A big celebratory HELLO to you on this most auspicious day in the United States of America. Sometime this morning I heard loud cheers, pots clanging, trumpets, whistles, and lots of hooting and hollering. I dashed out to my front porch to hear the most beautiful sounds of celebration. I live in a blue state, in a blue city, in a very blue neighborhood. I immediately knew the reason for the joyous eruption. I checked my phone. Yes indeed, the election had been called.
It reminded me of the early days of the pandemic when we would head to our porches at 8 p.m. and send out greetings and support across the streets and hills. Tonight there will be fireworks, I’m sure, and while I don’t usually welcome those, I will tonight. Hope springs eternal. In my neighborhood I can say people are happy to have a new head honcho. I’m thrilled about Kamala and Joe. First woman VP. Daughter of immigrants from India and Jamaica. I think she will be a good balance to Joe. Looking forward to hearing them speak tonight. I look ahead with optimism and no small sense of relief. Hallelujah!
I’ve been enjoying a serious uptick in hours spent inside the pages of my sketchbook. Committing to Inktober and completing a sketch a day really worked wonders on me. I think I’ve made more art in the last 5 weeks than in the entire previous year. Something shook loose.
I’ve been posting daily on Instagram, but not all of these pages found their way over there. At some point I will have to do a sketchbook flip through for my YouTube channel because there are too many to post here.
For one thing, I document nearly every ZOOM meeting I attend by drawing people. If I have extended ZOOM time when I’m not actively teaching in my virtual classroom, I’m drawing. I find it very difficult to sit and listen to endless streams of extremely vital information at faculty meetings. I can process everything better if my hand is moving at the same time, but the truth is with an entire group of faces in front of me it’s kind of irresistible.
For the month of November I decided to focus on portraits and figures. Loose of course, and mostly painted in watercolor or gouache. I added commentary to these…
I just got in the mail this very day a book published in 1963. Drawing The Head & Figure by Jack Hamm. If it turns out to be an invaluable handbook for your art bookshelf, I’ll be sure and let you know. I haven’t drawn many figures so I’m enjoying the challenge.
Few things match the pleasure of a thick-nibbed black pen gliding across smooth paper. Wyatt makes a good muse.
I’ve had some art ZOOMS with friends since my last postcard. That’s when I drew these ornamental squash.
Since the end of March I’ve been walking daily. Recent bloodwork and a visit to the endocrinologist confirmed what I already believed to be true: moving and eating less is really good for the body. I will probably never be slim, but getting off a little weight has had a huge impact on my health. I think the walking has made the biggest difference. I look forward to walking much more on future visits to the UK and Italy.
The canopies of trees I walk beneath are endlessly inspiring and I’m already thinking ahead to a daily challenge for December. More on that as it develops.
For now I’m happily spending time in my art room painting figures and puzzling things out.
I ordered more big brush markers. They are most excellent for coloring in quick ink portraits.
I’m hopeful that with a new prez, we’ll be back to traveling sooner rather than later. I think our reputation needs some repairing before we’re admitted back into Europe. The pandemic rages on, but maybe a new and improved coronavirus task force can get us on the right road again. Fingers crossed!
The sketchbook below was purchased on a cold December day in Venice, nearly two years ago.
Keep me posted on what you’re getting up to in your lives around the world. I’ll keep my face turned skyward checking for your smoke signals. I do so love getting news from afar!
I think I’ve mentioned that my old dreamdeep email is long gone so if you’ve sent correspondence to me there it will have gone unread. In other “housekeeping” news, I discontinued the comment subscription because people were getting hit with tons of spam. It didn’t make it to the actual blog, but it did wind up in plenty of commenters mailboxes.
Until my next postcard you can keep abreast of what I’m doing sketchbook-wise on Instagram. My link is down at the bottom of this blog. I post the good, the bad, and the ugly over there. And very occasionally something outstanding.
Blowing kisses and sending virtual bear hugs xoxo.
