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I have had SUCH a lovely 24 hours. Joe Newberry, songwriter, banjo player, Prairie home companion regular, and truly fine all around man played a house concert in my living room. He and his wife Susan were driving from Missouri and made Memphis a stop on their way home. I love having house guests, especially ones I can talk music and art with (Susan is a textile artist).
Plus there are occasional people who just feel like kin the minute you meet them. I've been friends with Joe long distance for a while, through mutual banjo friends on facebook, but the minute they drove in, they just belonged.
Joe did an amazing concert. He sang his own songs (including one made from a poem his grandfather wrote, which resonated with me, living in my grandparents' house and being raised by a poetry loving father). He sang a capella ballads, which gave me goose bumps. He sang Red Rocking Chair with gorgeous banjo accompaniment, and I love that song.
He played banjo tunes and led the group in singing. And most of all, he radiated warmth and kindness to everyone throughout the evening. I had just been thinking about the craft involved in weaving a set together instead of just playing a bunch of songs, since I had performed on a small scale last Saturday. Joe has it down. He does enough introduction to really get the audience invested in a song (which especially helps if you play less familiar music), giving a bit of background or information as a hook, but he never talks long enough that you wonder when the song is gong to start already. (Which can be a common failing.) I feel quite comfortable in the role of dance caller talking to a room full of people, but doing a solo set is a whole different thing. Joe was perfect. The whole room was charmed.
Mr. Darcy was charmed too. We were both sad to see them go this morning, but I loved having a slow morning and breakfast out with them before they left. The thing I miss most about calling dances regularly is hanging out with the musicians, who seem to always be quality people. Joe was also kind enough to agree to jam with my local group here after the concert, in spite of being in the middle of a multi day drive. It was joyful to my house to have all of that music and laughter fill it, and I was so delighted to be able to have my friends meet and hear him.
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My friend Andy Cohen was recently in town for a week or so in the midst of his nine months of annual touring. It was great to have him back home. When he's here, he comes and plays with our regular old time jam, and he always adds extra zing to the proceedings.
I went out to hear him play a set at a benefit and did some sketches of him while he played. I'm still having fun experimenting with the watercolor graphite I got in Paris.
I went out to hear him play a set at a benefit and did some sketches of him while he played. I'm still having fun experimenting with the watercolor graphite I got in Paris.
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I got excited about my sketchbook on my trip and have been sketching as I'm out and about at home, even though I'm doing pretty intensive print work in the house. Above is the set for The Country House at Circuit Playhouse this past weekend. I love going to live theater, and we have a great one in Memphis.
I've also recently been at St. Mary's Episcopal (where I went so many weekends with my grandparents growing up) and given a talk at the Artists' Link group on Monday night. It was fun to get to talk about my work with a bunch of artists, and since it was Monday, I took my banjo along to go on to my jam afterwards.
I've also recently been at St. Mary's Episcopal (where I went so many weekends with my grandparents growing up) and given a talk at the Artists' Link group on Monday night. It was fun to get to talk about my work with a bunch of artists, and since it was Monday, I took my banjo along to go on to my jam afterwards.
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Andy is one of my longtime friends and is a truly marvelous musician. I am lucky enough to get to play with him at my jam group when he's off the road. Recently he took a week's break from his nine month touring schedule, and I got to visit with him and his wife Larkin, also a wonderful musician.
Andy played a gig while he was home, and I showed up to listen and did some sketches as well. I'm still playing around with the new watercolor graphite I got in Paris and having fun with it.
Andy played a gig while he was home, and I showed up to listen and did some sketches as well. I'm still playing around with the new watercolor graphite I got in Paris and having fun with it.
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I made it to Amsterdam last week and was able to enjoy again the places I fell in love with last year. At the top of that list (except for the Rijksmuseum, which is a spiritual home for me) is Zuivre Koffie. This beautiful cafe is filled with friendly people, one friendly cat, fresh flowers, great food, and hot chocolate. I had breakfast or lunch there each day.
My other favorite place, found largely because it is a block away from Zuivre and I wanted to be close, is the Seven Bridges Hotel. The gentlemen who run it were incredibly kind to me last year when I was there by myself, and it was lovely to be able to take my parents there too. It's a quiet, small, beautiful building with lovely rooms and views and all kinds of comforts provided. They have given me an electric tea kettle for my room when I have asked and a mini fridge without my even asking. That is a lovely touch when I travel alone, because I don't tend to eat many meals out by myself. It's easier and more comfortable to just go home to my book and some lovely wine and cheese.
I did the self portrait because it was good to be back in that space again and also because I was still testing out my new watercolor graphite. Below are a couple of more I did at Zuivre on lunch breaks from more serious painting or museum going.
Since I had been drawing the eclairs and fondant in Paris, I figured I should pay tribute to a lovely dense Dutch cake as well.
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I'm back home finally and beginning to scan in sketches from the later part of the trip that I haven't yet posted here. I met my parents in Amsterdam, so I had less solo time for keeping up the blog the last few days of the trip.
I got to hear Rene Miller and Dede Macchabee (I have no idea how to do accent marks on my American keyboard - sorry, y'all) several times while I was in Paris. They sound great together, with Rene's marvelous blues picking and Dede's 1930's kind of sound. They also look great and are fun to sketch, so I did them several times. Above is my favorite one, in a new watercolor graphite I found in my "local" art supply store that I walk past daily in Paris. I had a great time playing with it. I saw it several days earlier, but the Dutch landscape drawing exhibition (previous blog entry) decided me on going back to try it. Their subtle graphite and wash work was completely alluring.
It's a lot of fun. The only thing I don't like is that, since it's graphite, it will press down and rub against the opposite page once you flip over and are drawing on the back of a graphite page. In spite of that, it's quite lovely.
As a minor sidetrack to the blog, here's the sketchbook page where I tested it out the first time. I was quite pleased with the cat sketch on the left.
I got to hear Rene Miller and Dede Macchabee (I have no idea how to do accent marks on my American keyboard - sorry, y'all) several times while I was in Paris. They sound great together, with Rene's marvelous blues picking and Dede's 1930's kind of sound. They also look great and are fun to sketch, so I did them several times. Above is my favorite one, in a new watercolor graphite I found in my "local" art supply store that I walk past daily in Paris. I had a great time playing with it. I saw it several days earlier, but the Dutch landscape drawing exhibition (previous blog entry) decided me on going back to try it. Their subtle graphite and wash work was completely alluring.
It's a lot of fun. The only thing I don't like is that, since it's graphite, it will press down and rub against the opposite page once you flip over and are drawing on the back of a graphite page. In spite of that, it's quite lovely.
As a minor sidetrack to the blog, here's the sketchbook page where I tested it out the first time. I was quite pleased with the cat sketch on the left.
Back to Rene and Dede.
Here's one in fountain pen and ink wash. A bit cleaner than the graphite but also without the subtler shading.
One more in fountain pen and watercolor. Dede wears the most stylish shoes.
