Bamboo Sketches
by Charity Lee Jennings
Errand Drawing
My dream was to draw every day during our move. My reality has been catching moments while running errands. Yesterday turned into much more than a moment, when, while trying to complete my transaction, the computer malfunctioned. I was so thankful I'm in the...
Stolen Sketch
It’s by no means a masterpiece, but it’s special nonetheless. This sketch symbolizes a few stolen moments in the midst of a few strenuous weeks. If you’ve moved recently, you know what I mean. My life has been swallowed by sorting and packing, so much so that I...
Oriental Garden
Living in China, I’ve grown to adore oriental gardens. This spring I made it my goal to walk through the gardens in our community daily and many times I passed a little scene thinking, I would love to draw that. Some days I set out with the intention of capturing such...
Gifts from the Birthday Girl
When my daughter buys gum with her own money, the first thing she does is offers to share. When I’ve had the idea of sharing something, the first thing I’ve done is hesitate. I've always admired my daughter's generosity, a trait she no doubt inherited from my husband....
Fishy Scenes
I remember the first time I entered an art store. I was eager to learn to paint but had no idea where to start. A man explained to the sales clerk that his daughter wanted to take up painting and he wondered what kind of paints to give her. As the clerk explained the...
An Invitation
Last year I sent out birthday invitations by text message and my party planning daughter was so disappointed. So this year I was sure to not make the same mistake. Combining art and party planning, I made these invitations. The fish were...
My Party Planner
When my daughter was just a toddler, my friend’s son turned ten. As I welcomed him to the double digits I thought, when my youngest turns ten, I’ll be so sad. My little ones brought me so much joy, I didn’t want life any other way. It’s funny how I latch onto...
A Second Spring
Magnolias Just as the magnolias started to blossom this spring, a frost came. They shrivelled before they had a chance to show their splendour. Grieving, I dug out some old sketches and created Magnolias. This was weeks ago and as I was on my walk today I passed many...
My Creative Lunch Break
Like Sharon Collins, I took a creative lunch break. I co-ordinated lunch for my kids and stuck a sketchbook and pencil in my purse. A break was just what I needed in the midst of a week packed full of appointments. But where can I have a break in a house full of...
A Creative Lunch Break
“I took the winter bird challenge and did my sketch on a one hour lunch break. It felt so good to see something I created…with your help. 😉 I especially liked the grid tip.” Sharon Collins Remember my tutorial, Winter Bird? Sharon Collins, a college faculty...
Chinese Easter Eggs
Do you know the feeling of waking up and being greeted by something you’ve created? My daughter and I experienced it this morning and now, as I write, I’m watching her arrange our painted eggs in nests of cold porcelain. She’s admiring one, complimenting another, and...
Shimmer of Hope
My son called it, “The Worst Easter Ever.” We helped friends, who lived just a short walk away, with their moving sale. After watching bits of their life disappear, we all said good-bye, then they flew across the ocean. Their home, once filled with children’s...