Making Marks

Birds

Since the weather has been warming up this spring, I'm hearing and seeing more birds. I love them! They're so cheerful and interesting. We have several feeders on our back deck that attract everything from hummingbirds to flickers. When we are lucky, a robin nests in a small crook near a window so we can see her with little chicks in the spring.

I've decided to start drawing birds to see if I can make something I'd be proud to share or use in my art. So far I have made some progress. . . but not enough to post a drawing, yet.

We saw this African Crane at a hotel where we went to dinner in Hawaii (back in December). It reminds me that there's almost no way to draw a bird "wrong" as long as it has the basic bird features. (I found this same principle to hold true for fish, too.)

We also saw these bright cardinals along the beach. At first I thought I was imagining how bright their heads were, but then I got some pictures. They confirm that these little guys are as cheerful as I thought!

Spring Break

I love this gateway image. The Washington Long Beach Peninsula has several of these gateways to the beach along pathways. When I took the picture, I imagined using photo software (or regular old scissors) to cut out inside the gateway and put some funky image inside. So far it hasn't happened except in my imagination!

We will spend a couple of days on the Peninsula during spring break. I hope to draw a little bit in between other activities. The beach is a continual source of inspiration for me. From shell bits to sea birds to patterns in waves and sand, the beach is full of things that catch my attention.

As an aside, the Long Beach Peninsula has been accreting sand for several decades. The jetties built to protect the mouth of the Columbia River (boat passages) have redirected wave patterns so that sand has been accumulating on the peninsula, particularly the southern end. The place where this picture was taken probably was close to the high tide mark approximately 50 years ago. Since then dunes have been created, and in some places there are pine forests where there was ocean less than 60 years ago.

Embossed Metal Class

I recently took an embossed metal class from the renown Elaine Woodhouse in which she taught us how to use a variety of tools to shape 36 gauge sheet aluminum. Elaine is a delightful teacher who encourages student experimentation.

I decided to try the techinque using some images I've been sketching. The images are a combination of some Zentangle-type designs in a lanscape format. I do like parts of this piece, and I may try a few more examples. However, I think the designs might be better suited to a medium that incorporates more color. (I know the metal can be stained and colored with a variety of inks. . . I'm just not ready to buy MORE supplies right now.)

Scooter Update for March

Here's our little guy in the spring sunshine. He's getting better tolerating the camera, but I couldn't get him to stand with the sun shining on his face! (Sorry for the glare.) I wanted to show him with the sweet crocus in the picture, too.

I had him groomed last month and asked for a short cut. That was a bad idea! He looked almost like a Labrador retriever for several weeks. But he's back to his shaggier self now.

The news for him is that he loves a new squeaky toy that makes noise at the slightest touch. I'm glad to say he refrains from playing with it in the dead of night! While this new toy is a hit, his favorite remains the furry football, as seen here.

 

More Spring

These small daffodils are my favorite spring flower. The cheery, tiny blossoms seem to lift my mood wherever I see them - the store, the neighbor's yard, or at work.

Oregon's spring is unpredictable. Today it was sun-shining during a shower. The temperatures vary between highs in the upper 40's and the low 60's. But the little daffodils remind me that summer (and days filled with bright yellow sunshine) is around the corner.

Small Accomplishments

Most days I really like seeing the big picture: I like to strategize, make plans and figure out how to get where I want to go in different areas of my life.

Other times, however, I get by through seeing small accomplishments. Today is one of those days! If I get a few minutes to sketch at the end of a long day teaching, I'll be happy.

Counting the small accomplishments (and blessings) helps me see how they add up, too! That helps shift my perspective and I start feeling more positive about what's in front of me (such as a stack of papers to grade and the dog to walk and dinner to cook and . . .).

The next ARTitude will have an article I wrote about focusing on small accomplishments, what works for you and how to build on the positive. This is a strategy from the perspective of Appreciative Inquiry.

Black and White

These squares are another result of an exercise in the book, Finding Your Own Visual Language book by Jane Dunnewold, Claire Benn, and Leslie Morgan.

In the past I would have hesitated to create designs using just black and white. I was completely in love with and tied to color. However, after enrolling in the basic design class and being forced to use only black and white, I see that color can be a crutch.

I still love to use color, but I now understand that color can sometimes confuse the eye into thinking that something is a good design. There's no camouflaging a poor design when using black and white. The starkness allows me to see the bones of the structure. Now I know that color can flesh out the basic framework to create subtleties or ehance the underlying logic of the design.

I did use a black and white technique in the past. When I couldn't identify the problem, I would take a photo of a piece that wasn't working so well. Somehow the camera removed me from the piece. Then I would look at the image in black and white, and that gave a clearer picture of any design issues.

Spring Surprises

The daily walk with Scooter has helped me to see lovely surprises as the seasons change. The daffodils caught my eye today. In this yard, I love their brightness juxtaposed with the bare tree.

One of the other things I've been noticing is layering and depth. (Yes, this comment is on the heels of an article about my lack of depth perception!) As I really look at landscapes, I see the more interesting ones are layered with a foreground, middle ground and background. Many of you may be thinking, "Um. . . what's the news here?" However, I've been working on such design-oriented, flat projects that having engaging items in each part of a composition is a revelation.

This leads me to my next project. I will be experimenting with oil pastels and some of the pattern designs I have used in chalk pastels to create abstract landscapes. I hope to have some images to share soon!

Eyesight and Artistic Perspective

I went in for an eye check late in 2007, and the doctor performed many different vision checks. One of them involved testing 3-D perception, and it turns out I'm not very good with this. (One of the ironies is that I also test high on spatial abilities tests.) The vision test got me thinking about my art preferences.  I tend to like flat-looking images with patterns. I've never enjoyed making sculptural objects. I do work in depth sometimes, but it's layering objects to be seen from one angle.

Thinking about visual perception and creating art also reminded me about Monet and other artists whose use of colors became brighter as they aged. I was told in art history class that the theory is that Monet's visioned worsened, and he may have thought he was using the same colors all along. With phenomenon in mind, I wonder what my work looks like to other people.

Regarding this image - I've been looking for a good photo opportunity of wintered Queen's Anne Lace, and I finally got it! I love the skeleton look of the once-full flower head.