Out sketching with Diahn this afternoon -- we decided to go downtown to Gay Street and then over to Market Square, looking at old buildings and more. We started at the sculpture of the Rowing Man* on the corner of Church and Gay, and then worked our way up Gay Street, along a couple of little roads, through Krutch Park and into Market Square.
In Market Square we only shopped a little bit (we're getting better!) and then went to The Tomatohead to sit outside and have a soda while we sketched the crowds. What a beautiful sunny afternoon, with temperatures surprisingly up in the 70's. A little known (outside of Knoxville) factoid about Knoxville's Market Square is that Elvis Presley's recording career was essentially launched from here, when a merchant named Sam Morrison played the recording of "That's All Right, Mama" through speakers out into the square. The response was so positive that people flooded the store to buy copies of the song, including an RCA talent scout. The talent scout sent the record to his boss at RCA, who bought Presley's recording contract from Sun ... the rest is history.
* This man is either rowing up out of the concrete, or hopelessly sinking into the sidewalk. It all depends on how your mood is. We looked and looked and couldn't find a plaque telling the name of the piece, or the name of the sculptor. I've searched on-line and can't find anything specific about it, either. If anyone out there can identify this, and especially let us know who did it, I would much appreciate it!
20 comments:
nice pages Linda, like the building and cafe that give a sense of the place and then all the little bits that caught your eye filling out the page
I just love these spreads, Linda! I see a new direction in your art, nothing I can really articulate, maybe just even more confidence? I don't know, but I've always loved your work and it is so gratifying to see it happen over time ;D.
Nice sketches/paintings. Is it comes naturally to know or have you trained yourself (through classes )?
This is a great sketchcrawl Linda! You and Diahn are lucky to have found each other. Love all these sketches.
Gorgeous sketches Julie. Great work.
Linda - this looks great!! I LOVE the addition of the blue! (Of course you knew I would :-) ). I can't wait to find out who made Rowing Man - what a mystery...
What an extraordinary piece of sculpture and your rendition of it is enviable, too.
Perhaps your local council (or whatever the US equivalent is) would be able to give you information about the work, if it is in public space.
Cheers,
Robyn
Scratches & Scribbles
It looks like you had such a great sketchcrawl, and such excellent results!
Oh, man. You women seemed to have SO much fun. Great pages with lots of texture. Did an especially nice job on Rowling Man, but like others who have written here, I like the little details that add interest to the pages.
Linda,
I have just started reading your blog in the last couple of weeks, I think your art is beautiful! I was looking back at previous posts and saw the picture you were working on of the fruit stand; did you finish it or is it still a work in progress? I just thought it was so interesting.
I think it is facinating to see the same but diffrent way you and Diahn sketch what catches your attention when you are out together sketching.
Thanks for sharing,
Tami
The "Rowing Man" is a sculpture by David Phelps from Norman OK. It represents a man rising from adversity based upon the depression in/and the dust bowl as he moves onward and upward.
Looks like you and Diahn had a great time.
Thank you all so much! Cin, I am loving doing the little bits! Laura, thank you for your steady encouragement -- I think there is a little more confidence in my drawing, and that maybe I'm starting to find my own rhythm, if that makes any sense? Kl -- I just started taking WC classes, but hadn't taken any since high school (many years ago) I think we all can draw naturally, and improve with practice (although there are a few geniuses out there!:-) Teri -- you're right -- I'm very fortunate to have discovered Diahn -- and we've discovered that we both love cemetaries, too! (spooky!) Shelly, Karen, Karen, Julie, Ken, and all the rest -- thank you for your comments! It means so much. Julie & Diahn -- I called the library reference desk and discovered the origin of the sculpture, only to look at the comments and see that my baby sis (the third Karen) had already found it! She's right -- the sculpture was done by David Phelps and installed in 1989. I'm going to try and find out more about him!
Finally, Tami -- you've busted me! I haven't finished the fruit market drawing, although it is very close. I need to drag it down from the top shelf, blow any dust off (if it will blow off of the oil pastel!) and finish it up. I'll post it when I do.
:-)
love these...you guys had a wonderful day!
What fun, wonderful to have someone to sketch with and play with, I envy you, it is so much more fun to have someone to pit yourself against. I love these and it looks like a lovely area.
Penny in Victor Harbor South Australia
wonderful composition on these pages. and great sketches.
Linda, your journal pages are great. What a wonderful perspective of Knoxville. Beautiful!
Beautiful drawings — What a great way to spend the day!
This is lovely and very different too from the others. And the blue sky is wonderful.
I don't know where I've been to miss these Linda -- but oh my are they fantastic!!! And you got to meet Diahn and do art together!!! WONDERFUL!! These done on Gay Street are so beautifully rendered and SO gorgeously composed on the page -- I'm marking THIS for inspiration!! GLORIOUS!
I am going into sensory overload! And I am enjoying every minute of it!
Post a Comment