As August comes to an end....

I have reached a moment where many things are paused....I can't do much more with my National Boards until I get further in my teaching, and I only have one painting in progress and it needs drying time.  I am almost at a loss with what to do with my weekend time.

This week, at the Tuesday night life drawing session, I worked with acrylic paint applied to brown paper with a 2"brayer.  This first one shows Roy from behind.  Just before this pose, I did a painting that I didn't like, so I turned the paper over and painted this one next.  I don't usually paint on the front and the back, but really, it doesn't make much difference since these ones on brown paper are just ending up in my closet, rolled up.  I am enjoying the brayer work as it is much looser and organic, almost abstract.  It is pulling me into a new direction.  My friend, Laura, thinks I should come in with another media and fine tune them.  That's what I did when I learned the technique at The New Hampshire Institute of Art.  For now, I will wait and see.  Maybe this weeks paintings will get reworked.

This was my last painting of the evening, it shows Roy laying down.  This was probably my favorite painting of the night.  I am not sure why other than it does capture his expression as well as the weight of the pose.

I have been working on this painting of dad.  I haven't been able to capture his age, it looks like a young version of dad.  The colors aren't quite as bright as they look in this photograph.  The oil paint is wet as I worked on it yesterday, so now I am waiting for it to dry.  Next weekend I want to try and "age" dad, then I can continue on what I want to have happen in the background.

I managed to make 3 small collages this week.  They are each very different from one another and I actually had fun with each one.

The week ahead is filled with meetings, Rainy is coming for a visit, and I still have my Tuesday night drawing session.

Until next weekend....

Working into August

I have finished my first week with students in the classroom.  It has been exhilarating, tiring, and rewarding all at the same time.  I did go to the Tuesday night life drawing session at Stu's, though I was rather warn out.  Teresa was our model.  I worked with pencil in my sketchbook and then completed a drawing using conte crayon on pastel paper.  I wasn't overly thrilled with the way it turned out as I could have used another 10-15 minutes to really finesse the drawing.  This image shows 2 drawings I completed on the same page in my sketchbook.  With the first drawing, I was focused on capturing Teresa's hand and arm.  The second drawing was a portrait that really does look like Teresa.

Being back in school, I was only able to complete a couple of my daily collages.  It was difficult because I did a little bit towards the collages strung out over a couple of days.  I had a hard time getting excited by either one.  The first is titled "Lamp Light", it began with a stamped background to which I collaged on bits of papers including part of an envelope and a photograph.  The second is titled "Love is Everywhere", it began with a magazine transfer to watercolor paper and then I collaged a stamp, papers, another magazine image and a round metal piece onto the surface.

I also finished Mike's Box.  I actually finished it last weekend, but didn't get around to photographing it until today.  What is hard to see are the individual photographs that are contained inside the box.  On the back of each individual photograph is the year it was taken.  I used graphite pencil to draw the picture of Mike that is on the inside of the top of the box.  The feet of the box are made from the plastic cylinders that are a part of Mike's insulin pump.  I am totally pleased with the finished box.

Back to School

I have been back at school for a week now though tomorrow is actually my first day with students.  I am already tired.  I only managed a couple of 6" collages this week and today was my only opportunity to work on my tortoise painting and the portrait of dad.  Making art is only going to get more difficult to fit in.  As much as possible, I intend to maintain my Tuesday night life drawing sessions.  It isn't just school, I am also thinking about the time that I will need to dedicate to National Board Certification.  That part might not kick in this week, but I do plan to start on portfolio #1 "A Portrait of Teaching Over Time" the second week of school.  I can do this.....

I didn't photograph my sketches from last Tuesday, but here are my collages.  The first one is titled "Smile" the second one is "Just for You".  I started both with magazine transfers on watercolor paper and then worked up my images on the surface of the transfer.

I am not very "talkative" at the moment so I will simply stop at this point.  I hope to report back in next week with promising information and more artwork to post. Hmmm.