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Eden Mills again. Couldn't help sketch the dog.

When I arrived the model was standing in the cast light of the setting sun. The shadow from the window played across her body so I toned my paper with charcoal and using my gum eraser painted in the light and then cut the lines of her body. It's a nice painterly way to draw.

Eden Mills

Out drawing the other night in Eden Mills again. Our model Sarah seemed so serene in her poses, seemingly angelic, that I couldn't help but add wings, thinking of all those cherubs from old paintings that must have gotten older at some time or other. Very enjoyable evening with pen and nib, and my trusty Lamy fountain pen.

Katie & Alex, studies for sculptures

I've been commissioned this summer to sculpt two children, life size, to be cast into bronze. It will be an interesting challenge given I haven't done any serious sculpting in a long while. Most of my work has been in clay for myself, never cast, always remushed and reworked. I've often worked out problems of form with clay, whether figures , horse commissions, or characters for books.

I recently was invited into the home and studio of Hanna Boos. As her website will tell you, Hanna first studied sculpting in Germany and later with Frances Gage, notable Canadian sculptor. Hann'a work is beautiful and she graciously shared her knowledge with me. No doubt if she is willing, Hanna will be a valuable resource as work progresses.

At this time I am beginning the first clay and wax studies of the children based on the sketches I have made in the first few visits to their home. Below are but two of the many scratches one makes as young children move and shift uncomfortably under the gaze of the artist. Slowly I think they will warm to the experience, or at least become more comfortable. I think I have begun to get through to Katie by way of a quick sketch of her dog. Alex is far more comfortable but no less restless. Time will tell.

NYC West Village Musician

Spent a weekend in NYC restoring my soul in the museums, galleries and streets of this incredible city. This guy was happily playing his cello sitting at the end of a street closed off for a neighbourhood yard sale. I only had the back of an envelope and a stub of a pencil but his pleasure was too much to pass up.

Bone Room Study

Past students of mine will remember the trips to the Bone Room(s) at the University of Guelph. It's probably no more than a few kilometers from my house and yet I just don't access it enough given the wealth of knowledge those bones can provide. The picture above is a small study of the hind legs of a young lion. I am forever amazed at the similarity most creatures have to each other; us included. I can wait to take my current class there this May or June. Possibly I may offer a summer course of drawing there if I can work out details.

We all gotta start somewhere

Hell, why not? This is my leopard from grade 5. I lived for drawing and it got me trouble at school all the time.

Thinking of the zoo lately and reminded me of the visits of Qadesh to life drawing classes at Sheridan and Seneca. For those who didn't know her, Qadesh was a magnificent Siberian tiger who would come once a year for a day of drawing. I have to admit that inside I always was a bit afraid of bloody mayhem breaking out, but in retrospect I think driving the 401 is more dangerous.

Sadly Qadesh died a few years ago and I doubt there will be another like her. The relationship between her and her keeper Bill Fraser was truly unique . I think everyone who experienced those classes would agree.

Tenderness at the Zoo

Looking for something today I came across this study of a mother and baby from the Toronto Zoo. I guess I could have posted for mother's day in a few weeks, but just thinking of the tenderness between the two of them, made me want to pop it up now.

I'd like to organize a zoo day of all the Sheridan and Seneca students I've know...maybe use it to raise a drawing prize fund. Anyone reading this and interested, email me.

Toronto Consort

Went the other night to hear The Toronto Consort, an ensemble that plays medieval and early rennaisance music. On Friday it was the music of St. Marks in Venice....Monteverdi being one. It was beautiful, but unfortunately either I am getting hard of hearing or we were too far away to really enjoy the nuances.

Much of the time I sat with eyes closed and imagined myself back in Venice, in St Mark's Square listing to the music as were it coming out through the doors of the basilica to where I was standing. It actually was quite the sensation...I wanted to open my eyes and really find myself there.

Regretably it was not to be so, but while my eyes were open, I took the opportunity to do some quick sketches of the musicians and singers. The lute players were quite interesting and this is one of them...someone I am told regularly plays in Tafelmusik.

If in Toronto and either venue is playing, I encourage you to go, listen and sketch.

http://www.torontoconsort.org/ http://www.tafelmusik.org/about/orchestra.htm

Debbie

The other day after classes at Seneca I returned to the studio and found everyone busy in extra life drawing Debbie. She's one of our favorite models, both for her sinuous beauty and her ability to cut wonderful poses. Regrettably I had no time to stay and draw. Thinking back to that evening, I've posted this pen study from a class a few years back that I've always liked for its simplicity. It's not exceptional by any means, but never the less I have always liked it.

Dr. Sketchy Birthday PartyToronto

Birthday party for Seneca student Diana at Tequila Bookworm. A few sketches from the evening.

Time for bunnies

Georgina

three reclining nudes

after the snow

After the wild blast of snow yesterday and the night before, today was one of those magical days.I didn't want it to end.

Everything outside was beautiful.The evergreens hung heavy with the powder that traced the patterns of the individual boughs. We shoveled for hours to get the driveway cleared but it didn't matter. The sky was an opalescent cerulean blue and the shadows a luminescent violet.

This evening we took a long walk along the river. I have tried to capture the feel of days like this in the past while practicing digital painting (or more like it, struggling to learn). I didn't paint today, so I'm posting them. One is of Tom's house across from my place in Lion's Head. The other done after I returned from a similar walk along the Speed River last winter.

Saturday morning at Zehrs

Stormy morning sketching at the coffee counter at the grocery store. Every one bundled and weary from shoveling.

Bad day drawings

Some days you are so tired by the end of them that to go out and do more drawing seems simply hard. Thursday was one, not because of art work, but instead paper work. How I hate it and it hates me!

Never the less, I grabbed my paper, picked up a friend who wanted to join and went to catch the last hour of drawing in Eden Mills.

Earlier that day I had taken a nasty spill on an icy sidewalk while out with the dog and when we got there I started to feel my drawing side seize up. Excuses, excuses! Never the less, I got a few drawings in of Sarah....not doing her justice, so I call these Bad Day Drawings....when you do what you know you need to do but the soul just ain't in it.

Studies

Every thursday evening a group gets together in Eden Mills to do some figure drawing. We're lucky to get some excellent models and I try to be there as much as possible. The studies above and below are of Ed CZ, one of our best. He also models at Seneca and Sheridan and I know that regardless of where is goes, he is very much appreciated for his dedication to taking excellent poses.

The drawings above were with charcoal pencil and white prismacolour pencil on Ingres. Those below are pencil and conte in my sketch book.




The last study is Jeff, pencil on paper

Figure drawings

My passion is drawing. Whether it is the figure, landscape, animals or simply things of no consequence other than they caught my eye, it is with pencil and paper I am most at home.

I'm looking forward to sharing works old and new, figure studies and doodles of things around me. I intend to add even paintings, which for me are in essence coloured drawings in themselves.

Anyone who has felt the magic of making a line that not only dances for itself, but conveys a reality or feeling far beyond the simple mark on the paper will understand the joy and sometimes frustration that these works gave me.

I hope that they prove interesting.