Just back from the sun. .

.A view from the boat - Click image for larger view

We have just returned from a wonderful couple of weeks in the Caribbean with friends. The first week was spent in the British Virgin Islands cruising aboard a 40 foot power catamaran. Highly recommended. We were able to make it to just about everywhere we wanted to go and the boat handled like a dream with no issues.  We flew from Boston to St Thomas and were greeted by a friend who treated us like royalty, thanks Kelly. The following day, after the sunset cruise the night before, and a great dinner, we caught the ferry to Road Town, Tortola, BVI and on to the charter company to get the boat. The Moorings is highly recommended as they were courteous and professional. We didn't get away from the dock until about 3 in the afternoon and set a course to Norman Island, and the adventure began.

Jost Van Dyke - Click Image for larger view

We cruised from Tortola to Norman Island, Peter Island Sopers Hole, Jost Van Dyke, Trellis Bay, the Baths, Leverick Bay, a quick stop at Coopers Island and back to Peter Island, returning to Road Town on Tortola to catch the ferry back to St Thomas. At each stop there was swimming and eating and exploring and new tastes and drinks and sights to see..so much crammed into so little time. Need to go back for a few months next time.

A page from the collection - Click image for larger view

From St Thomas we flew to San Juan Puerto Rico where we met up with more friends. A total of seven of us made our way to the ferry in Fajardo to travel the 17 miles to Vieques, an island off the coast of Puerto Rico. Now the ferry was the best bargain of the whole trip. Since we were all seniors we got our tickets at HALF PRICE!! It cost a dollar! Well, each way, so for the 7 of us it was $14 round trip. What the heck can you get for a dollar these days.

A small market - Click image for larger view

We stayed in Isabel Segunda - the major town on the island - which must have a total of about 20 streets and everything is in walking distance. We loved the island, great views, even better beaches and super friendly people. We  drove all over the island, toured the bioluminescence bay, walked the boardwalk in Esperanza and ate at great restaurants. We always ate well whether at a restaurant or cooked at 'home' -- special thanks to those who cooked, it was all so good. . . .

Media Luna, great beach down a long dirt road - Click image for larger view

So it was sad to say good-bye to such a special place and break up the little group that made our time special. Sunday morning we flew home from San Juan to arrive in temps that had the wind chill well below zero.  Ahhh it's good to be home. . . . . .

You can view all of my sketches HERE!

It's a New Year

The Fallen Tree - Click Image for larger view

The first post of the new year. 2016 - amazing!  I started this blog back in 2008 and it didn't have much of a focus, so here we are several years later, and still no focus. I have been posting my sketching recently but over the years I have posted animations, stop motion videos, time lapse videos, photography and 360º photography - the sketching is a more recent aberration. I am hoping to diversify back into more creative areas this year. However, being a basically lazy  old fart who knows just how it will shake out. But to anyone reading this out there in the interweb, I hope your new year is filled with spontaneous creativity.

Cheers, Ed

Hiking on the weekends

Billings Barn - Click image for larger view

As I mentioned in an earlier post, since September, Carol and I have been spending at least one day each weekend hiking in different forests in our area. We have explored many spots in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The barn in the sketch above was done in the Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary in Walpole, Massachusetts. It was a great walk with easy hiking and fantastic views from a high bluff...overlooking Patriot Place about 8 miles away. This unique looking barn was along the path and it had several bat habitats attached to it and a building next to this one was dedicated to bat habitat. Moose Hill is run by the Audubon Society of Massachusetts and the charges us seniors $3.00 each to hike their trails, which certainly seems reasonable as this is a very well maintained site.

Lobster boat, Wickford - Click image for larger view

Although I am still sketching every morning before work, things are getting more difficult. The sun seems to rise around noon these days..so dark for so long in the morning - and I am just running out of things to sketch in Hope Valley. So I am leaving earlier (when it is even darker) and traveling further afield. The sketch above in is Wickford which is about 40 -45 minutes from home and still about 40 minutes from work -- I like to get to work at 7:30 -- so I left extra early and started this sketch in the dim light of a nearby street lamp and finished up a few minuted before the sun broke the horizon. Still having fun with this though and will continue, although I am longing for my camera again so I may start mixing some photos back into this blog.

Summer is over. . .

Morning Field - Click image for larger view

It is almost winter, Although we have had a November that has been much warmer than others, the leaves seem to have left us more quickly this year. I did this sketch in Hope Valley, Rhode Island. The view is the field behind the Grange and ball field. It was very early in the morning and no one was around as I found just the right place to sketch from. This sketch is pencil on watercolor paper - I originally was thinking of painting, but got carried away with the pencil and eventually just ran out of time. I try to sketch each morning before work - most days starting around 6:30 and I am typically in to work by 7:30, so it gives  me about about an hour to fill up a page or two. Some days I have less time as I spend my time searching for a good view or an interesting old building. Coming from the midwest,  I am continually fascinated with the New England architecture which is so rich in variety, character and detail. The days are approaching their shortest daylight hours, and my morning light starts later each day. When I started this sketch the light was completely different that when I finished...another reason not to use paint. . .fast changing light in a complex image like this one is maddening and I seldom have the patience to come back again to finish another day. Once my time runs out, my sketch is done and not touched again.

Pencil sketch, Walden Pond - Click image for larger view

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.

Henry David Thoreau

Carol and I have been hiking most weekends lately, and few weeks ago we went up to Concord, Ma. and rediscovered a bit of American History. I have been a fan of Thoreau since I was a teen, under the influence of my father who was a big fan of the New England poets and philosophers. Thoreau was required reading and I longed for a simple life in the woods..but have ultimately taken the other fork in the road. Carol and I hiked along the Minute Man trail and over the rude bridge that arches the flood. We have hiked a few rocky trails with friends and through the fall foliage around Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

After the hike sketch - Click image for larger view

I have posted well over 600 images on my Flickr page as I am still sketching every morning before work, and sometimes on the weekend. Still carving spoons and making things in the shop and doing a lot of photography, time lapse and 3D animation. . .trying to keep busy.

Great Minds. . .

A view from Benefit Street - Click image for larger view.

The other day I did this sketch in Providence before work..my usual routine. When I get to work, I scan in my daily sketch and post it on my Flickr page. There is a lot wrong with my sketch, at least things I would do differently if I had more time to do it again... and then I got an email from my longtime friend Richard Benjamin. Dick is not only a great photographer but THE photographer for all things Rhode Island and all of New England. He sent me this image he shot back in June. We must have been at the exact same point and saw the same view and responded accordingly.
All I can say is, Richard you have great taste. . .

Photo by Richard Benjamin

If you want to see what Rhode Island really looks like visit Dick's site at photosofri.com
Plan on staying there a while - his images are stunning.

More of Hope Valley. . . and a couple from Canada

Morning Sunshine in Hope Valley -- Click image for larger view

I have been experimenting again with color..this is a hurdle I need to jump. This morning I attempted a painting in gouache and abandoned it and cut it out of the sketchbook. Color just confounds me. I am fairly happy with the sketch above but still have a lot of issues with it.

Large home in the sun. - Click image for larger view

This large stone house sits just to the right of the house just above. The early morning sunlight has been cooperative recently.

Caley Farm, Port Elgin, Ontario -- Click image for larger view

Last week we were on vacation visiting with relatives in Canada and had a very enjoyable visit. Ben and I got in a few bike rides and the grandkids had a fun time on the farm. This was a new experience for the, i Made time for a few sketches along the way.

While having my morning coffee -- Click image for larger view

Some recent Hope Valley sketches

Behing Barrett's Engine Repair & Garage - Click image larger view

This morning I got in a quick little sketch of the back side of a local business in Hope Valley. I have drawn this area from different angles in the past - it is an interesting mix of textures. I am somewhat pleased with this sketch.

Arts & Crafts style house - Click image for larger view

I had a pretty good sketch going here but kind of messed it up when I applied the washes..this one should have been an ink sketch. I was working on my lights and darks trying to work up values that told the story but feel as though it has just gone muddy.

Back on Main Street - Click image for larger view

Every once in a while I may not get the color just right, but I think I got this one close.

Behind the big house on Main - Click image for larger view

This is a beautiful large stone house in Hope Valley right on Main Street. This view if from the back side from the parking lot of the church next door. Sketched from my car as the morning started off rainy and when the sun came out I get some good light on the building.

Yet another house on Main Street - Click image for larger view

You can check out all my sketches on my Flickr page at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/edhuff/

Catching Up

The Old Bank Cafe, Pawtuxet Village - click image for larger view

Once again I have been neglecting the blog -- I promise to be better. . . but as it happens Springtime is filled with so many things to do. (Insert several lame excuses here) I have still been out sketching almost every morning before work and doing a lot of different experimenting with style and color - sometime more successful than others. Since I last posted here I sold my boat, my grandkids graduated from their respective classes (first grade and 8th grade- Ben now moves on to high school) Ben is determined to get his pilot's license before he gets his drivers license, and is well on his way. When we were at the airport for a lesson the other day I sketched the thing in the pic below:

Strange looking thing - click image for larger view

I am not sure just how this thing works but it got my attention as 'now that's something that I have never sketched before' In any event I am still having fun with my sketching and have been playing a lot with time lapse, and I got a new GoPro so have been having fun with that too.

Sketching and photography - maximizing time

Morning Sun, Providence from Edward Huff on Vimeo.

So for the past few days, as I am sketching I am also capturing the scene in a time lapse. I have been shooting these off and on for sever years but have remiss in shooting lately. As the weather is getting better and I am actually able to sketch outside the shell of my car I have plenty of time to catch these images..I feel like such an amateur as I have forgotten so many of the small things that make up a good time lapse..but it is coming back and I expect that they will get better. Oh, and here is my sketch...

A page from the book - Click image for larger view

The houses were sketched yesterday while waiting for a friend.