Drawing Lessons: The Blackboard

My grandparents had this old genuine slate chalkboard. When I was a kid Pop Pop would draw a picture on it for me whenever I visited.  I excitedly would run in to see my picture.  This made me feel really special.  Later on he would teach me how to draw the picture myself. I struggled but  learned to draw boats, houses, cars, dogs, cats etc.


Later on in life I fought the instinct to make art.  The pursuit of art making doesn't  guarantee reward. Shouldn't  I be doing something more practical with my time? But still this pull inside me calls me to do the work anyway. Now  I continue despite, connecting the past with the present and creating the future.

Reliving Childhood:A Return to the Source

Like a lot of girls I became obsessed with horses. I  devoured books about them and obsessively cut out pictures of every one I came across in magazines and newspapers. At I had the coolest trapper keeper notebook with one brilliantly displayed  on it. I must have drawn that gallant chestnut horse a thousand times until it was perfect.


I haven't thought about horses in a very long time. Now years later I am learning to draw animals. It was challenging at first but when we took a trip to the L.A. Equestrian Center things started to click.
The reuniting with my childhood passion was a doorway to  realizing my current artistic pursuits. My memory  of the shape of the legs and the muzzle came back like riding a bike.  It made my strokes bolder and I started to really enjoy the process.

Friendships and Inspiration

A good friend of my is an artist too. Our approach and work are complete opposite.
She approaches her work with quick bold strokes and confidence, me on the other hand sketch lightly timidly and second guess myself. Pastels and joy are the order of the day for her and me, I tend toward brooding shadows and black. In my work I lean toward realism and she paints in a delightfully dreamy way.
No ones work is better than the other just very different and we both  capture the essence of our subject matter.
When I see my friends work I am greatly inspired. Not only by the wonderfully crafted and dreamy  pieces but by her approach.  Seeing her dive in completely and boldly somehow frees me to do the same. Now when I look at my work I am less critical and welcome the unexpected.


Here a piece made by the brilliant Sara Cohen.

Drawing to the Beat Part 2:Surrender

After painting blindfolded this is what I ended up with.  It really does look like a dog. I entertained the possibility of something else but I just couldn't see past the dog. So surrendered to what  it was and ran with it.
It just so happens that I love dogs.  As an only child the family dogs were my best friend. In this piece I really focused on the eyes and capturing the soul the animal. The face of the dog monopolizes the canvas so I wanted to bring the viewer in deeper with the expression of the eyes.I created contrast by taking a so called tough dog breed, the rottweiler and gave it  a sensitive caring expression.

Here is the finished product!

I really love this chaotic technique. Like life, it's about making the most of the hand you are dealt with.
Much inspiration to you! Cheers

Drawing in the Light of the Moon

I didn't want to get out of my warm cozy bed.  It was one of those days when things seem overwhelming and I had a bit of a case of the blues. I just didn't feel like working on my art. Blame it on the moon.


Gently I enticed myself out of bed and got moving. I made a nurturing cup of tension tamer tea and put on my favorite internet radio show. Then I approached my drawing
.
Things seemed to get better as let myself flow with it. I made lines, dabbed pan pastel then erased and tweaked my work. The blood started pumping. As I strung the pieces together I felt more together.


This isn't a pull yourself up by your bootstraps approach but a gentle coaxing. One foot in front of the other instead overwhelming to do list. The actual doing of the work was healing. And when I looked up the sun was out and bright and I felt the same way too.




http://www.panpastel.com/


http://www.celestialseasonings.com/products/herbal-teas/tension-tamer


http://www.ohotto.com/radio/soul_connexions/

Painting in the Dark to the Beat: A Journey to artistic freedom

Yesterday we ventured way out of our comfort zone.  Yep we painted blind folded.
Art supplies in hand, Anne Marie Karlsen (her work is excellent by the way check her out at
http://annemariekarlsen.com/Anne_Marie_Karlsen/projects.html) our shaman lead us on this journey




In the dark we were instructed to grab a handful of prismacolor pencils and to draw to the sounds of smooth  jazz. Then to work with pan pastel to some hip hop smudging to the beat. Lastly in painting whopping on globs of paint to some intense rap music! The process felt really good, cathartic even!




Blindfolds off I was greeted with what looked like a big black blob? Oh dear? What am I to make of this? I tried to dab some of the acrylic paint off. All control was gone. The piece had a life of its own?




We hung our work on the wall.  She pointed out flowers and faces in my cohorts swiggles and swirls and in my piece she pointed out a Rottweiler. Really? Where am I to take this? Is my work going to the dogs? (Sorry couldn't resist).


Our Shaman leader sheepishly confessed that this is the way she approaches most of her projects.


 Stay tuned to see the finished product...