Margaret Sloan 5/1/25 Margaret Sloan 5/1/25

Little Blue Lupine Reality

I’m paying attention to little blue lupine this month. As always, nature stops me in my tracks with wonder.

Margaret Sloan 2/1/25 Margaret Sloan 2/1/25

Nature’s rest, halfway through winter.

Imbolc, the Celtic holiday, celebrates February 1 as the halfway point between spring and winter.

Margaret Sloan 1/31/25 Margaret Sloan 1/31/25

Layered portraits: working with watercolor paper, string and collage

I painted this self portrait of myself layered between two paintings of a Northern California river. I layered them together and then stitched them with kitchen twine.

It’s how I feel when I’m out in nature.

Margaret Sloan 11/6/24 Margaret Sloan 11/6/24

Up a creek without a paddle

Margaret Sloan 10/31/24 Margaret Sloan 10/31/24

Sailing series on a following sea

Once-upon-a-time-long-ago, when I lived a boatish life with a boatish family, I spent a lot of time on or near the ocean. Although I never really learned the actual techniques of sailing, I loved being on the boat, sliding along with the wind. Even the sea-sick ick couldn’t keep me at home.

Sailing seems like such freedom. These memories inspired four small paintings for and art show called “It’s Hip to Be Square” at Art on Main in Murphys California.

Margaret Sloan 10/3/24 Margaret Sloan 10/3/24

Road Trip Summer: California Highway 395 through Death Valley

Stories from a road trip to Death Valley during a heat storm, plus some paintings.

Margaret Sloan 9/30/24 Margaret Sloan 9/30/24

October Sale

Margaret Sloan 8/28/24 Margaret Sloan 8/28/24

Artist Morning Pages

Reclaiming my natural mornings with artists morning pages is a way to combat having my mind fracked by the internet.

Margaret Sloan 6/1/24 Margaret Sloan 6/1/24

Plein Air Painting in Northern California’s Sierra Nevada.

Margaret Sloan 2/26/24 Margaret Sloan 2/26/24

Alpenglow in the High Sierra

What is Alpenglow?

Margaret Sloan 1/31/24 Margaret Sloan 1/31/24

Can you see Yosemite Valley from the Central Valley?

The world amazes me. In January 2024 I saw something I never thought was possible.

Margaret Sloan 1/11/24 Margaret Sloan 1/11/24

Portraits inspired by Nature

One of my favorite things to do is paint portraits that capture the fleeting essence of a person. I look for the spirit, emotion, and humanity within each subject and I love to tell their unique story with paint.

Margaret Sloan 1/5/24 Margaret Sloan 1/5/24

In the Studio: Composition for telling nature stories

See how what I learned in a composition class freed me from tyrrany.

Margaret Sloan 12/31/23 Margaret Sloan 12/31/23

I never set New Year resolutions. Read what I do instead!

Margaret Sloan 12/1/23 Margaret Sloan 12/1/23

Find Beauty in the Darkness of Winter

Real Beauty is so deep you have to move into darkness in order to understand what beauty is— Barry Lopez

Margaret Sloan 10/31/23 Margaret Sloan 10/31/23

Telling our Stories award at Carnegie Arts Center of Turlock

Margaret Sloan 10/20/23 Margaret Sloan 10/20/23

My watercolor portraits were accepted into the Carnegie Arts Center of Turlock!

Margaret Sloan 7/31/23 Margaret Sloan 7/31/23

Five easy ways to celebrate Lughnasa

Margaret Sloan 6/7/22 Margaret Sloan 6/7/22

ADVENTURES ON EARTH: STALKED BY A COYOTE

Being considered prey by a such a beautiful creature is a watery feeling, emotions mixing like salt water and fresh. Part of me was hypnotized by ki’s beauty, thrilled to even be considered part of ki’s world. Part of me was very nervous.

Margaret Sloan 3/24/22 Margaret Sloan 3/24/22

Six tips to learn to sketch in public with no fear

How to conquer the fear of sketching in public and enjoy your one wild artistic life.