:: day iii ::

where I am learning about proportion and tone...and that hand-eye-brain co-ordination is, well, challenging!

can see lots of room for improvements, but when I haven't done this for a long time, I feel it is better to STOP earlier, rather than later.  I don't want to kill my enthusiasm or get totally hung up in a kind of perfection I'm not aiming at, actually.

I did actually take three photos and after the first and second I dashed back to the drawing and thought I was correcting the tonal value each time, which I was, but not nearly enough to be accurate.

I did learn that viewing the drawing through the camera helped me to see the tone much better. Like that little trick of squinting and looking at the subject through the eyelashes - it somehow cuts out colour and allows the brain/eye to perceive black and white/grey tones - very useful. Although, I have to say I forgot about that completely until I was looking through the camera.

Good fun!

:: day 2 ::

where I draw an eye...got to get the brain-hand-eye thing going...maybe I could draw a hand and then a brain...might help? ;-) 

...learned things about testing out tools before using them on the drawing - had a good ooops with a too-dirty and too-old-and-crusty eraser...ah, well...all learnings...

:: day one, getting started again... ::

journalling is helpful for me

 I don't usually have a problem getting started on new projects...I have lots of things unfinished - UFOs, yes indeed.

form drawing

 But...getting me into art again has been a very slow, painful, protracted process. I had made up so many reasons/excuses/beliefs about why I wouldn't start, yes indeed.

more form drawing

I've been reading lots about creativity and motivation, talking lots about how to get started, visiting shows and openings, talking to artists -heck I've even attracted artists for close friends and neighbours (!!) and everything I read or hear seems to say the same stuff to me - only I can do this, only I can choose it, only I can want it enough to make it happen. And if I practise it daily, or as near to as I can, then magic will happen...

Here's to magic and making a daily practise of creating seriously happen...

:: IV: farmer's market fare ::

being the end of April and rather Autumny here in NZ, verging on Wintry some days, it feels rather wonderful to still have ratatouille on our menu at home

 these beauties, are of course, grown under glass to be still this vital-looking at this time of year. I'll happily keep enjoying them - and not just for the eating.

nature really does create some colour that pops, doesn't it?

:: III: microlandscape ::

 I've remembered again, today. In fact, I woke up thinking about moss and concrete!

At first glance - that is if noticing something like this is even on the radar for many busy humans - there's just a bit of inconvenient weedy-looking stuff happening in the driveway/path, RIGHT? (I think that's what most humans might conclude of the above growth).

Looking closer wonderment takes over upon the discovery of a miniature landscape - fully operational - the Earth is literally installing a nature strip in the middle of the driveway - tiny blade of grass by tiny blade of grass. Just look at that miraculous little thread of sap green-coloured moss bordering the concrete.

Like an island of green in a sea of grey...two of my favourite colours, by the way. And what is an island actively doing? Why making humus, or soil - enough so to grow some grass.

Such hope can be perceived in the stalwart strength of the organism that strikes out and colonises...CONCRETE! 

what these images represent is inspiring for me today - how about you?

:: II: watercolour morning ::

This image belies the fact that it was actually about 7.30am, not some simmering sunrise, no fear - this morning I didn't blink my eyes open until a much more earthly hour!

We have been having the privilege of looking after someone else's BEAUTIFUL home and crazy little kitten for a few days...and this is what we've been awakening to.

As I did this morning, I wondered with my first thoughts around how much this scene looked like a watercolour and then I suddenly changed my perception to "No, watercolour painting looks like this!" True, isn't it?

:: I: street art in christchurch ::

This is slightly cheating, already, I know! I actually FORGOT to post an inspiring picture yesterday - the very first day...speaks volumes to me and I'm listening.

AM took this picture a few weeks ago - it is on High St, near C1 cafe. The artist is Michaela Cox, of Christchurch and it is part of her "Faux Arcadia" series - 10 works all hung in the city.

There is much art on the many, shall we say, bald? or naked? surfaces left by the surreal change in landscape here in Christchurch, due to the devastating effect of the earthquakes.  We felt shocked to look at the extent of the damage when we first arrived here - it could be described as a sort of apocalyptic scene.  So many desolate sites where previously life thrived.

I find the street art in such a place to have a powerful effect - it contrasts so sharply with the broken/empty/raw/disordered feel that is evident where EVER one turns. The art reaches out and invites the viewer to rest eyes on something beautiful.  I feel it speaks of hope and possibility...inspiring perhaps.