Hi everyone! I’m sending you images of the school work from the studio. Every day in the studio (10am to 7pm M-S) there is much to learn and apply. The images start with my first Bargue drawing. It seemed very difficult at the beginning. Now I wonder why I thought it was so hard. I’m also sending snapshots of color studies, tonal studies, and my cast drawing. The point is to begin with two dimensional work and progress to three D.

I am also going in the evening to life drawing. I’ve spared you those images since they are nude and also, early times. Much, much to learn. I knew there were miles to go but had no idea there were so many wonderful lessons along the way.

Just know that, tired and happy, I crawl into bed each evening–sometimes without having the strength to eat. Now that’s tired. But satisfied.

Namaste, y’all. Wilder

It has been an interesting week. The cast drawing of Homer is at the top of the list. I’ve been feeling as if I am not learning as much as I did from Bargue drawings or tonal sketches. There were daily Ah-Ha moments with those. But talking to one of the instructors about that feeling brought on an Ah-Ha. The cast drawing demands working from large shapes to medium to small. Lots of patience required for this. The fact that I’m not very patient is no revelation. What is revealed is that working down to the details, backing up to larger, working back down to smaller is the process that works.

Working large to small, backing out, going back in does not create a Road to Damascus experience but is more like slow water torture. But recognizing the lesson and the validity of the method akes the torture out of it. So I have to remind myself that real art never gets easy. When it gets easy is when an artist is knocking off their own work or settling.

To me, the effort to improve is the point. If it weren’t for the striving, I could say I have enough paintings to cover my walls and move on to…what, sewing? Oh but then, I would have to learn to do the best couture. You get the idea.

As long as I am being philosophical, I will also say that discovering a problem to solve and planning how to solve it in the next project is as important as the compulsion to learn. It is so easy to get attached to some beautiful passage of paint, or a painting that turned out OK and get stuck.

Here is what I am telling myself today: nurture the compulsion to learn, it is the only one that is worth saving, and stay willing to do what the artwork needs not what my ego needs.

Don’t you dare remind me I said these things. Remember, I’ve already admitted a lack of patience.

Namaste, y’all.

I got a thumb’s up on the start of my cast drawing. That really puts wind in my sails.

But today, let me tell a bit about life without a car in small town America.

First, people are incredibly kind and generous for the less fortunate. That would be me without a car. Rides to the grocery. A trip to the fabric store. Wonderful. However, with gas prices soaring, kind and generous only goes so far. Add time to that and I can hear some think I should solve my own problems. I think so, too.

So a couple of days ago, I went with a local store owner to his house and drove his mutt of a car back to my apartment. It would not go over 25 mph so, let’s think about getting a transmission. Finding someone to work on this car, this vintage, and obviously bionic, having had many transplants for original organs…not so easy. So I decided not to buy this great girl.

But that aside, the car is now a problem. And that is the point of this monologue. Cars give as many headaches as they cure. Now, the car is parked by my apartment and the landlord wants it moved. Instead of solving my grocery list, it has become my list.

The good of this “should I buy a car” exercise is that it forced me to look at what is the real challenge here. Owning a car is not necessary, even in a town with no public transportation. Walking is healthy and lots less expensive than a treadmill at a gym.

So, my challenge is not how to afford a car but having to reinvent how to get groceries every time I run out of something. Now that I have named my challenge–an easy button for grocery shopping–I can really take action. There are many ways to solve this. I haven’t settled on what I will do yet. But what I know for sure is that buying a car is only one of many ways to deal with getting somewhere.

Namaste, y’all, Wilder

Cast drawing: small sketches first. Getting to know the angles. Thinking hugs and kisses–you know, forms and angles. I naturally draw small so small was easy for these. Turning the cast to the light and way from the light changes the look of it in interesting ways. Other’s drawings of the Homer cast looked sad or even demented to me. Maybe he was by the time this sculpture of him was done, but I bet not. So I looked for expression as well as form and angles. The position I like is a near profile pointing into the light. It looks to me as if he is interested or about to speak. After all, we have much to say to each other.

Actually, I have no idea why I have to make things difficult for myself. I could just have chosen the easy button and done the pose others have done. Sigh.

Yesterday I started the first full sized drawing of the Homer cast. If I don’t loose weight from this it won’t be Homer’s fault. Back up to see both paper and cast, forward to mark the paper and back again. Measure, mark, measure, mark. Since agonizing over the Bargue drawing of Homer and now the cast means I’ll have to marry him when this is done, I guess this is practice for our wedding dance. Boogie on.

I will let you know if cast drawing turns out to be the next weight loss plan. Look for me on Oprah!

On another subject, last week, I showed a drawing I did in portrait class (live model) to an instructor. The critique was rather cool. OK, she said, but not “art” yet….Then she said: If you’re interested in portrait, I have a skull if you want to do a crochet of it. “What next,” I thought, “She wants me to knit a skull?”

It turn out that Ecorche (a-cor-shay) is the name of a the very old practice of making a model of bones and muscles in clay. Lots online to see if you are interested. I’ve also been to see two different “Bodies” exhibits and found them facinating. God’s Ecorche. To see what is under the skin, all things in place, gives a very different understanding of the body. So. Ecorche I shall.

Meantime, I am hunting through boxes for the duck skull I found when living in Florida and drawing sketches of the squirrel one in the Ecorche room at the studio.

All along the way, I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing but just keep going. But a few ah ha moments are like cheese in the maze. For instance, the whole group met at a small museum one afternoon last week. As techniques and styles were pointed out and compared, I understood. It is so easy to look at something done by a master looking so simple, it is another to go do it. So just understanding the compare and contrast conversation was “cheese.”

Many of you have heard me say that the light reveals the object and also that the object reveals the light. Now, the objects I draw have also become my teachers. Not so bad to have Homer as a teacher. So tomorrow, back to the studio. “Did you miss me, darlin’ Homer?”

Namaste, y’all.

Wilder

A short note to get down my first impression of working on a cast drawing in the school studio. I was given “Homer” to do. I finished the Bargue drawing of Homer in May so much looks familiar. My first Ah Ha was how relevant all that struggle with that drawing is.

Yesterday afternoon, I set up an easel and cheap paper to make sketches of Homer. The task is to find a position under the light that is interesting and that I want to use. It requires all the lessons learned in the Tonal studies and Bargue drawings. I call it hugs and kisses. Tonals use underlying geometry, edges, values and seeing things in 3D or “round.” Bargue’s keep you searching for line, large connections that you can connect, so angles and lines: OOOXXX.

Even though the sketches are big picture ideas, it made me pay attention to everything at once and is great practice putting it all together.

As I was getting a critique, I observed that even as I turned the cast, I found lines that connected features and shadow points. I expected the instructor to talk about Greek sculptors. Instead she said: that’s how the body is made. Ah Ha. That is why, yesterday morning, on my first live figure drawing, I found those connections. Wow. Divine.

The other new assignment is color studies. Like the tonals but in color. I haven’t started that. It should be a nice foil for the cast drawing.

Today, I promise myself I will quit holding my breath. By yesterday late afternoon, I had a pounding headache. Oxygen deprivation by my own hand. Deep breaths everybody. Deep breaths.

Namaste, Wilder

On tuesday (may 27) the students at the studio/school made portfolios.  One of the instructors brought materials and instructions.  After a demonstration, we each made folios to use for outdoor sketching.  It is the basic book cover without pages. You put your favorite loose sheets of drawing paper inside and carry it along.

The suggestion was made that we could buy a used book and reuse the cover materials to make more of them.  I thought that was great so I bought a used book, took out the pages and finished the cover with tapestry fabric. Of course, I pulled out sewing trims, papers, glue, everything.  My whole little apartment was involved in one book project. Amazing how these little projects expand…

Lessons at the school are expanding. I am working on a Bargue copy, an old master copy, and tonal studies. The studies are painted in black and white gouache on watercolor paper. Each study has something different to teach. Each kind of work requires different ways of thinking. Just think of a day full of Ah Ha moments and you’ll get the idea.

I’m taking pictures and plan to make a portfolio cover to hold pictures of my cast drawings. The plan is to take a digital image of each step, print them out, mount them on sheets with explanations and thoughts about the learning, then put them in a beautiful portfolio. Should be interesting.

Picture would make all this clear so let’s see if I can attach….

Wilder

I was sure I’d write each Sunday.  This week, instead, I worked on a sewing project.  Here is the way it went.  I saw a pillow in a furniture store and really liked the design.  Gathers and braid, a center square panel, all put together to make a subtle but luxurious accent.  “I have material that would suit that kind of pillow, and in my colors,” I told my friend, Mary who works at the store.  So, I set my weekend sights on making the pillow.  Only once.  After an internet search and a call to my more advanced creative minded sister, Julie, I started in on figuring out the process of all these pieces.

Another call and Julie suggested I bead the cording that I complained didn’t work.  Only two full days of sewing, a trip to WalMart for more stuffing, an apartment that is a shambles, and voila! an almost perfect pillow, except for a certain amount of beading. 

Let’s face it.  It is a hobby with something to show for it.  After about ten more pillows, I could put a tutorial up on youtube.  Don’t wait.  One gathered, center paneled, corded and braid trimmed pillow is it.

Next weekend it will be boxes for art supplies.  Wallpaper on the inside, tapestry fabric on the outside.  The boxes are sitting in the living room waiting.  I haven’t quite figured out how to do it all but, creativity will have to be applied along with the glue.

So, back to the Bargue drawings.  I’m on my third “Bargue.”  Another student and I laughed about why we thought the first Bargue was so hard.  The first was a simple torso, this one is Homer.  I will begin a new drawing tomorrow so I’ll be up and out early to start.  I don’t know the name of the piece but it is large and probably deceptively simple.

It is amazing to learn so much from what appears to be a tedious exercise that just never gets done.  I am still working on my first two pieces at home.  The method and thinking are very different from any drawing I’ve done before.

I’ve set myself the task of drawing something at home every day.  Tonight I cleaned up most of the sewing things to make room for a place I can set up and leave for the daily drawing.  Much easier to do this when everything I need is right there.  The point is to do something small–start to finish–that puts what I learn to use.  Hearing the instruction and recognizing the truth of it is not the same as applying it. 

Some days I’d like an “easy” button that says: “apply.”   Or maybe just an easy button.

But, in the morning, when the day is fresh, I know I want to be able to draw, and eventually paint what I see.  Once I get that, I can put all these ideas that run around in my head on canvas.  Worth it, n’est pas?

Y’all write, call, come visit!

News from the Sandhills.

Yesterday I got sand in my sandal while crossing the railroad track between my apartment and the studio.  It is a trip made frequently.  As are several other trips.  Walking everywhere is great , the walks are beautiful.  The azalea bushes tower beside me as I walk under magnificent pines and magnolias.  All the spring flowering trees are competing for “best in show.”

My homework assignment is to do nature drawings.  So on the walks, I’ve spied some things I want to draw and gone back with art materials, noted some other places to work on later, and drug home some twigs and leaves to work on here.  Mostly, I’ve planned. 

That is because I’m busy from early morning ‘til late evening.  My apartment is arranged and comfortable.  I’ve gathered the materials to do some sewing—curtains, a bed ruffle…

Also, I’m learning the joys of internet shopping.  It is a spiritual practice.  Don’t laugh.  Do you know how hard it is to wait to receive?  I was used to a want-it-get-it-now lifestyle.  Delayed gratification is now my lifestyle.

Which brings me to life as an art student.  I was among a privileged few who were invited to the artist’s’ studio one day last week.  He is working on a figure painting, using a live model.  Swoon is not too dramatic  a word to use for the feeling standing in front of this work.  The group of us—the newer students—left feeling we wouldn’t reach that level in two lifetimes.  Going back to my awkward attempts in the cast studio (photo of me at easel attached) the thought came to me that I am only willing to put in this time and effort studying with someone who can do what he can do.

On top of that, he is an excellent teacher.  This is my PhD in art.  I’m already looking at the paintings I brought with me with a jaundiced eye.  The course of study is very precise and is meant to lead the student to specific conclusions and methods.  Somewhere during the first week, I stopped asking “Why” and started saying “OK, I’ll do that.”  The lesson comes with the doing. 

An example: In the first drawing, the gray form shadows belong with the white.  In the second drawing, the grays belong with the black.  I never knew that, never thought like that.  Where it makes a difference is in unifying the drawing.  And unity stands at the top of the list for masterful artworks.

I guess I’m trying to say that I’ve settled down into what can be learned or accomplished in the day.  Last week, I let my mind run ahead of me and start trying to get everything done at once.  I had to stop and get centered again.  Scattered thought accomplishes naught. I may just write that on the wall above my bed.

And seque….my landlord wants to show me the two bedroom apartment that is above me.  (There are only four apartments in this building.)  At first, I considered.  But then I realized it was more money for the same square footage.  Just divided differently.  Not good enough for another move.  I now have many things I can’t pick up.  Remember that my criterion for bringing things with me was that I had to be able to pick it up once packed.  Some things pushed the limit of that.  But I could and did move everything, first to storage, then onto the truck, then either into storage or into the apartment.   Then, I returned to storage, loaded it up and brought it to the apartment.  Next,  unpacking.  Enough of that, I’m getting tired just thinking about it. 

I’ve added a fabulous bed—the mattress and box springs part.  The head and footboard were $25 from the used furniture store down the road.  Closer to home, I bought a two cushion couch for $54.  Had to have it delivered.  Everything I’ve purchased for the apartment is used except for one lamp that was on sale at 75% off.  Still, it was more expensive than most other purchases at $100.  I’m sticking to my plan to create a nest filled with wonderful things.  Small does not have to mean austere.  So lots of fabulous fabrics, pillows piled, teapots and plants in the windows covered in iridescent copper colored curtains.  OK, I’ll make the bed and do pictures.   Just remember, I’ve only been here for a month so there is more to come. 

Until the next time, Namaste, wilder

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