The first page is my cat, Kisa. The rest are random images I found. Cats are an interesting subject with endlessly interesting poses.
It's taken me longer than I expected to get back into my routines after coming back from vacation. Life has felt just a little off and work has been a roller coaster too. So it was nice to come home and pick up my pen to a familiar theme each evening.
The first page is my cat, Kisa. The rest are random images I found. Cats are an interesting subject with endlessly interesting poses. “The universe is created for motion.” ― Khalid Masood I'm not sure what had me thinking of motion this week. Maybe it was the dashing about getting ready for my upcoming vacation or maybe the back and forth of the change of seasons. Last week was cool, this week hot, but it's the last of the hot weather for us here in the north.
Whatever the reason I hope you enjoy the sketches of things in motion. It's been a week of contrasts. Since I've been walking more I've had time to notice the details of some of our city's buildings. Not rushing through traffic or peering out the window of a crowded bus. The time and space have revealed an interesting history. One when buildings were more exuberant. Intricate brick work and elaborate carvings. Yet when I get home I turn to drawing flowers. Hard stone and soft petals. Brick and bracts. Monochrome and the bright colors of feathers. Even personalities were juxtaposed this week. The curious and enthusiastic up against the weary and defeated. Kindness and cruelty. It's made for some interesting days and given me plenty to reflect on. Another inspiration that time and space of walking has produced is my interest in the sky and clouds. I'm hoping to find some time to sketch and paint some cloudscapes. You can't beat our blue skies here. Maybe I'll bring some to you soon.
This week I drew what was around me. The ordinary. There's often beauty in the ordinary. “Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but it is the way of foolishness. Help them instead to find the wonder and the marvel of an ordinary life. Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples and pears. Show them how to cry when pets and people die. Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand. And make the ordinary come alive for them. The extraordinary will take care of itself.”
― William Martin, The Parent's Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents These sketches are from a series of some 900 photos of Marilyn Monroe, taken by Sam Shaw on a hot July day in 1957 at Amagansett Beach. Marilyn is reported to have said that those were the happiest two years of her life. Marilyn Monroe & Arthur Miller - At Amagansett Beach in the Hamptons 1957, by Sam Shaw I took a walk this weekend. After two days of rain we had a pleasant sunny day. Ideal for a walk in the woods. Governor Dodge State Park - Stephen's Falls/Lost Canyon Trail. Refreshing and inspiring. Here are a few of the lovely wild flowers I saw along the way.
This week was hectic, with a busy work schedule, a busy mind, and a long to do list. I didn't manage any of my long walks or slow bus rides to the office. I missed these breaks, my mini get-aways. I did manage some short walks on the path that winds through the hills behind the office, even catching sight of a deer. And I fit in a couple nice drawings. Simple ones that balanced out the week. I've tried adding a video. A little peek at a restful spot. Surely there is something in the unruffled calm of nature that overawes our little anxieties and doubts: the sight of the deep-blue sky, and the clustering stars above, seem to impart a quiet to the mind. - Jonathan Edwards It seemed like three colors dominated my week. Black, green, and blue. It's funny how you start to see something everywhere after you decide to pay attention to it. Black - Night walks. Bright clear stars, trees lit by the occasional porch light, and relative quiet. Frogs, water lapping on shore, barking dogs. So restful. One tree branch, reaching high into the black sky ran just along the handle of one of the dipper handles trying to draw my attention back up to the sky. Green - Warm temperatures after several days of rain is turning everything green. The grass has greened, early crab apples are pushing leaves, willows are glowing green-gold. Even a bright green door standing guard along the street on my walk home. Blue - Picked up a blue pen to sketch with this week. Who knew it would be so fun to draw in a new color. Waiting downtown for the bus it seemed like a sea of blue clothes. Pants, shirts, ties and dresses. I'm sure they've always been there but the color jumped out at me this week. Along with our bright blue spring skies and deep blue lakes. Have you noticed any colors dominating your week? I'm drawn to people with really expressive faces. I guess I always have been. This week I've made a number of little sketches of faces. Expressive faces. I looked back through some of my journals and realized that these aren't the first ones that I've done. Something about the emotion caught in a moment, maybe. I'm not sure why, maybe it's as simple as identifying with the feelings that I see in them. Whatever the reason, I have fun with them. And there are many more faces to capture yet.
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Beauty and InspirationThis blog is about my inspirations and my love of art. I welcome your reactions to my work. Archives
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