Landmark Loss

Here's today's tragedy in our little town...

Calendar RR Pages

Along with my sketching I've been getting an altered calendar ready to go off on a 12 month voyage across the land. Had a lot of fun getting these pages ready, and am looking forward to seeing the other 11 calendars as they come to me to be worked in.

Jan 8

Saw parts of an odd movie combo... "Legally Blonde" and "The Shawshank Redemption"

The sketch of "Red" is sorta lousy -- proportion wise at least -- but I still think it captured something of Morgan Freeman's character.

Jan 7

From another movie about teens and dancing... "Save the Last Dance"

Jan 6

Day 5

reading, eating salsa and chips, and watching the Daily Show... typical!

Day 4

Couldn't draw fast enough to get more of the costumes from "Center Stage"... but I did get the one ballet outfit from the recital (or part of it). Plus the ever present Daniel hunched up in the corner of the sofa. Folds of fabric are still a bit beyond me (he's laying on a quilt).

Day 3

my kitty in the bathroom sink... and my toothbrush and toothpaste. The glass is like ones we used to get jelly in at the grocery store.

Day 2

Sketching from the TV is a good exercise for me I think as it forces me to get to it. The images don't stay around for too long, so get that pen onto the paper. Trying not to judge any of these sketches too harshly -- too much judgement is no good!

but of course my kitty creeps into the sketches as well!

New Year's Resolution

So here it is 2006, and thanks to all the encouragement of the Everyday Matters group, I am going to try and sketch something everyday... so I bought a pad of newsprint and am keeping it near the TV so that I have ready subjects.

So here is day one --

new journal - back to the land of composition books

I always like starting a new journal. Just like starting a trip somewhere, it is full of possibilities. In an attempt to use up what I've got before purchasing new stuff, I'm back to a composition book. I've always liked working in them. They are super sturdy, lay flat (I hate to fight with a book while I'm working on it), and they don't seem to mind getting all fat and gluey.

I've been trying over the past few months to concentrate on the visual rather than the verbal. For me, I was just getting tired of pages and pages of whining... so I told myself I had to express whatever I wanted to express visually, and if I could work words into the page with the images, OK.

So far there's not alot in the new book except for some pages created in response to the December gluebooks prompts... but I do have two "journal" type pages in response to my discovering a squirrel in my house last Saturday, and a trip to the local coffee shop the other night.

Squirrel NutkIN MY HOUSE...



Let's have coffee and talk (caw-fee and tawlk :0)

blanketed in white -- December 6

The photo's not that great, but the snow covered mountains, the snowy shot of Central Park, and the smashing furry jacket just came together for me.

all bundled up -- December 3

I pondered over "bundled" for a long time -- thinking of coats, and bags, and all things wrapped... and then when I saw this fashion ad, it just said "bundled" to me with the furry purple wrap and the big puffy bag. Found a screaming purple and green background to compliment her and I was off and running... It's a very simple page with just two pieces, but I'm trying to achieve bold statements this month, and this just seemed complete as it was.

absolutely beautiful -- December 2

This is one of those pages that created itself. I had ripped out the background from a diamond ad (or a perfume ad with diamonds, I forget...) as I love sparkly beautiful things. But it didn't seem to be enough, so I went looking for something to add, and came up with the giant eye. It has something to do with looking at me and like me, but I'm still pondering the message...

abominable snowman -- December 1

The text reads: "Didn't I ever tell you about bumbles? Bumbles Bounce!

It's always been one of my favorite lines from RUDOLPH so it seemed a perfect response to this day's prompt

I just can't help myself

So I never was a cat person, but when Daniel Striped Tiger came into my life about three years ago, I became one. He's just such a card. And he's making it tough to get out of bed in the morning of late as he gets on my bed and curls up on the pillow beside me and hooks his paw over my arm. Who can resist a sleepy little warm fuzzy kitty?

The Big City -- finale

had intended to sketch more, but got sort of overwhelmed by it all, and I'm not a natural sketcher yet anyway... but I did do a couple drawings on pages prepared with a color wash -- I watercolored the sketches on the bus on the way home -- hooray for the waterbrush and travel watercolors!!

the hats were on people around me as I sat underground at Rockefeller Center and watched the skaters outdoors.



My foot looks rather clumpy, but I was comemorating my tired and sore feet, so I'm OK with them seeming heavy... they certainly felt it!!

The Big City - Part 3

Most of my afternoon was spent pushing my way through the midtown crowds, or standing in line, or resting my feet when I would find a rare seat, but after all that fun :0) I headed off to the newly reopened "Top of the Rock" to get the views from the 68th, 69th, and 70th floors.

http://www.topoftherocknyc.com/

I'm not all that good with heights, but this was a view I has to see. I had unearthed a vintage picture of some school group taken in 1949 from up there when I was researching "Broadway Bound" this summer, so I was anxious to see it for myself.

http://www.treadwellny.com/NYC1948.htm

Had it been warmer, and had there been any place to sit down, I would no doubt have stayed till after dark, but I did manage to schedule my visit for sundown, which was lovely.

The Big City -- Part 2

So after the peaceful park, I headed further down 53rd Street to see what the American Folk Art Museum had to offer.

The current exhibits feature drawings by obsessive compulsive types who use their drawing as a way to channel and manage their compulsions. Quite intriguing. Also, an exhibit on painted furniture that was really interesting.

Plus, a collection of odd and wonderful things ... bread bag wrapper rugs, hand embroidered art quilts, some sketch books (many done by prisoners, interestingly), and I keep kicking myself for not pulling out my sketch book and trying to capture the evil kangaroo on the top floor (next to the angry monkey). They were very odd, large, carved animals and totally fascinating.

check it out if you are in the neighborhood: http://www.folkartmuseum.org/

The Country Mouse goes to the Big City - part 1

The library I work for sponsored a "do your own thing" trip to NYC last weekend, so I took the rare opportunity to travel from the middle of central Pennsylvania to the Big Big Apple. Decided I couldn't afford ticket to a show, so I would spend some time in museums.

But my first stop was a little park that I kept hearing about, so after being dropped off mid-town, I strolled up Madison Avenue to 53rd and had the pleasure of finally seeing tiny little Paley Park. Since it was 30 odd degrees out I was the only one there, but the waterfall was falling and the chairs were just sitting around waiting for people. I'd heard the park's reputation for peacefulness and it really outdid itself on this chilly day!!