196 Cards from A Postcard from my walk - a tribute to Earth Day

Our project has come to an end. With many stories to tell about lost cards and some destroyed by rain and some never received and some resent...it was exciting, kept us on our toes and we were constantly challenged to come up with interesting and original subjects. But here we are...a little over a year later and very appropriate for earth day 2012, we look back on our cards and a great satisfaction and contentment bring a smile to our faces. It was a year well spent around the pencil and brush.

 

Click on each image to see the bigger version.

Cards sent by:

Albrecht Richter - Germany

Alison Staite - England

Bridget Hunter - Scotland

Cathy Gatland - South Africa

Charlene Brown - Canada

Desirée Dianne Habicht - USA

Felicity Grace - Switzerland

Katherine Tyrrell - England

Liz Steel - Australia

Martin Stankewitz - Germany

Pat Reece - USA

Robyn Sinclair - Italy

Ronelle van Wyk

Vivien Blackburn - England

Thank you to everybody who shared this trip with us around the world, whether it was by regular visits or leaving comments or simply just stopping by. The more the company, the merrier the spirit!

Thank you!

Cold cold snow and warm pools from Charlene

Upper Hot Springs swimming pool by Charlene

Charlene says this is the pool where she learned how to swim.  It's above Banff  (not of course our original Banff, in Scotland - hypothermia would be the result there!  but it's namesake in Canada) . The water is 40C, which she feels is the only temperature to swim in  .   Warm water in the snow - amazing.

I remember seeing a film of monkeys in Japan lazing in hot pools in the snow - with blissful faces :>)   - it must be a heavenly experience, swimming in nice warm water and seeing that view.

Charlene's marks are kept so simple and uncluttered - but the grandeur of the scene and the activity of the swimmers comes across so effectively.

Thank you Charlene :>)

A snowy card in the middle of summer

It is such a treat to be part of this postcard exchange and to get such wonderful cards from such a varied group - in location and style. I must say that I have been looking forward to seeing one of Charlene's masterpieces in real life and was very excited to get this stunner in the post! Wow! I love the way she handles a snowy landscape.

Painting snow is something that I have never done... in fact I have only seen snow 4 times (up close) in my life. One skiing trip as a kid, 2 summer visits to our snow fields(there were a few remaining drifts only) and a white Xmas in Scotland... so this majestic scene of Castle Mountain half way between Banff and Lake Louise is extra special.

Thanks Charlene! I love it!

The Sad Tale of Two Postcards

 As the Chinese Year of the Dragon starts today, I have to finally accept that the postcard Charlene sent me at the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit is probably never going to get here - the joyously colourful Gate of Harmonius Interest in Chinatown, Victoria that she luckily scanned for her records and eventually emailed to me. When it became obvious that some misfortune had befallen it, I begged Charlene for another one to complete my collection, and in her busy life and travels she found time to create the beautiful, crisp Banff glacial scene of Mt.Lefroy and Victoria Glacier below.

After a few weeks I once again became anxious that it hadn't arrived yet, and went to investigate my garden more closely....

 ...and this is what I found, bedraggled and forlorn under a bush nearby. Our postbox had its brass stolen by metal thieves some weeks before, and if letters are pushed too enthusiastically into the hole left behind, they shoot right through to the other side. Which is what happened to postcard #2 from Victoria to Johannesburg, plus some heavy Highveld thunderstorms and a few paper-munching snails - a very sorry end to a long journey and Charlene's lovely artwork.

The call of the wild - winter greetings from Banff

I have to admit I was looking forward to this, a card from Charlene. Charlene lives in an area that counts to the dream landscapes on this planet. Also Charlene has been traveling to magnificent places, as for example to Machu Pichu too. So I knew that the card from Charlene would be something special in any case.

But getting such beautiful a card from Banff however strikes a special nerve with me. It brings up the memories of my young days and the extensive reading of Jack London and the great landscapes of Canada and Alaska. Charlene' s Water color card shows the city of Banff surounded by gorgeous mountain vistas.

Charlene in Austria

My postcard from Charlene Brown has arrived and what a surprise, it is from Austria!  Charlene is such a peripatetic artist.  I'm thinking there could be a book in 'Where's Charlene Now?'  Of course she is more than capable of writing, illustrating and publishing such a book herself.  I would appreciate a free copy for the brilliant idea.

Charlene said, 'this is Dürnstein, Austria and the 'Burgruine' above the town is said to be the very castle where Richard the Lion Heart was held prisoner'.  It goes without saying that Super Sketcherciser, Charlene climbed up there and painted the view from the prison.  She confesses that she made the Danube a little bluer and the trees a little purpler than they really are, but I'm not complaining because this is a beautiful watercolour with gemlike colours shining through. 

Many thanks, Charlene I'm thrilled with my postcard from Austria.

The Majan ruins of Copan in Honduras

If there is one thing that I find hugely exciting, it is discovering foreign places. If I can't discover it myself, receiving a postcard, is as an exciting confirmation of my intention to visit that place. Standing with a handpainted postcard from a foreign place in my hand, from a friend...thàt is the ultimate experience. I now have a burning desire to visit Honduras. And I have Charlene to blame for this shameless desire.

.. higher residential level of the Majan ruins of Copan - a city with several tree- covered pyramids....

Her postcard took many small roads to finally get to me and it's far and wide travels had clearly left its mark...but somehow it has added to the mystery of Charlene's card...lost civilizations...age...endurance..a card. Do you want me to go on? I can if you want...if you had this pilgrim card in your hand, you would feel the same...
Thank you Charlene, it took months for Copan to reach me, but it is my story card and well worth waiting for!

View of the American Mountains from Victoria

This is a view of Charlene's home city of Victoria in British Columbia - and the American Mountains across the border which is the Juan de Fuca Strait.  It's a great vista - just what I like!

The American Mountains from Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Her perspective is taken from Mt. Tolmie - one of the many large outcrops in the city of Victoria and shows the American mountains included are Hurricane Ridge (1,585 m), Mount Angeles (1,967 m / 6,454 ft ) and Mount Olympus (7,980 ft /2,432 m) in Washington State.

As an ex geographer I'm always very pleased to get views of mountains and hills! :)

However I have to apologise to Charlene as the scan doesn't do justice to the colours in the sketch that she's used and I've had no success in trying to get it read better.

For this Sketch I got out Google Maps in "terrain" mode and started having a good look round at Charlene's surroundings - and they're absolutely incredible!  Then I had a good read of the Wikiepedia links......then I started to look at their entries on summitpost!  All that from a postcard!

The area around Victoria

The Butchart Gardens by Charlene

Charlene sent me this wonderful postcard depicting a deep ravine below the Butchard Gardens. She says that it is so shady that everything, even the lanterns are covered in moss. It is described as the North American version of a Japanese Garden. 

I have been to the Butchard Gardens, it is so amazingly beautiful and the fact that it was her husbands depleted cement quarry that she managed to turned into an breathtaking garden is quite remarkable. In the early 1900's, without a formal plan, Mrs. Jenny Butchard vowed to create a beautiful garden that everyone could enjoy. She requisitioned horses and carts to bring in loads of topsoil. Little by little, a garden emerged where and ugly scar had been! If you ever are able to see these gardens you will be amazed at the lovely garden areas she created. This is where my husband first saw tuberous begonias and we still grow them to this day. Thank you Charlene, I loved the memories it brought back, making me drag out my photos and pamphlets I saved from our trip!

Desiree

Another Cool Cracker - The Comox Glacier

I have always admired Charlene's paintings of mountains, glaciers and lakes. I've never been to Canada but have visited the European Alps many times. Charlene's views always transport me back to that landscape. Bitter cold wind off the glaciers, even when the day is hot, and the sharp pungent tang of pine resin. Glorious!  I was so delighted therefore when this card arrived in the post!  (Not so delighted with the postmen though, who'd managed to print an orange serial bar top and bottom...... grrrr.  Thank goodness it's relatively faint!).

This is a view of the Comox Glacier near Mt Washington.  Charlene tells me they had big snow falls here late into the season and there was still a lot around at the end of May.  I love the colour and shapes Charlene achieves both within the mountain and the fir trees.  It has a lovely rhythm.

London today is overcast and windy.  I'd far rather be looking at this view for real.  Thank you Charlene, I'll look at your card and just pretend I'm there instead!

Gallery-May postcards

The round-up of our May postcards.

A cool card from Charlene!

A beautiful postcard arrived in my post box this week and I knew instantly that it was from Charlene! It's a wonderful panorama in lovely cool blues but you have to see Charlene's art in the flesh to see how incredibly delicate her work is. The details in the ships are so tiny and it's amazing how her watercolours have conveyed a vast expanse of sky on a card measuring only 6x4"!  The delicate spring flowers make a stark contrast to the majestic mountains in the distance.

On the back she has written

' The first of the Alaska-bound cruise ships have arrived in Victoria. It's still pretty cold up there - hope those folks know what they are getting in to! View is looking south to (American) Olympic Mountains'

Thank you so much Charlene!

2010 Whistler Olympic Monument

Charlene Brown
Watercolor on Paper

Charlene has been climbing every mountain and visiting every country and reporting about it for all to enjoy through her many blogs.  Go and visit and you will be thrilled as was I the first time I found her wonderful art and words over a year ago.  Her web site “1150 Words” @ http://charlenebrownpainting.blogspot.com/is a real treat.  However not as big a treat as receiving one of her pieces of art in the mail…..just for me……all mine……but I am sharing the image with you all now.  The computer screen with its back lighting does make it beautiful but not as nice as holding it in my hand.  I used a flash to show off the touches of gold added to enhance the monument.

Postcard from Victoria, Canada

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church - Charlene Brown 2011

I got my first postcard from Charlene in Victoria, Canada. Its a lovely sketch done in water soluble inks - a medium I've never tried before - which I think has given it a freshness and captures the colours of the buildings really well. I'm away to Google maps to find Victoria and have a look at that part of the world. Also Charlene says the church had an incidental role in the 'Pig War' - the last armed conflict between Canada and the U.S.A. - such an unusual name for a war - in which there seemed to be a stand off with the only casualty being the poor, unfortunate pig!!!

Thankyou Charlene for adding the Happy Chinese New Year stamp - a lovely touch.

Introducing Charlene Brown

I started painting as a teenager, growing up in the Canadian Rockies, and those mountains are still my favourite place to paint. More recently– especially while we lived in Dubai and during the years since we retired – I’ve been very lucky in that I’ve had the chance to travel the world and paint in just about every country I’ve ever wanted to visit. I always try to paint some postcards on these trips, and complete larger paintings when I get home.  Some of these are on my website Paint Every Mountain and my blog 1150 Words. 

Occasionally, I take my grandchildren along on my painting adventures (one at a time – I’m not that adventurous!) but I'm really nowhere near as intrepid as I was hoping these pictures would have you believe. I think all the warnings being in English kind of gives that away. I wouldn’t dream, for example, of striding over anybody’s balustrade.

But I do love to walk or hike, if that’s what the terrain requires – every day, if possible.  And that’s a good thing, because I have found that, with just about any other repetitive exercise program I’ve tried, I’m always aware of exactly how many minutes I have to go before it’s over.

So it’s great that walking and painting or, more likely, sketching go together so perfectly. I’ve enjoyed participating in Sketchercise since its inception, and am really looking forward to our postcard project. I have no travel plans before July, so the first few postcards I send out will be painted right here in my very paintable home city of Victoria, on Vancouver Island.