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Drawing of me, 20x16
©Terry S. Denton
(I have trouble taking photos of drawings on white paper.)
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Yesterday--Thursday--was my Art at the Y day. I was joined by a wonderful artist, Terry Smith Denton. I've known Terry for a number of years; our first meeting was at my sister-in-law's restaurant (when her husband Mike put out a fire I accidentally started). We usually talk at the grocery store, and her cart is usually filled with healthy stuff (unlike mine). Being with her for three hours at the Y was a real treat. She has a degree from VCU (sculpture) and attended Pratt. When I was in the suburbs in the 70s (driving that station wagon) she was a hippie--alas, I was born too early. I like hearing about NYC and other places, and the art world she has known. My town is lucky that Terry and Mike chose this area--they live waaay out of town (beyond the internet), take care of their oodles of acres, and their goats and chickens. Terry had a great exhibit last year, mostly portraits, and Mike builds docks and houses and has worked at getting our local airport up to speed.
Terry set up a still life yesterday--a vintage stuffed monkey (Percy, I believe). First, she finished the drawing of me; then finished two great drawings of Percy. Hmmm.....I was the warm up for a stuffed monkey? My husband loves the sketch and thinks it looks exactly like me. I think it's a bit flattering but I recognize my extra chin, my missing neck, my mother's nose, my dad's long upper lip--and I'm wearing my ever-present hoops and a men's shirt from the thrift shop. Yep, that's me. I would not have been able to pose for something like this; she sketched me while I was drawing New Orleans (below). I hope to submit it to
TheVirtualPaintOut--a first for me--hope I can follow directions.
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| 720 Brooklyn Avenue, pencil, 9x7 |
I chose this scene on my virtual walkabout in New Orleans because I liked the wires and the poles (and I got tired of walking).
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A real workshop! The portrait of you is very good, so intent in drawing :-)and the New Orleans landscape is great, too..in fact one of the first things that pop into your eyes are the wires.
ReplyDeleteGosh Hallie! Your VPO piece is so beautiful! Can you believe that I can't find anything in New Orleans that is begging me to draw it? A good thing probably, because I am exhausted.
ReplyDeleteLove that portrait of you and I so wish I had a friend like you have in Terry. Her work is wonderful!
Beautiful drawing of you! And I like the simple beauty of the little house in NO and that great sky :) I once got tired of walking in NO, too - and it was 105F in the shade; felt like you left your hotel and immediately were hit in the face with a basin of water to start you day! Hot hot hot! Better a virtual tour for me, too - isn't google amazing that we can do this without leaving our comfy space?
ReplyDeleteTerry is certainly a talented, gifted artist. I am always in awe of anyone who can create portraits, especially ones that look like someone we know. I also love your pencil sketch, particularly the sky and wires. The wire that leads off to the top right corner takes me off into the sky, it's a great feeling, almost like flying, thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Jane. I wouldn't call it a workshop; we talk and draw or paint on cardtables. Terry works rather quickly; she's experienced with portraits. I just art around.
ReplyDeleteThanks Autumn Leaves. I had trouble finding something in NO--we must have been on the wrong streets. I don't find virtual walking easy.
Hi Rhonda. I thought New Orleans was a three-showers-a-day place; years ago, I was there in September and it was hot and humid. Beignets and Commander's Palace bread pudding were worth the trip.
ReplyDelete(I checked out my town on Google--they obviously didn't spend much time here--I think they just sped down our main street; the photos are blurry. Maybe they were being chased through town.)
Hi Robin. Terry is definitely great at portraits--and amazing at horses--probably amazing at everything. That wire rising through the sky is what drew me to the photograph. That was the scary part, too. I finished the drawing, then took a breath before drawing those lines, knowing I wouldn't be able to erase them.
....I do love that lovely pencil drawing of you! I have seen enough photos of you now to be able to say with authority--yep, that's Hallie! (my favorite photo of you will always be the one where you are in that big easel box. Still cracks me up)....can you re-post it sometime? haha!
ReplyDeleteYour New Orleans drawing is excellent.... You captured the hot sunlight. Impressive. I think drawing a stuffed monkey would be fun, but are we talkin a "sock" monkey? I have never understood the appeal the sock monkey.
Hi Celeste. Me in the box--if I still had the box I could set myself up on the front porch for Halloween--like Tales from the Crypt.
ReplyDeleteWe're not talking sock monkey. It was about 24" tall, had a rubber face & human hands, wearing rubber baby shoes--stuffed with sawdust. Terry has done some very interesting paintings with dolls and stuffed toys; you'd like them.
Hallie,
ReplyDeleteA good likeness of you, you do look like your Mother, I remember her well. Terri is very good.
We are lucky to have Mike and Terri in our midst, they do good things for others.
Everette T. McGill
Love the portrait. You were having a really good hair day. Glad you got top billing over the monkey. I remember that monkey with the rubber face and hands; the rubber smelled funny, and the baby shoes fascinated me.
ReplyDeleteGood virtual luck with that fine N.O. drawing. Following the directions is harder than doing the art.
I'm with Celeste, Hallie-in-a-box is a fave.
Terri captured the real you, Hallie. I knew it was you immediately and thought perhaps a self-portrait. She sounds like a very interesting person and is obviously an accomplished artist.
ReplyDeleteI love your virtual paintout piece and the lines add so much. I am just working on a piece from a photo my granddaughter took on her trip to Senegal to volunteer at a school for a month. I am including lots of overhead wires because they say developing country to me.
Thank you Everette.
ReplyDeleteHi SamArtDog. A good hair day? I think it might have been my BEST hair day ever. The directions for VirtualPaintOut didn't seem that difficult, but I sometimes have trouble just posting a photo on this blog. (I blame it on old age vs. new computer.)
ReplyDeleteHi Mary. Terry is definitely interesting and accomplished, and fun.
ReplyDeleteDeveloping country--we have lots of wires running down our street; it's the squirrel highway and a place for birds to sit and sing. To me they say home--I've always found them interesting and, as a kid riding in the car, I liked the way they flashed by in my peripheral vision. I look forward to seeing your painting; you must be very proud of your granddaughter--she's young to volunteer for work in Senegal.
And, SamArtDog--I will definitely be back in a box (or a can) one day.
ReplyDeleteI really like Terry's economy of line and subtle use of the stump to quickly capture the essence of her subject. I bet she'd make a great courtroom artist.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds to me that you have interesting ways of meeting people. When we finally meet I think a handshake or hug would be just fine. You can leave the accidental fires to meeting others.
I love your New Orleans rendering. The house makes me think of the homes in which we lived in rural North Carolina. As for the composition, that wire running out the top of the image takes it from good to great.
-Don
Hi Don. Great comment on the portrait, and I like the way she left some of the tentative lines. When I first talked with Terry (a PK, by the way)I wondered why her husband was jumping around in the restaurant. He was trying to catch burning pieces of paper that were flying through the air--I had picked my napkin off the floor and put it on the table (whoops, I put it on the candle). When I'd go in for dinner the staff didn't know whether to bring out the menu or the fire extinguisher.
ReplyDeleteYes, the New Orleans house reminds me of this area of VA and NC.
The portrait of you has captured you as I would imagine working away on a drawing or painting. You got tired at the right spot! Like the wires and poles too.
ReplyDeleteHi Carole. I was actually working away and forgot that Terry was drawing me. I did get tired of dropping that little Google guy and walking him down the streets--looking around--dangling him over other places. I'm sure there's a better way of doing that.
ReplyDeleteHallie, we have wires here, too. I just love the way in some countries they go every which way and back again.
ReplyDeleteHi Mary. For some reason, I just assumed that CA had no overhead wires (guess I didn't notice them when I visited.) Here they go every which way. Several years ago I took a photo of my house for a Christmas card--every view had wires. I used my Corel program and added Santa and his reindeer tangled in the wires--greeting said "I hope Santa makes it to your house." Friends enjoyed it. Your painting sounds exciting--years from now people will wonder why there are black lines running through paintings and photos.
ReplyDeleteMany CA metropolitan neighborhoods have underground wires, though most of CA is has lots of overhead wires. Sounds like your clever Christmas card brought lots of chuckles and good cheer.
ReplyDeleteHi Mary. Today I drove to a neighboring town and found myself looking up at wires and down at black-eyed susans growing alongside the road--hard to stay on my side of the white line.
ReplyDeleteI love the portrait and the NO virtual and every single comment...I was away from the computer traveling and it's always such fun to see what fires you've been starting (no matter how long ago)and what wires you're crossing as you 'art around'.
ReplyDeleteHappy Fall Equinox...and all things golden.
It’s always a pleasure
ReplyDeleteto see such a Wonderful Work
good creations
Hi Donna. I enjoy the comments, too. I actually lead a quiet life; just an occasional fire or tripping on a wire. Happy Fall Equinox to you--stay golden.
ReplyDeleteBrandNewStudio--thank you, Skizo. I enjoy following your work.
That's a beautiful portrait of you!
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the VPO of New Orleans. I've wanted to participate in VPO, but I can never seem to settle on a location and give up in frustration!
I haven't been commenting or posting lately. Been getting ready for an open studio. I hope someone actually comes.
ReplyDeleteAs for that fine portrait, I see a neck. I see a finely wrought nose. I see an extra chin. I have one too. We all do as we get older. So who cares? What I see is just fine.
On your drawing, I like the wires and I especially like the sky. Your handling gives it brightness with the soft edges.
Hi Raena. We're glad you're back to blogging. I was determined to find something in VPO because I had nothing in mind to draw for my Thursday at the Y. Evidently, I messed up in submitting it, but that's okay--I went out and photographed local scenes last week--easier than virtual walking. I might try some local landscapes (or I might not).
ReplyDeleteHi LifeArtist. I think you'll have lots of people at your open studio. I like the portrait a lot; Terry managed to flatter me while including the extra chin--she got it all. Thanks for the comment on the NO drawing; I've spent lots of time looking at skies--a favorite pastime as a kid. (I should not admit that yesterday I was taking photos of the sky while driving--both hands at the top of the steering wheel holding the camera pointed up. Interesting clouds and straight empty highway, but dumb idea.)
ReplyDelete