Lines

Boredom is not an end-product, is comparatively rather an early stage in life and art. You’ve got to go by or past or through boredom, as through a filter, before the clear product emerges.

F. SCOTT FITZGERALD, The Crack-Up

I love line drawings. I think I could happily construct drawings of simple lines and never shade anything and be completely happy. There is purity in lines that very much appeals to me. I think a line drawing was one of the first images that really attracted me at my very first art exhibition many years ago.

I did this sketch this morning (above) while having coffee. The boy was the son of a friend, at the beach and obviously not wanting to be there. You can feel his mood through the body language so well. I did another sketch of his brother (below) who was the complete opposite, head upturned to greet the warming sun of late spring.

The reluctant sitter

Joan

Graphite 11 x 14
copyright Jeanette Jobson

I did a sketch of my mother today. Its very difficult to do drawings of her as she is rarely content with the final outcome, denying her age. Photographing her is even more difficult as she doesn't want her photo taken either. So working with several reference images,none of which were good, and life, I came up with this after about an hour's work.

And no, I didn't get to my large size today. Life got in the way.

Stuck

I'm stuck in a small drawing book again. 11 x 14 to be precise.

I get into sketching mode or small drawings and its so hard to get out of that and into larger sizes and colour. This weekend I will make myself do it.

Oils, pastels, watercolour the medium doesn't matter as long as its colour and as long as its larger than my current security blanket sized page.

Apes and life

I'm toying with the idea of drawing another ape on drafting film and can't decide if it should be a chimpanzee or a gorilla. Both are quite interesting, but finding just the right reference is a challenge. I loved the hand especially on this chimp. The finger shapes and folds of skin made it fascinating to sketch.

I also looked in vain at the Anna Templeton Centre for a life or figure class in St. John's today. There were no life classes and the one figure class only had one registrant so the centre cancelled it. They say they'll call me in the fall as spring/summer isn't a good time, but they seem to be starting up knitting classes then - go figure. Seems to me that any time of year is a good time to draw...The only life class I know of is held on Thursday mornings and as I work, that's no good to me.

It seems I'm back to plan B, which is trying to start a figure class myself. I'll have to look into it after a little trip to Quebec next week. Gerry Squires is holding a life drawing/painting course at Memorial University over two weekends that I would love to attend. But the first weekend is one that I will be out of the province. Sigh. Back to plan 'B'.

Life on both sides

I do need to find a life class again. Its been ages since I have done live drawings of the human figure. The problem is finding one that is held in the evening or on weekends. Everything seems to take place during the day. Maybe I'll just have to run one myself.

I find there are enormous differences between public acceptance of the nude form on both sides of the Atlantic. Europe, for the most part, is very liberal and nudity is part of life and accepted. In North America however, nudity is still seen as representing sex with constant embarrassed jokes and innuendoes when the subject of life classes comes up. I never quite understand that, especially as most North American television is obsessed with bodily functions. Which would I rather see? A bare breast or some air brain float around singing about how easy it is to insert tampons? Hmmmmm, no contest there. But show any frontal nudity on North American television and the country is up in arms over it. Bodily functions seem to be another matter altogether it seems.

Europeans have used nudity and sex in television commercials for years without outcry from the public. Why? Because it is normal. Its natural. Have a look at some of these commercials. These are the much tamer commercials by the way. I don't want the Bible-belters arriving on my doorstep to save my soul...

And lighten up North America.

Here is a sample from IKEA. Need a new bed?

My all time favourite. Time for the kids to leave home? IKEA again.

Or perhaps a Motorola pager?

Then there's a Panasonic ad. Nothing like this in North America.

Bleak house

Lighthouse
5 x 7, graphite
copyright Jeanette Jobson

I started this as a quick sketch that seemed to expand bit by bit. I'm no landscape person. I do them when I have to but usually try to avoid them where possible. Its all that detail that worries me and at some point they get abandoned in favour of something that contains people or animals in many cases.

The photo of this drawing didn't turn out well. The light was fading and its never a good time to try for an image. I will try again in the morning for a better image. The feeling I get from this drawing is rather bleak. It looks so remote and forboding - perhaps the sky or overall grey tones. I'm sure in watercolour or oil it would look entirely different and much more cheerful.

Spring Exhibition

The Artist's Cat

Graphite, 9 x 12, Bristol Smooth
Copyright Jeanette Jobson 2007

Of the four pieces that I put into the Art Association's Spring Exhibition, just one sold and not the one that I expected. I had the House Mouse in the show for a very reasonable price and expected it to go, but I still have it. Everyone loved the mouse but didn't buy it. Instead the image of Tripod sold. That's just fine with me, but I did rather like that drawing and its always with a little regret that I part company with a piece of art. Its like saying goodbye to a friend.

There was a range of art at the exhibition, with most pieces being done in acrylic and a lot of traditional Newfoundland scenes. It was interesting to see others work and talk to other artists. I look forward to contributing more and taking part in the Art Association. Its been too long since I was involved in an organization like this. My workplan for 2007 is slowly coming together in terms of art. Perhaps in June I'll do a check on my wish list and see where I stand and how much I have or have not accomplished. It should be interesting to track it.

Last minute

Coloured Pencil Sketch 9 x 12
Golden Labrador
Copyright Jeanette Jobson

Is 10:15pm and I'm finalizing frames for tomorrow's exhibition. Of course I leave things til the last moment, then rush around trying to do things all at once. I think deadlines are good and perhaps are what spur me to complete tasks. They also produce stress too, but sometimes that is a good thing as well.

I was supposed to have a board meeting this morning, but as full quorum didn't turn up, it did not go ahead. This is very frustrating for me. I spend hours preparing for board meetings, writing reports, financial statements, analysing provincial and national interaction, working out thoughts, questions and answers, adding my own items to agendas, etc etc. So when a board member doesn't show, it throws off my timetable and has a domino effect on the rest of my work. One meeting's results are required to provide useful information at the next meeting, and so on. The meeting will be rescheduled no doubt, but I will not have the missing information for the next. Volunteer boards are unique.

Silver thaw

Today has been stressful. Very stressful.

It started out with the world being coated in ice this morning and spending 20 minutes chipping into the car aided by letting the heater run at full blast inside and wasting more of that ever-increasingly pricey gasoline.

Freezing rain - or drizzle in this case - is expected and dreaded in April in Newfoundland. Its treacherous, bowing trees and turning steps, walks, roads and car parks into skating rinks. The silver lining of it, is that if the sun comes out, the world turns into a glittering crystal of blinding light and there is nothing more beautiful. Provided you can still remain upright while viewing it.
This is the view of the 'garden' from my dining room window. Yes, that's still snow melting out there. Its in a shadier section and is much slower to go.

Its a bit funny calling it a garden, as the land stretches around the house encompassing 15.5 acres. A section of the land behind the house was enclosed by a fence to keep the old dog from wandering off and getting lost and also serves to keep the moose from eating flowers too.

The next section of my day from hell was work. I should not go into detail, knowing that things written online can come back to bite you on the ass. Suffice to say, electronics, staff and workload all play a role in creating my own little pit of fun.

So I drew a little when I came home. A friend's birthday is coming up soon and I hope to do a little nostalgia trip for it. This is an image of him as a teenager who was guitar-mad and still is, so I'll work on putting this into motion and see if I can pull it off. This is a quick line drawing to get a feel for the portrait. Whether it is forty years ago or yesterday, adolescents don't seem to change much do they? I see today, yesterday and the future in this drawing.

Fear of flowers

Why is there cat hair on my laptop? Ah yes, the 'supervisor' at work again...

I just wrote a big long post about how I hate drawing flowers and my adventures in not drawing them with photos and drawings etc., etc., then hit the wrong button and lost it all. Sigh. I just hate it when that happens.

So instead I'll let you know about this:

An Open Book: Portraiture in Art, Literature, and Contemporary Culture
Saturday, April 21, 2007, 2pm - 3:30pm
Level 2 - Theatre

In conjunction with the exhibit Peter Wilkins: Kinetic Portraits of 12 Canadian Writers, The Rooms is pleased to present the panel discussion, An Open Book: Portraiture in Art, Literature, and Contemporary Culture, featuring writers Michael Crummey and Jane Urquhart, as well as artists Craig Francis Power and Peter Wilkins.

Join this group of diverse artists and writers for a varied discussion on portraying self and character in creative practice and contemporary culture. Representing a range of views on the subject, the participants will be here to discuss sources and strategies in their work, as well as influences and current directions in portraiture.

Refreshments will be served and everyone is welcome, (first-come, first-seated).

This event is included in the cost of admission to The Rooms.

Oh and the ice is packed into the coves as I saw on the drive to and from work today. I didn't have a camera with me and light was fading by the time I did, so I didn't get any images of it. Perhaps tomorrow if its still there. Meanwhile, you can see some photos of it on Vicky's site here.

Exhibiting

I have joined the Art Association of Newfoundland and Labrador and as a result, I have an opportunity to show some of my work at one of their exhibitions which is being held on April 22nd at the Capital Hotel in St. John's.

I have chosen four drawings to show, two in coloured pencil and two in graphite. Now that I've made my decision on them, I wonder if they are the right choice and represent my work as well as they could. One is a still life, of tomatoes, the other three are animals. Should I have added a portrait or some kind of landscape? Its too late now to change so I'll stick with it and see what happens on Sunday.

This is one of the drawings that will go into the exhibit and the smallest piece. All will be for sale and depending on how well the Association has done their marketing, I hope there will be buyers there.

Animals

Tripod, the cat who thinks he's a dog has shown his colours when it comes to other animals.

A stray beagle was found wandering and secured, waiting for its owner. The cat was in the greenhouse and wandered out, took one look at the dog and attacked it. The cat had to be physically removed from the dog who didn't quite know what had hit it.

I think Tripod may have had some run ins with dogs during his couple of feral years and decided to take the initiative. He was put in the house and spent his time pacing up and down, muttering to himself, dying to get back out there and have another go at the poor dog. Animals!

This is not a drawing of Tripod, but another cat, done for practice. He has that 'well?' look about him...

Sea treasures

We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back from whence we came... (John F. Kennedy)

I've spent time working with stone today. Its an interesting process, full of experimentation and discovery which is fun. Using different bits to produce shapes is very much trial and error, as I haven't done this before.

I tried my first efforts on a hand sized beach stone that's a lovely mid charcoal grey. The design was a mix of several with no name in particular. The straight lines turned out ok, the curves are providing challenges so I still have to go back and refine them more. My lines aren't true, but for a first effort, its ok. I will need to practice more with this.


I then turned my attention to some very small beach stones which I will turn into pendants. They measure about 1.5 - 2 inches in length. These are the first two, which still need to be polished. The greyish larger piece is a piece of whitened sea-worn timber, perhaps from some long lost ship now at the bottom of the Atlantic. I love the concept of having something tangible that the sea has provided to use in a different way.

There are lots of possibilities for jewellery using naturally found materials. I will be hunting the beach for more varied shades and colours of stones or other treasures and perhaps unearth some nice sea glass as well.

Stones & comfort

I've been lazy today and haven't ventured out, not even to the supermarket which is where I often end up on weekends. I'll tackle that another day. The north wind still blows so with the fireplace glowing, I tried my hand at something new - stone carving or etching.

In Newfoundland there is no shortage of rocks, slate, granite and my favourite, smooth, flat beach rocks. I went 'shopping' for my art materials in Middle Cove yesterday evening and came back with a bag full of all sizes, shapes and colours of stones. I have a rotary tool with diamond tip bits of various sizes, so I spent today getting a feel for what they can do. I'm impressed!

Its quite amazing that a little drill bit can cut into hard stone with relative ease. It's a messy business though with lots of dust everywhere. I'm still trying out bits and designs so will post something when (and if!) it works out.

Indifference

The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference.
The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference.
And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.
Elie Wiesel

The motto that governs Elie Wiesel's life:
Lo taamod al dam réakha—"Thou shall not stand idly by."

Teach People How to Treat You

I came across this article on Christine Kane's blog and it made such sense to me that I had to share it. Do take time and read in depth the headers from this article as well as wander through Christine's blog. She is an amazing writer, teacher and musician with a lot to say.

So, what does it mean?

You teach people how to treat you means that it all comes back to you. It’s up to you to allow or not allow certain treatment. It also means that you have to first get clear about how you want to be treated. It means that you have to take responsibility enough to write your own owner’s manual. And you are accountable for living by your owner’s manual. For some of us, it may be the very first time we ever even gave this any thought.

Teach People How to Treat You: The Four Steps

1 - Start by Knowing What You Want (and What You Don’t Want)

2 - Learn from your Current Situation

3 - Honor It and Practice It

4 - Teach Yourself How to Treat You When That’s the Only Choice

Paper fear

Some people see things as they are and say "Why."

I dream things that never were and say

"Why not."

-George Bernard Shaw

I've bought new paper and have it stacked on my shelves in my cupboard and there it sits. I'm doing what I tell others not to do. I am savouring the fact that I do have a variety of paper - pretty much any type for any medium that I want to use. But I stick with my large and small sketch books. I think I'm waiting for a significant piece of work to pop into my head before I break out the 'good stuff'.

However tonight I will change that.

I have been caressing some of my stash of Sabretooth paper and am anxious to see how it performs. Then there is the Canal paper - handmade in delicious colours and textures. Then the buttery soft hand made vellum...and so on. See what I mean?

No I WILL break into a sheet of the newer paper and play with it. After all it is only paper isn't it?

Nicky & Rosie

I've catalogued more old drawings - those from life classes in the early 80s in England. Its interesting to go back and see what was drawn, who, how, etc. I remember all the models well and became one myself, working on both sides of easel. It was an interesting experience, if not somewhat chilly at times. I'm still looking for a good life class locally that's held outside working hours.

We would start out with short poses, sometimes as brief as 20 or 30 seconds, moving on in length til the main pose was decided upon which would last an hour, then we would change again, either places or the model would change position.

The advantage of having been the model was that I could see if the person was getting tired of the position and needed a break or was simply bored out of their mind and needed more conversation.

War art

There have been television programs filled with information about the Battle of Vimy Ridge all weekend, competing with Easter, as the 90th anniversary of the battle is April 9th, Easter Monday. The battlefield and monument at Vimy Ridge National Historic Site commemorate Canada's significant accomplishment, contribution and sacrifice in the First World War, and particularly the valour of all Canadians who fought in the conflict. The monument is dedicated to the 60,000 Canadians who died in the war and records the names of those who died in France and have no known grave. By the time the war ended 66,573 Canadians had been killed and 138,166 wounded. This was a very heavy toll in relation to the country’s relatively small population.

The old footage of WWII scenes reminds me of my grandfather William Atwill Bastow. He was a veteran of the first world war and came back with his life but with severe emotional impact from the experience and would never talk about the war to anyone that I knew of. He and I had a very special bond and I seemed perpetually in his company as a small child, until his death in the early 60s.

War art consists of primarily paintings and drawing by "war artists", including some photography when it moves beyond documentary purpose. A great deal of war art has been produced throughout history in an effort to record great battles and military events. This was done by persons of some talent, usually officers, who witnessed the events, or by professional artists working in their studios.

In 1917, Sir Max Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook, was appointed to head the Canadian War Records and commissioned British and Canadian artists to paint Canadians at war. Maurice Cullen, David Milne, A.Y. Jackson, Frederick Varley, Arthur Lismer and Franz Johnson were amongst the artists selected (the last four being part of the Group of Seven, which formed in 1920 and revolutionized Canadian art).

Spring in Flatrock

As you can see, it doesn't mean warm breezes, sunshine or flowers. It means fog, freezing rain and cold wind. Slob ice (small pieces of ice) had packed into Torbay and Flatrock on Thursday and while the wind drove them back out to sea by Friday, there was still enough there to chill he air and drape everything in low fog for the morning.

I went out intending to take some photos but this was about as far as I got photography wise as the batteries died. So I made friends with Tim Horton's and spent some time people watching and contemplating my next drawing.

I seem to spend a lot of time alone these days. Most of the time I don't mind my own company, but there are times when another soul to compare notes with or share coffee would be nice.


Friday afternoon brought several new visitors. This pair of wild ducks paddling in the open ditch by the side of the lane to the house were soon scared off by a mink that had be prowling the barn for the last week. Traps were set but it was a youngish mink and seemed to fill up on mice, not the bait in the traps. The mink was eying up the ducks from its vantage point on a rock. It was tracked and shot and the ducks returned to the water and even allowed some fairly close photos to be taken. There have been far too many mink around this year with 25 trapped or shot in the immediate area this year alone and far too many chickens and ducks killed by them.

Easter bunny

How have rabbits become synonymous with Easter? And where is the theory behind the Easter Bunny bringing chocolate eggs to children (and adults)? I never quite understand the connection anymore than I understand the connection chocolate or chicks have with this holiday either, so I did a little research.

Marion Murdoch's version seems logical.

It is thought that the hunt for eggs came first, with no association to the rabbit. As children searched for the eggs, they flushed out rabbits and thus began the stories of the rabbits leaving the eggs. Eggs were traditionally given out at the start of Spring in Egypt and Persia.

Historically, the rabbit, hare, and eggs in folklore have their basis as pagan fertility symbols, signifying Spring and new life, and the worship of the goddess Eostre or Eastre (usually shown with the rabbit as her symbolic animal). To entertain a child, the goddess turned her favorite bird into a hare, which immediately laid colorful eggs. When the Christians moved into the pagan's territories, they decided that the custom of coloring eggs was not harmful and adapted it to their own festivities.

Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday following a full moon, so the moon was used to figure out the date of Easter every year, and the hare (not the rabbit) was the symbol of the Egyptian moon. The hare was always been portrayed with its eyes open, watching the moon. In fact, the Egyptian word for hare is "un" which means open. Hares are born with their eyes open, rabbits are born with them closed.

When German settlers arrived in America, they brought with them the legend of "Oschter Haws", the white Easter Hare. Children behaved themselves, believing that, if they were good, Oschter Haws would lay colorful eggs (symbols of rebirth) for them in a nest the children had provided (usually their hat or bonnet, placed in the barn). By the 19th Century, the Easter Hare became the Easter Rabbit. American families would later adapt the nest tradition, using baskets, chocolate, and money. Easter itself was not widely celebrated until after the Civil War. A recent poll showed that 88 percent of adults still continue the Easter Bunny tradition

And to make your arteries quiver and your dentist rub his hands in glee here are some facts about Easter candy production:

• The first chocolate eggs were made in Europe in the early 19th century and remain among the most popular treats associated with Easter.
• 90 million chocolate Easter bunnies are made for Easter each year.
• 16 billion jelly beans are made for Easter.
• Each day, five million marshmallow chicks and bunnies are produced in preparation for Easter.
• Easter is the second top-selling confectionery holiday behind only Halloween.
• 88 percent of adults carry on the Easter tradition of creating Easter baskets for their kids.
• 76 percent of people eat the ears on chocolate bunnies first.
• Red jelly beans are kids' favorite.
• According to the Guinness Book of World Records the largest Easter egg ever made was just over 25-ft high and made of chocolate and marshmallow. The egg weighed 8,968 lbs. and was supported by an internal steel frame.

Of course, I have to include a link to the infamous 'Peeps' experiments. You remember those neon coloured marshmallowy chicks?

Outside the zone

Its a holiday for me today so I spent my time catching up with some drawing. This is my effort with the baby orangutan on drafting film. Its been the first time I've seriously worked on this support and I have to say that I quite enjoyed using it.

There isn't much tooth to it of course so layers were a challenge and choosing colours became more crucial and I went outside my usual colour zone. The image changes slightly too depending on the colour of the paper you put behind it. Its currently on white. I have to look into how to frame this medium as its obviously too floppy to be framed on its own and needs a backing.

This drawing is done with coloured pencil and is about 11 x 14. The photo, as always, doesn't do justice to the colour of the drawing. In real life it has a softer glow to it and the colours are less intense in some areas, more so in others.

”The seed of your next art work lies embedded in the imperfections of your current piece. Such imperfections (or mistakes, if you’re feeling particularly depressed about them today) are your guides -- valuable, reliable, objective, non-judgemental guides -- to matters you need to reconsider or develop further.” -- David Bayles and Ted Orland.

Decisions

There are so many project in my head that its difficult to prioritize them and I find myself working in small sections of time on a number of them. Interruptions from various sources distract me and just when I find a block of time to myself, the multitude of images all call individually for attention.

I started a drawing in coloured pencil on mylar tonight. Its a unique surface -very smooth application, but not open to using many layers, so it really is an experiment. There are a few Q & A's about using drafting film that are very useful.

Drafting Film Q's and A's

Portrait demo on drafting film

And to prove how easily I get distracted, here's a sketch I did of my grand daughter even when I knew I had other drawings that needed work on them. I think I need blinkers.

Eric

Meet Eric. He's a baby orangutan rescued after his mother was killed in the forest in Taiwan. I have been studying apes lately and find them constantly interesting. Poor Eric looks a little alien in this line drawing, but should become more animated as details emerge.

I will transfer this line drawing to some mylar that I finally found and see how it works with coloured pencil. As I haven't used drafting film much yet, its an experiment. I'll show you how it progresses - if it progresses.

This line drawing is 9 x 12

Observation

Nothing exists until or unless it is observed. An artist is making something exist by observing it. And his hope for other people is that they will also make it exist by observing it. I call it "creative observation." Creative viewing.

William S. Burroughs

People ask how to draw and its never an easy thing to explain. Everyone has in them the ability to draw, but the ability to observe is difficult to explain. I was drawing a chimp's hand today and explaining to the person what I was seeing and how interesting it was. They didn't understand and I could see I lost them the further I got into the subject and the drawing.

Artists often look at things differently. I saw a television program that showed old communities in Newfoundland long abandoned or resettled. Buildings slowly decaying and nature reclaiming the land for itself again. I asked 'what do you see?[ The answer was a quiet setting near the sea. In my mind, I saw possibilities for drawing, focal points, light and shade. I listed colours that I would use as scenes flashed in front of my eyes. I saw something very different. Why do some see the details and others do not? Is it training, the level of interest, ability, habit? Perhaps a combination of all of the above.

This is a quick sketch for an oil painting that I will start soon. Yes, I know I keep putting it off, but I will do it. My sketches end up on the trashiest paper - anything from napkins to envelopes to newspaper. However, I believe getting the idea down is more important than the support at that point.

Apes

Why do apes fascinate humans so much? Do we see ourselves in them, or they in us? I remember years ago being at a zoo and watching a big male orangutan who was watching me as well. We held eye contact for a good 5 minutes with about two ape arm lengths between us in a fairly open zoo.

I continued to photograph him and watch him when he stretched his arm as far as he could out between the bars of his enclosure to pick a dandelion from the grass, then he held it out to me. I so wanted to take the flower he was offering, but couldn't. It was one of those moments in life when you feel as if you can read the animal's mind. Or so I believe. Now taking that flower may well have meant, he'd rip my arm off, but it felt safe somehow with him.


These chimpanzee sketches were the start of a WDE at WetCanvas that never quite got finished. I'd like to go back and doing a painting or coloured pencil drawing of a primate. They do have a fascination to me and perhaps I to them.

What is spring?

I came across Loretta's post in Pomegranates and Paper about what signals spring to her. It was inspiring and made me think about how I know spring is here. What about you? What makes your heart and soul know that it is spring?

Here's my list so far.

• Crocuses peeking round the last vestiges of snow in the garden
• Ducks and geese starting to lay eggs after the winter break
• Putting away winter coats and boots
• The cat being outside for hours instead of 5 minutes at a time
• The greenhouse feeling warm even without heat on
• Starting seeds for flowers and vegetables
• Rabbits in the garden
  
• Robins returning to the garden
• Cleaning the winter's grime off outside windows
• The pair of crows in the woods setting up their nest again
• Lighter mornings and longer evenings
• No frost to scrape off the car in the morning
• Open windows
• Plowing the fields
  
• Looking at brightly coloured dresses in the stores

Guardian of the eggs

I bought this rabbit for my grand daughter, along with some chocolate eggs for the older members of the family. They were all perched on the edge of the table and the rabbit looked so like a guardian of the eggs that it begged to be drawn. So here is the result. It may serve as representation for one of the alphabet letters in the little book I'm preparing for my grand daughter. Sometimes the idea is before me and I don't have to search for it. I find that if I have to search, the end result is not usually pleasing. So found treasures will make up the contents.

9 x 12 Canson sketchbook. Mechanical pencil and watercolour pencils.

Don's Macaw

This is only of my early paintings, done about 2o years ago in acrylic on canvas board, about 16 x 20. Its one of those paintings that has travelled continents with me, and keeps turning up when I sift through old drawings and boxes of half finished paintings that I discarded years ago in the hopes that 'one day' I would find time or inspiration to continue on with them.

This was pretty much finished. Looking at it now, I can see how much more work needs to be done ont he feathers, especially on the right side.

The painting reminds me of a friend who died after the painting was complete. Don had developed lymph node cancer and the painting became part of his ritual. In the week following chemotherapy, when he felt sick and depressed, he would come to my house and sit in the kitchen drinking tea and eating digestive biscuits and watch me paint this bird. Each day that he came he would sit back and say ' Man, that's a great bird.' We talked little some days and a lot on other days. I learned more about him than I ever knew in superficial conversations in a pub with others around. I knew his fears, his deepest fears about cancer, life, death, people, but the conversations were never depressing. Sometimes sad, but we always managed to laugh at some point during his visit.

The macaw remained at this point of completion and was put in the pile of drawings and paintings accumulating in a spare room or behind the sofa. Don had a brief remission after completing the first sessions of chemotherapy but a year later, the cancer returned. He came back to my house again to talk and to watch me paint, more to talk as my back would be turned to him as I painted and it made an easy sounding board. I was there, but I wasn't. I was the listener. He told me he would not have chemotherapy again, it was too hard on his body and mind. Having seen the ravages, I agreed with him. Weeks later he went into a hospice and died there.

The painting, complete or not will stay with me as a reminder of Don and of those talks.

Two months

The smile that flickers on baby's lips when he sleeps--does anybody know where it was born? Yes, there is a rumor that a young pale beam of a crescent moon touched the edge of a vanishing autumn cloud, and there the smile was first born in the dream of a dew-washed morning.
Author: Sir Rabindranath Tagore

Here is my grand daughter who was two months old yesterday. I do like this photo of her with a genuine smile, not one created by gas. It has potential for an interesting portrait.

Line drawing

Without art, the crudeness of reality

would make the world unbearable.
George Bernard Shaw

This is the original line drawing for a new image that I'm starting of my old dog in his favourite habitat - the woods. There is more detail added in the transferred drawing, with a remarque on the bottom of the drawing. You'll have to wait impatiently to see that section...

The path leads into the woods and is a rough road going from the bottom of my driveway off for miles leading to trees, ponds, trees, meadows and more trees. Its full of rabbits and squirrels and moose along with other creatures that I don't even want to think of like coyotes and bears.

I want to create a detailed, realistic drawing of the dog within a background. I have been lazy about using backgrounds and they do add a lot to a drawing or painting. I like the simplicity of working on a single item so have steered clear of landscapes. By breaking the background down into smaller sections, it becomes more manageable. I'm impatient to get to the drawing of the dog, but like leaving the cherry til last, I will make myself finish the background first before I start on him.

Dog dreams

I've started the layout of a new drawing of my dog, Biscuit, who died a year or so ago at 16. The drawing will be in graphite, detailed and include some of his favourite things - the woods, rabbits and moose.

In researching references for this drawing, I looked through lots of old photos of the dog and other elements of the image. While doing so, I came across a little video that I made of him while he was asleep on the sofa one afternoon, dreaming. Unfortunately, I missed the livelier parts of his dream, so its not too exciting a clip. Its also a bit of an experiment as its the first time I've tried uploading a video onto YouTube, which seemed to be fairly straightforward. There are a lot of possibilities with this technology, especially in teaching art, so I'll be experimenting more and perhaps subjecting you all to my efforts.

Roses

I needed a reminder of summer today. Its trying to be spring here, but today didn't succeed very well, with flurries and cold temperatures most of the day. I spent some time cataloguing photographs and came across this one of a dog rose (rosa canina) that I took last summer in a cemetery in St. John's. The plants are horribly prickly but so hardy, nothing can kill them and the roses, while simple and short lived are so beautifully fragrant.

I have pink and white dog roses in the garden, an inheritance from the previous owners and every year I collect petals to make my own rosewater to use in creating herbal creams and lotions. The rosewater that I make is a combination of a distillation of rose petals, distilled water and alcohol. The scent when I open one of those bottles in the depth of winter is pure summer, quite incredible how the scent lasts.

These roses produce huge rosehips and if I can beat the birds and mice to them I dry them and make use of them too in herbal medicine. The hips have an acidic but fruity taste, due to the rich amount of ascorbic acid present. Fresh rose hips contain 60 times as much vitamin C as oranges, and rugosa roses, with their large round fruits, are considered to have one of the highest contents.

Light and shade

While we sat on the patio of a restaurant in Laguna Beach, Robin spotted the interesting architectural shape and light play in this building which was behind me. I asked her to take a photo of it as she was facing that way.

The simple lines and contrasts of light scream oil paint to me. My sister sent me a box of oil paints a few weeks ago as the book store in the university was having a sale, selling them at half price. Perhaps this weekend I'll have a chance to reacquaint myself with oils. Its been some time since I tried them, so I'm looking forward to them again. There is something so nice about the feel, look, texture and smell of oil paints.

Silk nest

I love drawing eggs. They are such beautiful shapes and colours. This reference was from Dianna Ponting, who has done a series of eggs in silk using pastels - and quite beautifully too.

I was taken with the image and will likely try it on a larger scale perhaps in pastel or maybe Derwent Drawing pencils. For now its in mechanical pencil in a 7 x 10 sketchbook.

Learning curves

I have been trying to help someone come to grips with some basic drawing skills. The individual wasn't good at following written directions and was at a distance, being online, so I tried a combination of illustrated steps to see if she could follow that way. I chose a simple circle to turn into a sphere as it would provide a number of techniques and would be satisfying.

Unfortunately, I started the demonstration at lunch, so grabbed the first thing to hand - lined paper. Kids - don't do this at home!

Here were the steps that were to be followed:

1. Lightly draw a circle freehand on your paper with a pencil of your choice.
2. Your light source is coming from the upper left of your paper.
3. Begin shading your circle lightly, just cover the surface with a layer of graphite.
4. Then start adding further layers to deepen the shading, remembering where your light source is coming from. Your sphere will be darker on the right than the left.
5. Continue to deepen shading, trying for a smooth transition from light to dark until you achieve the illusion of having a smooth, round ball on your paper.
6. Finally, you can 'ground' your ball by adding a shadow to the right, darkest closest to the ball and lighter as it gets further away.
7. Post your sphere online here at each level so we can help guide and correct you if required.
8. Have fun!






I had great fun drawing this sphere. Why don't you have a go at it and see what you produce? And see what unusual support you can draw it on? Telephone book page? Envelope? Newspaper? Be creative!

Red dot

After Tripod joined the household, I rediscovered an old laser pointer kicking around a kitchen drawer. The red dot that it creates provides hours of amusement for him as he chases it as if it were a bug or mouse all over the living room, up furniture, under the coffee table, finally flopping onto it, convinced he's trapped it. Only to find it has gotten away... The game is now known as 'red dot' and you only have to say the words or pick up the pointer and he's ready for a game.

The laser beam lights up one of his little plastic balls amazingly well, giving it an unearthly light. The cat is looking suspiciously at it. When he arrived, his left eye was partially shut. It seems fine now and I wonder if it was something to do with the injury of his leg on the same side.