Monday, March 28, 2011

"Je Dessine" (I Draw) Show-and-Tell Mondays

Babushka in Holland
Seems like there is never enough time. Maybe it's because I daydream a lot or surf the internet too much or straighten up the house, or studio, or office too many times too often, or run too many errands, or have too many doctor's appointments. Sometimes, like right now, I just want to go live in Airstream. I'll just drive to some secluded somewhere: to some beach; some grove of redwoods; some mountain stream; some heap of desert pictograph-encrusted red rocks. I'll draw or collage or paint or sing or drink my instant coffee or hot chocolate or sing to no one or try to play the mandolin or stroke my cat or dog and just be. Well, it's a nice dream. I think if I wanted to do it I would. So I look at how I don't, and keep on movin' right in the moment, this place in time -- knowing that here is the perfect place for me to be.

The above odd joy of a little painting I did in my art lesson last week. My teacher said do a continuous line drawing of the model AND DON'T LOOK AT YOUR PAPER. Oh I don't like that. Talk about discomfort, Alice in disturbia kind of out of control. And just look at what happened: the black robed, small, petite blond model ending up as a Russian babushka! How did this happen? I don't know. But once I added the daffodils in front of her I thought, well OK. I made my teacher laugh. I liked that. Worked in sharpies, acrylic paints, and some aquacolor crayons.
 Drawing Zeus & House on the Pages of Trust the Process by Shaun McNiff
The rest of my drawings this week were done hastily at night while reading Trust the Process, An Artist's Guide to Letting Go by Shaun McNiff. A terrific book on the creative process that currently holds my attention like no other book on the subject. And since my cats seem to be consistently on the bed at night,  they consistently serve as my models. But the little, grade-school style house was a response to what Shaun was saying in the chapter "Unpredictable Magic":
"When a child makes a picture of a house, freely yielding to the impulses of expression...do we view these images of life as mistaken? More likely we enjoy the picture of the house within the context of the  fresh and delightfully expressive world of childhood. Imagine having the same appreciation for your own creations."
 Drawing: Zeus Squinty-Eyed

4 comments:

  1. Virginia,
    What a sweet painting.. Those daffodils add to that photograph...that pitcher fits as well. U definitely know how to make a photo pop.

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  2. Ma RĂªve ;-) is to be nomadic and in an Airstream no less! Great post.

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  3. I'm confused, that left flower is just certainly painted on there. Wild. And who's that flipping us off in back?

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  4. Illusion...is the master or mistress of deception, don't you think? I like dressing up things -- that's for sure. And koufax, don't ask the artist...she'll give you a thousand answers.

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