Jekyll Island, of Georgia's Golden Isles, in the rain

The way to Jekyll Island...

We were not thrilled about the budget chain hotel where we stayed until...I spotted its illustrated past, framed in the breakfast room. Ah, if only this place that now looks like every other of its species across America still had those bright linens, groovy furniture, and exposed concrete beams.

Past the contemporary versions of island hospitality to the old Jekyll, where industrial magnates of the late 1800s and early 1900s built their cottages, now restored and owned by the State of Georgia...

The Moss Cottage, in the shingle style (home of the founders of Macy's Department Store)
the Goodyear Cottage

the Indian Mound cottage

"Sans Souci" luxury apartments, built by J.P.Morgan

The Clubhouse

My favorite, Hollybourne, built for a large family by father, a shipbuilder. The entire structure hangs on a truss system in the attic. There are no load-bearing walls in the house. It is one of the few that have not been restored.

Various efforts at preservation in the past decade.

former site of a large screened porch at Hollybourne. The casino still sits, seemingly untouched, an oppressive structure with walls like canvas for the concrete cracks.

Taking the shingle style to a whole new game...it's J.P. Morgan's tennis courts, under restoration/renovation.
Former cottage, infirmary, now bookstore.

Treasure in the Lane II

The sidewalk was blocked by scaffolding so I took the lane home. As I rounded the corner into the lane - the place of trash bins, cars, sometimes vagrants, sometimes treasures - my heart got snagged on this spindly rose bush thriving without any sign of care in a hostile environment. It was the best thing I saw all day. It wasn't a great day. But I was touched by the spontaneous defiant rose.

Mother's Day Cards

Mother's Day is May 9. Don't forget to Thank Your Mother.
And...if you'd like to say so in one of these cards, you'll find them HERE.

Beginning 300 BLOCK East Jones Street

200 BLOCK East Jones Street

I'm finally making some progress on This is Savannah Vol. 2. Just 12 more blocks to draw! In two months!

The progression of the 200 Block of East Jones Street:

Under the Mews

Look! what I've found under the London Mews drawings...it's Jones Street, Savannah. I was drawing the 200 Block of East Jones, north side, last fall when my drawing time dissolved. It's coming to front burner now, and there's nothing like an impossible deadline to focus one's energies and time. I am very happy to be able to have a little of that these days, time. {knock on wood}

London Mews

The drawing is multi-directional. I can't decide horizontal or vertical...

London Mews is part of the City Houses series - and a birthday gift for one Londoner from Baltimore.

Easter Treasures

The Easter Cat. came, all the way from Belgium to Savannah last night!
It's a thin-shell hollow chocolate egg, filled with little bunnies and ducks and eggs all with fillings of their own. I love treasures that reveal miniatures, fit perfectly inside. Sure to be drawing inspiration.
And this beautiful antique plate that got roughed up a bit with character.

Truly grateful that He Lives and we have enjoyed a Spiritual Feast this weekend.

Back to London

I'm really happy to finally be able to carve out a little time to pick up loose ends of last fall. Working on a London Mews-scape, an overdue birthday gift. I've tried to transpose sketchbook sketches made on-site several years ago to the orthagonal streetscape format, then added more buildings from photographs. I hope the hodge-podge can become a tidy, not a messy, Mews.