Collections

About a month ago I mentioned in a post that I had been sketching lots of 'stuff' around my house. I felt I needed to just sketch and was looking for 'collections' of things. I began by picking out various flower vases... here's the sketch from a prior post.

It was fun looking around to find what things would go together. I found myself singing that wonderful old Sesame Street song, "One of these things is not like the other..." as I made decisions about including or excluding what I would sketch.

I began with coffee mugs...probably we all have collections of them! I excluded a lot due to space and also composition...

Next were candlesticks and candles. I found them on the mantle and on several different shelves.

I guess, by then I was into lighting, so I went looking at lamps. I was concentrating on shapes... 

Now I am feeling pretty proud of myself and wanted to tackle something a little more difficult. What about chairs? This would give me challenges in perspective and force me to look closely. I really worked on seeing them from different angles.

By now I am pretty giddy and want to go in an entirely different direction. 

Hmmm, what other collections do we have around the house? And I spy... EEYORE! He is everywhere... small and large floppy, stuffed animals. One of them talks and moves his head when you squeeze a foot; another one walks when you wind him up. Then there is a hand puppet, a coffee mug and even an alarm clock!

 


It is amazing what I can find right in front of me! Take a look around. What collections (or other stuff) is right there for you to sketch, paint, or create something new?

The other thing that had meaning for me during this process was looking at 'things' in new ways... and, remembering the stories that each thing had to tell. Each 'thing' was a lovely prompt to reflect on it's history...

Life-giving project

Several weeks ago, one of the art supply sites that I frequent offered a short video on making an accordion sketchbook out of a 1/4 sheet of watercolor paper.  Just a few folds and a single cut and the paper is ready to go. Add a front and back cover. There are spaces for 6 portrait sketches on the front of the paper. When you turn it over, there are 4 portrait sketches and a double landscape sketch.

Having been 'locked down' with COVID 19 restrictions for a few months, I needed a project to help lift me out of 'funk-ness.'! 

So, I found an old watercolor painting that I cut in two and glued the pieces to mat board. I had my covers.

Then, of course, I stared at the blank pages. What would I sketch?

Many of my friends - and I - have been feeling down. How would I get myself out of this hole?

I decided to really make an effort to feel better. I looked around for sketch ideas. I needed something upbeat. I began looking for new growth... new life...and found it all around me.

The tree was trimmed and began to sprout new growth...

We have friends who have chickens...new life....

After a long winter, there is the hopeful quality of spring as the trees begin to burst out with new leaves.

I am always amazed as how a single seed can find just enough space to flourish.

And, then there are buds promising to become beautiful blossoms.

The final sketch on the first side of the book takes me back to church. (We haven't been able to be there since the virus restrictions were put in place.) But, the community and the bread and wine offer both hope and new life.

That completed one side of the book.

I turned to the other side and again stared at blank pages...

I began thinking about the things in my life that give me pleasure and bring me peace. I was on a new journey.

I began with a cairn - marking a trail, each stone having been put there honoring a significant piece of a journey.

I looked around me and there was the obvious...my sketchbook and painting supplies.

What next? I didn't have to go far, swimming helps me unwind. Being outside, being in the water and being surrounded by the pine forest.

There is nothing like digging in the dirt... my St. Francis garden brings me such pleasure. (except that the deer consider it their private smorgasbord)

The last sketch is the double page landscape. We spend so much time on our deck which overlooks Broad Creek. Want to lower you blood pressure? Just sit and look at the water...

I loved thinking about this project and then actually doing it. It did give me energy and helped me to think through where I find that energy. It helped me focus. 

And, I have a meaningful little book of sketches that I can go back to again and again. I can remember and renew...and maybe even come up with some new ideas.

My challenge to you... where do you find goodness in your life? How do you feed your soul? What brings you peace? 

Slow down, stop and take note. Be creative...draw, paint, write, sing, dance, connect with friends...just imagine a new leg of your journey.

What's going on?

Several years ago, someone sent me this quote:

"When a lot of things start going wrong all at once, 

it is to protect something big and lovely that is trying to get itself born.

This something needs for you to be distracted 

so that it can be born as perfectly as possible."

I have thought about that from time to time...sometimes I think it's a lovely idea. 

There is so much going on right now in our world. What can I find to redeem the ugliness that has presented itself? Maybe we have needed these viruses, COVID-19 and racism, to make us really stop and get it right this time. They certainly are distracting... 

I have seen hopeful signs of people helping each other, being kind, listening, feeding, trying to understand and caring for neighbors. 

What does this have to do with my artwork? Perhaps just saying it's OK to reflect and not have to produce. I've 'kept my hand in it' by doing a few pages in the accordion books. Refer to previous posts: Group Project, March 12 and Another page in the book, April 21.

I recently received two more books. 

I've been trying to look at this lockdown as a 'gift of time.' Normal life stops... reflect and look for something new. Thinking about 'time' and 'reflection' took me to my grandmother's gold pocket watch. I have photographs of her wearing this watch on a long gold chain. It is a beautiful antique keepsake. 

For the other book, I started to think about something new being born. (Actually, we have recently become great grandparents for the first time - think about something 'born as perfectly as possible.') 

A week or so ago, I was part of a discussion about new growth and we talked about how some things emerge in very challenging circumstances. How many times have we seen new growth in a crack in the sidewalk? So, the other book has a sketch of hope...and perseverance!

I've also been doing a lot of sketching of things around me... series/collections in my house. Here's a preview of my next post. A few of the vases on the shelf...

Next time, chairs, lamps, candlesticks, coffee mugs and a surprise...

May Sketches

It's nearing the end of another month and I am pleased to note that I am keeping up with the sketch-a-day goal I set for myself.  See posts from April 9 and May 6. 

It has been fun seeing the word prompt each day and coming up with a quick sketch. I find that some of the prompts are much easier to draw than others. My small sketchbook has space for two days on each page. It is interesting to imagine how the words may - or may not - be related.

Here are a some sketches from this past month - with a few comments.  

For whatever reason, it began with food...

Then surfing... and salty, which I thought could mean 'salty' language 

if you fall off your board- see right corner

I have no idea of the relationship between bucket and tiger.

 

When I saw 'camel', I kept humming the ditty from the ad years ago... 

"I'd walk a mile for a mild, mild Camel.."

maybe that's why the diva is there! 

Knitting and psychologist? You decide!

Ahhh, now we are into food again...

Lucky number and protest?

Road and salamander - another mystery...

There were a few more pages of May, but that's enough for now! Soon, it's on to another month of 'isolation'.  I've got my June words ready. Although things seem to be easing up a little, I think there are still empty pages in the sketchbook. 

Praying that we all stay healthy during this difficult time.

Some Pig...

It started a few weeks when my college roommate (who now lives on a ranch in Texas) posted a video of two enormous pigs rooting around for food. Her comment was "Truly eating like pigs." I was enchanted...

Having grown up in the "Hog Capital of the World," I am generally curious about pigs. Seeing her pigs, I got excited about painting pigs. I asked her to send me more pig pictures.

I also went on the internet to look for pig pictures and ideas. I wanted to warm up on some practice sketches. Interestingly, the theme for that week's painting with my art group was "Relationships." I began looking for pigs 'relating'.

This one was done quickly in an old sketchbook.

It was time to get out my pastels... I found some old paper that I hadn't used for a long time and decided to try some paintings with it. 

Remember, think pigs and relationships... I found these first two on the internet...

Then, I found two more posing with smiles.

They were also pink, but I thought I would try to paint them more like the colors of some of Jean's pigs. At this point I am really having fun and am more and more fascinated by their ears.

I'm not too crazy about the paper I was using and decided to get out my pastel sanded paper. I love the way it holds the pastel.  Here are Jean's two pigs...'eating like pigs.'

There was one photo that she sent that I really loved. It was as if the pig were actually looking at me. First mistake, I got our a dark sheet of sanded paper. I thought that the color of this pig would glow in a dark background. Well, it does, but the whole thing looks more like a portrait than a painting. Not what I was hoping for.

It was a fun beginning, but who knew that pig legs/feet would be so hard to draw. (This was partly due to the photo which did not clearly show the lower part of the pig. It was behind a metal railing.) I began making it up... disregard the purple toes!  A work in progress...

He needed some sort of background...it looked a little muddy in the photo. I dirtied up his legs a little.

Then I really began experimenting. I would put him behind a fence - thinking I could hide his legs.  Maybe add grass to hide his feet....

If I were doing a watercolor painting, I would now get out a piece of acetate - clear paper - and paint various scenarios. Since this is a pastel, I got out plain pastel paper and drew fences, grasses etc. I spent a few days painting and cutting out different ideas that I laid over the original painting. Here are a few of the ideas.

Different fences and adding grass:

 

Trying his nose over the railing and changing this legs...maybe more railing in the back

 

All helpful to see.

I finally ended up with this. He was a little sideways, so I didn't want to change his legs too much, but I like his nose over the fence. I love his color. I brightened up the background a little. I thought the painting was just too dark. (a factor of choosing the dark background to begin) One of the things that I love about pastels is the amount of color that can be added in so many different way.

After all that, I present "Pig." I think his name is "Sebastian" or maybe this is "Piglet," his mother!

I'm still working on another pig painting... more for another day.

April sketches

April ends and we are still locked down. I'm happy to say that I did keep up with my sketches each day in April ...and have begun to do some this month.

Each day there was a word prompt. It seemed to me that most of the prompts were really out of the blue, having not much relationship to each other...unless you have the ability to make some mighty leaps in your thinking!

I posted the first week on April 9th. Rather than bore you with the whole month of April... here are some from the rest of the month:

I guess the images on each of these two pages could be related...

 probably shouldn't walk across a bridge after drinking...

or ship a walrus!

A zebra might eat apples off the tree...

eh, maybe sew something elaborate? (the fancy 50 was for my daughter's birthday!)

I do enjoy the challenge and being accountable daily... And, it's on to May...