Category Archives: Art

JOY IN LEARNING

18 Thursday Oct 2012

Posted by in Art, Drawing, Learning

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Step one: the line drawing

IN AUGUST I ENROLLED in a botanical drawing class at Gage Academy with Kathleen McKeehen for five three hour sessions. Since I have an abiding interest in things botanical, it seemed the right time to give this art form a try. I have spent quite a bit of time drawing the last month.

Step two: giving the line drawing dimension

Scientific drawing. A whole new concept for me, requiring a lot of patience and intense observation, slow and exacting. All of these drawings are actual size.

The completed drawing.

I never thought I would have the patience to accomplish something like this. Just a few HB pencils and tools for measuring are all I need to produce some beautiful drawings. After the completion of the August classes I enrolled in Kathleen’s class for fall quarter (10 weeks!). With each successive drawing the task becomes a little easier and faster. The artichoke took one class session to complete the line drawing (amazing!) but many, many hours to finish the drawing and bring it to life.

Dahlia

 

Learning is about challenging and shaping ideas, discipline and patience, creating new references to inform our views of daily life and just maybe, the world around us.

Rumex crispus, also known as a weed called dock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who knew roots had such beauty? This is the third drawing I have completed (and at least three more to finish) and it took the least amount of time; line drawing in class last Friday and finished yesterday. Several hours since then, but not as many as the dahlia or artichoke.

Joy in the sense of accomplishment, learning a new skill, creating something beautiful.

 

A SHADOW OF OPPORTUNITY

14 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by in Art, Photography

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Forsythia branches present a beautiful play of light & shadow

HOW DO YOU PAINT A POEM?

13 Tuesday Dec 2011

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I HAVE BEEN ATTENDING DRAWING AND PAINTING CLASSES twice a week at South Seattle CC since 2004. I learn not only from the instructor, who –has a keen eye and imparts a sense of discovery in each student– but all of the other students as well. It is a community rich with camaraderie and support. Returning students and first time students alike share a love of art, learning and creativity.

About ten years ago the Poetry, Art and Photography professors came up with the idea of an Art-Poetry exchange. In the first exchange, art and poetry students each submit a piece of art and a poem. Each poetry student receives a piece of art and creates a poetic response to that piece. The art student creates a work of art based on the received poem. The second exchange is the big reveal when students see the interpretation of their respective works. I look forward to this exchange of ideas. I find it exciting, stimulating, and challenging to interpret the ideas of another and I have a chance to create something I might not otherwise have thought of doing. (My responses are featured here.)

“Foundation” 2011 Acrylic on canvas

Foundation by Kevin B.  2011
each tree stands on opposing edges of the plain
gazing gazing and growing out worldly
the field is nothing but dirt as their roots spread
and from the branches fall nothing but dry arid twigs
 
both seek the safe security that comes with greater land
and each fight to muscle out the other
eons pass as the roots meet in the center
and drive forwarde in to opposing territory
 
the roots tangle together
onto one solid knotted mass
of whtich fills the entirety of the dusty plain
and strains into every last gap of soil
 
this stress on the trees from underground
draws all their force from above
it pulls the branches back into the trunk
which shatters the tree and buries its splinters
 
the lifeless roots release their grasp on each other
and lose their hold on the land
the remnants fade into a fog up to the surface
and press with ribbons into the open air
 
eventually the ribbons will fade away
but for now the field is green
 
 

“Babushaka”  2010 Collage

Babushka by Jacoby M. 2010
 
An azure day
I go for a long walk
clouds sit packed like big
stacks of meringue
 
I listen to real old music
and I listen to the new
a meld of psychedleic angst
dance from ear to ear
crrash in the center of my mind
kaleidoscope of notes
never  played before
 
the fugue begins to splinter
the cat wants to eat
the dog has to pee
something has to give
 
She never sees me coming
until I am alomost right next to her
Babushka pirouettes up off the bench
she grasps her chest shoulder raise
hands clench in to fists
her liquid brown eyes
give way to solid black
 
She stares at the dog
as if she is in shgock
and there is nothing
I can do
My warm smile
it is not enough that you will
be assured and so the dog 
and I walk quickly away
 
Bubushka widow
head covered in black
trimmed in white
like Chopin’s piano
before it became kindling

on its fateful defenestration day.

“Jenny” 2009 Mixed Media Collage on Playing Cards

Jenny by Pedro  2009
 
We’ve gone through the good and bad.
I’ve helped you when you were sad.
We stayedup all through the NIGHT
Till the sunwas super bright.
We played our computer games.
The next daywe played again.
You opened up that door.
You showed me there was a floor.
We may be an ocean apart.
You’re likefamilyyou’re in myheart.
Days seem to disappear.
You showed me there was a floor.
Holy crap it’s been4 years?
We laughed while we played board games.
You always win and nothing’s changed.
One day we’ll meet for real.
I’ll greet you yesthat’s the deal.

The 2012 Art-Poetry exhibit opens January 5th at South Seattle CC.

APRIL PHOTO A DAY: GARDEN WHIMSY!

26 Tuesday Apr 2011

Posted by in April flowers, Art, Garden Wildlife, Spring bulbs, tulips

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MAN WITH A HEART FOR NATURE might be appropriate here. Several years ago brother-in-law Richard crafted a ‘couple’ from steel for our garden. As you can see the ‘man’ happens to be perfectly positioned in front of a red tulip; it begged to be photographed. A perfect metaphor for spring.

DECEMBER CATCH-UP

27 Monday Dec 2010

Posted by in Art, Birds, December, Garden Wildlife, Winter, Winter flowers

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HARD TO BELIEVE NEARLY A MONTH HAS PASSED since the last post, but December days seem to pass all too quickly and each day was filled with things to do as December 24th approached. Two days before the first day of winter we had a glorious sun filled day and stunning views of newly fallen snow in the Olympic Mountains to the west; an uplifting break from lots of rainy days. I even did some weeding and cold damage cleanup.

The first day of winter here revealed a beautiful full moon that set as the daylight grudgingly began around 7:30 a.m. Not the greatest photo, but kind of neat with Christmas lights on the fruit trees.

By moving the camera quickly I caught a more abstract composition of the moon and lights.

Plants continue to grow and show through the winter. The witch hazel, hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’  has begun blooming in the chill of December.

The fava bean plants, are growing nicely in spite of our coldsnap last month, as are some volunteer heads of raddichio ‘Castelfranco’, savoy cabbage, brussels sprouts and turnips. The broccoli plants really took a hit, so no more broccoli the rest of the winter.

ART CLASS finished up the second week of December and I finished a collage piece (below) in response to a poem received ( I also submitted a separate collage piece for the poetry class student) as a part of the annual Art/Poetry Show at South Seattle Community College. It is a collaboration between students in Poetry, Art and Photography classes. Students submit art and poetry and then create responses to those submissions. It is fun, creative and challenging. The show opens January 3, 2011.

AS DECEMBER wound down to Christmas Day I said so long to many jars of of jams, preserves, and pickles and little takeout cartons filled with cookies (decorated with art cut from Christmas cards received last year; thanks to Renée for the photo).

A FEW WEEKS AGO I hung up a suet feeder outside my office window for the flock of bushtits that pass through here twice a day. They were here this afternoon and mobbed the feeder; there are as many as twenty or more at times. They tiny, charming, and great consumers of insects (good!). It is also a treat for the Red-shafted flickers too.