Teacher Recognition

Such patient teachers my paintings are. 

I flop all over the place doing mental gymnastics, stumbling my way through the ongoing learning process, but my paintings are ever patient—

    unconditional, 

    receptive, 

    open to my every move, 

    unattached to outcome, 

    in attunement with the vibrational frequency of whatever emerges, 

    in for a penny in for a pound, 

    unwaveringly imperturbable, and 

    invitingly tranquil.

I am tremendously grateful.

---

Finally circled back to a start from four weeks ago (when I stated that I'd return to it the following day!):

Altogether Alive, Marveling at Every Simple Thing
8.5 x 11; acrylic, ink, oil pastel, and pigment stick
on drawing paper
pondscape
2022

Faces 1

Blind contour hilarity on top of chaos layers!

Letting go, letting in!

Ferocious facial fun!

works in progress:

Blind Contour 2

• look only at still life, not at paper

• use non-dominant hand

• use Flair felt-tip marker (thinner than Sharpie of yesterday)

• hold marker loosely at top end

• do not lift marker from page

• draw for only 90 seconds

Gifts of limits: playfulness, surprise, engagement with the physicality of drawing, primitive linework, presence.

exercise: blind contour drawing
9 x 12"; Flair felt-tip marker on drawing paper
2021

Blind Contour

I invite myself to become a camera. An olive green ceramic pitcher sits before me with a potted plant set in it, a plant whose name escapes me if ever I knew it to begin with. I hold a Sharpie pen loosely, with my fingers as far away from its nib as possible. I press the pen lightly to a sheet of blank paper at my side and then look straight ahead at only the still life. I mentally pretend to run a finger around the edges of each part of the pitcher and plant while letting the pen come to life to enact that pretense.

How can I possibly put into words the magic that takes place? My eyes receive information from across a table, the information zips through neurons and synapses and who knows what else in my brain, my brain transmits signals to my pen-holding hand, my hand moves around the page.

In this way I 'take a picture.'

I am in awe.

Truly.

I love the exquisite intersection of intention and imprecision implicit in blind contour drawing. Is this an opportunity to let go so as to let in, or what!

Thank you, Amanda Evanston, for offering a class that feels just right for right now—self-paced lessons to open doors to new art adventures!

exercise: blind contour drawing
9 x 12"; Sharpie pen on drawing paper
2021

 

Chaos, Sweet Chaos

I spent yesterday painting base chaos layers to get energy flowing and activate sheets of drawing paper—starts for twelve separate paintings, ten of which are featured here.

Chaos, sweet chaos!