Drawing Marathon

Twice a year River Gallery School puts on a 12 hour life drawing event. Ten AM found 12 plus artists from New England and NYC lined up at our easels, shuffling palettes, chalks, pencils. With the first model on the stand quiet descended and the rhythm of the day took shape. There was music and scratching on paper and three very different models...they posed for quick 1 minute poses to "get acquainted", then a couple 5 minute and a 10 minute and a 20 minute pose. Then several 30 minute poses, until their 3 hour stint was up and a different model replaced them. I am happy to say that about 4 artists finished out the day. I was not one of them...my recent hand injury cramped my style after 9 hours, but I am all ready looking forward to spring 2014 to the next marathon.

That much time and that many poses lets one explore a new medium or a fresh idea.  I worked in charcoal most of the day, trying to express how I felt about each pose...and trying not to make the same familiar miscalculations over and over; trying to let the drawing flow out of me unhindered by my own criticisms and crutches; guiding with a light touch.

Our new cat

'Charley Parker' was adopted from Windham County Humane Society on a very lucky day in December. They have a no adoption fee program for older pets going to homes of seniors. They listed my cat at "over three"...his exact age is unknown. 

He likes to play with toys. He doesn't mind the dogs at all, despite the drooling, barking and nose poking. He seems to like all humans. And he is a very amusing large cat. Charley Parker is surprisingly dog-like; he greets us at the door along with his two canine buddies and can often be found lying next to them. He gallops on the wooden stair treads around our home, his large paws sounding like little hoofs. He can take a hint (don't walk on the keyboard). And, best of all, he naps often making him an excellent model. 

Our vet has put him on a "weight management program" (less food-duh) because he has no apparent waist! Oh, well...just like some of the rest of us 'seniors'. I think he's perfect. He loves lap-sitting. Here are 2 charcoal drawings of him and a pen and ink of how my other sweetie starts his day... with Charley.

Editing

The new year seems to be a good time for sorting through a heavy pile of twelve months of figure drawings. My teacher has requested a drawing or two from each student to exhibit at the River Gallery during February. I picked out my favorites as I organized the pile and taped them up in my tiny studio. This is the almost final cut - an even dozen (charcoal and one abstract pastel).

Editing is a skill in itself, worthy of honing just like laying a graduated wash. I am working on this. Don't you wish more people practiced editing? Just think of viewing all the photos your sister took on her vacation. I'd rather see the 5 really good ones; the ones with the interesting story or the beautifully composed ones.

So many considerations...I think my teacher will like this one. Maybe this one is too explicit. Will anyone else appreciate this one? This is quite a good likeness of the model. Those are not real criteria, in this case. I need to decide which of my 12 "best" really please me; which one is the successful result of my goals for that particular drawing. I will ponder this until Tuesday when I will deliver my choice for the wall. By then I may be able to articulate my goals, which right now must have something to do with 'expressive' quality, 'interest in all areas of the picture', 'mystery.'....

First Friday in Brattleboro 5:30 til 8:30 and all the rest of the month at River Gallery School of Art...

Barbara with a dahlia behind her ear.

On a recent trip to Pennsylvania two of my friends volunteered to sit for their portraits. This is the more successful of the two charcoal drawings. I'll try again to capture some of the charm & style of my other friend. My friends are good sports, besides being smart, confident darling women. This drawing took about 45 minutes.

Dozing model

Yes, the afternoon was hot and we were all sleepy. How do models ever stay awake, anyway? I was  almost nodding off and I was standing at my easel, moving around....a little. This is another vine charcoal on some mystery drawing paper that I found in my studio, made during my weekly portrait class at River Gallery School of Art.

Portraiture Class

The River Gallery School of Art offered 5 afternoons in July of portrait class with Jason Alden instructing. The class is full at eight students and our feverish labors are taxing the "air conditioner". We are all struggling with our own goals and abilities. The school does not promote one style of work over another. It encourages students to explore various styles and mediums and find their own individual method of expression. That said, we all worked in charcoal on newsprint yesterday. We were being encouraged to see the overall structure, proportion and direction of the face, skull, neck. This is my 35 minute drawing of the model's head. Having a few hours perspective on it makes me see some things I could have done better, but I still like it. I think I am falling in love with portrait work again after many years away. Do I have any sitters?