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I got to Paris just in time for the weekend markets, which are about my favorite things here. My friends Rene and Dede were playing, and I hung out, listened to them, and drew people. Most of these are brush pens with Sumi ink in them (two different strengths), and a couple are fountain pen.
I had a blow walking over though. My spiritual home here was Dubois art supply store, which had been here since 1861. Apparently gelato chain stores draw big crowds, but multi-generational neighborhood shops can no longer afford the rent. I’m heartbroken. I’d been trying to decide which ink I wanted to buy from them this year. Many of my writer friends adore Shakespeare and Co. for its history and atmosphere. Dubois was that for me.
I had a blow walking over though. My spiritual home here was Dubois art supply store, which had been here since 1861. Apparently gelato chain stores draw big crowds, but multi-generational neighborhood shops can no longer afford the rent. I’m heartbroken. I’d been trying to decide which ink I wanted to buy from them this year. Many of my writer friends adore Shakespeare and Co. for its history and atmosphere. Dubois was that for me.
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I got to go to a great house concert over the weekend. My banjo mentor had seen a group from Johnson City called Bill and the Belles and liked them enough that he arranged for them to play in Memphis when they were passing through on the road. They were marvelous. Old time swing, lots of songs from the teens and twenties, a good dose of Jimmie Rodgers, and a bunch of new songs that sound delightfully old. As usual, I sketched as well as listening. This group is used to artwork too. They're the only band I know that has an original linocut of the group for sale along with the usual cds and stickers. It was as old timey as they are, so of course I came home with it, along with my own sketches.
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I was lucky enough to have a partner who wanted to drive more than ride, so I got a lot of time to both sketch and knit coming across the country. After all the shows and commissions, it was fun to sit and sketch whatever caught my eye, without any deadlines or agenda.
I almost finished a scarf, and I played a good bit with my Sumi ink in the brush pens. I have a darker shade that is (shockingly, considering how dark it is) 50/50 with water and a lighter one that was just a small bit of ink and water for the rest. I'm enjoying using them together to get two toned gray drawings.
I almost finished a scarf, and I played a good bit with my Sumi ink in the brush pens. I have a darker shade that is (shockingly, considering how dark it is) 50/50 with water and a lighter one that was just a small bit of ink and water for the rest. I'm enjoying using them together to get two toned gray drawings.
I also kept playing with my new green ink and the watercolor as well.
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There's an Urban Sketchers challenge to draw 100 people in one week this week. In a stroke of good luck, it is also my week to sit for extended periods in waiting rooms twice this week. I'm delighted to have a challenge to make the time pass and feel productive. I've been wanting to practice people more for my illustration work anyway, so I went for it this morning. I managed to make it to 54 in one day. I asked Elizabeth Alley if that was cheating, and she said, no, it's winning! So yay.
I did all of these with my latest favorite pen for sketching (except for my lovely Pelican I'm using for the Mr. Darcy book, which lives on my desk now) -- a Lamy safari pen with smokey gray ink inside. The darker, wider bits are a brush pen with some diluted Sumi ink inside.
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I got to go sit in with Darel Snodgrass for a little bit of Memphis's npr pledge drive yesterday. I got to talk about why WKNO supports local artists in a way I've never heard anywhere else, and I also got to talk a little bit about the Skyward show hanging next week. I hung out for three different breaks during classical music, so of course I took the chance to do an #inktober sketch as well.
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I was having such a lovely and non stop social life that I forgot to post sketches from Saturday morning. My visiting friends came with me to hear Rene and Stephen play outside a cafe at the Marche d'Aligre. It's my favorite market in Paris, and I love getting to hear the guys play there. I can sit and have tea and listen and sketch. It's perfect.
Of course, I only get the back view of the guys, but I still love it.
Of course, I only get the back view of the guys, but I still love it.
Last year I did a self portrait in the shiny teapot. Here is this year's version.
Later that day I did one quick sketch at dinner with Chrissie and Ella. We had a beautiful celebratory dinner, fancier than I ever do on my own, and I so enjoyed the sense of occasion with them. Sharing this time in Paris. Just marvelous to have them here to experience it with me. Ella's trip at 16 is reminding me so much of the trip I had at 17 with my grandmother. It's a beautiful way to teach young people to step out into the world and fully live, and I was so delighted to be able to see it from the other side, especially with such exceptional company.
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I'm starting a new adventure with this new year, and I'm really excited about it. There are several urban sketchers around the country who have regular sketch features in their local papers. They go out and draw interesting things happening in their communities, and it's like a column or other regular feature in the paper. I pitched this to Eric Barnes, who owns the weekly business paper The Daily News here in Memphis, and he was kindly receptive. With the holidays over, I met with the editorial team yesterday.
They already have a weekly spot for community happenings that is usually anchored by a photograph. They're going to use my work in that space once a month and also commission me to do occasional covers for the paper, which I am utterly thrilled about.
I have loved my landscape illustration work for Cape May (and occasionally Memphis Magazine) and have been wondering how to expand that piece of my career, so I am delighted to be starting the new year with a new opportunity.
I did a little scouting of locations downtown after the meeting and treated myself to sweet potato pancakes at Memphis's iconic diner The Arcade as a celebration. I sketched, of course.
They already have a weekly spot for community happenings that is usually anchored by a photograph. They're going to use my work in that space once a month and also commission me to do occasional covers for the paper, which I am utterly thrilled about.
I have loved my landscape illustration work for Cape May (and occasionally Memphis Magazine) and have been wondering how to expand that piece of my career, so I am delighted to be starting the new year with a new opportunity.
I did a little scouting of locations downtown after the meeting and treated myself to sweet potato pancakes at Memphis's iconic diner The Arcade as a celebration. I sketched, of course.
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I've been doing tons of the business side of being an artist lately and very little sketching. I've missed it, so I eased back in recently with a couple of quick sketches of Mr. Darcy. Of course.
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First off, let me announce that the opening for my Dixon show is Thursday, November 19, 6-8pm. (Tomorrow!) The museum is completely free that night, so come out and see me but also see the truly lovely landscape exhibits in the other galleries. And the Tom Lonardo Trio will be playing music that night. Two of them were "boyfriends" in Di Anne Price and her Boyfriends, my favorite all time band. It's lovely to have the guys playing for my special night.
Here is the finished version of my Busker print. I followed this guy, walking slowly, down a street in Amsterdam as I sketched him this past summer. I'm having fun doing a few more figures in print lately.
He's on 9.5x12" paper, and $60 in my online store https://squareup.com/market/martha-kelly-art
Here's the original sketch:
Here is the finished version of my Busker print. I followed this guy, walking slowly, down a street in Amsterdam as I sketched him this past summer. I'm having fun doing a few more figures in print lately.
He's on 9.5x12" paper, and $60 in my online store https://squareup.com/market/martha-kelly-art
Here's the original sketch:
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I don't want to add to the glorification of busyness because I am a moderation kind of girl, and I do build in good life breaks like sister lunches, girlfriend teas, and daily long forest walks with Mr. Darcy. But I had not taken a whole Day Off since the first weekend of October (which in itself was nice enough to carry me through the month by itself), and I did greatly enjoy myself yesterday. Truly, I'm not great at taking a whole day off unless I'm off dancing somewhere. I tend to draw a lot even on vacation, but that's the fun part of being an artist. I've been doing a lot more of the nuts and bolts work lately, though, and a day off sounded good.
So yesterday I treated myself to a massage to celebrate the end of the show. I got myself a Muddy's cupcake for lunch to celebrate National Chocolate Day. I took a long walk and a snuggly nap with Mr. Darcy.
And then I had a two hour design committee meeting for Overton Park. Sigh. So I sketched. Because what else are you going to do in a two hour design committee meeting? (Even though it was good, and I was glad to be there to have some input.)
So yesterday I treated myself to a massage to celebrate the end of the show. I got myself a Muddy's cupcake for lunch to celebrate National Chocolate Day. I took a long walk and a snuggly nap with Mr. Darcy.
And then I had a two hour design committee meeting for Overton Park. Sigh. So I sketched. Because what else are you going to do in a two hour design committee meeting? (Even though it was good, and I was glad to be there to have some input.)
I also tried making some wine cork journal stamps. A photographer friend sent me a photo of some online, and I couldn't resist playing around with them. I hate to throw out good cork, so I had a bunch in a drawer, and I got out an exacto knife and had fun.
There is likely a better material to carve stamps from, since the cork doesn't have a totally flat and printable surface. But they are handily shaped, and it was fun to try. I may use this as a fun project at the seminary. Stamps for Christmas cards would be neat. A very simple, short, and satisfying sort of project.
There is likely a better material to carve stamps from, since the cork doesn't have a totally flat and printable surface. But they are handily shaped, and it was fun to try. I may use this as a fun project at the seminary. Stamps for Christmas cards would be neat. A very simple, short, and satisfying sort of project.
