Monday, May 27, 2019

Days 599, 600, and 601 "Festival Days"

 
Every year the North River Arts Society in Marshfield, MA holds its annual Festival of the Arts.  I love the weekend, often calling it a "weekend away" without the cost of hotel. Years ago, before I was an artist, I used to ride my bike down to the Festival to hang with my mother while she painted.  Eventually, I began to paint, and to volunteer, and have now been the co-chair of the juried art & sculpture part of the Festival for a couple of decades.  I paint out on the street for both days of the festival, talking to old and new friends while working.  Great music, food, laughter, fun. Doesn't matter to me what the weather is; so I have painted under a tent while wearing a down vest, and pausing for a warm cup of chowder on occasion, or in 90 degree heat, and everything in between.  It is New England, after all. Here is some of the work I created over the weekend. I get fired up by the festivities, the pageantry, the hubbub, and the catching up with people.  These are my 599, 600, and 601st daily drawings created Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the arts festival.  Thank you for looking.  





Sunday, May 19, 2019

Day 593 "Table Top" and impromptu drawing lessons


 Last night we went to a family party celebration for my niece who graduated college last week.  We saw family on both sides, and some one was asking about my daily drawings.  I had my small sketchbook with me and some blank coasters, and was explaining the coaster art I have been doing. Soon, I had a 7th, a 5th and a 4th grader looking at my work and fascinated... right in my wheelhouse.  Turns out I had four blank coasters with me so we all did drawings on the coasters.  Children are so interesting, straightforward, and we had a comfortable place for them to take a risk.  We talked about building space and perspective and I threw a lot of well-deserved praise.  It was great! Here are some photos of theirs and my work.  This is my five hundred ninety third daily drawing.  As always, thank you for looking.  0





Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Day 591 "Coaster Art" ink & watercolor 9 x 12

 I recently ordered some blank coasters which I carry with me.  Sometimes, in a restaurant, pub, etc, where a coaster might be used, I like to draw on my blank coaster.  I usually add watercolor later from what I remember in the room, and what I want to convey.  Here is a painting of me adding the watercolor to one of my coasters.  It was an interesting exercise, drawing the coaster, which is a drawing.  The other photos here are of the finished coaster itself, from a lunch last month at MJ Smiths on East 45th Street in New York.  There is also a photo I took from inside the pub while I was drawing. 
This is my five hundred ninety-first daily drawing.  As always, thank you for your interest, and your comments.  You know I love them.

Monday, May 06, 2019

Day 581 "Low Tide" watercolor and ink - gray day in Scituate Harbor


The days have been gray for weeks... spring is slowly revealing itself, and will burst forth if and when the sun returns.  Today I spent some time in Scituate Harbor.  It was gray, but pleasant, with people walking by with their dogs.  There was one particular clump in front of me that was especially fascinating to each and every dog.  It occurred to me that each dog's human had no idea this was a special patch.  But, the dogs knew, and I knew... our little secret.  
The fishing boats in the harbor were below the walkway with the tide, but I liked the variety of horizontals with walk, fence, boats, reeds, wires, one above the other.  This is my five hundred eighty-first daily drawing.  Thank you for your continued interest and comments on my work.  

Wednesday, May 01, 2019

Day 577 "Back of the Room" pen and ink on sticky notes

Once a month our students have a half day and we use the afternoon as Professional development time.  It's amazing how tough it is to find time with all the staff or some of the staff together to collaborate.   We started with an all staff budget meeting, then broke into groups of 10 or so to discuss our school mission statement written 5 years ago, to compare it against our school today as it has grown and evolved.  I enjoyed my group of colleagues, staff from kindergarten up through high school; some content teachers, Learning Services, school counseling... very different and valuable points of view.  For our initial meeting,  I sat half way back, and had time for my daily drawing, but only found a pad of sticky notes in my pocket.... so I used them to draw the crowd in front of me.  I liked the overlapping body shapes in layers as the crowd moved forward.  
This is my five hundred seventy-seventh daily drawing.  Thank you for your continued interest and your comments.  I appreciate it all.