Hey folks, I know it’s been awhile since I posted. Truth is, the stress of COVID-19,caused me problems. It caused a lot, if not all, problems for people in general.
I also ended up with a huge, but well needed dose of humility.
But back to drawing! I started back slowly, by breaking the block with my favorite subjects. You got it. Cats!
I’m thinking of staying with small sketches for a while
Tux with tulips
Tux was one of the wonderful kitties that came by to be fed. Last I visited the old neighborhood, she was still around and healthy
Tux with tulips, full size
Ok, I am a little disappointed. I wanted to make it a cross between this
And this
Pocket Paradise
Ah the challenges of an ever changing styles and self doubts.
She was sitting on the porch on the very next day.”
The horrible things they did to that cat, to get rid of her, and she kept coming back. I’m not sure where I heard this old song, maybe during folk music days, but it stayed with me.
Of course, a cat you thought you had lost, coming back is sometimes a good thing.
In the case of “String Theory”, I was sure I had forfeited this drawing forever, having not been able to pick it up in time after a show.
An unfortunate sign of these COVID-19 times, the art shop I displayed this in, had to close. I found out the drawing was still there and picked it up. So sad, that so many small and unique businesses, weren’t able to get through this. And so sad for the owners, and the employees.
For me, I’m still finding my way doing pictures of people. Well….the longest journey starts out with a single step, to paraphrase I don’t have a clue who said that.
IN FLIGHT
In Flight
LIghtfast colored pencil drawing on archival cotton rag paper. Unframed. Free shipping in the USA
When last we saw our heroine, she was happily contemplating a new supply of art paper, and time to do work. But the paper wasn’t arriving.
Then it dawned on her. We’re in a pandemic, and art paper is not considered a necessity. So, disappointed, she went back to creating a handmade face mask.
That’s what’s going on. I ran out of small pieces of paper, and now I have zippo. The only thing to do, right now, is, damn, I don’t know what.
Just not artwork. Could be worse, I could be sick.
Above is the last little piece I drew, “New York Wildlife”. I was planning on doing a large one, but the the paper shortage came along.
Just thought I’d explain my abscense
EPSON MFP image
Spruce
7 x 5 inch colored pencil drawing on paper. Matted to 10 x 8, with double mat for easy framing. No frame is included.
Shipping is included to the USA.
I know many artists are making sad art,reflecting the current times. I’m not good at that, my attempts at sad, thoughtful art have been damn depressing. Who needs that?
The best I can do is bittersweet.
I want to try to contribute something during this sad time, but I don’t have much in way of resources. I do, however, have toilet paper.
So,I guess, as always, I’ll do happy artwork.
Because if I can distract some anxious, or bored people with a few pretty pictures, that’s something.
Not to mention a few words to read. I don’t know about you, I am starting to read labels on cans of tomato sauce.
So, I finished the full-sized drawing of Man,Dog, Phone, and Parrot. I guess I could add chain link fence to the title, but that would be too long.
I cheated. I started to draw the stairs, got them so out of perspective, that I just decided to make a cubist design out of the background. I just spoiled the illusion that I’m a really creative artist, didn’t I?
I’m taking a leave of absence from work. With all the physical and emotional stress, it just seemed a good idea, at least better than quitting, which I was on the verge of doing.
In some ways, the story would make a good comedy. Like all good comedies, it includes flatulence. It also asks the profound question, is it okay to call out of work with gas?
But I digress..this is supposed to be an art blog…and speaking of this….
I really should go back to drawing people. I guess I got away from it, it seemed too much like work.
I had decided to do landscapes, thinking they would capture a mood. I think I’ve run that one into the ground.
So, in my time off, I plan to do some drawings of people. For instance the one in the header is “Halloween”. Can’t do too much right now, because as usual, I’m running out of money and paper at the same time. Both issues are soon to be relieved.
Then of Course, there’s the occasional kitten.
Blatant self advertising
Sweet LIttle Love Song
7 x 5 inch drawing matted to 10 x 8, colored pencil on archival cotton rag paper.
I had this brilliant idea, or at least I thought was a brilliant idea, to take a large picture that didn’t turn so well, and create a do-over on a small scale. Now that I think of it, it was a pretty flawed idea in the first place.
But trudge on , I did………….
This is the original, “35”.
And this is the redo…….
But then, aren’t we all a little flawed?
Anyways, I discovered that working backwards from large to little, isn’t really all that easy. In a large drawing you have room for all those juicy, delicious details. You have to choose what to through out, what to keep.
That reminds me of the move we made from one apartment that we had stayed in (and accumulated stuff in) for 16 years. What is worth moving, what should we just dump? I’m sure everyone has had something like that………….it’s damned hard!
So this is how it turned out.
Here’s one, though, that I thought was better smaill. It had a more striking composition than this:
I bet though, if I had turned around and did it small to big…well, lets just say I’ve learned a new lesson in creating artwork. Yes, you can teach this old bitch new tricks.
Here’s another that I had difficulty interpreting large…
But I do like it..
Hey! I just realized I’m showing summer drawings! I’m moving way too fast. Let’s enjoy spring for while, until the thermometers go up.
EPSON MFP image
Blatant self advertising;
Available for sale:
Reproduction, Cloud Over Greenwich
An 18 x 24 inch full color reproduction, unframed and unmatted. Shipping in the USA included. Last of a series of 200.
I finally got around to it! The Parrotman! Faster than a speeding bullet…oh, you get the idea.
A lot of detail that was almost impossible to do in such a small format, that I most likely do a full-sized one.
And for you dog lovers, it even has a dog!
Now I remember why I don’t do people too often.
They’re time consuming. And getting them just right is frustrating.
Also, they’re easily dated, by the clothes they wear.
As in this, “Prewar”. I thought I was drawing something timeless…and a friend said “It’s so 90’s. “. OOooops. I guess not. As always, I’m showing my age.
January 2nd
Dogs are a lot easier. Much easier to please, too.
I’m beginning to feel the monotony of all this. It could be worse, though, I keep reminding myself. I could be sick, or a loved one could be sick or dead from COVID-19.
As I said, I’ve been doing little drawings. I’ve done these two.
I like them well, enough.
I’ve been working in the galleries on this site to make them a little easier to view.
Other than that, not a whole heck of a lot.
More flat file diving.
I was in an extremely weird state of mind when I did this. First Doggy in the Snow
Surprise, I actually am doing housework, among other things. You see, I had scheduled this week off since January. A friend from overseas was going to be visiting. So. due to COVID-19, he wasn’t able to come. I have a week to get things done.
It’s spring now, and I can hear spring birds tweeting. Ironic, huh?
So, besides cleaning, I’m going through my artwork, seeing what to do with what. I’ve decided to do small stuff for a while, since I’m not too pleased with the full-sized pictures I’ve drawn.
So, into bottom of the flat file we go!
As in, what should I do with this?
All my Danbury Rocks? That sure went nowhere This, too…The whole Namaste Series. It was fun, while it lasted. This cute little thing was a label for a friend’s holistic products.There’s that damned crow again! But I have a lot of work, that just didn’t turn out to my liking.
That flat file seems bottomless…we’ll see how it goes
Bicycles in the Dandelions , 5×7 matted to 8×10 inches, $35
