St. James on 10 Plein air Watercolors by Bertie Brown

St. James on 10

original plein air watercolor landscape, St James Lutheran Church: 9" x 12"

Plein Air Posers

Sophie and I 

Are painting plein air 

Under bright sunny skies

On a day so fair

Our subject awaits

While we set up paints

Then get right to work

As we quench our paper’s thirst

With lots of water, that’s our technic

‘Cause happy accidents are what we seek!

Bleeding colors, water marks

Lights contrasting with darkest darks...

Working quickly, we’re in a hurry

(We try not to worry

Will this be a keeper

Or one we will bury?)

Well, Sophie girl

What do you think

She nodded and smiled

And gave me a wink! 

BB

click: BertiEmail for info 

The Tulip Trot Watercolors by Bertie Brown

The Tulip Trot

original watercolor plein air w/tulips: 9" x 12"

what ho!

i’m gonna say this

gettin’ older is so

not tops on my list

seems there are some peeps

pollyannas and such   

who’ll tell you how sweet

it is, that’s a bunch    

of crap, oh ‘tis true

there are a few perks

please don’t misconstrue 

we work out, not work

and nap after noon

but work we still seek

a job that’s well done

‘cause we gotta get

our satisfaction

the losses that come

are harsh, that’s a fact

‘though denied by some,

i’ve got much less tact

so try if you can

to put off old age

‘cause footloose it seems

ain’t quite fancy free

BB

click: BertiEmail for info

Ladies in Red Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Ladies in Red

original watercolor tulips: 9" x 12"

Haughty

 that’s what

my Sophie thought

the first time she viewed

our tulips in bloom

‘cause there they all stood

as only they could

with petals held high

reaching up to the sky

now Sophie and I

know daffodils try

to brighten our days

with their friendly ways

not haughty, aloof

their faces, the proof

of good will and cheer

and springtime is here!

BB

click: BertiEmail for info

Pretty in Pink Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Pretty in Pink

original  watercolor plein air landscape at Cherry Hill Orchards: 9" x 12"

April is a fickle month

A sweet or sour dill pickle month!

Some days are warm

They’re sweet... for sure

While other days do roar

With cold winds we abhor!

We really are not friends

And we’ll be glad to see it end

This month of thirty days

Please blow yourself away...

BB

click: BertiEmail for info

Stick Stack Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Stick Stack

original watercolor musical motif watercolor w/woodwinds: 10" x 14"

Woodwinds Rule

The Woodwinds agree it’s a funny thing

To sit behind a sea

Of self-important Strings

They chuckle to think

That a skinny black stick,

An Oboe, 

You know,

Is chosen to play the tuning note

And if the orchestra's listening

Not playing by rote

They’ll make beautiful music together...

At least that’s what we hope! 

BB

click: BertiEmail for info

Portrait Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Annabelle lives far away

you see

and that’s surely far

from Sophie and me

but we make believe

as we’re having lunch

that Annabelle’s coming

for Saturday brunch

we might draw and paint

or build with our blocks

we might dress our dollies

in fancy pink frocks

we could take a walk

or go to the park

where we’d sit and talk

‘till long after dark

we’d try to catch up

on current events

and family stuff

time’s limited, hence

there’s never enough

oh, imagining’s good

but it sure doesn’t beat

a visit that could 

and would be a treat!

BB

click: BertiEmail for info

Rockport Rocks! Seascape Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Rockport Rocks!

original watercolor seascape/Rockport, MA: 10" x 14"

On the Rocks

oh  my Sophie and me

we’d much rather be

on the rocks

by the docks

of Cape Ann by the Sea

and when a Nor’easter

those bellowing blows

nip at our keasters

our noses and toes

we just hold on tight

as it wails day and night

then blows out to sea

on day number three....

BB

click: BertiEmail for info

The VanCleve Connection Watercolors by Bertie Brown

The VanCleve Connection

original family portrait: 10" x 12"

cast all your cares

you must let them go

He wants to provide

His word says it’s so

but

what if i don't learn

from my past mistakes

do i thwart the grace

and just run in place

still

there is a rock

and a mercy seat

where grace is revealed

abundant and sweet

now

this cornerstone

it beckons to me

i bow myself down

and freely receive

BB

click: BertiEmail for info