A few weeks ago I took on the #100peopleinaweek challenge. Some of my drawings are from photos, but many of the people are those I saw out in public, such as the first drawing above, from the Arnold Arboretum. What a beautiful day for walking with my daughter. You can also see my drawing from inside our church sanctuary, and inside the Museum of Fine Arts. It was a great exercise, and I plan to do more.
Sunday mornings, I usually sit in the same pew in church. New North Church in Hinhgam has the oldest pews in town. They are labeled with the original pew holders' names, including Benjamin Lincoln, Revolutionary War hero who accepted Cornwallis' sword at Yorktown. Today I moved forward one pew, and saw this out the window, through the ancient rippled glass. I drew while listening to a fascinating sermon about The Prodigal Son, where I always think the older, responsible son had a right to be cranky. We had a lively and interesting discussion afterwards, with a variety of points of view. Edifying.
This is my five hundred forty-sixth daily drawing. As always, thank you for looking, and for your continued interest in my work.
Today was beautiful. I pulled my car into a parking space along Main Street in Hingham above the downtown and drew the street, with my car window open to the sun. It was nice to absorb some Vitamin D, while looking at the sunlit buildings. I like drawing from my car sometimes. I have a bag, kept in the car with sketchbook, watercolor set, pencils, markers, small enamel water dish and brushes. You never know when you'll need it.
This is my five hundred ninth daily drawing. As always, thank you for looking.
Sometimes I get to church early on Sunday mornings, hang out in the parlor and read, or grade quizzes, or draw. This Sunday morning, the sun was casting beautiful shadows on the sanctuary wall I could see from my seat on the parlor couch. New North Church in Hingham is a beautiful building, erected in 1806. It has a long and interesting history. I enjoy sitting inside, thinking about those who came before.
This is my four hundred ninety-seventh daily drawing. As always, thank you for your interest.
I spent this morning with a friend from our church making soup in the church kitchen. We made a giant pot of minestrone, which we will serve as part of tomorrow's after-service potluck lunch. It was a nice morning of conversation and the sound of chopping; tomatoes, onions, garlic, celery, cabbage and parsley... all landing in a pot with white beans, water and chicken stock. We'll see how it fares over night, as we heat it tomorrow morning to be ready for a potluck. Our church picks up almost expired flowers and baked goods from the local Trader Joe's on Saturday mornings. Trader Joe's is clearing the shelves for newer products, most of these have a sell by date of today, or a couple of days from now. Our church congregation leaves with flowers and baked goods for themselves, or to share with a friend. Today, we had a surplus. We have a shelter in town, with mission of transitioning people and families from homelessness. I called them and dropped off a big box of baked goods, which I will try to make a regular weekend visit.
This is my four hundred ninety-sixth daily drawing. Thank you for looking. You know I love your comments, too.
Each Sunday, a wonderful gentleman brings bunches of flowers to our church, there for the taking, and we are all encouraged to bring some home. There is always a variety. I bring them home sometimes, the fresh cut flowers are a nice counterpoint to the gray of winter here in New England. Yesterday we brought home a bunch of beautiful, deep magenta asters. I chose to draw the without their color, loving the interesting petal shapes and the negative space they create, which I painted in the complements of the magenta. Can you imagine the magenta in the white space? Remember, as a kid, doing that exercise where you stared without blinking at a brightly colored image for a minute without blinking. Then, you shifted your gaze to a white surface and the color's complements show. I tried with this drawing from the computer screen and it didn't work... will try with the original drawing and see if I can get the illusion to work.
This is my hundred forty-fifth daily drawing. Thank you for looking.
Yesterday there was a memorial service in our church. Today, the altar was still graced with several beautiful arrangements of flowers. While listening to the sermon, I did a sketch and added some color later. I listen well while drawing, and have a 9x6 sketchbook with me at all times. This is my hundred eighteenth daily drawing. Thanks for your thoughts and your interest.
Most Sunday mornings I head to church early with my pastor husband, and have an hour more or less, while he readies church, and I don't need to be there. Sometimes I read, or grade quizzes, or read the paper, or draw. Today I spent some time on a side street drawing the skyline ahead of me; a church, a parish hall, the Square Cafe, and a few lampposts. It was a beautiful New England winter morning, sparkling air, no wind, about 35 degrees. Reminded me that years ago I was visiting a friend in San Diego in February. It was about 60 degrees. I said, "why don't we bundle up and walk the beach?" He said, "That must be a New England thing"... um. Yup.
This is my 70th daily drawing. Thank you for taking a look. I appreciate your time.
Here are six versions of the New North Church Steeple. I posted about the upper right four recently. My goal is to create a larger version which will be scanned and scaled up as a banner at the church. I used some tracing paper to transfer the smaller version of the steeple, trying four treatments, then scaled up mathematically onto the larger paper. The ratio is 2 to 1, height to width. I came up with a scale of 1 inch to 2.75 inches small drawing to larger drawing, then used that to divide the smaller drawing and the bigger each into seven horizontal bands. My seventh graders have been working on proportions, so this would be a nice problem to popse to them.
The larger steeple is currently rendered in a couple of colors of blue watercolor pencil. I'm going to apply water to make the color more uniform, then should be finished. This is my sixty-ninth daily drawing. I am getting a lot of satisfaction and a lot of positive feedback. Thank you for looking.
I am exploring some designs based on the steeple of the New North Church in Hingham. I added two more incarnations tonight. Are you partial to a particular one? Yesterday I drew the first two, and made a few minor changes to the blue one in the upper left. The design may be reproduced as the backdrop for a large display board. I don't want anything too stark, nor too detailed, nor too overpowering, yet graphically strong. Hmmm. Almost there, I think.
This is my sixtieth daily drawing.
I am exploring a few design ideas using the steeple of New North Church in Hingham. I am adjusting the design slightly each time... and will try a couple of more. I can see by looking at the two side to side that I'll make a couple of the following changes. The blue steeple has a ragged edge up top intended to be some of the light hitting the ridges of the dome edge. But, it doesn't really convey the curve, and looks more like Godzilla took a nibble from the dome. I'm getting there... a few more iterations and we'll see where I land.
This is my fifty-ninth daily drawing. Thank you for looking.
I am working on a silhouette of the New North Church in Hingham. This is close to what I'm aiming for. I drew the church in pencil, carefully delineating the black and white areas. Then I painted it with India Ink, which is such a lovely flowing medium. I like the design. It is the proportions I am looking for. I'm on the fence about the edge of the clock, not sure if it reads as I intend. I'll think it over, and there may be another iteration.
This is my fifty-third daily drawing. Thanks again for checking in on my view of the world.
Trying looking at some interesting angles of New North Church in Hingham... this one is a challenge, but I like the presence against the sky, which was crystal blue. The clock works now! It is one of four clocks in the town that were put in place around 1848. Back then, the town was responsible for providing timekeeping for the town, and installed clocks in the town. This clock was restored this spring; and I was lucky enough to see up in the steeple. Beautiful gears and mechanics.
This is my fifty-first daily drawing. Thanks for keeping an eye on my work.
My husband has recently been called as pastor at the New North Church in Hinhgam, MA. Driving up to church with him leaves me an hour to read, sketch, walk, even grade quizzes before the service starts. Here is a sketch from the car during my cherished hour. As always, thanks for looking.
A few weeks ago I took on the #100peopleinaweek challenge. Some of my drawings are from photos, but many of the people are those I saw out in public, such as the first drawing above, from the Arnold Arboretum. What a beautiful day for walking with my daughter. You can also see my drawing from inside our church sanctuary, and inside the Museum of Fine Arts. It was a great exercise, and I plan to do more. 
Today was beautiful. I pulled my car into a parking space along Main Street in Hingham above the downtown and drew the street, with my car window open to the sun. It was nice to absorb some Vitamin D, while looking at the sunlit buildings. I like drawing from my car sometimes. I have a bag, kept in the car with sketchbook, watercolor set, pencils, markers, small enamel water dish and brushes. You never know when you'll need it.
