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I am terrible at all daily challenges and have enough deadlines that I resist imposing more on myself. But I did really enjoy sketching most days during Inktober last year. I got a small sketchbook and did something each time I left the house. It reminded me how much I enjoy doing fast sketches out in the world. This week I've reached for my 5.5" square handbook, the smaller of my two regular ones, and a black pen plus a brush pen to carry around with me. They're neat and easy for errands. But I do want to get going with a dip pen too. I remembered this summer how much I enjoy using those, even though the clean up is slightly more than with a fountain pen you pop the cap back on.
I had a very bad start to the month just below -- I had a darker brush pen with me instead of my normal one, and I made a total mess of Henry's head. So I switched to line only until I found the lighter, warmer brush pen I like for tone. The first one wasn't playing well with my more absorbent sketch book, but honestly I was also just out of practice.
Today I did some back porch sketches, the first one above of my garage and Henry lying with his paws crossed. The tree is an oak my grandfather planted in the back yard when I was still in single digits. It's a marvelous tall tree these days.
I had a very bad start to the month just below -- I had a darker brush pen with me instead of my normal one, and I made a total mess of Henry's head. So I switched to line only until I found the lighter, warmer brush pen I like for tone. The first one wasn't playing well with my more absorbent sketch book, but honestly I was also just out of practice.
Today I did some back porch sketches, the first one above of my garage and Henry lying with his paws crossed. The tree is an oak my grandfather planted in the back yard when I was still in single digits. It's a marvelous tall tree these days.
I'm not a purist and also reach for watercolor to go with my ink, as I did last night at Cafe 1912 having dinner with Christina. Ink and watercolor is my longtime favorite combination, though I do try to mix things up and challenge myself with other media as well.
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I've been working hard on the show the last few weeks, but I have taken the time to meet some friends for sketching several times recently. It's good to get back to the immediacy of watercolor after prolonged time doing prints. These sketches are from Crosstown (above) and the shady back deck of Memphis Pizza Cafe.
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Wildflower season in the Old Forest of Overton Park is always my favorite. Henry and I have been walking and watching them emerge, and I've done a bit of sketching over the last couple of weeks. The top one is my overall view of Jacob's ladder and a few trillium in the foreground. It's my much more traditional walk-into-the-scene scale. I tend not to do either huge, swallow-you-up panoramas or really close up pieces. I've got a modest, person sized landscape that appeals to me for my main work, but I make an exception for wildflowers, and teapots, of course! I do also sketch my tea things close up. So here are some closer views of the wildflowers that I have done just for fun, starting with the one small gorgeous circle of yellow trillium. Most of our trillium is that purple-y brown, but I love this one vibrant patch.
In other news, these are all in my newest sketchbook, at roughly 5x8 size that opens up to an ever so slightly landscape format. It's by Handbook and has watercolor paper but is more modest than my longtime 8x8" size. I'm really enjoying the change of shape and the smaller amount of real estate to fill. It feels less daunting to sit down and start a spread, but it still has room for what I want to do. I've ordered another one and asked my local Art Center to start stocking them. I think it's my new go-to after trying several different ones over the past year.
In other news, these are all in my newest sketchbook, at roughly 5x8 size that opens up to an ever so slightly landscape format. It's by Handbook and has watercolor paper but is more modest than my longtime 8x8" size. I'm really enjoying the change of shape and the smaller amount of real estate to fill. It feels less daunting to sit down and start a spread, but it still has room for what I want to do. I've ordered another one and asked my local Art Center to start stocking them. I think it's my new go-to after trying several different ones over the past year.
The trillium above and the mayapples/Jacob's ladder below both have watercolor crayons (Neocolor 2) as their base instead of ink from a fountain pen. I try to mix it up some to keep myself fresh. I enjoy the extra texture of the crayons, but ink remains my go-to, especially for more architectural landscapes around town. But the crayons work great for organic shapes and especially the looser close ups I've been doing with the wildflowers.
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I've been working my way back into my longtime printmaking project of trees at Rowan Oak this week, but I gave myself a holiday for Leap Day yesterday. Thursdays have long been special to me, and it was not only Leap Day but also the 4x4 anniversary of Muddy's Bake Shop, my favorite bakery for both the treats and the warmth and welcome when you walk in the door. They opened 16 years ago on Leap Day and made Memphis instantly a better place.
I also dropped by a couple of thrift stores with a carload of donations, and I ended up coming home with two new-to-me cashmere sweaters for a total of $13.50. A big win. And I feel lighter in my house at the same time.
After lunch I treated myself to a trip to Dixon. I saw their current show of married artists Paul Wonner and Theophilus Brown a few weeks ago, and I can't stop thinking about it. Especially Wonner's portraits. I went and sketched in the semi dark with only dry media, so these are both too saturated and not at all worthy of the paintings that inspired them. But I loved spending the time looking that deeply at paintings I admire from an artist I hadn't known before this show. He was in California with Thiebaud and Diebenkorn, and I can see that throughline. His painted lines have multiple colors making them up, just as Thiebaud's do. One of my longtime favorite artists. I plan to go back and sketch more while the show is still there.
I also dropped by a couple of thrift stores with a carload of donations, and I ended up coming home with two new-to-me cashmere sweaters for a total of $13.50. A big win. And I feel lighter in my house at the same time.
After lunch I treated myself to a trip to Dixon. I saw their current show of married artists Paul Wonner and Theophilus Brown a few weeks ago, and I can't stop thinking about it. Especially Wonner's portraits. I went and sketched in the semi dark with only dry media, so these are both too saturated and not at all worthy of the paintings that inspired them. But I loved spending the time looking that deeply at paintings I admire from an artist I hadn't known before this show. He was in California with Thiebaud and Diebenkorn, and I can see that throughline. His painted lines have multiple colors making them up, just as Thiebaud's do. One of my longtime favorite artists. I plan to go back and sketch more while the show is still there.
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I finally got back out of town again yesterday, and it felt so good just to mix up my scenery a little bit. I was exhausted by 3, made it home about 4:30, but good progress.
The cemetery needs morning light for Faulkner's grave, so I went there first and sketched the top overview sketch. Walking out, I spotted a charming St. Francis statue and stopped to sketch him too. I added Henry next to him in the evening (crashed out from all day daycare while I popped down to Mississippi).
The other two sketches are both with a limited palette, testing out ideas for prints more than trying to be full paintings, or even sketches, themselves. I used walnut ink and a dip pen to start and added watercolor on top in just a few colors. It felt good to be in that space again, see friends there, and have a day out.
The cemetery needs morning light for Faulkner's grave, so I went there first and sketched the top overview sketch. Walking out, I spotted a charming St. Francis statue and stopped to sketch him too. I added Henry next to him in the evening (crashed out from all day daycare while I popped down to Mississippi).
The other two sketches are both with a limited palette, testing out ideas for prints more than trying to be full paintings, or even sketches, themselves. I used walnut ink and a dip pen to start and added watercolor on top in just a few colors. It felt good to be in that space again, see friends there, and have a day out.
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The talk at Dixon was amazing. I was honored and thrilled that 70 fantastic people showed up, midweek at lunchtime, to hear me talk about my creative life and influences. I make art on my own in my house most of the time, so getting to go out in public and share the things I love and things I've learned was exciting and greatly fun. I had another hour's worth of conversations on my way out, and I loved hearing people's own experiences or what book or artist they might want to look into after hearing my favorites.
After working hard to put that together and spending the entire next day doing checkup and regular screening tests, I was ready for a couple of slow days. Henry and I took walks, went to the farmers market, had second tea, and spent a lot of time quilting or mending on the sofa and watching some British tv. It was lovely. I'm grateful for the pace of my life that lets me push when I have deadlines but also take time off afterwards. Here are a few sketches I did just to get back into art for pure enjoyment.
The top one is neocolor crayon with watercolor, and the bottom tested two new samples of De Atramentis document ink (waterproof and silky) and the four leaf clover in my classic Diamine water soluble ink that moves and melds with my watercolors. The watersoluble comes in a nice range of colors, but it stays really firm and almost harsh when I paint -- kind of like making your own coloring book. I'll try some more sketches with it, but I think I still love the soluble ink best. I've had fun with the crayons too, and I like the added texture, but I miss line in that top one. It's good to branch out and experiment but sometimes it ends up reinforcing your already favorite things.
After working hard to put that together and spending the entire next day doing checkup and regular screening tests, I was ready for a couple of slow days. Henry and I took walks, went to the farmers market, had second tea, and spent a lot of time quilting or mending on the sofa and watching some British tv. It was lovely. I'm grateful for the pace of my life that lets me push when I have deadlines but also take time off afterwards. Here are a few sketches I did just to get back into art for pure enjoyment.
The top one is neocolor crayon with watercolor, and the bottom tested two new samples of De Atramentis document ink (waterproof and silky) and the four leaf clover in my classic Diamine water soluble ink that moves and melds with my watercolors. The watersoluble comes in a nice range of colors, but it stays really firm and almost harsh when I paint -- kind of like making your own coloring book. I'll try some more sketches with it, but I think I still love the soluble ink best. I've had fun with the crayons too, and I like the added texture, but I miss line in that top one. It's good to branch out and experiment but sometimes it ends up reinforcing your already favorite things.
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It's the last week for the lovely American paintings show at Dixon, and the director Kevin Sharp was giving a lecture yesterday as well, so I treated myself to another museum day. I'm getting out less than I used to with my separation anxiety dog (as well as a natural tendency to stay home a lot anyway), but I'm finding that when I do get good opportunities, I make them count more. Instead of saying, maybe I'll go to Dixon tomorrow or next week, if a friend wants to take Henry to the office for today, I jump right on that chance to do something really worthwhile. So Henry got to be an office dog yesterday, and I got a museum day.
I had one more painting I really wanted to sketch, this William Trost Richards painting of Maine. Once again, it's a bit darker and more vivid (especially in the water) than the original since I was working in low light with limited media. But overall I'm pleased, and it will also just help me remember better.
I had one more painting I really wanted to sketch, this William Trost Richards painting of Maine. Once again, it's a bit darker and more vivid (especially in the water) than the original since I was working in low light with limited media. But overall I'm pleased, and it will also just help me remember better.
Then I had lunch outside (I'm still masking indoors) and started the tulip sketch but rushed back in to hear Kevin talk about the artist Walt Kuhn. I also worked a little bit on this Inness copy, toning it down some. It's not right, but I'm happier with it than I was. And I finished off the day sitting outside and finishing the tulip sketch at the top. I hadn't used my green ink lately, and the spring greens have had me itching to get it back out.
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I keep going back to sketch in the Dixon show of American paintings. I think (hope) it has one more week for me to get back and sketch a little more. It's frustrating in some ways. You have to use dry media in the gallery (European museums are much more forward thinking about copying with paint), so I can't mix colors and gray things down a bit as I would like to. Dry colors (pencils, watercolor crayons, etc.) tend to be a bit more candy colored overall, so these colors are off a good bit, most especially on the lovely, subtle Inness. He's one of my favorites. But it's still deeply profitable as an artist to spend time looking at a painting deeply enough to sketch it even if the sketch is never what I hope it would be.
The colors were reasonably right for the Sloan, though (above). Sloan mostly painted cityscapes and was instrumental in the Ashcan school. I was drawn to this landscape, a summer holiday with his wife, precisely because he brought that fuller bodied intensity to a pastoral landscape. His colors are almost shocking side by side with the oranges and greens and a deeper blue green sea than I managed to convey here. It's an arresting piece, and I love the brushwork in it as well.
The colors were reasonably right for the Sloan, though (above). Sloan mostly painted cityscapes and was instrumental in the Ashcan school. I was drawn to this landscape, a summer holiday with his wife, precisely because he brought that fuller bodied intensity to a pastoral landscape. His colors are almost shocking side by side with the oranges and greens and a deeper blue green sea than I managed to convey here. It's an arresting piece, and I love the brushwork in it as well.
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I'm still working pretty hard on the graphic essay, but I did a few sketches while waiting for the copy edits to come back. One of my favorite treats is a chocolate croissant from Lucy J's, so I drew out the enjoyment by sketching it. I also took a little time with the wildflowers in the Old Forest. The watercolor crayons overall were a little too candy bright for them, but it was fun to sit and sketch in the woods.
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I put Henry in daycare today and did a twofer on local museums. I needed one really quiet day after getting in my final draft for the graphic essay, but then I was wanting to get out and see some great art, and we have wonderful shows up in Memphis right now.
The first was Harmonia Rosales at Brooks. Her show plays off of a lot of "Old Master" paintings and reimagines them to include heroines and mythologies rooted in West Africa. It is magic. I love painters with a strong sense of art history, and her cracking open those tropes to make room for the rest of the world is infectious and beautiful. She uses the gold of the Medieval icons and pairs it with the exuberant abundance of the Baroque, and she has a strong series of visual motifs that are meaningful and personal to her as a painter. It's a remarkable show.
I ran to the grocery and home for a sit down/have tea kind of lunch, and a bit after I went to Dixon. I love their show of American paintings. I've been three times now and have more pieces I want to go sketch, but today I worked from a huge landscape by Thomas Hill. I used watercolor crayons and inktense pencils since it's only dry media in the local museums. (I added paint to the Rosales copy when I got home while it was fresh -- I wanted that real golden feel to it.). That's limiting on colors and especially on skies, but it's so instructive to look at a painting long enough to replicate it and figure out how the artist made certain effects work.
The first was Harmonia Rosales at Brooks. Her show plays off of a lot of "Old Master" paintings and reimagines them to include heroines and mythologies rooted in West Africa. It is magic. I love painters with a strong sense of art history, and her cracking open those tropes to make room for the rest of the world is infectious and beautiful. She uses the gold of the Medieval icons and pairs it with the exuberant abundance of the Baroque, and she has a strong series of visual motifs that are meaningful and personal to her as a painter. It's a remarkable show.
I ran to the grocery and home for a sit down/have tea kind of lunch, and a bit after I went to Dixon. I love their show of American paintings. I've been three times now and have more pieces I want to go sketch, but today I worked from a huge landscape by Thomas Hill. I used watercolor crayons and inktense pencils since it's only dry media in the local museums. (I added paint to the Rosales copy when I got home while it was fresh -- I wanted that real golden feel to it.). That's limiting on colors and especially on skies, but it's so instructive to look at a painting long enough to replicate it and figure out how the artist made certain effects work.
The rain was holding off, and my favorite statue Ceres was surrounded by yellow daffodils and red tulips, so I did one more quick sketch before leaving. I love the graphic essay project, and it's wonderful to have someone want to publish you, but it's also fun to go make art purely for the joy of it on a day off. A perfect break.
