I, Me, Mine

January 11, 2019 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

Channeling a little George Harrison, there…….

It seems to me that I talk about myself and my art a lot here. I guess that’s normal, after all, it is my blog and it is supposed to be artsy. Also, these are the subjects I know best,

The portrait above is me, a few years back. I’m not really into doing self portraits. Why would I want to do that, when there are so many more interesting and beautiful subjects to be drawn?

Another topic I know a lot about is retail. I’ve worked in it for so many years, and it’s changed in stores since the internet became the competition.

It used to be enough to ask a customer if she needed help, and leave her alone if she just wanted to look. Now it’s all about “asking open ended questions”, to get the customer to talk about herself, giving the impression of sincere interest. In the meantime, you are listening with the motive of finding out about her, to find something to sell to her. You step in like a vulture when you’ve got it. Seems pretty dishonest to me.

On the other hand, a friend of mine asked about making conversations with strangers to make a friend. Again, the solution is to get that person to talk about herself. If you can listen with sincere interest, you’ll make a friend.

So, I’ve managed to not talk about myself a little.

And some subjects aren’t subjects at all. Just a note, the drawing in this post are pretty random.

So, I don’t do many portraits, self or otherwise. I find getting a likeness difficult, even if I do the tried and true.

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Small Stuff for Sale

Get Out the Tanning Butter!

January 11, 2019 roxannebaldwin 1 Comment

The title happens to be from the song “Rock Lobster”, by the B-52s. Strangely enough, that happens to be Our Song. Yes, that’s the romantic tune to which my partner and I bonded, on our first date. Most importantly, it was the Labor Day weekend, the last of the lazy, hazy days of summer.

Ah, summer. We could use a little summer, right this very minute. Seriously. The high today is to be 27F. January is here, and I’m already sick of winter. So, let’s take a moment and remember those summer days.

I have done retrospectives of all seasons, it seems, except my favorite.

I never mind the heat much. I know some people prefer the cold, but I like it hot. Hot enough that a dip in a pool is a treat.

People associate flowers with spring. However, there are just as many flowers in the fall, as well as, SUMMER

I can go on and on about summer. So, why not?

Even cats love summer.

And dogs

Motorcyclists

I hope this has warmed you a little. Or at least, has given you some perspective on winter.

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Alas

January 5, 2019 roxannebaldwin 1 Comment

One of my friends calls this the “Psycho House”. I guess I can understand that. Maybe,you can see Norman Bates’ mother in the attic. That was not the intention of the drawing. The idea was the house’s windows were reflecting the dawn’s rosy colors. I always think of Psycho, now. Or an episode of the “Twilight Zone”, might be more appropriate.

So, happy endings sometimes get turned around. I was waiting for both my artist’s block and the holiday season to end, and they did. on January 2nd, I was celebrating the return of normal life. Then on January 3rd, I fell and broke my right wrist.

I can’t write my name, let alone draw. A plot twist to be sure. I’m hunt and peck typing this, and I can still click a mouse. I went through my media library looking for more episodes of the “Twilight Zone”.

Rod Serling, where are you when I need you?!

I’ll be back in a few weeks.

Happy End of the Holidays!

January 2, 2019 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

Okay, finally….life is back to normal.

I have a little ritual in winter, as the days grow longer. First off is Yule, then Christmas, New Years, and then January 2nd. Here’s the drawing that I made in celebration of t hat celebration.

The ritual includes such things as The Superbowl, and Mardi Gras. And of course, Imbolc which is a pagan holiday that falls on Groundhog day.

It’s amazing how much more subject matter for the winter there is in Connecticut than NYC. Snow is particularly unsightly in the city, and the only birds around are pigeons and crows. Of course, there are crows around here, but they’re pleasant, graceful visitors of the season.

So, I’ve learned to find beauty this time of year…so Happy Rest of the Winter!

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The Worst is Yet to Come

January 1, 2019 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

I have a tradition, on New Years, to post the worst picture of the previous year. It helps me keep my sense of humor, and a sense of humility. So, here goes, the worst of 2018!

I actually only did two pictures in 2018, due to my stubborn artist’s block. Therefore, the worst isn’t as bad as it usually is. So, here ’tis;

So since I’ve got such a barren year to use last year, I’ve decided to post the worst of all time:

And the runner up:

I’ve got other bad work to post, but I’m tired from staying up last night to watch the ball in Times Square drop, and I have to be at my day job.

So, to everyone:

Happy New Year! And a healthy and happy 2019!

Starting All Over, Again, Again

December 29, 2018 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

Can You Draw a Bicycle?

I thought this article was pretty amusing. Of course, drawing from imagination is a challenge. Most of my life I’ve used photos or life as reference, but now I start out on a new quest (self-indulgence is great). I’m drawing from imagination. Pertinent to this is drawing a bicycle from memory. Here’s mine. Of course I did cheat, and put a figure in front of it, hiding a big part of it.

So, as to the title…I realize big life changes bring on big changes in artwork. When I moved to New York City, my work changed from when I lived in Connecticut before. It took a while to settle in.

Art from Connecticut first time:

Another one from my Connecticut years about 10 years later.

And getting into the 90’s

Then with tremendous ado, we moved to New York City. Manhattan particularly. I tried to work as if I was still back in my home town of Stamford, CT. but the subject matter had changed. Finally, I made it work:

And then, with a little less ado, we moved to Sunnyside in Queens. I remember trying, trying, trying to draw the bridge outside my window that connected Queens to Brooklyn, or the other way around, depending on whether you were a Mets fan. The picture turned out dark and horrible, and I destroyed it immediately. I gave up art, totally and forever, or so I thought. Then after a long break which took me on a journey into learning and practising Reiki, of all things.

So, then once again, it began to flow. I started up again, with drawing more appropriate to Queens.

So, for many reasons, I decided to move back to Connecticut, dragging my boyfriend kicking and screaming. Of course, I tried to draw the state as if I were still living in Queens.

I avoided drawing people in NYC, because there were so many of them, and they were downright annoying. So, I’ve come back, and am, touching, very lightly, the subject of human beings again (as opposed to just cats).

The featured image is one of the first..so, let it rock and let it roll!

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Reproduction:

The Devil is in the Details

December 23, 2018 roxannebaldwin Leave a comment

My father was a detail man. He was a commercial artist, and his specialty was filling in the designs on the fabric of shirts, pants, diamonds, and just about anything else that was advertised. I can’t imagine how he had the patience to do such a thing, but, perhaps it’s just that it was income, and you do what you can do.

So, I think I’ve started channeling my father, the detail man.

I really, really used to think detail was boring. I would do drawing with large flat spaces, and details, as a touch. After all, that’s what I was taught was good composition.

I’ve switched to loving detail.

And letting the details lead the story…..

Can you find the kitten?

So, at that point, I took a loose idea…..and just let the detail flow.

As my drawing progressed, I realized I enjoyed detail. No longer boring, just put on some music and dance. Or, in this case, detail, detail, detail.

More recently, I’ve kept spaces for detail.

Yes, I filled around each clover blossom on this. I didn’t mind it. A few years ago, it would have driven me out of my already somewhat insane mind.

A few years ago, this is when I really details really took off…or dragged me down to earth as the case may be. I wanted to make my artwork more painterly, but I was fighting, tooth and nail, against the medium,

However, the details started sneaking in. Thanks, Dad.

So, I’ve taken a new direction, in my work. Let the details rule! Or rock and roll, if you prefer.

My motto in life has become, “Let It Flow”, both in my dealings with life, and in my artwork.

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