When I started my "stay at home" for 2 weeks on Wednesday of this week, I made the decision that I would make this a positive experience. Besides more time to do artwork, which is the best part...  I started each day with a list of what I would do that day,  then at the end of the day I revisit it and check off everything I did.
I have kept myself busy with an indoor sketch challenge from Urban Sketchers Waterloo Region, lots of drawing, reading, yoga, walking the dog and putting more of an effort into social media. Still don't love it, but seeing more benefit. It is very time consuming. No post on social media today, back to it tomorrow.

As an introvert, I am very happy in a group of ONE!  During this time of social distancing, staying at home, reading, drawing, walking the dog, and watching a movie at home, suit me just fine. But, for extroverts and sports lovers, this is a challenging time. Hang in there, you will get through it...

Sometimes the winter months for me means going to work, coming home and not going out. And to be honest, I am happy to do just  that. But, back in December, I decided I should be more social over the course of the winter months, so I started a new project and it is:

• part social
• part journal
• part history
• part support local
• part educational
• part fun

Its a beer sketchbook. To anyone that knows me, this would not surprise them. I like beer. I like all kinds of beer and I like to try different kinds of beer. I also find you have the best conversations over beer. I even illustrated a book related to beer, Barhopping into History, London Ontario, which, by the way, started over a beer! Since I started this sketchbook in late December, I have recorded, meaning sampled and socialized to 26 different kinds of beer. Thanks to friends and family for socializing with me. For now, temporarily on hold. Looking forward to adding to my themed beer sketchbook in the future.

Buddy is a great model ... when he is sleeping! Sketch in ink and white pencil on grey toned pastel paper. Quick sketch before he moved again.

I started a new sketchbook in December ... The Beer Sketchbook: Some people take photos of their food, I draw pictures of my beer. There are so many different kinds of beer: domestic, import, micro, craft, local, international... Why not taste test, record it and have fun doing it! Each recorded beer has to be unique. So the question is - how many different kinds of beer will I have over the course of a year?
This sketchbook project is a part social, (the conversations are always more interesting over beer), part history (could be the history of the beer, the brewery or maybe the location), part journal (the when, why, who). 
This is BEER #19 (Moonshadow, a Berliner Weisse). After checking out the the 8th Annual Heritage Fair, Kym and I visited Storm Stayed Brewing Co.

The real reason for visiting Las Vegas was a trade show (NAHB - National Association of Home Builders and KBIS - Kitchen & Bath Industry Show) ... but managed to play a couple rounds of golf. Club Corp - Bear's Best Las Vegas is made up of 18 holes selected by Jack Nicklaus from his 270 designs worldwide.
It's not hot in Las Vegas in January, but it is much warmer than Canada! Daytime high was about 19°C (or 66.2°F), with nights getting down to 7°C (or 44.6°F).

A trip to Nashville in December, included golf, music, hockey, historic architecture, neon lights, great weather, lots of people… maybe too many people for me! Played a round of golf at the Hermitage Golf Course, it took a while to get accustomed to the colours. The grass on the fairway was dormant, so yellow ochre or brown. The greens were the only green on the course. 

Finally got back to a figure drawing session at TAP Centre for Creativity. These sessions are open to all, there is no instructor, just show up with $10 and your tools and draw for three hours. Great way to spend an afternoon.