The virtual Art Farm Gala is scheduled on Saturday, October 12 from 6:30 to 8 pm. One of these or maybe two will be up for bid during this time. There will be a video event with music and presentations.

View from the Harrison Farm, 8 x 6 inches, oil on canvas panel by Marlene Lee
Pink Barn at Best Ranch, 8 x 10 x 3/4 inches, oil on stretched canvas
English Stable at Best Ranch, 8 x 10 x 3/4 inches, oil on stretched canvas

“Sketching Around Davis” Book

Image | | Marlene Lee

I had been sketching with a sketching group that meets in Davis since 2013. The group organized by Pete Scully met every month at various locations throughout Davis. Sometimes on campus, sometimes in downtown, sometimes out in the park, sometimes at the farmers market on Saturdays. I was inspired to carry a sketchbook everywhere and to sketch on my own – at restaurants, parks and Nugget where I would stop and have a smoothie after my exercise class. (Such pleasant memories before the pandemic).

Most of these sketches are done in pen and ink with watercolor. I use a TWSBI fountain pen filled with Noodlers Ink. Typically I would sketch in a bound sketchbook mostly like a Moleskine and occasionally in a Stillman and Birn. I started out in a pocket size sketchbook, 3 1/2 x 5 inches and moved up to 5 1/2 x 8.

After many months of putting this book together, it is now available for purchase on Blurb.

The sketches are grouped together based on locations – Downtown Davis, Central Park, UCD campus and Nugget Market.

I want to thank my husband, Alan, for proofreading, who caught every little detail to make this a better book.

Muffet

Image | | Marlene Lee
Muffet, watercolor on art board, 8 x 10 inches by Marlene Lee

I had started to volunteer my service as an artist to the Pets Lifeline of Sonoma. Pet owners submit a favorite photo of their pets and a donation of $20 to have their pet portrait done by a random artist. I thought this would be a great way to improve my watercolor painting.