Preparing

I have been busy drawing and painting in preparation for my upcoming show at beautiful Berry College in less than two months.  

I have started a number of new drawings and hope to finish as many as I can for the exhibition.

Three new drawings tacked on studio wall.

 Another drawing I am working on of underground burrows.

Detail of the tubing that is growing out of the tree stumps in a recent drawing.

 Another detail of a nursing mother coyote surrounded by burning sticks.

Great news! I have been asked to submit writing and work for an upcoming book by Ashley Rooney titled 100 Midwest Artists.  It should be in publication late 2011.

Process

I have a few projects underway.  I am working on a large drawing for a group show proposal with a collection of Bloomington artists.  The photo shows how I often begin, testing images and placement on tracing paper.  After I solidify the composition and content, I transfer the drawing to paper.

A small multi media painting in process.  I saw a recently hit fawn on the highway a few weeks back.  I have not been able to get it out of my head.  The fawn reminds me of the innocence and beauty of the forest and the narratives that are contained within.  

Water Baby

My recently finished drawing is called Water Baby in reference to my inspiration, The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby.  I found this story in one of my old fairy tale books and thought it was inspiring.  At one point in the fairy tale the Water Baby watches a creature metamorphous into a new being when silky dragonflies break through a hole in his back.  The Water Baby is very jealous and wishes he too could change into something so beautiful. 

While working on this drawing I also was reminded of the nursery rhyme Sing a Song of Sixpence, where four and twenty blackbirds were baked in a pie.   

Photographs of the entire drawing will be on my website soon. Or please come to Delusions at The Waldron Arts Center opening May 7, 2010 to see it in person.

Three In Progress

I have been working on three large drawings for some time.  I was hoping to have them wrapped up  but I had to spend quite a few days in the hospital with pnuemonia putting me back a few weeks.  I have been taking some time off of studio work to recover. 

This shows the early development of the drawings.  I compose them on tracing paper and then transfer the image to rag paper once the composition settled.

I have been working on these drawings together hoping that they would show some sort of unity in thought and process.  They are all related through the narrative. 

 

They are works in progess, but coming along.  They are brighter than I usually work and make me a little uncomfortable.  I like to push the drawings into unknown territory because at least I know I am pressing myself.  Whether they turn out is another story, but the uncertainty is good.