DC - Nude

It is the way we come into the world:

Vulnerable 

Innocent

Exposed

A long time ago we stood that way

my friends and I

on a series of beaches in Southeast Alaska.

Only thing we had on was our Xtra-tuffs

for Bren's STRONG photography.

Last night I looked again at two photographers I believe are among the best of my generation:

Sally Mann and Robert Mapplethorpe.

Both took intensely personal pictures of the nude figure:

she of her children, her husband; he of his friends, his lovers.

I'm not going to lie.  Go have a look, they are the best.

Also last night, I remembered years of drawing from the figure at art school, and drew a couple quick sketches, just out of my head, for fun.

Nude over watercolor doodles in 6x8 sketchbook

 Nude after Sally Mann, pigma pen in 6x8 sketchbook

Over at Patrice's, many more artists have unveiled the bare naked truth about Nude for this week's Drawing Challenge.  Have a peek if you dare, and come join me next week as I host the next challenge.

Nest DC

The bare and barely leafed deciduous trees of early spring here in Denver provided good views of the subject of this week's drawing challenge.

The days have been cool and changeable here, breezy and showery.  We have been hard at work getting my parents ready for a big move later this year.  It has been good weather for hauling boxes.

 

'Spring Nest' pigma pen and watercolor in 5x7 moleskine sketchbook

Many more wonderful artists are feathering nests over at the beautiful blog of Ariane.  Fly on over for a peek.  I am about to alight there myself!

Daily Drawing

'Christmas Branches' pigma pen and inktense pencils in 8x6 sketchbook

'Take A Dive' pigma pen and inktense pencils in 8x6 sketcchbook

'Keep Your Eye on the Prize' pigma pen and prismacolor pencils in 8x6 sketchbook

Drawings from the past few days - hope your week is going well.  I am especially aware of the importance of friendship and family during this time.  

Thanks for visiting!

Daily Drawing

'Juggling' pigma pen and prismacolor pencil in 8x6 sketchbook

Sunset, 2:45 pm at Greens Camp

Smiling and waving from mid-week!  Hope you are well and creating beauty.  See you this weekend for the Drawing Challenge at Stefanie's place.

Daily Drawing

Recently appearances in my sketchbook.  I am working in an 8x6 Stillman and Birn 'Alpha' series book.

study for woodcut block - pigma pen

(I am signed up for a woodcut printing class with a visiting artist, Mete Hanson, who will be here next week).

'The Burden of Winter' - pigma pen and inktense pencil

inktense pencils

 'Totem' - pigma pen and prismacolor pencil

Flossy and I are taking the day off tomorrow in honor of the National day of gratitude here in the US.  Happy thanksgiving, all!

Post Script:

Pastor Mike wearing the new stole at PLC last Sunday.  All praise to our kind and loving Creator!

Daily Drawing

'Apple' - pigma pen and prismacolor pencil in 8x6 gamma

pigma pen and inktense pencil in 8x6 gamma

I am pretty much all set to hang my exhibit tomorrow at the museum, and excited to do so.  Always a new perspective to see work out in the world away from the studio.  I will post pictures...

DC - Pattern

In the midst of actual and impending big huge changes, I have been acutely aware of how much I value the anchor of daily routines.

Pattern is the theme Barbara Bee set for this week's Drawing Challenge.  I attempt to capture a few of my daily patterns here:

'Pattern' - pigma pen and Inktense pencils with water brush in 8x6 gamma daily drawing book

I hope you can stop over at Barbara's enticing and collage-filled blog to see the patterns developed by lots of other talented artists.  

Are you keeping to a routine these days?

quiet

moonrise last evening

the eating kind

the pretty kind

pigma pen and prismacolor pencil in 8x6 sketchbook

pigma pen and prismacolor pencil in 8x6 sketchbook

Hope your week is going swimmingly.

Daily Drawing

pigma pen and prismacolor pencil in 8x6 gamma sketchbook

pigma pen and prismacolor pencil in 8x6 gamma sketchbook

All the deadlines of the past several weeks have been met.  As I breathe a sigh of satisfaction, I am also looking forward to preparing for a new round of challenges coming up toward the end of the summer.  

My next solo show one of our two local galleries will be opening the first Friday of September; I am curating the Rain Forest Festival art show that same weekend; mid-September I am going to be traveling - more about this in future posts.  Lots to anticipate with joy and enthusiasm.  

What's coming up for you?

High Summer (Solstice DC)

'High Summer' pigma pen and inktense pencil in 8x6 gamma

I hope you are not all tired of looking at scenery photos here in my little back water of Blogland, but I just can't get enough of this weather.  After two years of literally NO warm sunny weather, we are blessed with reason to remember why we live here in Southeast Alaska.

On the morning bridge

calm water murmurs memories

of last June’s floods

while birdsong chorus

lightens the dawning day.

Thank you,

most High and Glorious Creator

for Solstice and

the World 

full of

Summer’s radiance and glory

this longest day.

Thanks to my Bloggish friend Kirsten for this week's Drawing Challenge theme, 'Solstice'.  Beautiful images await you at her inspiring place, A Sunny Spot. Whether it is Summer or Winter Solstice in your part of the World, I wish you a week full of magic.

Daily Drawing

A little share of pages from my daily drawing sketchbook, which is an 8"x6" Stillman and Birn 'Gamma'.  

Enjoy!

'Unravel' - pigma pen

'Flowering Tree' - pigma pen and prismacolor pencils

'Angry Angels' - pigma brush pen and inktense pencils

 (I remain grateful to Lynne for introducing me to this excellent type of sketchbook). 

DC # 100 - Dance

 Hurry, hurry!  

We don't want to be late - for the DANCE!

pencil in 6x4 studio sketchbook

'Dancing Mermaid' - pigma pen and prismacolor pencil in 8x6 gamma

Thank you, Patrice, for giving a celebratory theme to the 100th Drawing Challenge.  Talented artists are kicking up their heels this week over at her always-stimulating blog.  Waltz on over and join the dance!

Influence: David Dunlap

The practice of daily drawing was one I first learned of in grad school when artist David Dunlap visited our seminar and impressed upon me the benefit of this ritual.
Although I have not always been true to this goal in the (many) intervening years, I have made  drawing a part of my daily routine as important as brushing my teeth since participating in the Sketchbook Project in 2010.
Here are a few of my drawings from the past week:

water color, metallic watercolor and water soluable pencil

inktense pencils and water soluable pencil

pigma pen, inktense pencils and watercolor pencils

These are all  drawn in an 8"x6" Stillman & Birn 'gamma' sketchbook. 

Happy mid-week to you, dear Reader.

Daily Drawing

pigma pen in 8x6 gamma

pigma pen and inktense pencils in 8x6 gamma

pigma pen and inktense pencils in 8x6 gamma

pigma pen with intense pencils and white gel pen in 8x6 gamma

I offer a glimpse into some of the drawings done last week in Denver for your consideration today.  I purchased a pigma pen with a thick, brush-like tip as well as a felt-tip style one called a 'Graphic', and am enjoying the variety of line weight these additions to my pen arsenal afford.

Off to the Might Mighty Day Job, one more day and then the studio at last tomorrow!  Happy day to you, Dear Readers.

DC - Egg (back home again)

Apologies to fellow DC'ers for being late in posting my Egg images, but travel back to our island interrupted my regular schedules over the weekend.  At last I am home again; here are two takes on the Egg theme presented us by Norma.

Fresh eggs at my friend Polly's kitchen, hard boiled for our luncheon salad.

Thinking about eggs in my 8x6 gamma with pigma pen and inktense pencils

There are a nest full of eggs for you to consider, linked at Norma's egg-cellent blog.

Blessings to you as Holy Week begins, and a Happy Easter to all!

DC - Willow

The breath of spring

calls a very special willow

to venture forth

on our fair Island.

'Pussy Willow' - pigma 'brush' pen and Inktense pencils in 8x6 gamma sketchbook

Our willow theme, brought to us by a very special Blogland friend and painter, Carole, also made me think of my favorite kind of furniture: the kind constructed of branches.  (So of course I had a go at drawing that, too)!

'Willow Chair' - Inktense pencils in 8x6 gamma

Have a seat while you wander through the willows over at Carole's exciting blog.