waiting

Two hours in the patient room waiting for the doctor. That's why they call us...patients.

Hey, it's not boring if I have my sketchbook. It's an opportunity.

the young Mozart

We recently attended a concert that featured the work of Mozart when he was only 16 years old. Even if this music had been composed by an older genius, it would still be amazing and sublime.

I drew all over my program while I listened.

february fog

My brother-in-law's pose here is echoing my own mood.

staring

The writer should never be afraid of staring. There is nothing that does not require his attention. 

Flannery O'Connor

My encounter with this old man would have fit right into a Flannery O'Connor story. (well, maybe not the gruesome parts)
I was visiting a friend on a hot August day. We passed the time together with me following her on her various rounds of the day. After we drove to a spot where she had tomatoes and squashes growing, inspected the weeds and picked a few vegetables, and as the day became ever warmer and stickier, we had to visit her old friend. I do not know how she had his acquaintance, but she introduced me as "the artist who is going to draw your portrait. "
He immediately found his antique hat to strike a pose. This hat was really old, like a beaver pelt hat from Abraham Lincoln days. I was more worried about how hot it was on his head as we were all dripping and sweating and he had his long sleeved shirt buttoned up. He sang old songs to me, and generally acted like a charming gentleman with lady visitors to entertain.
I think about the truth of what I see and I stare and I try to convey that moment in my work.

a man

"What's money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do." Bob Dylan

I can't agree with this clever quote. And if a man can get away with doing just that, he would have to be very clever.
I met this man while visiting France. I sketched his interesting face while we were eating a dinner that lasted until late on a moonlit night with lots of long conversations. Every drawing has a history, and can be looked at with the smells, sounds and flavors of that moment.

psychological studies and sketches

I am interested in working toward the goal of making these sketches more than an attempt at a likeness. I want to look at this person and try to show what is really there.

An experience that I am thinking of here is one that has happened more than once while visiting at the nursing home. I have found myself in conversation with someone who now looks quite differently from the person that they actually are or have been. Once I am engaged in the conversation, of course, I "see" the older person before me in a completely different light. The wheelchair and the oxygen tubes disappear and I only see the gallant war hero, a perky volunteer, or ultra-competent office manager who now sits in that spot.

I am not satisfied with my approach here, the drawing is not alive. My dear patient subject who sat for me was wearing her "Sunday best", her hair was just "done", and she gave me her nicest face. I did not feel like I got to the"truth" of her yet. There are many layers of faces that everyone wears, (oh, I feel a T.S.Eliot quote coming on.)
"There will be time, there will be time
To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet;"
T.S.Eliot: The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock

new series of sketches

I I am thinking about a new series, a new subject to explore. Portraits of people. People that are older, maybe, considered elderly and or infirm. I spend a fair bit of time visiting at a nursing "home" for elderly people. Most of the people I see there are not ever going to leave, this is the place where they will spend their last days. Some are worse by the day, some seem to stay about in the same position all the time. The staff at this facility are wonderful, I am so impressed by the love and care they give the patients.

I want to make my artwork about showing the inner person, the original, maybe younger self behind the wrinkles and aged appearance.

I did these drawings this past weekend, starting with a woman that I know very well, my mother-in-law. She has been my greatest, most loyal and supportive fan. I am grateful for her patience in allowing me to begin this drawing series with her.

fine students

The teachers and students at my school wanted to send relief money to Haiti after the earthquake tragedy this past year. They came up with the idea of a talent show in which nearly everyone, teachers and kids of all ages had a chance to perform. Of course, everyone had to contribute to a ticket to applaud each other as well. This raised a good sum of cash, and the evening was an entertaining success.

My contribution was to raffle off two portrait drawings. These two lovely girls were the winners. I had to work from photographs that I took. There was never enough time for me to draw them from life as I would have liked. 

people watching at the show

I enjoyed my time at the art show more than I expected.

(The larger figure on this page is my husband reading a philosophy book while minding my booth)

Talking to people about my own work is always enjoyable. And I can sit and people-watch for hours and not get restless. Here are some of my quick people-watching sketches.

All the other tourists

While sitting in the Musee de l'Orangerie on comfortable benches placed just for optimal viewing.

These are fast gestural sketches of the parade of people who stood in front of me and provided a constant source of amusement and very natural live models. 

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