Happy Winter Solstice 2016..

Sketching in the kitchen with Kay. She has a brilliant red poinsettia and I thought to add its color to my sketchbook.

Lots of layers and spritzes for texture. Sketched with a Lamy Safari fountain pen, more black lines with a Sakura Glaze pen, colors are Derwent Inktense pencils, and white gouache touches in my Strathmore 500 Series Mixed Media sketchbook.

I added a Winter Solstice Greetings to the opposite page:

Best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most joyous traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, but with respect for the religious persuasion of others who choose to practice their own religion as well as those who choose not to practice a religion at all;

Additionally,

a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the generally accepted calendar year 2017, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions have helped make our society great, without regard to the race, creed, color, religious, or sexual preferences of the wishes.

(Disclaimer: This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others and no responsibility for any unintended emotional stress these greetings may bring to those not caught up in the seasonal spirit.)