2024 - Finding an Artist Community
Paintings and sketches from late 2024.
I took a bit of a break from painting in 2024 while going from 1 kid to 2, but below are a few images I can share from that year.
Holiday Cacti
I took one virtual watercolor class1 where we painted holiday cacti. I’ve given the originals away but here is how they turned out.




First Sketch Group
In late 2024 I also joined a local sketch group that meets weekly. It has been one of the most invigorating and motivating things to keep me painting and sketching. I love seeing the other sketchers’ artwork, hearing all about the supplies they use and classes they take, and for a portion of each meeting just chatting about life.
Initially, I thought the sketch group was going to be sharing weekly sketches that everyone had completed in pencil. In my mind “sketch” meant quick, scratchy pen-lines… but the group had formed a year or two earlier and by this point they’d moved on to more formal projects. Everyone was working in a uniform sketchbook, and the theme of each book was “Memoir.”2
I now know that “sketch” can be used to describe many different kinds of art. It seems, at least, that a sketch mostly refers to a rough or unfinished version—something that might lead to a more final version later.
Even though it was a very specific notebook, everyone brought their own unique vision and talents to their project. Some were painted, others collaged, some with writing, others just images. I was planning to go “vulnerable,” but once I found out they had a show scheduled in which our artworks would be witnessed by the public, I retreated. I got nervous to put anything too personal in the book. I was also afraid I’d be bad. Not an artist. All the other books were already so stunning.
Eventually I tried to let it all go. Just put something on the page. This book could have turned out very differently, but I’m still happy with it in the end. Some of the sketches are ok, others are meh, but I practiced watercolor—I made something, and it was fun.
2024-25 Sketchbook - “Memoir”
Cover
Blurb
Self
Fuji/Japan




Pets
Home

Communication
Malta/Journal
Views

Outdoors
Music
-Lana
The Holiday Cacti class was offered through the Tucson Botanical Garden. They have other virtual watercolor classes listed here!
The sketchbook we used for this project was Hahnemühle The ZigZag Book A6.
Edit 10/10/25:
You’ll find the 2025 Group Sketch project here:
9 Views of the Hudson River
This year I finally managed to pick up the pace, taking classes and fitting in a little more time for art.












This is beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing.
makes me smile!
we are better together