Sketchbook Selfies

 

I completed a sketchbook today, and began a new one. My tradition is to both end and begin a sketchbook with a self portrait. It is my way of ‘checking in’ with myself, documenting what I am doing, the materials I’m interested in or trying out, and in many ways, how I’m feeling.

The sketch above is the last page in my sketchbook. The image is a memory of a day with my son, daughter-in-law, and 2 of my grandkids. We went through a large maze together. This sketch also includes me in my favorite black jacket; the one I wore in Paris, but now seem to have lost somewhere. As with most of my sketches these days, I do not strive for realism, but to capture a feeling. I used gouache and colored pencils for this sketch. The sketchbook was put on my studio shelf, joining 34 other filled sketchbooks (not including my travel sketchbooks.)

I was happy to be done with that sketchbook, and to start a new one, which is larger and has better paper. I recently got a set of oil pastels, and was anxious to try them out, so the selfie in the new sketchbook is an experiment with them. I wanted to see if I could blend them, and if other media (colored pencils, watercolor, gouache, marker) would work with them. As my daffodils are blooming, I stuck a few in my hand. Everything I tried with the pastels did what I wanted it to do. So I’m pretty happy to add them to my media cupboard! I have also found that I do enjoy working in a larger sketchbook, so I plan to have a lot of fun experimenting in this one! 

These selfies sometimes feel a bit ‘self indulgent,’ but, as I have also done a series of self portrait tapestries, one of the sketches may inspire a small tapestry. 

Living in the Chaos!

Murphy, 11 weeks old

Yes, living with an 11 week old yellow lab is chaotic, and that’s not going to change for a good while. Living in the US with leaders who are either certifiably crazy, or afraid of the ones that are crazy, has become pretty chaotic as well. I’ve been doing my best to not add to the chaos, even if I can’t escape it completely. 

It’s well documented that creativity helps us deal with stressful situations. So I’ve been trying to create, whether or not I feel creative. I have had a linen warp on my 4-harness loom for several years, with a plan to weave some old rug yarn into rugs. I finally did that! I did 2 simple twill rugs, not using up nearly enough of my stashed rug yarn. So yesterday I pulled out a couple of large containers from my yarn closet (this is where non-tapestry yarn is stored) and put together a dozen bags of knitting wool to take to my local ARC. More will be going soon!

A few recent pages from my sketchbook

I have been taking frequent walks through the neighborhood, as well as sketching. What I see on my walks often ends up in my sketchbook. Because of the National news, which is always bad these days, I am avoiding most online news and also social media, where everyone is in a constant (and understandable) state of dismay about the National disorder.

I did recently cut off a large tapestry so my Shannock studio loom is empty. I’m not sure what will come next with my weaving, but, in the meantime, I hope to do a bit of painting. The new tapestry is below, and it is titled “Letting Go.”

‘Letting Go’ 32x32”

 

A Bit Blah-Zee

I don’t know if you know the Larkins, of The Darling Buds of May, by H.E. Bates (also several TV series,) but Pop Larkin notes that Ma is ‘blah-zee’ and needs a break from things. Today, I feel definitely blahzee. 

We’ve had a pretty wild bit of time since the holidays. We went to Boston and back on the train shortly after New Years; we continue to witness the unraveling of our country under the new administration; we had about half the interior of our house and part of the exterior painted, which of course required total dismantling of all of the house; and we got an 8-week old yellow lab puppy.

Yes, he’s adorable, but he also can be a handful!

On top of all this stress, I completed weaving a tapestry that has been on my Shannock loom for a number of months. This morning, as I was feeling especially blahzee, I realized that this last thing, the completion of a long term creative project, is probably the main reason I am so low in energy and interest in things. I always feel this way after completing a large tapestry. It is a common thing for artists, and some compare it to ‘post partum blues.’

I have the tapestry trimmed, blocked, and am working on the lining. I want to do a bit of painting, sketching and designing now, but my studio is a total wreck, with piles of stuff from the house painting project in there, as it was a room not painted. And I’m just too blahzee to do anything about it today. Maybe tomorrow.

PS. I looked up the definition of ‘blasé’ which was what Pop was meaning, and it says to be blasé is to be apathetic to pleasure or excitement; to be world weary.

PS2: I am definitely world weary!