February Sketches

 Another month of COVID-19 lockdown...another month of sketches! The good news is that we have been able to receive our two doses of vaccine and have been told that we can probably safely hug family members in about two weeks! We give thanks to all the essential workers who have risked so much to make this possible for us to get this far.

The other good news is that I had a lovely response from Marion Boddy-Evans - the originator of all the word prompts for this 365 day calendar of sketches. She just might be able to come up with more prompts! As I turn the page to March, I see that it is the final month of prompts. We'll see...

So, on to February... remember the first of each of each month is an either/or and that I am continuing to make up stories about a possible relationship between the images on each page...

Up or Down - For me this had to be escalators. It is important to know which is up and which is down! Perhaps you also had an experience with parent warning you to tie your shoes before you rode on one. Then there are those cartoon scary images of being sucked into the system and coming up with lines down your face.

Leap and Fork - I looked at pictures of leaps - lots of dancers, but my favorites were the risk takers. They take really big leaps. Who knows what's to become of this guy if he doesn't make it? Eating utensils are fun to draw...I almost drew the 'fork in the road', but got a little lazy and just did a fork. Relationship between these two? I would not want to leap on a fork... maybe he's leaping over the cavern to get to his dinner and will use a fork. 

Nib and Five - The 'good old' days, when we really used pens and dipped them in ink. We had lots of different nibs. I always thought they were wonderful shapes. I just had to make lots of fives - my fifth five was a hand... yes, I'm still into hands. It would be fun to draw a lot of fives with different nibs.

Folded and Envelope - A few weeks ago I saw a short video of a couple thousand white doves - folded origami - that were hanging from the ceiling at the National Cathedral in Washington. It was mesmerizing as the gentle air current slowly moved them. The website offered directions on how to fold paper to make a dove. So I was ready for folded. Envelope has a front and a back. I would do both. If you look closely at the back - it is folded.

Sit and On the moon - When I thought about sit, it sounded like a command to a dog. This one is quite obedient. I wanted to paint the view from the moon. I have always been in awe of the 'big blue marble' ever since I first saw the photo taken from space. It didn't turn out as I had hoped, but it was fun drawing the little guy on the moon. I remember watching as that American flag was planted there. I do not know that anyone has ever sat on the moon, but I guess it could be done.

Slowest and Fastest - When I think of slowest I think of snails and tortoises. So, here's a snail. The next day was fastest. They are on the same page so, it would have been fun to do the tortoise and the hare, but I had already done a snail. Fastest then became the winner of the race. I never go to marathons, but have seen pictures of the fastest runner breaking through the finish line banner. What a thrill that must be! Relationship?  Opposites...

Apple core and Love - Half-eaten apples have wonderful shapes. I had fun painting the apple core. It was interesting that love was listed for Feb. 13 - Valentines Day is the next day. Sketch about love...emotions are harder to draw than things. I have seen lots of pictures of people making a heart with their hands (and I am into hands). At this point my hands are old and gnarly., Difficult to make a heart shape, so I googled images. I was a good exercise. The two sketches - I love to eat apples and loved painting the core.

 

Friend and Under the oak - It's been so long since we could touch anyone. I yearn to be able put my arm around a friend and give a hug. I love looking at and sketching trees. Tree skeletons (the branches in winter) are amazing. I needed to put something under the oak, so there are a couple little flowers...but I am thinking that friends sitting together under there (not socially distanced) would be lovely.

Wave and Footprint - I miss looking at waves. It is so soothing to sit next to moving water and just be there. Of course, the day after wave there would be footprint. I played with three footprints...with and without shoes. Footprints in the sand are in so much poetry, music and prose.

Pawprint and Seagull - Having just sketched footprint, here is pawprint. I remember looking for prints after a snowfall. We usually saw rabbit or deer. Fortunately we never ran into anything bigger like this one! Actually, I don't even know what animal this is...lack of claws looks less threatening. We live many miles from the ocean, but I always think it's very strange to see flocks of seagulls in shopping area parking lots, particularly after rain. I don't think these two critters would be in the same place so they are probably not predator and prey. Not sure how they relate!

Chips and Tomato sauce - These word prompts come from the UK so I expect that chips meant more like French fries (as in fish and chips). However, I am a chocoholic so chips mean a different food group to me! Sketching tomato sauce would seem to be just a mess of redness, so I did a pot of it and added tomatoes. It looks like this page could be dinner in the making... spaghetti with tomato sauce and chocolate chip cookies!

Chase and Feeling blue - I have a well used credit card from Chase Bank. That seemed easier to sketch than some sort of running contest. Sadness, tearful emotions are certainly feeling blue. Why not just cover the whole thing with blue to emphasize the point? Hmmm, I guess I would feel blue if I had overextended my credit card!

Catch and Rainbow - My granddaughters love to visit us. They go out on the dock and catch fish and crabs. They never tire of pulling out a live catch! I am a rainbow chaser. As the rain begins to let up I frequently run outside looking for the bow in the sky. I have yet to catch the pot of gold...

Spoon and Jam - I love wooden utensils. Maybe it is because I was a woodworker, but there is a certain feeling about stirring a pot with a wooden spoon. I am not a jam maker, but my (organic farmer) son is. It's a real treat to taste what he has 'put up.' He now grows blueberries - but strawberries seemed more colorful to paint that day. Of course, these go together! Just stick a spoon in that jam!

The last day of February is sandwich. I should not be drawing or writing about food in mid-morning. Just sketching this sandwich made me hungry! I put a little salad next to the sandwich... healthy food.

One more month and I will celebrate a year's worth of sketches...