Of Bigger Fish to Fry

Usually I tend to be an upbeat, rather perky sort-of-gal: it normally takes alot to get me down, and I bounce back quickly in most cases.  But in recent weeks there seems to be an abundance of irritability, lack-of-focus, indecisiveness, and yes...........dare I say it?  Sadness.  It seems to be subtly waiting around each corner of the house, and sitting on the edge of each new activity I perform.  And as I do on rare occasions, I am once again guilty of attempting to fill my days with much more activity than one woman can possibly handle -- in an effort to not feel what it is that is happening............The fact that my son has only two days left of high school.

All of this and more struck me (again) as I worked in my drawing room this evening, lettering calligraphy on the senior band and choir plaques for our area high school -- (incidentally, the most action my drawing room has seen in the past couple of weeks!)  Don't misunderstand me.  I know I should be happy; and I am happy.   I am proud of my son, and excited and scared for him simultaneously.  But.......and now this is all about me here, folks............I must have my moment to say that I'm not ready for this yet.  How is it possible that nearly eighteen and one half years speeds by in the blink of an eye?  UMMMM, I'd like a rewind..........please.

Regardless of whether I am ready or not however, the next couple of weeks will pass with warp speed through awards night, commencement, numerous open houses, etc.  Since my last blog post, I naively have moved on to paint the rest of the house.  The planning for my next drawing, another equine piece, is completed -- and I'm anxious to begin as soon as the events at hand allow.  SO...........as Dora the fish sang, "just keep swimming, swimming, swimming".  I will enjoy the next two to three weeks with a smile on my face, a lump in my throat, and extra kleenex in my bag...........because as some of you know, I am a crier.  

Thanks for stopping in.   

Colored Pencil Society International Exhibition News.......and a much-needed facelift

This year the 18th Annual International Exhibition of the Colored Pencil Society of America will take place from July 22 to August 20, 2010, at the Art Museum of Los Gatos, in Los Gatos, California.  I'm pleased that my piece depicting a pair of wild horses, "The Hand of Man", has been juried into the exhibition.  This year's juror is Janet Bishop, the curator of painting and sculpture at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.  Further information as well as the list of accepted artists can be viewed at http://www.cpsa.org/ .  My congratulations to all the artists who's work was accepted into the exhibition.

Closer to home, I'm happy to report that after about two years of calculated procrastination I have finally painted my drawing room.  As those of you who rely on the reflection of light are aware, working in a poorly lit area, or an area with walls of a wrong or dark color, can be challenging.  After completing the swan drawing last week I decided I simply could not draw one more line in that oak-toned room!  So I moved everything out, and I painted...........and painted.............and painted..........and about eight coats into my project someone cheerfully said to me, "You should have used Kilz."  (I do not think of these kinds of things........Did I ever claim to be a house-painter?)

Finally though, the room is completed and the resident artist is happy.  I will spend some time tomorrow continuing to organize its contents, and then its............

BACK TO WORK!

Thanks for reading.     

Trumpeter Swan Completed

Untitled
14" x 12"
Derwent Graphic pencils on Strathmore 400 Bristol


Yet untitled, this young trumpeter swan that I began at an artist's retreat a number of weeks ago is finally completed.  As I previously indicated I nearly abandoned it altogether, but decided to return to it in part at the encouragement of others -- who clearly could see more potential in it than I could.  Now in retrospect, I'm grateful for their vision and my (not always the case) willingness to listen.  This drawing as well as the graphite barn swallow, "On the Fence", will hang in a show featuring sixteen artists at the Hudson Gallery through the end of May.

The completion of this piece is a tremendous relief, as it is the last of several works that I have finished just under the wire of their perspective deadlines.  For the first time in about six months, I do not know what I will be working on tomorrow.  I like not knowing -- and relish the thought of taking the time to shuffle through hundreds of photo references and scan hastily-written ideas on dozens of bits of paper that are haphazardly stuck to one of my drawing room walls.  As with many artists (I presume), I have more ideas than time to execute them!

Also, it is likely that I will be spending less time on my art over the next few weeks.  My son is approaching the end of his senior year in high school, so graduation and its related functions and festivities are looming.  In addition he and I are knee-deep in the onslaught of tasks related to his beginning college in the fall.  Is this possible????  There are moments, and people, and experiences from his infancy that are so vivid, it seems they happened last week.  How is it possible that eighteen years has passed?

Oh, and the barn swallows have returned.  All is right with the world.  Tick-tock.   

Wild Horses: Completed Drawing

"The Hand of Man"

20" x 25"

Color Pencil on Uart 500

You may recall that the recently completed wild horses drawing has been in flat-file-exile, while my loss of objectivity adjusts itself.  Today I removed it from the "flat file drawer of shame" (to quote a very funny comment by Australian artist Peter Brown).  As I suspected, the drawing and myself simply needed some time and distance from one another.  I'm feeling much better about it than when I placed it there two weeks ago..........and alright-okay-yes-you-caught-me: I changed the title.  While talking with a good friend about the drawing several weeks ago, she used the phrase "the hand of man" when discussing the fate of many wild horses.  It stuck with me, and better captured what I wished to convey than did "Broken Spirit".

To recount some of what I shared several months ago when I laid out the initial drawing, the two wild horses portrayed here were in a holding area owned and operated by the United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Wyoming.  They had been captured during a wild horse round-up organized by the BLM.  Though difficult to see in this photograph, their recent struggle is evidenced by the small wounds, spots of dried blood, and grass stain on the pale horse's coat.  I was drawn to and sought to capture the emotion displayed by these two horses: the fatigued sadness of the pale horse, the rather haunting gaze of the dark horse, and the obvious bond between the two.

It bears repeating that there are an estimated 38,000 wild horses roaming free on U.S. range lands, and more than 30,000 in captivity in holding areas and corrals managed by the BLM.  Sadly, this icon of the American West is caught in a controversy involving wild horse proponents, cattle ranchers and land owners, and the U.S. government.  Round-ups are periodically orchestrated in several western states in an effort to manage wild horse numbers, and are sometimes performed in ways (including the use of helicoptors) that cause injury, death, and the separation of mothers from foals who cannot sustain themselves. 

My drawing is not intended so much as a political statement, as it is a venue through which some may be compelled to learn more.  As I indicated in a previous post, my own knowledge of the issue is too limited for me to develop strong opinions regarding how this issue should be handled.  However it is my hope that our government will implement strategies that eliminate the harm caused, and will allow as many wild horses as possible to remain on open rangelands. 

For further information on both sides of the controversy, visit the official site of the United States Bureau of Land Management and the Wild Horse Preservation Campaign.

   

Current / Upcoming Exhibitions

Close-up from
"This Above All"

Some of you are well aware that yesterday was the big deadline for the annual international juried exhibition of the Colored Pencil Society of America, to be held near San Francisco, California this year.  Now for the big wait, as the list of accepted entries will be released toward the end of April.  In the meantime, I am priviledged to have work in three shows.

Michigan Colored Pencil 2010 is sponsored by the CPSA Detroit District Chapter 104, and is on display at the Lotus Gallery in Plymouth, Michigan.  The show runs from April 1 - 30, 2010, and the opening reception takes place from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 10.

The Michigan Fine Arts Competition is an annual, all-media juried exhibition/competition, to be held at the Birmingham-Bloomfield Art Center in Birmingham, Michigan.  This year's juror is New York state artist and teacher, Sondra Freckleton.  The exhibition takes place from April 2 - May 7, 2010, and  the artist reception is on Friday, April 2,  from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Finally, a show titled  "...Birds" will take place at the Hudson Gallery in Sylvania, Ohio, from April 24 through the end of May, 2010.  This is an all media exhibit which will focus on........well.......birds.  The artist reception is from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 6, 2010.

Though very different from each other, all three of these shows have some great art and alot to offer.  If you are in their neighborhoods, stop in!

Juvenile Trumpeter Swan........revisited

After my return from the artists' retreat in Florida last month, at least one reader noted that I did not post the drawing I worked on over those four days.  At the time I was somewhat discouraged with the progress I had made while there (or lack thereof) -- and so had placed it in a flat file drawer, never to see the light of day again, I supposed.

As many artists realize it is amazing what a little time, and consequently perspective, will do.  After completing the wild horse image (now the latest object of my discouragement -- all I can see is everything that is wrong with it!), I pulled the drawing of the young trumpeter swan from its drawer and gave it a good look.  Amazingly, its not nearly the failure that I recall!  So I have decided to complete it after all, in time for the exhibition "...Birds" at the Hudson Gallery in Sylvania, Ohio next month.

The photo references for this young swan were taken at the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary near Battle Creek, Michigan.  The sanctuary provides the opportunity for photographers to get very close to wild waterfowl, as well as captive raptors that have been rehabilitated from injury.  As you can see, I used the grid method to lay out the initial sketch.  It is being drawn on Strathmore 400 Bristol with Derwent Graphic pencils.

And the recently completed horses image?  The final photographs have been taken, and it has been placed in a flat file drawer all its own.........while my attitude adjusts!  I will share the final image soon, as well as the story behind the two horses depicted.

Finally, I'm happy to report that I know for a fact that Spring is here.  I know this because my wonderful 86-year-old  neighbor, Wilbur, returned from Florida several days ago.........a sure sign!  Before you know it he will be toiling in his (very large) garden daily, and leaving gifts of vegetables on my patio table.  He and his lovely wife, Doris, are tremendously good neighbors.  I am always so happy to see them return, as it means that the barn swallows and warm weather are not far behind!

Wild Horses work-in-progress: "Broken Spirit"

Here a tweak, there a tweak, everywhere a tweak-tweak.............The piece I have chosen to title "Broken Spirit" is finally nearing completion.

However briefly, it crossed my mind to write that I cannot believe how long, on-and-off, I have been working on this piece.  Then I realized that statement would simply be an untruth.  After all, how many of you have heard me assert that I am probably the slowest artist in Michigan?...........and maybe in the lower forty-eight?  (And I am faster than I used to be..........) 

Over the next week I will be continuing to lay in and blend the pale horse's coat, finish details on the dark horse, and complete the layering for the background -- then its off to have it photographed (by someone much better at photographing artwork than myself!)    This piece will be one of two that I will be submitting to the 2010 International Exhibition of the Colored Pencil Society of America, to be held near San Francisco this summer.

Also this week, I look forward to beginning a small graphite piece that will be a companion piece to the graphite barn swallow I completed a number of weeks ago.

As always, thanks so much for stopping in.