Various offerings from the past week

Good Pig

Out and about with my moleskine

At a meeting, various items on the table and a co-worker

Delicious cherries from a co-worker. The background is painted with juice from the cherries.

Out and about with my new moleskine

Audience member during the pre-show lecture

Audience members waiting outside and musicians (top drawing) doing a pre-show lecture

Audience members at a concert, left waiting outside, right waiting for the concert to begin

Out and about

Started my new small moleskine

It's not happening at the zoo

I tried to draw the goats while at the zoo (below) then drew the guy above from a photo when I got home. A very disappointing trip to the zoo.

Out and about on Sunday with my moleskine

First stop on Sunday was at church where it was pet blessing day. This is Bogart. More on this tomorrow.

Then it was back to Portland Center Stage to see Storm Large in Crazy Enough for the second time. I would tell you again to go see it, don't miss it!, but I think it may be sold out again. But try to see it. It is an amazing play.

Above is a man in the lobby of PCS where I was waiting to see Crazy Enough . Below are more drawings of people in the lobby. The feet below were part of the audience. This whole row was women in sandals with painted red toenails. I wish I had had the guts to pull out my camera and get a picture.

Below is the part of the stage. I would love to have been able to sketch the musicians and Storm but haven't figured out a way to sketch during a play.

Out and about with my moley

Audience members at a local production of a Little Night Music. I tried to draw the orchestra but that didn't work. I thought about trying to sketch the actors because the costumes were fabulous. But it was way too dark in the theater...of course....

Out and about with my moley

Another concert, another feeble attempt to draw in public.

A violionist

The orchestra and audience members

A 16 year old guest violionist

Sunday

So I went to hear the sermon at this church on Sunday because the email about it said that Kathleen was going to talk about a fairy forest she found while in Ireland. Well, it wasn't what I expected at all. So much for truth in advertising! It was an enjoyable sermon but I didn't hear a thing about fairies! I don't even think she believes in fairies, which is surprising since she is a celtic teacher.

The audience. I realize I am drawing too many audiences. Time to move on.

Draw a Car

I was waiting for my car to have its oil change and decided to bite the bullet and draw a car. I looked on the EDM list and actually couldn't find draw a car. Anyway, I am sad that my dealer might not be here in three months. I love having my car serviced at my dealer. The idea that they might disappear is very hard for me. I have had Saturns for almost 18 years now. Their customer service has been the best. I am very unhappy with this scan. I don't know why I keep getting these dark spots when I scan my moleskine sketchbook. It seems to be only happening on the large one. I tried several times but still kept getting the dark spots.

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Thanks to those who responded from EDM as to what to do. This is a better scan but I am still having the same trouble. I leaned on it but still got one bad spot but not nearly as bad as before.
After four tries I just have to back off!! Thanks!

Portland State University/Ooligan Write to Publish Conference

I spent all day Friday at Portland State University at a new conference put on by Ooligan Press. The conference was called Write to Publish. The first seminar I attended was the state of publishing which had no good news about the publishing industry. I actually had not heard that most publishers have stopped acquiring books temporarily, at least in the adult market. It is pretty scary stuff. The first drawings below were done during my favorite session, writing for young adults, given by Michelle McCann who teaches at PSU in the publishing program. She teaches young adult and children's publishing. She was terrific and I am sure she must be an amazing teacher.

The drawings below were drawn during the session on writing graphic novels.
The drawing below was during a session on how to present a book to a publisher.

The drawing below was done during the lecture on the state of publishing.

What I can't figure out is why my moleskine journal won't scan without dark blotches. Oh Well!

All in all it was a fun and informative day.

A Very Lovely Day

I spent all day Saturday at a workshop given by Sharon Geraci at her beautiful new studio. It was a lovely day spent making art and reconnecting with our muses. Sharon is an amazing collage artist, watercolor artist and teacher. Be sure to check out her site. She also teaches at Multnomah Arts Center starting again in the fall. See below for work done on Saturday. Also this work posted on my blog was done in classes taken with Sharon.

Sharon Geraci in her new studio with a work in progress

This is Sharon with her beautiful collaged piece that was accepted into the Lake Oswego Arts Festival in the juried show in June, 2009

I call this piece "Fear of Pears". It's hard to see but the big pear on the right is holographic paper that when viewed is dimensional and looks like a black hole. Click on for a better view.

Second piece that I did. Click on for a better view.

Drawn on the deck during lunch break.

I thought I was supposed to be getting better at this!!

I went to a lovely afternoon concert, but it was way too hot in the church. It was great that I was there as I got home and had no power. A PGE sub station blew up about 3pm. The power came back on about 6pm so I was only without power for about 45 minutes. Anyway, I am not pleased with these drawings. I am not sure how to get better at this impromptu sketching, but will plug on.....

Out and about with my moley

Ron Stocke doing a watercolor demo at Art Media in Beaverton, Oregon

Audience members

On Saturday morning I went to the last of a Fairy Gathering that Cynthia from my art group has put on for the last four years. It is/was an enchanting fair for kids where they come dressed as fairies and were able to make wands, wings, fairy gardens and magic potions and more. Much more to come on that (maybe too much more). Stay tuned.

EDM #35 Draw a bicycle

So I was early for work yesterday and it was a beautiful day here in Oregon. So I whipped out my small moley, took a deep breath and drew this bicycle. I am pretty pleased even though this was HARD! Wish I had thought to take a picture of it so I could try again.

What are you doing inside on such a nice day?

The conductor

Faces in the crowd and the harpist

Feeble attempt at drawing the musicians and more faces in the crowd

So it was a beautiful Sunday in Portland, Oregon. I spent the morning at OMSI, at the Leonardo Da Vinci exhibit, with a friend Lenall from my art group. More on that later. Later that afternoon I went to a concert given by the Jewish Community Orchestra. It was a great concert: Debussy, Forodin, Ravel and Stravinsky. Still can't figure out how to improve these impromptu drawings. It was really a lovely day.