Oh Canada!

We have returned from vacation -- we were "dropped off" into the middle of the wilderness in Ontario for a week of fishing and COMPLETE removal from the world at large. Right now I'm re-adjusting to the "real world" -- feeling way over-stimulated by traffic and crowds and general busy-ness, feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the stuff here in my own house, even feeling a bit cooped up by the fence in my own back yard. Tomorrow is the return to work, and I'm just not sure how THAT'S going to go... Oh my, but what a wonderful week! The only thing we missed were the family members who weren't able to make the trip. We nearly missed our luggage, courtesy of NWA, but that's going to be the topic for tomorrow's post, I'm sure.

I did NOT get much art done on this trip -- but I did spend a fair amount of time contemplating my surroundings and just how I MIGHT do some art if I wasn't on a rocking boat coated with northern pike goo. I took some photos -- got my sister to take more -- planned and thought and now am crazy to get to work painting some of the weird scenery I saw up there. I don't know if it can be done, but I'm going to try, so look for it soon!

Here's a cool thing I found out. There are some bald eagles here, and loads of bald eagles up in Ontario, so I've heard them cry before. The first time I heard a bald eagle call I laughed, it was so high pitched and rather wimpy sounding compared to a hawk, and didn't seem to match the bird making the noise. Over the years I've gotten used to it, though. But -- THIS week -- for the very first time, and I heard it twice -- I heard a bald eagle SING. Not call out, or chirp, but sit in the tree and very sweetly and seriously SING A SONG. Who knew?**

Oh well. I will be working this week catching up on blogs, painting some paintings, washing up some nasty smelling laundry, and trying to get some things worked out with Northwest Airlines (who, if you haven't noticed yet, are currently on my short list...)

** Ornithologists know, I suppose, and my mother knew, because she had heard it before, too. I can't find an audio clip, though!

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day morning at Knoxville National Cemetery, which adjoins the historic Old Gray Cemetery in downtown Knoxville. I had to go into work for a couple of hours, but did so early enough that by the time I got off the sun was clear up and beautifully bright, and before the arrival of the daily haze we've had in the heat this past week. This monument is known as The Tennessee Monument, The Wilder Monument, or the Union Soldier Monument -- depending on what source you use.

Note: For more information about the monument at the Knoxville National Cemetery, click HERE for a rather interesting history, and, amazingly, the only photograph of the monument I could find on line. I think I'm going to fix that problem, and will be posting a photo soon! If you read the information, you'll note that I took a bit of artistic license with the monument, shortening the tower by about the height of the figure, in order to get the bits I wanted to fit on the page. I wanted to get the top against the sky -- the arches with the door and wreath -- and, most importantly, the nearby bright red, white, and blue flag.

And here are some Canadian geese along with their latest addition at Norris Lake on Sunday. There were several families with baby geese, and they were so cute! Ma and Pa Goose stayed close by, and didn't hesitate to take turns hissing at anyone or anything that came too close to Baby Goose. Since it was a holiday weekend the lake was MUCH too crowded for our taste. Still, we went out to do some start-of-season cleaning and maintenance on the boat and had to take just a short run up the lake and back. NEXT weekend, if the weather holds, we'll be out on the water playing! I do love summer ...

The technical bits: I did this with 2B and 6B pencils in my new Raffine sketchbook -- the very large one (10.4 " x 15.2"). There's not been enough time yet to pass judgement on this sketchbook -- the paper seems a bit more textured than what I'm used to, but I do love the size! However, it doesn't fit onto the scanner, so I had to use the camera, and found that it's much easier to photograph a watercolor than a graphite drawing. I had to adjust the contrast some to get these to look right, and this is as close as I could get it!

Just Waiting On A Friend

One evening, as I was sitting down to dinner, this little chickadee came to the feeder outside the window and perched. He ate only a few bites, and then just sat on the perch, looking around for well over twenty minutes. It reminded me of the Rolling Stones song ... "I'm not waiting on a lady.... I'm just waiting on a friend..."

Anyway, I'm trying to see if this one is finished. Getting the foreground yellow flowers to stand out has been tricky -- too much "fiddling" and they blend into the background. What do you guys think? What and where would it benefit from a dab more work?

My original idea for this, by the way, was to have a very solid gradiated wash background. Yep, solid -- I wanted to empty space to emphasize the feeling of waiting. And I planned on a very neutral and light space, too! Unfortunately, I messed up the wash (experimenting with a pour -- sigh) and then created some SHAPES in the background when I tried to fix it. I was going to abandon the whole thing, but my WC instructor convinced me to carry on along this new direction. (Truthfully, I think she PREFERS this direction to the one I was planning! :-D

OTHER exciting news of the day ...

I got to spend the morning helping to judge and elementary & middle school art show. Our very own Diahn was the Art Fair Chair Person (hereafter known as the AFCP) and she did a fantastic job of organizing and pulling off what had to be a really really tough job. I got to help judge the older grades, so I wasn't forced to avoid bias for Derek's and Josh's work, which was great -- be sure to go see it!

I LEARNED so much from helping with this show! I'm entering my own first juried show in a couple of weeks, and now I know a little tiny bit about what judges look for. I know that it is tiring work. I know that it can be hard. I know that you have to do something that really stands out in the end! Hmmmm... means I need to really think about what I'm entering, doesn't it!

("Just Waiting on a Friend" approx 11" x 21", watercolor on 300# Arches hot press)

How to Get Into a Rut (And Back Out Again) part 2

(Feelin' Loon-ey -- colored pencil on color fix paper)

If I were a flower, I'd be a biennial.

Really. It seems like every two years or so, dissatisfaction sets in and I become very self critical. In the process, I will often quit whatever "arty" mode I'm in, not do ANYTHING for quite a while, then slowly start back.

TWO years are here now.

The Everyday Matters Group has been discussing "slumps" for the past few weeks, and it seems that a lot of people are experiencing the same problem. On the advice of several people, I bought Walking In This World by Julia Cameron (of Artist's Way fame) and am reading it. I've revolted and am NOT doing morning pages -- tried them before and they just don't work for me, but the book itself is a really good read. I've gotten loads of other helpful advice, and it REALLY IS helpful -- work smaller (like the example above, which is maybe 4"x6", or a tad smaller), change up mediums for a bit, try totally different subject matters, etc.

I'm trying all of them, but the best, most straightforward piece of advice may have come from Casey, who wrote:

"... As far as I can tell, there's no miracle cure except to keep slogging away -- one day it's over, and your work has improved all at once. If you stop working the game's over, at least for a while."

I think she's onto something BIG there. Maybe she should write a book, and title it "Slogging Away in This World" ...

:-) Thanks Casey!

And then there's the whole synchronicity thing ...

EDM Wings

A quick little study for a watercolor painting I'm considering. Fits right in with the Everyday Matters Challenge this week for "draw something with wings." All this painting and less drawing is beginning to take it's toll -- I had a tough time sketching a portrait (also as a study for the painting) because my drawing skills have gotten so rusty. Which clinches it for me -- it's important to draw SOMETHING everyday!

(technical stuff: Graphite & Cretacolor AquaMonoliths on Fabriano Studio paper with a litle water added)

Gossip

This still needs some tweaking, and the pinks and greens just don't photo well, no matter what I try! :-)
Still -- I HAD to do something bright and cheerful, so this is it. Sorry for the long absence, but I found I really needed a break from it all, including keeping up with e-mails, etc. and decided that I would just take the month of August OFF.

But now I'm baaaaaaack......

(technical details: watercolor on Arches 300# hot press, 28"x16")