Drawing Challenge: CokeCola

In this week's drawing challenge, our charming hostess Rachel of Hi Happy Panda commemorates her home city Atlanta, Georgia USA - birthplace of CokeCola.  (Who knew?)!

When I was a kid my parents were very strict about soda pop, which was considered a beverage for Special Occasions Only.  We NEVER hardly EVER got to drink CokeCola, but our cousins in Illinois bought it by the case!  Going to visit them in the sticky heat of mid-west summer meant being allowed to cool off with a frosty bottle of bubbly brown cola: HEAVEN! 

'Summer Icon' - Inktense pencils and graphite in 6x8 sketchbook

CokeCola still brings back many summery memories to me.

Please visit Rachel's blog for many more artists interpretations of this theme.

Daily Drawing

'Christmas Branches' pigma pen and inktense pencils in 8x6 sketchbook

'Take A Dive' pigma pen and inktense pencils in 8x6 sketcchbook

'Keep Your Eye on the Prize' pigma pen and prismacolor pencils in 8x6 sketchbook

Drawings from the past few days - hope your week is going well.  I am especially aware of the importance of friendship and family during this time.  

Thanks for visiting!

Drawing Challenge: Swanlights

This week the incredible Stefanie challenged all comers with the theme: 'Swanlights'.  What a poetic word, what ethereal music by 'Antony and the Johnsons' of whom I had never heard (but am so glad I did, thank you Stefanie).

 Last night I sat in my chair and listened again to the music, letting it dictate the image as much as possible.  Water media seemed the most appropriate, so here is what landed on my sketchbook page in inktense pencil, waterbrush, and gouache. 

I hope you can float over to see the interpretation of this most unusual subject by a number of very creative artists whose links are presented at Stefanie's place.

Daily Drawing

Recently appearances in my sketchbook.  I am working in an 8x6 Stillman and Birn 'Alpha' series book.

study for woodcut block - pigma pen

(I am signed up for a woodcut printing class with a visiting artist, Mete Hanson, who will be here next week).

'The Burden of Winter' - pigma pen and inktense pencil

inktense pencils

 'Totem' - pigma pen and prismacolor pencil

Flossy and I are taking the day off tomorrow in honor of the National day of gratitude here in the US.  Happy thanksgiving, all!

Post Script:

Pastor Mike wearing the new stole at PLC last Sunday.  All praise to our kind and loving Creator!

Daily Drawing

'Apple' - pigma pen and prismacolor pencil in 8x6 gamma

pigma pen and inktense pencil in 8x6 gamma

I am pretty much all set to hang my exhibit tomorrow at the museum, and excited to do so.  Always a new perspective to see work out in the world away from the studio.  I will post pictures...

DC - Pattern

In the midst of actual and impending big huge changes, I have been acutely aware of how much I value the anchor of daily routines.

Pattern is the theme Barbara Bee set for this week's Drawing Challenge.  I attempt to capture a few of my daily patterns here:

'Pattern' - pigma pen and Inktense pencils with water brush in 8x6 gamma daily drawing book

I hope you can stop over at Barbara's enticing and collage-filled blog to see the patterns developed by lots of other talented artists.  

Are you keeping to a routine these days?

High Summer (Solstice DC)

'High Summer' pigma pen and inktense pencil in 8x6 gamma

I hope you are not all tired of looking at scenery photos here in my little back water of Blogland, but I just can't get enough of this weather.  After two years of literally NO warm sunny weather, we are blessed with reason to remember why we live here in Southeast Alaska.

On the morning bridge

calm water murmurs memories

of last June’s floods

while birdsong chorus

lightens the dawning day.

Thank you,

most High and Glorious Creator

for Solstice and

the World 

full of

Summer’s radiance and glory

this longest day.

Thanks to my Bloggish friend Kirsten for this week's Drawing Challenge theme, 'Solstice'.  Beautiful images await you at her inspiring place, A Sunny Spot. Whether it is Summer or Winter Solstice in your part of the World, I wish you a week full of magic.

Daily Drawing

A little share of pages from my daily drawing sketchbook, which is an 8"x6" Stillman and Birn 'Gamma'.  

Enjoy!

'Unravel' - pigma pen

'Flowering Tree' - pigma pen and prismacolor pencils

'Angry Angels' - pigma brush pen and inktense pencils

 (I remain grateful to Lynne for introducing me to this excellent type of sketchbook). 

Influence: David Dunlap

The practice of daily drawing was one I first learned of in grad school when artist David Dunlap visited our seminar and impressed upon me the benefit of this ritual.
Although I have not always been true to this goal in the (many) intervening years, I have made  drawing a part of my daily routine as important as brushing my teeth since participating in the Sketchbook Project in 2010.
Here are a few of my drawings from the past week:

water color, metallic watercolor and water soluable pencil

inktense pencils and water soluable pencil

pigma pen, inktense pencils and watercolor pencils

These are all  drawn in an 8"x6" Stillman & Birn 'gamma' sketchbook. 

Happy mid-week to you, dear Reader.

Daily Drawing

pigma pen in 8x6 gamma

pigma pen and inktense pencils in 8x6 gamma

pigma pen and inktense pencils in 8x6 gamma

pigma pen with intense pencils and white gel pen in 8x6 gamma

I offer a glimpse into some of the drawings done last week in Denver for your consideration today.  I purchased a pigma pen with a thick, brush-like tip as well as a felt-tip style one called a 'Graphic', and am enjoying the variety of line weight these additions to my pen arsenal afford.

Off to the Might Mighty Day Job, one more day and then the studio at last tomorrow!  Happy day to you, Dear Readers.

DC - Egg (back home again)

Apologies to fellow DC'ers for being late in posting my Egg images, but travel back to our island interrupted my regular schedules over the weekend.  At last I am home again; here are two takes on the Egg theme presented us by Norma.

Fresh eggs at my friend Polly's kitchen, hard boiled for our luncheon salad.

Thinking about eggs in my 8x6 gamma with pigma pen and inktense pencils

There are a nest full of eggs for you to consider, linked at Norma's egg-cellent blog.

Blessings to you as Holy Week begins, and a Happy Easter to all!

DC - Willow

The breath of spring

calls a very special willow

to venture forth

on our fair Island.

'Pussy Willow' - pigma 'brush' pen and Inktense pencils in 8x6 gamma sketchbook

Our willow theme, brought to us by a very special Blogland friend and painter, Carole, also made me think of my favorite kind of furniture: the kind constructed of branches.  (So of course I had a go at drawing that, too)!

'Willow Chair' - Inktense pencils in 8x6 gamma

Have a seat while you wander through the willows over at Carole's exciting blog.

Girl & Gramma, Woods & Wolf

I read the story again.  There are several versions.  In all of them, the Wolf gets the short shaft.  

Little Red Riding Hood on the way to Gramma's, watched by the Wolf, stage right.

(Both drawings here are Derwent ' Inktense' watercolor pencils and Tinted Charcoal in 8x6 Epsilon)

The Wolf beats LRRH to G'mas, eats her up and hops into her bed to trick the girl and eat up her, too, but a Woodsman intervenes to the Wolf's detriment.

 

Flossy does not approve.

The story of Little Red Riding Hood is illustrated by many other wonderful artists linked over at Patrice's, who brought us this challenge.

Versatile Drawing

It's been some time since I posted any of my drawings...

...mostly because the drawings have been...

...too much outpouring my guts...

...diary rather than journal or painting.

Today I snapped the ones that seem safe to share with all.

Do you use drawing as a way to process your worries and fears?  I find it very helpful, myself.  Versatile drawing!  Much to be grateful for!

Drawing Challenge - Circus

Miss Gloria and her wonder horse, Trixie, appeared in my sketchbook this week in response to thoughts about the Big Top.  At one time in my life, owning a horse trumped all other desires.  And of course, I would love to join the circus. 

Inktense watercolor pencils and Pigma pen in 8"x6" gamma

Thank you to the amazing Helen at Objects of Whimsey for this star-studded challenge.  Much more circus action over there - go have a look!