a lace shawl

where i've been

Other than Boston...well, just Boston. However, we moved from Somerville to Malden (farther out in the burbs, but still on the subway line) in August, from a furnished apartment to an unfurnished one. I think we're almost through scouting craigslist for furniture.

It was a busy summer, with fall going the same direction as I prepare for auditions, and my regular job as violinist/fiddler kept free time at bay. So, no new drawings or paintings, just some birthday cards that weren't photographed. I did manage to knit a few things and make a pair of much-needed pants. Photos to come when Matt retrieves the camera from his lab.

plant cities, another possibility

I really wish I could fly to Lyon right now to see this exhibit by Luc Schuiten, a Belgian architect. The link takes you to a French website, but you can hit the arrows at the bottom of the screen to see a sample of his designs. This is such a playful exploration of how the cities of tomorrow could mimic plant life, or as he puts it, draw inspiration from nature for innovation. Needless to say, as a kid who used to dream of living in a tree-top city (among other places), I love this.

sketches

After unsuccessfully trying to cut out some pants (short on fabric by 1/2 yard...agh), I did some sketching for consolation. These are in 9B pencil, my favorite since 5th grade.

landscapes

i got out my pastels and started drawing the sky after a storm yesterday, made a scene to go along with it. i also discovered the perfect way to go about pastel drawing in my apartment - it involves an ironing board set low enough so i can sit on my bed, a towel over the ironing board to blow excess chalk onto, and a wet towel for wiping fingers. oh, the challenges of small dwellings.

the road to boston - watercolor doodle this afternoon. (road to boston is a contra dance tune, for those of you who aren't on the folk music scene)

morning sketches

matt eating cereal

my mug of decaf

I went to a figure sketching session on Tuesday, which was tons of fun. Unfortunately, my sketch pad of grey newsprint with 9B graphite pencil doesn't have enough contrast to photograph well... Next time I'll take along some pastels and charcoal.

I've got an appointment with a prof at the Rhode Island School of Design next Thursday. Gonna do some show and tell and find out if one of their programs is for me. Excitement....nerves....anticipation.... I'm working on a new shirt and pair of pants, and hopefully they'll be done by then.

a little catch-up

Busy times around here. A few things I did between mid-April and mid-May:

My Scottish duo! We're quasi-named after a traditional Scottish dance that neither of us has played or danced before, but we both liked the name. The header thistle is my design.

Quick colored pencil sketch of flame azaleas next to my front door.





















I was back in Iowa for my older brother's wedding back in April. My younger sister sat still for a few minutes, long enough to sketch a small profile





















Standing next to my picture at the French Alliance. You can't see it, but around the corner behind me is a photo done by a new acquaintance. We met opening night at the Alliance and discovered we are both Mid-Westerners...she's a Madison import.

I did some other sketches, but don't have photos. Also don't have a photo of the dress I made for the opening night at the Alliance. Alas...I am a somewhat forgetful (lazy?) documenter.
Going to other things, in the Jamaica Plain area (of Boston) there is a place called the Eliot School of Art which I learned, after driving by on Tuesday, offers figure drawing sessions open to the public every Tuesday night for a small fee. Gonna go check it out next week.

an abundance of mushrooms

(well, they're currently invisible)

self portrait /cityscape

after waiting through five days of rain and a bout with a silly virus, i finished this afternoon. can you say housing shingles?

(abundance of sun today, so the photos is a bit overexposed.)

I did it!

In January I entered an art show at the Boston French Alliance, and today I received word that I made it in! I'll be displaying the entry called "pumpkins and shadows", which I drew with the story of Cinderella in mind. So for this event, I formally named it La Citrouille de Cendrille (Cinderella's Pumpkin). I think that name will stick. Anyway, now I have to frame it and do all that business. Hooray!

progress...

i expected to be finished with this by today, but i caught a bug last week and spent the weeekend drinking tea, popping ibuprofen, and sleeping. as always, click to enlarge...this looks rather funky in small format

mirror, mirror, on the wall

(click to enlarge...much better, imo)

the lounging guy

sketching while on the phone

(not always a good thing)

(sorry for the lack of contrast...it's all done in 2H pencil)



a few hours of calligraphy practice.
mm mm good

ascenders and descenders

she iz helping

new toys!!

The MIT Guy

j'aime bien les poires...

the pear i ate for a snack yesterday afternoon. colored pencil.

hemlock ring blanket

knitted lace. 4ft by 4ft. zoey was entranced by its siren song. poor zoey. (cats are delicacies to giant woolen sea creatures)

I love calligraphy, but don't have as many chances to use it as I would like. This is Copperplate script done with a speedball C-6 nib. I am happily getting a replacement vintage Gillett 303 pen nib in the mail soon (from a lovely new friend), and will have to rummage up an offset nib holder. But the lumpy swirls in L's and other letters will be so much more delicate! I cannot wait for the mail to come.




(A true friend is the best of all good things, and that, of everything, which one dreams the least of acquiring. Pardon my bumpy translation.)

self portrait attempt

bananas

can you find the face?
6B pencil and paper

dissertation fairy sketch

she tries to be helpful....

the sleep fairy

For a friend.

watercolor and pen on paper