Carolina's Boots

Last week we worked on drawing the teacher's boots.  It seems like a simple subject, but it was very challenging!  I feel like I want to complete it, but don't know if I will.  I would have to work from a photograph, and I have come to hate doing that.  My teacher, by the way, is Carolina Mayorga.  She pushes us to be accurate in the drawings.  The darks are from graphite, which I dampened.

It took me almost a week to post this because I have had company, which has been lots of fun.  If I do any more work on this, I will post it.

Drawing class Week 2

This was my second week of drawing class at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop.  Last week we did a one-hour drawing of a cardboard box, and I didn't post that because I thought it was dull...but the drawing process was good and challenged us on perspective and texture.  I posted my first gesture drawing of some flowers instead, and.I was happy with that.

This week's one-hour drawings were of yarn or cord.  I chose a ball of yarn, but was thinking---another boring project!  Why did I sign on for this?  I mean, I can do it--but why?  I made a little loop on the front to at least add some interest and then set to work because that is what I was there for.

Well, by the end of the class I have a whole new attitude about drawing yarn.  I am not completely satisfied with this drawing, and would have needed a few more hours to finish it.  I may have overworked it.  As it was, I chose to give the loop emphasis and to briefly sketch the rest.  With more time, I may have built more of a diagonal leading to the loop.  I am very happy with the appearance I was able to get of the softness of the yarn itself....so, with more time, I may have instead softened the specific threads around the loop.  Lots to think about.  Drawing yarn is not boring, and I am happy to get back into drawing!  By the way, size is 18" x 24," so it is pretty big for a drawing of a ball of yarn.

Cherry Blossom Time in DC

I didn't get it until this year.  The cherry blossoms  in Washington DC are amazing---really, they are---but part of the experience is understanding that it will only be a few days that thwy cam be appreciated.  You literally have to make your plans around the blooming cycle.  So this year I was fortunate enough to be able to go to the Tidal Basin, site of the amazing cherry trees that were a donation on the city of Tokyo to Washington DC, and experience the beauty.  It was so crowded, and you hear speech in many languages, but it is unbelievably beautiful.  I had tears a lot of the time because of the beauty.  I am so grateful that I was able to walk around the Tidal Basin and appreciate these blooms and what they mean.  I recently had the revelation that the message of the cherry blossoms is that events in our lives are fleeting and we must pay attention or they are gone.  The bloom on these cherry trees are visible for a very few days.  You must pay attention or you will miss them.

Remember that.  It has a lot to do with your whole life.. I  have read haiku almost my whole adult life and wondered why the cherry blooms are such a compelling subject.  Now I know.

I did this sketch on a bench looking out to the Jefferson Memorial from one of many vantage points.  This one happened to have an empty bench, which was rare because there were many fans of the blooms present.  It's not my greatest work...but it will always have meaning to me.

Return to the blog!!!!

I began a new drawing class tonight, and I am inspired to return to the blog.  Informally, it will now be known as Plum Gallery East, because I am in Washington DC.  This drawing is certainly not the best of my work (and my photo doesn't help) but I am proud of getting back into drawing from life.  I just haven't been doing it, and this was my first attempt tonight.  Recently, I took a few classes in Alexandria where we painted from photos.  The teacher was very good, and I loved the whole setting, but I need to get back into the sketching/drawing routine....and also to plein air, now that the weather is warming up.  This sketch was fun.  It is a one-minute effort....so it is very "sketchy."  I enjoyed that a lot.

The class is about a block from my house!  Some people would say less, but I say it is two half-blocks, meaning one block.  The teacher is great.  We actually did quite a bit of practice on perspective by drawing a cardboard box.  That was fun, too.  Plus, we could enjoy wine while drawing.  It may not get any better than this....though my plan is for my drawing to get better.