Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
– Leonardo da Vinci
Meditation – 22 June 2020
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Busy Times
It’s nearly summer and my garden’s screaming for attention. Yes, weeding but more importantly, watering! We’re in a drought and when I look at the 25 day weather forecast I don’t see any measurable rain in our future.
That’s why I’ll be out watering the garden when this posts in the morning. I don’t water grass and the garden beds take somewhere around an hour and a half. My coffee will just have to wait ’till then.
In the meantime here’s a spread I did for a class… my left hand.
Am I busy… oh yeah!
Meditation – 15 June 2020
Let me, O’ let me bathe
my soul in colors;
let me swallow the sunset
and drink the rainbow.
-Khalil Gibran
Life Drawing Symposium: Mini-Version
Last weekend I planned to be in White Plains, New York for Veronica Lawlor and Melanie Reim’s three day Life Drawing Symposium, but the COVID-19 pandemic had other ideas. After nearly a year of expectation I was bummed even though the cancellation was inevitable. But Melanie and Ronnie came up with a delightful back up plan… they presented a Mini Life Drawing Symposium on Zoom!
I’m no expert but this was the best Zoom meeting I’ve ever had. The lessons and their timing were well planned with no wasted time. The morning session’s focus was on thumbnails and composition while the afternoon session was all about hands and portraits with expression.
Lori Hammel was the model-actor we had for the afternoon session and she was very expressive as we had a minute or so to capture her emotions on paper.
Thank you Ronnie and Melanie… you’re both wonderful teachers and having this chance to experience your lessons has only strengthened my resolve to take the next in-person symposium. Fingers crossed for June 2021!
Meditation – 08 June 2020
Surfer Girl
I’m walking on the beach this cold brisk morning,
the bleached sea grass bending in the wind, when there,
up ahead, in the pewter waves, I see a surfer in his wet suit,
sleek as a seal, cutting in and out of the curl, shining in the light.
I’m on the far side of sixty, athletic as a sofa, but this is where
the longing starts, the yearning for another life, the one
where I’m lithe and long-limbed, tanned California bronze,
short tousled hair full of sunshine. The life where I shoulder my board,
stride into the waves, dive under the breakers, and rise; my head shaking
off water like a golden retriever. I am waiting for that perfect wave
so I can crouch up and catch it, my arms out like wings, slicing back
and forth in the froth, wind at my back, sea’s slick metal polished
before me. Nothing more important now than this balance between
water and air, the rhythm of in and out, staying ahead of the break,
choosing my line like I choose these words, writing my name
on water, writing my name on air.
“Surfer Girl” by Barbara Crooker, from More. © CR Press, 2010.
You really should hear this… I’ve been obsessed with it ever since hearing it on The Writer’s Almanac way back in August, 2014. Listen here.
Of Pandemics and Protests
Words fail me and my heart breaks.
I stand with you.
Say His Name.
George Floyd.
died 25 May 2020
8 minutes, 46 seconds.
“From my point of view, no label, no slogan, no party, no skin color, and indeed no religion is more important than the human being.”
– James Baldwin
Meditation – 01 June 2020
Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.
– unattributed
Video – April Was Fake Journal Month
2020 was my ninth consecutive year of Fake Journaling ever since being tuned on to the process by artist, Roz Stendahl in 2012. She has since stopped her own participation but all the pertinent information is still available on her Official International Fake Journal Blog.
I have all nine years of my fake journals on my dedicated Fake Journal blog…
Skylark Karma.
( skylark karma(dot)wordpress(dot)com ) Each is written by a distinct character, some bearing similarities to me while others couldn’t be more different. This year my character is female. She’s married to Hank and they have two children. The daughter, Lise, is a college freshman and their son, Silas, or Sy for short, is a high school senior. The journal chronicles their daily activity during April 2020 as they adapt to various challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic.
I chose to draw and paint primarily food packaging and produce using Caran d’Ache Aquarelle watercolor pencils with journaling on the opposing pages.
Although I enjoy the daily process I confess my favorite part is making a short video slideshow to share. It’s nearly as good as letting you page through it yourself. You can always stop the video below to read the entries but it definitely would be easier to visit my fake journal blog and start here with April 1st.
Hope you enjoy this three minute escape into another life!
Remember, this is FAKE… no wrists were broken in the making of this journal.
Meditation – 25 May 2020
My life has been a tapestry in rich and royal hue
an everlasting vision of an ever-changing view
a wondrous woven magic in bits of blue and gold
a tapestry to feel and see, impossible to hold.
Carole King – Tapestry
Dana Burrell... Art 