Mimi Torchia Boothby

Yesterday I participated in an annual “rite of spring” bike ride. My husband invited me to be his guest writer on his blog if I would be so kind to write my impressions of the bike ride. So I did, and I hope you don’t mind going over there to his blog to see all the great photos we took and read my impression of what it was like to do that kind of ride. My husband keeps a blog where he can philosophize from time to time when the feeling captures him and also of course record impressions of his many bike rides.

I tried to paint this view of my ride. It was cold, the sky was filled with clouds, but the sun came out from time to time blinding us in the reflections from the wet pavement. The forested areas we passed looked dark as the pavement dazzled us with sunshine. This painting shows one of the big tough hills we had to climb up. I hope you enjoy the story!

this painting is 9″ x12″ and is available for sale to a good home.

It’s cold outside and dark, but inside it is friendly and warm and the music plays with an irresistible rhythm and the dance floor is covered with lively couples orbiting the room. This winsome couple focuses on the beat and on their moves as they dance gracefully in effortless unison, captured in a moment that looks so calm but yet they are springing through space together, collected, tense and relaxed; the beauty of dance.

I was on Facebook the other night and saw Drew Tronvig’s latest set of photos from one of the local dances. I chose to immortalize this view from one of his photos, which was so steamy pink, with the couple so intent and with one of the dancers happening to be my son, I knew I had to paint it.

Your thoughts are always welcome here, thanks for visiting my blog.
And thanks Drew, for your permission to use the photo reference.

I spent a long weekend in Sacramento, finding actual blue sky for more than 20 minutes at a time for the first time this year. These first two drawings depict our favorite part of California; the American River trail which is absolutely splendid for bicycling. You never come into contact with cars but you do see lots of wildlife (including coyotes, rabbits, hares, turkeys, swans, magpies, crows and deer) and the landscape, dotted with huge trees is just gorgeous.

When it gets warm enough, the people come out; on bikes, on foot and on all sorts of other human-propelled conveyances. Notice that everything has a shadow! That’s not something I see much of, so it was delightful to actually have the opportunity to sit and record this. I hope you like my Softstar shoes.

I took a long walk down Howe Street and saw many scenes like this one; tall palm trees making unremarkable urban scenes look decidedly different from what I am used to seeing.

We have made some very nice friends in this area and like to visit them in the spring to share their sunshine.
On Monday morning, we packed up; in this drawing, set in our motel room, I am packing (haha, not really) while Donald uploads photos on our computer.

Then we waited in the airport with everyone else. This little family was very sweet from afar. Up close there was much sneezing and coughing.

These sketches are all part of my journal. They are all done with Pitt pens, the only watercolor I used was for the sky, Pitt pens are not good for sky work… At least not for me.

So that was MY weekend, what about yours?