brushandpencils : April 2014

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Windows into Hidden Worlds

Windows have fascinated me both metaphorically and historically. Light or deep shadows pour through this fascination and I end up studying the light again and again. Maybe its on my mind since currently, in my reading life, I'm imagining the world of Vermeer, another of my favorites. Here in Wisconsin the sunshine has been extremely elusive for many days, yet the light continues to be intriguing.

looking out and looking in

very quick small sketch: maybe 15 minutes

my new scarf from Avalanche Looms

Monday, April 28, 2014

Land of the Kickapoo River

The greening of the earth has arrived after a long cold winter and we are all enjoying the land, water and sky!

I have been out walking and sketching and even going to live radio shows featuring great music and happy spirits.

WDRT Viroqua hosts the Kickapoo Barn Dance and last month featured The Poor Nobodys. I enjoyed attempting to sketch them as they played and we all clapped double time to make it sound like a bigger crowd. wonderful wonderful music

I love the size of life here, the sounds of rushing trout streams and spring peepers

West Fork of the Kickapoo River Vernon County Wisconsin

Creative Endeavors

My marks on the pages of my sketchbook/journal help me to become more aware of my surroundings; a visual diary and sequential record of days of my life. Sometimes I'm working from my car, an "onsite studio". Almost always these drawings are "drawn on location".

My knitting and my weaving are other ways for me to explore color and texture; to use my hands to create and build up. Again the choices are a sequential record. The inches, feet and yards of cloth become a "journal", similar to the way pages eventually make up a book. I prefer to weave the design as I go along rather than to have it all figured out ahead of time.