Forsooth, forsythia!

May 12, 2019 roxannebaldwin 1 Comment

I’ve lamented and moaned on how fast spring passes. You’re probably sick of it, I’m sick of it, but I’m going to do it again. Why? Because it’s another spring, and by the time I draw the daffodils, the tulips are gone. Damn.

So this spring, I’m going to get away from my usual MO, and draw a few more spring pictures, although we’re quickly passing into early summer.

So the drawing I just finished….

Why the bicycle? It’s just a great spot of color, which I needed there. It also adds a carefree subject matter to the drawing.

I’ve had many people try to read my artwork, as they would a book full of meanings and symbols. The truth is, I try to establish a mood, and the individual objects are just there because they add to it. If there is any meaning coming from the objects, I’m not aware of them, except as the trickster of the subconscious mind may suggest.

In other words, stop trying to make it so hard, and just enjoy.

On another subject, in many apartment moves, I’ve lost or discarded a lot of artwork. Many I still regret, but the moves were stressful (aren’t they always?)….so, that’s that story.

One piece I was sure I lost was a drawing that was the first in colored pencil. It was one that I sill love, and feel is one of my best. Low and behold! As I was going through my artwork to show at an art fair, I found it. I still have it! What is old, is new again. It has on title (or symbolism for that matter).

venus and mars are alright, tonight

April 16, 2019 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

For those of you who caught my short-lived, remarkably self absorbed post the other day, I apologize.

But an update, the featured picture “A Western Tao”, is alright after all. Much to everyone’s surprise, my artwork survived the flood waters.

It’s a drawing of a man and a woman. Every remember the book “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus”? This drawing could be an illustration for that. Which brings us to a quote from a Paul McCartney song:

“Venus and Mars are alright tonight”

Which cleverly segways us into my latest drawing.

Remember I was drawing a picture of the night sky and the Milky Way? I was struggling to find a good name for it. So I finally decided on a title:

Venus and Mars are Alright Tonight

I had the start of another drawing, but realized it was an image that belonged to my winter depression. So, my next drawing will be about spring.

Typos and all!

I’ve had it with this

March 28, 2019 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

What have I had it with? Not being able to do my large pieces. They are most expressive to me, and what keeps me going. My hand is fine, now, and other than work space, I’m ready.

My first piece is going to be a nocturne, of the yard I had when I was a kid. I liked the piece but it needed punching up.

This is a medium sized piece, done many, many years ago. Okay, not that many.

So what’s missing? A very important part of a starry night sky. What I always dismissed as wisps of clouds. The Milky Way!

Since I’m still set up for note cards, here’s the small, preliminary sketch:

My own personal Starry, Starry Night. However, that title is taken. What about:

Ode to Van Gogh

Owed to Van Gogh

Searching for Major Tom

????????????????????

Ah, the trials of being an artist. Any kind of artist. Titles!

Maybe I should just be done with it and call it “Untitled, #1”

In note card news, here’s the latest:

Fast and fun

Sometimes, the Sky is Purple

March 24, 2019 roxannebaldwin 1 Comment

A lesson in creativity.

When I was about 7, we were doing artwork at school. It was a assignment, don’t remember what. Exclusive of one little boy, the kids at my group of desks, were drawing the sky blue. That one little boy, was energetically coloring the sky purple.

One of the gaggle of kids, (I use gaggle descriptively, we were not geesee.) jumped on the purple sky boy and said:

“What are you making the sky purple for? Everybody knows the sky is blue!”

Then the rest of the gaggle, including myself, joined in the fray, insisting the sky is blue.

A teacher’s aide, noticing a ruckus, came over to see what was going on. We all almost shouted, “Johnny (or whatever the boy’s name was) is making the sky purple. The sky is supposta be blue!

The aide however, said, in a calm, knowledgeable voice, “Sometimes the sky is purple. For instance a rainy, cloudy day it’s purple. The sky is lots of colors.”

We all quieted down. However, I knew a scam, when I heard one. Of course the sky is blue!

In all honesty, it’s not the royal blue in the small set of Crayolas either.

When did I decide the sky could be different colors? I think it was when I made the sky a shocking shade of green.

I’ve done my share of purple skies.

Often, the sky is multi-colored:

But truth be known, most of the time, I believe the sky is blue..

So there..

In other news, here’s the latest note card. Pumpkin posed for it.

What’s in the Box

March 21, 2019 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

So, as I have the time, I’ve been plodding along, a snail’s pace, slowly, working on my notecards. Once again, I’m feeling in a level mood, I can concentrate, and not everything looks bad. My wrist is becoming more flexible finally. Spring is off to a good start. So, here are recent additions to the box:

One thing I’ve found, winged horses are always popular.

I’ve been relying heavily on my old paradise series in these. I remember, a long time ago, writing a post “I Want to Sell Out”. I think I might have finally found a way, with popular subjects and successes from the past. On inexpensive notecards.

So, fast and fun.

I’ve got nearly all my accent pieces framed, including this one, from the paradise series, that I hadn’t expected to use. Turns out, I actually like it! I’ll be damned.

So, what’s left is to put together the tables, easels, grid wall, and the nitty gritty of the tent display. Also, more notecards.

Also, I may be doing a show in the fall in Redding , CT and looking at one in Washington, CT in the summer.

Kill Them All!

March 11, 2019 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

and let God sort them out later. Was that from a spaghetti western or a WWII flick? I know it was a from a movie, or at least, I sure, sure hope that was from a movie. Unfortunately, in this day, it sounds just horribly like something that would happen in real life.

But that being said, I decided to draw notecards, good or bad, and sort them out later. I came to the realization that:

I can’t draw very well at all with my hand still injured
In the mood I’m in, I can’t tell whether any of them are any good or not.

I’ve been averaging a card a day, for a few days now. Just fast and fun, without worrying much about them.

So here’s the first batch.

Then there’s this:

Then there’s that:

And bringing up the rear:

so, in another note, my friend and I drove out to the site of one of the fairs I signed up for. We drove a long way, and in the cold, late winter the land looked depressing and isolated. We saw some very big pawprints. Bear maybe? Cougar?

I’m sure in May, it will be much different. I’m still worried about bears and cougars, though.

I’m Up For a Challenge

March 2, 2019 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

I honestly thought this would be easy. I should have known better. Making note cards with a drawing on them that people would like, and buy. It’s a challenge, but I’m stubborn. In fact I’m thinking of getting a tatoo that says that. “I’m Stubborn”

So, another day, another learning curve. This is a small landscape.

And of course, cats. The subject is Tux, one of the ferals we used to feed.

I ruined this one. Tried to erase a random mark on the back, and ended up with an ugly streak. So, I did the following:

For those of you who are interested, and I know some of you are, the cats we left behind are just fine. we went back for a visit and found the whole neighborhood feeds them…..but especially our former landlord. Thanks Louie!

Roxanne Baldwin's Artsy Blog