The Big Bad Winter and a Note to Self!, and... an Arctic Animals coloring book.
Topic: Life

0218/15 11:39a Note to self:
it is not the environment, the conditions, that matters to the animals. they go about their business no matter what, joyfully, zestfully, taking it as it comes, making the best of whatever is in front of them. we get caught up in the myth that we ought to have the conditions we want. let us instead make things wondrous no matter what, take things in awe as they come. yess! let me remember this.

I have been looking for every way to see winter differently so that i will not get as down about it when it comes rolling around again almost as if it never left.
so, for instance:
Do polar bears want winter to leave?
Do penguins want winter to go?
There are whole species that thrive in constant winter. They are made for it. They need it.
Our problems with it, (those of us who have problems with it), is that we have put on such heavy other associations with it. Let us instead just put on our heavy winter clothes, make our heat, and get to it!

After these thoughts came to me while watching the backyard animals go about their business, and my cat so thrilled in the window because the squirrel and bluejay were coming for peanuts so close to the window, that he had not a moment to even think about asking to go outside yet, I wrote up my reminder to self. And then realized, how perfect to connect it with the arctic animals coloring pages i recently put together. They are mostly demonstration drawings from the kids' art class series. Many of these images are also in another of my coloring page collection.

Download the Arctic Animals Coloring Pages Book, PDF!

Donate and find the other coloring book:

 

 

"Let's Draw February Celebrations!" - Children's drawing workshops, 2015
Topic: Kids Art Class
Press Release:
"Let's Draw February's Celebrations!" - Children's Drawing Workshops at
Rockland Public Library, 2015

Rockland -  Children will draw images from February's celebrations and
traditions at Rockland Public Library's ongoing drawing workshops led
by artist Catinka Knoth. Participants draw along with Knoth as she
demonstrates how to draw subjects for Valentine's
Day, Chinese New Year, Mardi Gras, and President's Day.  Each week is a different subject:

2/03     Valentine's Day cards & papercuts
2/10     Chinese New Year Season - Year of the Sheep, Ram, Goat, starts
2/17     Mardi Gras masks,
2/24     Presidents

Sponsored by Wendy and Keith Wellin, the workshops, for age 6 and up,
are free and open to the public, with all materials provided. Knoth
expects participants to be able to work independently for the most
part. Children age 10 and under should be accompanied by an adult.
Ongoing workshops meet every Tuesday, 4-5 pm, Community Room, Rockland Public Library, 80 Union St.,  hosted by Friends of Rockland Library.  FMI - Jean Young, children's librarian, 594-0310.

Young artists will  draw a wide range of motifs. Valentine's Day cards often have motifs such as hearts, birds,
cupids, lace, ribbons, and roses. Chinese New Year 2015,
which starts 2/19, is celebrated for 15 days. It is the Year of the Sheep. Participants may explore traditional papercut  designs, Chinese dragons, and Lion Dancers.  Mardi Gras  motifs include masks, King
cakes, doubloons, jazz instruments, jester, tricorn hat, and beads. In honor of the presidents, students will explore  classic presidential portraits.

February Celebrations Adult Art Workshops at Rockland Library, 2015
Topic: Art Class

Press Release:

February Celebrations Adult Art Workshops at Rockland Library, 2015

Rockland - Catinka Knoth  will lead an art workshop series for adults,
on creating motifs for  celebrations of February:  Valentines, Mardi Gras, and Chinese New Year, (Year of the Sheep). Each week will be a
different subject. Classes meet 11 a.m.  Mondays, February 2, 9,
(library closed for Presidents' Day, Feb. 16), and 23, in the Community
Room, Rockland Public Library, 80 Union St.  Led by Knoth,
participants will create their own art. Knoth provides the  classes  
free of charge, with materials supplied. Friends of Rockland Library
host the workshops, which are open to the public. FMI Knoth at 596-0069
or Rockland Library at 594-0310.

2/02    Valentine's  Day roses, papercuts & cards
2/09    Mardi Gras masks
2/16    Library closed for Presidents' Day        
2/23    Chinese New Year - Year of the Sheep, Ram, Goat  

Knoth will provide instruction and guidance in drawing and creating the
fantasy images of February's celebrations. Participants will work with
pencil, colored pencil,  crayon, and papercut, with a focus on drawing
in color.

Knoth paints watercolors of Maine and whimsical animal scenes, which
she offers as cards and prints. She teaches a free weekly children's
drawing class at Rockland Public Library, sponsored by Wendy and Keith
Wellin. For more information about Knoth's work visit
www.catinkacards.com

And the beet goes on - stovetop pan roasted beet, or potato, for one.
Topic: Recipes
A) Leftover beet with butter, cold slice. It was the middle slice and was 'baked' in my little make-do fry pan oven.
B) The root piece tasted good.
C) With the pickled beets juice, and the last couple pieces of pickled beets. (Christmas present from a friend.)
D) Taste. See that skin around the edge, like the crust on a slice of bread.
E) Gone except a touch of woody skin and the top.
All delicious.
A)

B)

C)

D)

E)

Stove top pan roasted beet or potato.

Inspired by an unusual baked potato looking like a piece of bread served me at a Christmas dinner. I loved the slice of breadness of it so went home and tried my own version. It works for  potatoes, and now beets it turns out. Since I cook single servings, don't use a toaster oven, microwave, and certainly not a big oven for one vegetable, I often use the cast iron fry pan on the stove top. I finally realized that aluminum pie pans, leftover from commercial pies, make a great little oven inside the covered fry pan - the closest thing to  cooking with dry heat - baking.

  For a potato - slice it in 1/2" slices the long way (end to end, rather than around its equator. That will be two slices for a small potato, and three for a large potato. Keep the skin on, (after you wash the potato well). The middle slice ends up with the skin around the edge.  Place slices, skin side down, in the pie pan in the fry pan, which has been preheating at #3, (is the gauge on my electric stove - moderate or just above low). Cover with another pie tin. Then cover the fry pan too.

  It will char after a while. I have not timed how long. I just try to check it. The slices need to get flipped. If it ends up being cooked thru already, then no need to flip. (You do know how to check for doneness w a knife or fork?!) When done, serve lots of ways. Even just ketchup is good! Butter & salt; vinegar; salad dressing; cheddar cheese; caeser dressing; sour cream.

For a beet - wash well. Cut the same way (as the potato) - root to top, 1/2" slices. Keep the skin on. It takes longer to cook than a potato. When done, spread butter on the openface side. Slice down almost all the way thru the skin, so the butter will seep into the cuts. Sprinkle of salt would probably be good. I have been adding a wonderful pickled beets juice leftover from a friend's homemade pickled beets. You can use vinegar. The surprising discovery here is that the skin tastes good with the beet. Just trim off a few 'hard' bits if there are any. The roasted beets are delicious.

Happy New Year 2015!
Topic: Seasonal/Holiday


Tablet drawing, 1/1/15.