Circling the Thing Called Art



Pencil Sketch of Dave, 5x5



My sketchbook is always handy but until three weeks ago I had never sketched in public.  At an auto shop I got my chance; sitting across from me was a great model, my husband Dave.  Both our Jeeps were at the dealer (54 miles away) for repairs.  Dave's not very patient--he sat for a few minutes, left before I sketched his feet, and returned to a different seat.

Corel'd Dave

I recently bought Corel Draw Graphic Suite X5 (an upgrade because Suite 12 didn't work with Windows 7).  I wanted to play with digital paint brushes and colors so I tried scanning the sketch into Corel--the scanner didn't work.  We now have a new printer/scanner.  Everything's working, thanks to a good friend, Sam Caparatta.  Sam and Dave spent lots of time talking with "Tech."  We bought a Windows 7 computer in January and it has taken me 10 months and a lot of cussing just to get back to where I was last year.  I'm not sure this is progress; it's more like treading water and trying not to drown.   

I took a 3-hour linoleum block printing class at
Convergence Art Guild, a real pleasure, taught by my sister-in-law Mary Wilkerson.  My
subject was the chair next to my work
station.  I added a cat the following day, Halloween, and only needed three bandaids. 



Two-legged Chair, linoleum block, 7x5



I hope to do more linoleum block printing.  My problem is I like the block itself--looks like bas relief , and I'm hesitant to cut pieces away for printing with more than one color.  I just read THE COMPLETE PRINTMAKER, a book I've had for years; printmaking is definitely interesting.



Terry, charcoal drawing, 24x18

I attempted to draw my artist friend Terry during Thursdays at the Y Art.  The easel contraption stood still; Terry didn't.  When she appeared too thin, I took the easy way and made her head smaller.  She said she had always thought she had a pinhead--ha.  She was wrong when she said she lacked a sense of humor--we laugh a lot.  

Longwood Park

I feared I had missed the autumn colors so I took my camera along when I voted yesterday; luckily, I wasn't too late. 



Kinderton Golf Club



Clarksville Marina--3 blocks from my house





End of 4th, next to Marina--my favorite.  Geese patrol this knoll during the summer.

And I'm still playing with my Winsor and Newton watercolors--nothing worth posting yet. 

Hurricane Irene

Summer Wardrobe, graphite on gray paper, 8x8

Two and a half days without the internet--I felt I should do something productive while it was down (re-connected this morning).

I reviewed my summer wardrobe--a linen jacket with huge pockets (pants are someplace), old but goodie Eileen Fisher black slacks, a silk blouse, an old but goodie DKNY blazer, a black "funeral" dress, and a silk print blouse.  I didn't move these to a closet; instead, I drew them.  Now I know where my extra hangers are! 



Imitating Art

I put away varnishing and framing materials (cleared some walking space in the workshop).  Last week, before varnishing, I had to try imitating Painter's Salute--setting the timer on the camera, grabbing the paintbrush, and running around the counter to get into position.  Not easy.  On Friday I had delivered this painting to Convergence Art Guild in Halifax VA for an upcoming exhibit of self-portraits.


Virginia 13-year Cicada

On the way to my workshop to frame Tabernacle Road yesterday I noticed a dead cicada--picked it up, blew off the ants, and spray varnished the big fellow.  He's on a slice of cucumber on a Fiesta plate.  Canape anyone?

Southside Virginia was fortunate--Irene (the middle name given to me at birth) brought hours of wind and rain but no damage and no loss of power.  We lost our Verizon internet connection because it comes out of the Hampton Roads (East Coast) area--they had major damage.

Let's see--one hurricane and one earthquake--do cicadas count as locusts?

Tonight I'll catch up on all the blogs I follow.

Convergence Art Guild in Halifax VA





Waiting for Harry, acrylic on panel, 20x16



I hung a few paintings at CAG, 99 Main Street in Halifax VA.  Among them is an early acrylic, Waiting for Harry. 

Harry was our letter carrier in Brookeville MD in the 70s, when Brookeville was still mostly rural.  One woman liked to wait at her mailbox for Harry and, in cold weather, she sometimes wore only her fur coat (don't know how Harry knew that).  I never met her but I imagined she might look like this.   I like the impatient attitude and the knife-wielding shadow in this one.

"Quick Draw" in Halifax VA

 

Untitled, acrylic on panel, 14x11

I know--my paintings always have titles (this looks a bit like Boy George or the redhead from Mad Men).  Those curlicues are part of the easel.

I'm a member of the Convergence Art Guild in Halifax VA.  On Thursday evening, the Halifax Chamber of Commerce and guests converged on the Guild and I was one of, I believe, ten artists who agreed to paint or draw something in just one hour; followed by a silent auction with proceeds going to the Guild.  During my 25-mile drive to the Guild I made the decision of what to paint--on Sunday I had seen a large floor model bullet-shaped chrome hair dryer at an estate sale; probably a 1950's model.  I didn't buy it ($50), I didn't photograph it, and I couldn't find it on Google--I remembered the shape and "Hoover."  Members and guests of the Chamber thought I might be painting the Pope (I thought of Sir Frances Bacon; others thought it might be a Bishop).  At 7 p.m. I signed the painting--larger than normal--and thought I'd be bringing it home where I'd follow Celeste Bergin's example--I'd sand it off and repaint. 

Wrong!  All the paintings sold.  The owner of this one is the Town Manager of Halifax, Carl Espy--young and handsome.  I was okay with the sale during most of my drive home.  Then it hit me--do I really want people to see this?  Can I ask Mr. Espy to attach a note to the painting explaining that it was done in one hour?  I think I have a plan.  There is a group show coming up next month.  I like the concept of this painting; with no audience and a bit more time I can paint a better version. And, with a bit more money, Mr. Espy can trade in this version for a new improved model!

It was an enjoyable evening.  The other artists produced good work; they were:  Don Bagwell, Peggy Blount, Maxine Dunninger, Dianne Hills, Nelly Z. Jones, Ron Miller, Rebecca Rodgers, Steve Schopen (who finished two), and I'm missing a name.  Had I been smart I would have gotten a bidder's number and brought some of those pieces home to Clarksville; I'm not sure that was allowed.  (I have photos of the other works but failed to get permission to include them on my blog.)

Oct 23.  I just received a compliment on my "Vacuum Pope."  (Maybe a title?)