lucky leafy

I began working on a new project for Charlesbridge a few weeks ago. I broke the ice by drawing a pine cone found in the Presidio two summers ago, during a trip to San Franscisco. I can still smell the eucalyptus…..

Then I worked it into a leafy sorta self-portrait.

My favorite month may be over, but I love the melancholy nature of November. Even getting soaked in yesterday’s rain couldn’t bring me down.

And there’s always something at MECA that makes my day. Here is a cheerful installation in the Joanne Waxman Library. Gotta find out who did this. There were masses of these in unexpected places.

Good news: it was clear and sunny for the illo 2 drawing safari at the Maine Narrow Gauge Railway! Three models posed in period costume inside and outside the trains for a little life drawing to coincide with the current assignment: portrait in another time and place.

I’m a believer in drawing from life. Not necessarily in a realistic manner, but as visual essay, distilling the environment, impressions, memories, and projections. I didn’t get to draw, too busy running between groups to gauge the restlessness of the models/students. There’s a wide range in abilities and ambitions yet the class came up with some interesting sketches. Not easy to capture it all in 15 minute poses, but such situations build agility. Draw faster! Get looser!

Ninjas in training:

After class, I met Paola and her sister and was tickled to receive more birthday loot!
She has a gift for wrapping things with such care and color, one needn’t open the package to feel special. She brought along her sweet sister, too. The day got even better with more treat mail.

from Kathy in CA, another divine present:

and from Sarah, a former student, her new whimsical stationary!

I love to see students take flight. And love the birdy fellowship in her drawings.
go, Sarah!

The rain outside my studio allowed me to get a lot done. Drawing habitats……

Thanks to Paola, Kathy, and Sarah!