Memory Lane Always Has Its Surprises

One of my daughters is involved in a group of girls putting together a dance for an upcoming Fine Arts Night for homeschool families.  Today was the first day that I was able to sit in for the hour that they meet - I usually have art classes going on.  It was a great opportunity to do some gesture sketches - something that I'm not particularly good at.  Unfortunately, I had to be off to the side and it wasn't the best vantage point, but I got a few things down.

Last night I flipped through sketchbooks that I have going back 24 years to my college days.  Sad to say that I only have 7 complete sketchbooks for all of those years - testament to how I really dropped out of art for a significant period of time, with only occasional drawings between 1993 and 2007 (albeit I was doing stained glass through much of that time - something I'd love to get back to one day).

I had expected to come face-to-face with an artist who was very different than the one who is sitting here typing this.  In many ways - socially, politically, spiritually, etc. - I am very different.  However, I came across about 10 pages of writing from 1989 where I outlined my approach and artistic philosophy that was pretty much identical to what I do now - beginning with doodles and responding to them, the desire for balance, the need to work representationally... things like that.  I remember doing most of the drawings and why, but a lot of it was pretty bad and would never go anywhere.  Overall, they were very dark and angry, advertising the lowest point in my life that those directionless years embodied.

This is one of those experimental drawings that I did in 1989 when I first started exploring my
doodle method of drawing.  It would be one of the last times I felt good about what I was doing
creatively (in drawing/painting) for the the next 18 years

I referenced some drawings that I'd forgotten about (and I still have a few of them tucked away).  Those were probably the best that I'd done from that time period, but I had never really had the time to follow-up with them because of the demands of the classes I was taking for my degree.  It makes me wonder what would have happened if I would have continued on along that route back then.  Instead, I guess I picked it up again - refreshed - in about 2007.

Page one of the sketchbook I started keeping in 2007 where I was determined
to draw "for fun" - I used the same doodle method I'd forgotten about

I guess I've picked up where I left off and it's exciting.

Putting the "Fine" Back in Fine Art

Studied this period in college - LOVED IT!

These past few weeks have been a whirlwind of planning, ordering supplies, phone calls, emails...but it looks I will have full classes, or near full, for the first installments of my art class series for kids.  I've putting A LOT of time and thought into it, in spite of the fact that the decision to go forward was only made a few weeks ago.  I hope people are as happy with the classes as I am.

"Twittering Machine" - Paul Klee

Just Lovely

I've been on a search for reasonably priced reproductions to add to the few I've saved over the years - not an easy task.  But, I think I've found some options.  In the process of all this, however, I found myself back in the midst of some college art school feelings and memories.  It seems so long ago...but then again, it doesn't.  I can still smell the linseed oil and turpentine in the studio classrooms. 

Anyway, that's when I was thoroughly drenched in the world of "fine art."  I started to think about how I used to be able to frequent galleries and museums around L.A. - I'm especially missing the museums - there's nothing like seeing good work in real life.  Books and prints can never seem to capture the whole impact of an artist's work.  It's just not the same.

Kandinsky

It's been fun browsing through all of the images available to view online (though not necessarily purchase or copy).  It's made me remember how much I enjoy looking at GOOD art.  For me, that mainly means representational work (not always, though - everything shown in this post are images I like). I do enjoy some abstract work, but it's hard for me to get excited about a giant gray square or drippy paint splatters, even when seeing them in real life.  I don't like having to read an explanation in order to get anything out of the piece.  But, that's just me - I like to see a story being told.  I guess that's why I've gravitated toward illustration. And, that can be done with surprisingly little information sometimes.

Morandi - Master of the "peaceful" still life

I'll be the first to say that I was never a very good artist in college (several reasons for that probably) - I'd like to say that I've improved over the years...in some areas, at least.  But there is soooooooooo much art out there that just isn't very good.  It seems that a lot of people are "successful" - mainly because they can talk a good game and "sell it" - skilled or not.  Excuse me, my disillusionment with the "fine art" world is showing.

Romare Bearden

Well, that was a long time ago.  Now, I'm enjoying my search for reproductions to use - I just can wait to share some of them with the kids.

Digging Up the Past...In My Garage

Moving things around in the garage, I came across some old college-era drawings, paintings, and prints that I kept. It was funny to go back and look at these things that have rarely seen the light of day since the early 90’s.

It’s especially funny since I’m a completely different person now than I was then, and the imagery I gravitated towards oozed with my youth. With titles like “Angel of Suicide” …What? All that’s missing is my “Question Authority” bumper sticker.

I knew that I wanted to make some kind of statement, but I don’t think I ever knew what that statement was. I just knew what imagery fit the bill - or formula - for cutting edge, music saturated L.A./Long Beach California. But really, it’s very similar to a lot of other statements that you see even among today’s emerging young artists that I see online. And, we thought we were being so avant garde. I just knew that I DIDN’T want to “illustrate” as that was a bad word in the fine arts department. Oh, silly me.

What I do see that is worth anything is the interest in detail, linework, and texture that are a big part of my current work. I just think I took a pretty round-about way of getting here.

I remember that 3-D box face that I had on my wall, the mannequin head with the Mickey Mouse ears, the gas mask…I just can’t for the life of me figure out which apartment that was (I moved several times during my college years).

College Again? Nnaaaaaaaa!

With all of my recent efforts to improve my skills, the thought has crossed my mind “Would it be worth it to return to college to study illustration?”

I can actually come up with a pretty quick answer to that – no.

Of course, there’s the time issue. Home, work, and kids don’t leave much time leftover for school assignments, and their short-term deadlines would never fit into my current schedule. I need a great deal of flexibility right now – if there was a class that started at 10:00 at night, then I might be able to squeeze it in.

But, that’s really only a small part of it. I’ve already gone through the Bachelor of Fine Arts program in Drawing and Painting, and I’m quite aware of where my shortcomings are as an artist. I know that I need to be observing, drawing, and studying every chance I get in order to improve. I know that I need to practice with the figure as well as various media. I don’t think I need to pay a huge amount of money for someone to tell me to keep doing those things. And no professor could wave a wand over me to make me better - only effort on my part can do that.

I’m a big fan of taking advantage of learning opportunities as they arise. I was always frustrated when I had the inspiration to work on “X” and would have REALLY gotten something out of it by seizing that moment. But if the class had to do with “Y,” then there was no time for “X.” I consider that an opportunity lost – valuable time wasted.

I’m much better suited for independent study, and I don’t see the need for a college program for that – I’m already doing it. I’m doing anatomy studies, color studies, composition studies, etc. I’m searching the net for insight and instruction on technical issues as well and tips on media, and reading interviews of people working in the field. In short, I’m creating my own assignments tailored to my specific skill needs and time constraints. The work I’m doing has great meaning and relevance to me at this time, so that makes it MUCH more enjoyable!!

Therefore, I think a mentor or a critique group would be of greater value in my continuing art education at the moment. The one thing that a college atmosphere does provide is feedback and discussion - well, sometimes. I’m happy, at least, to be able to post online and get feedback on works in progress. That will have to do for now.

(Sorry for resurrecting an old sketchbook picture, but since time seems to always be an issue anymore I thought this one was appropriate)

Trip Down Memory Lane (and at least one more cliche included)

I was trying to remember my first studio class at CSULB – the basic drawing class. My professor was big into the whole right-brain drawing thing. So, there were lots of exercises in negative space, drawing an object hidden inside a paper bag by using touch, etc. Now and then, I do refer back to negative space when I’m stuck on a particular shape or angle, but it’s really not my way of working.

Then there was a series of exercises involving drapery done with contour lines – black and white charcoal pencil on gray paper. It was tedious at the time, but a neat result. And, I do think I handle drapery pretty well.

I find it a little odd, however, that throughout my formal education (where drawing was concerned), that I had so little experience with materials other than pencil and charcoal. I realized later that other instructors had covered a wider range of materials in the basic class. For me, chalk pastels came into the mix only occasionally, and I never crossed paths with pen and ink until I recently picked them up myself (a recent experiment with pen from the sketchbook).

Now, if this sounds like a complaint, it’s definitely not! As I became familiar with the department and professors, there were plenty of opportunities to get more out of my education. And, I’ve come to understand that the greater responsibility of education actually rests on the one BEING EDUCATED and less on the educator. You could have the best teachers in the world and still get very little out of it if you don’t take charge of your learning (“You can lead a horse to water, but…). I could easily go on about this, but I’ll refrain for now.

Anyway, I know I avoided teachers under whose wing I might have grown the most. With a full load of classes that demanded equal attention, an outside job, and the distraction of a far-to-busy social life, my goal was to just get through it all and move on – that was how I’d gotten through my entire education and had done well enough. I wasn’t particularly interested in challenging myself then.

However, with distance between my college years and the present, it is a very different story. Now, I am quite determined to work through any lack of experience I may have with different media and master it.

This could get ugly - beware of more sickly blue pigs!