Sunset over water

Abstract swaths of color that evoke memories. Watercolor on drawing paper.

Doodling

I took a break from fiber art to play with water and paint in my Moleskine w/c book. As always I'm torn between black/white sketches and color, realism vs abstract.

So I alternate and get better at neither.
But it's all about enjoying the process of creating.

The face is from a statue I glimpsed, then interpreted. The shadowing is random, using w/c crayon and water wash.

Just the middle of the middle

This is a scan of the center section of an abstract (a 16x20). Now it looks to me like Kansas grasses against a summer sky (my birth state)--but I didn't plan that.

Did you know the geographical center of the continental US is in Kansas? I was there in June, so the image rose to the surface in my painting session.

Process: Dr. Martin's w/c, some straight out of the dropper then washed with water, on 140# paper.

Fiber landscape

Getting an image of an item on a scanner is seldom a success, but here's a section of a recent experiment with freeform knitting. Just to say I'm still here making things.

Felting this (heating, matting and shrinking the fabric so the stitches disappear) is an option, though I hear white doesn't felt well. I'll try this again with feltable colors.

Catch that biker!

Chaucer likes to sit on top of the TV and pat the moving pictures. The time he was trying to catch cyclists was hilarious!

Photo in lieu of art pics. Will get the digital camera going soon on recent creative projects.

Hot cat

Is it ever going to cool off? Chaucer thinks his fur coat is too warm.

Checking in

This is where Chaucer goes when he's bored with the lack of activity around here.

And I'm doing summer things that aren't producing drawing. My learning time is filled with the fascination of new knitting techniques and construction (like entrelac, Moebius bowls and bags by Cat Bordhi www.catbordhi.com , afterthought heels, short-rows from both directions, reverse gusset and flap).

But I dare not turn this into a knitting blog or I'll be lost in the obsession with gorgeous yarns and pointy sticks!

And podcasts! Are you listening to any of the fascinating podcasts out there? Try www.odeo.com for one source of lists of them.


A picture of Chaucer exploring my art table, as it was set up last summer. Just to post a drawing-related pic, since I've posted so rarely this month (and feeling guilty about it).

egg and scribble

Playing with w/c crayons and ink in my w/c Moleskine. I like the paper but wish it were more square. I'm not into landscapes.

Fen and sock

Knitting continues instead of drawing, so here's a progress shot of the current sock and Fen, relaxing on the deck.

Mental space to draw

Multiple travels, family issues, and other activities (knitting lace, which is a huge challenge for me!) have kept me away from that playful creative space where I draw.

But finally today, clearing away physical and mental clutter, I took time for a quick test of the new Moleskine watercolor paper with Caran d'Ache w/c pencils and pan paints.

I like how the pencil line partially dissolved and mixed with the paint, yet shows the process, too. Blue and brown pencil with raw umber paint.

It feels good to be playing with art again!

Knitting little red sweaters

Part of catching up after being gone for most of the last 3 weeks is listening to the cool knitting podcast that Brenda Dayne does each week (www.cast-on.com).

She mentioned the Red Sweaters art installation that Nina Rosenberg is doing in San Francisco, Red Sweaters, to encourage discussion about war and raise awareness of the Iraq war losses (espousing no particular political view). Read the "about" link.

I've knit 4 of them to send so far--for me, this teeny sweater takes an hour to make. It's fun to make the stitch patterns different for each one. I invite you to see what this is about. I'm sorry I didn't know about this when we were in San Francisco. I'd love to have seen Nina's tree!

Home for awhile

Travel is over for now, I hope, given the huge delays in flights because of storms. All I did on my recent Kansas trip was pack and move boxes for days, helping my stepmother move from her house to an apartment. No time or emotional energy for drawing.

Color and line will return here soon!

Back again

Been traveling, went to San Francisco for a week, drew very little, had a great time. Just got home tonight. Leaving again in 4 days for Wichita.

No (drawn) images, just photographic ones and great memories.

Bluegreen leopard skin

I'm posting mostly so I don't get out of the habit. In my bits of unscheduled time I've been outside working in the yard or walking instead of drawing.

But in the piles of paintings past, I found this. A possible background for an ink drawing, but I haven't gone further yet.

Would make a nice summer skirt fabric, too. W/c on 140# Canson.