Faded Daylily

#1 of 16

While cleaning out the studio
for needed electrical work and insulation,
I uncovered sixteen drawings from 1997.
Finally!
A good time to offer up my little gems.
Perhaps they might help to defray
some of the studio improvement expenses.

Watch the auction
of the original drawing "Faded Daylily" 
here on EBay.

Each drawing was done using Prismacolor pencils
on bright white, smooth paper stock,
with outer dimensions of 6.5 in. x 7.5 in.
the actual image is 4 in. x 4 in.
All drawings are protected
in clear archival 2mil polypropylene resealable sleeves
easy to ship
and ready to mat and frame.

Sleeping Angel

The statue of an angelic cherub

sleeping in the garden on Cottonwood Trail, 

a gift from a previous resident. 

A sketch of a furry friend 

who now sleeps with the angels.

Tiny wildflowers on a doorstep,

a light touch of earthly grace.

Three vignettes on one card.

Pickerelweed

Pontederia cordata,

pickerelweed, lanceleaf, heartleaf, 

steam side shelter to

frogs, snails, turtles, 

and of course pickerel,

suspended in cool shadows

 waiting to taste tiny swimmers.

This is an original watercolor, ink, and acrylic drawing on professional quality paper stock, approximately 4.5" x 4.5".

Vickie and the Greek Slave

The results of sketching at the Yale Art Gallery this afternoon with a group from the New Haven Arts and Cultural Events Meetup. Wonderful group. Great place to sketch.

Reading By The Fireplace

This is a view from the loft of my home on Cottonwood Trail in Sandy Hook, the second in a series of drawings paying homage to the many years I've worked in the book publishing industry. 

Done in Photoshop using a Wacom Tablet, this is a digital scratchboard drawing. It's available as a 32" x 32" archival print for $292 plus shipping. Payment can be made using PayPal, and delivery can usually be made in a week. Email me if you'd like to place an order.

 - Nancy Boudreau
naboudreau@att.net

A Book for James

A tribute to my friend James Teeling, an author who has published his first novel, "The Star seers of Elidden", available through Amazon.

. . . and another scratchboard drawing, or is it a clever segue into the digital world? 

This piece of art differs from the last few drawings in that it was created using Photoshop and a Wacom Intuos4 tablet. The image you see here is much reduced from its original file size. 

An archival print at 32" x 32" is available for $292. Payment can be made using PayPal, and delivery is generally in one week. I'd love to hear from you if you're interested in owning a print.

 - Nancy Boudreau

naboudreau@att.com

Horseshoe Crab Scratchboard Drawing

Horseshoe Crabs were a fascination of my childhood summers at Short Beach in Stratford, Connecticut. I used to find the cast-off shells, an inch and a half long to as large as eight inches, on the protected beaches adjacent to the mouth of the Housatonic River. The live adults would appear in the month of June, gathering to spawn. 

This is another scratchboard drawing, a small sketch of 4.25" x 5.5", on paper mounted on panel. It is unframed, and sealed with a spray fixative. I hope to do much larger drawings of the horseshoe crab, as the shells have such wonderful detail and subtle surface values.

This original drawing is up for auction on Ebay.

Prints are available in my Etsy store.

Cicada Husk Scratchboard Drawing

This is a study of a cicada husk, left over from last years hatch. It was a hot summer, here in Connecticut, just what our local dog-day cicadas love. Long live Tibicen Canicularis, and their electric August music!

The drawing is 4.25" x 5.5", done with the fine point of an X-Acto knife on scratchboard paper. You can follow the auction for this drawing on EBay.

Produce from the Asian Market

Produce from the local Asian market: lemongrass, baby bok choy, garlic, ginger, and Thai eggplants. In the center of the still life, sits a small carved wooden bust. Could she be an exotic princess, or a mysterious deity?

This is an 8.5" x 11" drawing done on scratchboard paper, adhered to a panel and sealed with spray fixative. Follow the auction on EBay.

Teddy Bear, Book, and Rosary Scratchboard

"Emotional comforts: An old teddy bear, the book "How to Meditate" by Pema Chödrön, and my mother's rosary."

This is an 8.5" x 11" still life drawing, done on scratchboard paper, fixed to panel, unframed.

Follow the auction on EBay.

Produce from Mexico - Art from Connecticut

After finishing this drawing, the ingredients became my dinner. The eggs and avocado were a rich appetizer. The pepper, tomatoes, and tomatillos were sautéed with a Swai filet, the tomatillos giving the dish a light lemony tang. It was one of those "feel-good long afterward" meals. My appreciation goes to Mexico, our southern neighbors who grow such wonderful produce.

Tonight. . . the beans.

This is an 8.5" x 11" drawing done on scratchboard that is made and sold locally, by a small company that sells toys and art supplies for children, Melissa & Doug. My thanks to them. The child in me is thoroughly enjoying their art materials.

Return Flight Digital Drawing

Instead of reading on the flight home, I played with the Kindle and the SketchBook Mobile app, drawing an imaginary profile of someone looking out the window, a partial closeup, typical of how you would see another passenger.

Check out my Etsy store for prints of this digital drawing and other drawings and paintings of mine.

Squash and Salt Cellar Scratchboard

These are items from my heart: last summer's squashes and a whimsical ceramic salt cellar. Every time I look at this drawing, I recall the smell of fresh pumpkin.


The drawing was done from a still life, using squashes grown in my garden this past summer, stored in the garage through the hard winter, and eaten with gusto after serving as a prop in the studio. Here's the recipe: cut the squash into sections, slather the sections  with ghee, olive oil and jaggery. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper and cinnamon, then roast at 350˚F until fork tender.


The salt cellar is a much loved little piece of ceramic that I picked up at a craft show at Columbia University a couple of lifetimes ago. I've always been enchanted by the interaction of the two figures - their conversation goes on forever.


This is an unframed, 8" x 10" scratchboard drawing done on an Ampersand flat gessoed panel painted with india ink and sealed with spray fixative. It will be for sale through my Etsy shop.

Prep Bowls and Measuring Spoons Scratchboard

These brushed steel bowls were perfect for a scratchboard drawing, their surfaces literally described with strokes of light.

This is an 8" x 10" drawing, done with an X-Acto knife on an Ampersand smooth gessoed panel, painted with india ink and sealed with spray fixative.

Brushes and Guitar Scratchboard

The hair in these brushes are like the soft, colorful notes of a guitar played with the thumb and fingertips.

Another scratchboard still life, this one on an 8" x 10" Ampersand smooth finish panel, painted with india ink and spray fixative. The tool of choice was the point of an X-acto knife, which created very fine lines.

Failed Scratchboard #1

I tried making my own scratchboards, painting masonite with plaster-loaded gesso, then with gel medium darkened with india ink. The result was an impenetrable surface. And so "gougeboard" was invented. Being a good sport, not one to let failure deter, I commenced to gouge, scrape, smear, rub and generally work the surface until I'd had enough. The result are seven confused-looking abstract panels, children of these dark winter days.

This is a 6" x 6" sheet of masonite, painted with acrylic. It is number one in a series of seven.

Sake Flask and Cups

Through the ages, in every land, people have sought to create an elixir that would dispel the pain of life. Though ingenious and delightful, every invention has been little more than a poor replacement for mother's milk - that thoroughly satisfying taste of relief and love, which we first enjoy as newborns. 

This is a 5.5" x 8.5" scratchboard drawing, intended for the January Black & White Show at Danbury Art Frame.

Broken Teacup

This broken teacup sits on my kitchen counter, a permanent display of the regretful results of my haste. I keep the cup to remind me to slow down, and to take time to care for and enjoy everything around me.

This is a 5.5" x 8.5" scratchboard drawing, intended for the January Black and White Show at Danbury Art & Frame.

Geisha Doll Scratchboard

Finding a couple pieces of old student-grade scratchboard in my art supply stash, and resurrecting my equally old and atrophied drawing skills, I begin to produce work for a January show at Danbury Art & Frame where the theme will be "Black and White". The Geisha doll may be familiar to you. It was the subject of two paintings done years ago. She appears again, in memory of Milton Collette, and the great love he felt for his wife of many, many years.