The Playful Brush
@theplayfulbrush.bsky.social
Oakland, CA artist Paula Wirth capturing whimsies on paper with brush, ink, pencils, and paints. Chance of pet and people portraits, mushrooms, still life, and urban sketching.
Also @paulawirth.bsky.social
Also @paulawirth.bsky.social
Winter squash, drawn by @paulawirth.bsky.social in colored pencil on clay toned paper.
November 9, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Winter squash, drawn by @paulawirth.bsky.social in colored pencil on clay toned paper.
I used to teach an adult art class, here are some samples from when I was teaching about drawing hands. #drawing #coloredpencil
(My hand, of course!)
(My hand, of course!)
October 12, 2025 at 12:49 AM
I used to teach an adult art class, here are some samples from when I was teaching about drawing hands. #drawing #coloredpencil
(My hand, of course!)
(My hand, of course!)
Stare deep into my eyes. — Mochi
July 14, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Stare deep into my eyes. — Mochi
This is a tiny scrap of rice paper drawing in mixed media, probably one of my favorite drawing paintings (and the only one the curator at my grad school liked).
Illustration © Paula K. Wirth from the "Those Who Wait" series.
Brush with gouache, watercolor crayon, and sumi ink, on rice paper.
Illustration © Paula K. Wirth from the "Those Who Wait" series.
Brush with gouache, watercolor crayon, and sumi ink, on rice paper.
June 27, 2025 at 6:48 AM
This is a tiny scrap of rice paper drawing in mixed media, probably one of my favorite drawing paintings (and the only one the curator at my grad school liked).
Illustration © Paula K. Wirth from the "Those Who Wait" series.
Brush with gouache, watercolor crayon, and sumi ink, on rice paper.
Illustration © Paula K. Wirth from the "Those Who Wait" series.
Brush with gouache, watercolor crayon, and sumi ink, on rice paper.
May 7, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Girl playing cards. Sketching in colored pencil at Milka in #Sacramento ©️ @paulawirth.bsky.social
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#urbansketching #coffeeshop #drawing
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#urbansketching #coffeeshop #drawing
April 20, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Girl playing cards. Sketching in colored pencil at Milka in #Sacramento ©️ @paulawirth.bsky.social
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#urbansketching #coffeeshop #drawing
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#urbansketching #coffeeshop #drawing
Sketchers, save the date! April 27, 11am, meetup with the @eastbaysketchers.bsky.social at Berkeley Horticultural Nursery! #urbansketching #eastbay
More details at www.facebook.com/events/12075...
More details at www.facebook.com/events/12075...
April 2, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Sketchers, save the date! April 27, 11am, meetup with the @eastbaysketchers.bsky.social at Berkeley Horticultural Nursery! #urbansketching #eastbay
More details at www.facebook.com/events/12075...
More details at www.facebook.com/events/12075...
March 12, 2025 at 8:35 PM
This is Mochi. In this photo she is nearly nekkid, and posing in the tub. She loves a lion cut, and behaves like a kitten when her hair is short. Right now, in wintertime, she looks like a mochi ball, or more accurately, a Tribble.
#persiancat #rescuecat #rbf
#persiancat #rescuecat #rbf
February 26, 2025 at 4:23 AM
This is Mochi. In this photo she is nearly nekkid, and posing in the tub. She loves a lion cut, and behaves like a kitten when her hair is short. Right now, in wintertime, she looks like a mochi ball, or more accurately, a Tribble.
#persiancat #rescuecat #rbf
#persiancat #rescuecat #rbf
February 25, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Fruits 🍐 🍅
Yellow pears and red tomatoes drawn in #coloredpencil
#Drawing ©️ Paula Wirth.
Complementary and Contrasting Colors.
#pauladraws
Yellow pears and red tomatoes drawn in #coloredpencil
#Drawing ©️ Paula Wirth.
Complementary and Contrasting Colors.
#pauladraws
February 24, 2025 at 4:45 AM
Fruits 🍐 🍅
Yellow pears and red tomatoes drawn in #coloredpencil
#Drawing ©️ Paula Wirth.
Complementary and Contrasting Colors.
#pauladraws
Yellow pears and red tomatoes drawn in #coloredpencil
#Drawing ©️ Paula Wirth.
Complementary and Contrasting Colors.
#pauladraws
February 22, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Peculiar pelican. Drawn with vintage Prismacolor #coloredpencil
#Drawing ©️ Paula Wirth, 2024.
#artforthebirds #art
#Drawing ©️ Paula Wirth, 2024.
#artforthebirds #art
February 22, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Peculiar pelican. Drawn with vintage Prismacolor #coloredpencil
#Drawing ©️ Paula Wirth, 2024.
#artforthebirds #art
#Drawing ©️ Paula Wirth, 2024.
#artforthebirds #art
February 16, 2025 at 8:05 AM
One of my longtime interests has been portraying private moments in public space, often in coffeeshops.
Brush and ink portrait #drawings ©️ Paula Wirth.
#drawing #pauladraws
Brush and ink portrait #drawings ©️ Paula Wirth.
#drawing #pauladraws
February 15, 2025 at 10:22 PM
One of my longtime interests has been portraying private moments in public space, often in coffeeshops.
Brush and ink portrait #drawings ©️ Paula Wirth.
#drawing #pauladraws
Brush and ink portrait #drawings ©️ Paula Wirth.
#drawing #pauladraws
February 14, 2025 at 5:07 PM
#Coloredpencil drawing in progress. #Drawing ©️Paula Wirth, 2025.
Colors used are purple, various pinks and coral and salmon, with some yellow orange. #pauladraws
Colors used are purple, various pinks and coral and salmon, with some yellow orange. #pauladraws
February 12, 2025 at 11:04 PM
#Coloredpencil drawing in progress. #Drawing ©️Paula Wirth, 2025.
Colors used are purple, various pinks and coral and salmon, with some yellow orange. #pauladraws
Colors used are purple, various pinks and coral and salmon, with some yellow orange. #pauladraws
In the unending struggle between #doomscrolling and #drawing, today, doomscrolling wins.
February 9, 2025 at 11:52 PM
In the unending struggle between #doomscrolling and #drawing, today, doomscrolling wins.
Now that's a superb #owl. And some other superb #birds found around my apartment.
#superbowl
And cheers to those of you who are watching the related sporting event.
#superbowl
And cheers to those of you who are watching the related sporting event.
February 9, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Now that's a superb #owl. And some other superb #birds found around my apartment.
#superbowl
And cheers to those of you who are watching the related sporting event.
#superbowl
And cheers to those of you who are watching the related sporting event.
February 8, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Or crossing the Delaware/swamp of Washington… by Jon McNaughton…
February 8, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Or crossing the Delaware/swamp of Washington… by Jon McNaughton…
No doubt, he will feature Sam Ryan’s painting of his “glorious” survival…
February 8, 2025 at 5:17 PM
No doubt, he will feature Sam Ryan’s painting of his “glorious” survival…
Sketch at Firebrand Artisan Bread in #Alameda CA.
Drawing ©️Paula Wirth. Colored pencils (Design Spectracolor) on Hahnemühle The Grey Pad toned #sketch paper. #foodillustration
Drawing ©️Paula Wirth. Colored pencils (Design Spectracolor) on Hahnemühle The Grey Pad toned #sketch paper. #foodillustration
February 5, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Sketch at Firebrand Artisan Bread in #Alameda CA.
Drawing ©️Paula Wirth. Colored pencils (Design Spectracolor) on Hahnemühle The Grey Pad toned #sketch paper. #foodillustration
Drawing ©️Paula Wirth. Colored pencils (Design Spectracolor) on Hahnemühle The Grey Pad toned #sketch paper. #foodillustration
February 5, 2025 at 6:41 AM