049 Sugar Bowl

048 Terzo Piano

047 Berries

046 Dove

045 Votif Holder

044 Pendant

043 Hand Carved Box

042 Wire Cutter

041 Cover Girl

040 Matchbox

039 Grape Stem

038 Alarm Clock

037 Travel Alarm

036 Light Bulb

035 Foil Cutter

034 Stopper

033 Dog Brush

032 Dryer Ball

031 Shaker

030 Ink Pot

029 Asparagus Containment Device

028 HotRox

027 Clip Leaf

026 Milkthistle

025 Pronged Gourd

024 Leaf

023 Daisy

022 Tulip

021 Jelly Jar 3

020 Jelly Jar 2

019 Jelly Jar 1

018 Two Lemons

017 Two Big Screws

016 Evangeline

One of the interesting things that happens because I make artwork out of old books, is that lots of people have old books and offer them to me.

At an art reception a week ago, a visitor to the gallery found me and said they had a friend who was clearing out his parents' house, and there were books, and would I like to have them.

Why yes, yes I would!

A few sets of encyclopedia, old textbooks with beautifully patinated covers, kitschy paperbacks with fantastic cover illustrations, in a quantity that filled the back of the Subaru.

This little gem in my drawing, has a wonderfully ornate cover, green, with a shamrock design, little red flowers and gold leaf lines and dots.

Evangeline by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,

Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight,

Stand like the Druids of eld, with voices sad and prophetic,

Stand like harpers hoar, with beards that rest on their bosoms.

Loud from its rocky caverns, the deep-voiced neighboring ocean

Speaks, and in accents diconsolate answers the wail of the forest.

015 Orange on Napkin

014 Fruit Cup

My drawing from yesterday, a little fruit cup that came with my lunch in a plastic condoment container. One of those familiar objects that we know and yet when studied carefully, has many small design details.

I had a really nice conversation about my art with another artist/gallery professional. Very encouraging both in terms of what I am doing and possibilities for showing the work.

I also had a terrific meeting for a show I'm doing in the GSU gallery in March. I love working with other artists and artwork and making something new with different combinations.

Life is good.

013 Shaving

012 Celery

Pipe Wrench 011

Tape 010

009 3 Apertifs

008 Stopper

007 Three Random Photos of My Dad When Young

in progress 3

In Progress 2

004 in progress

I have these old photos of my dad as a young man that I am drawing as a group. Instead of drawing the photographic image to leave the viewer wondering if it was drawn from a photograph or from the actual subject, I want to make it clear that these were drawn from the photograph, that they are drawings of photographs, not the subject.

But at the same time the subject is fully present.

What is also really interesting to me is that these photographs hint at a side of my dad that I never really saw. I knew him as a traditional, conservative man who was a football player, tough business man, and a cigar smoking golfer. Some of it is just the era the photos were captured and the changes of time but the car that he is proudly standing next to, the 'bathing beauty' pose, the bowtie with the polka dot umbrella conjure a softer image than I am used to associating with my dad.

If nothing else I found a bit of humor in them.

I measured my walking route in my neighborhood that I have been walking almost daily. I took the car out and drove the loop including the park at the edge of the neighborhood and it measures 2.5 miles exactly. I think I walk it in about 40 minutes.

Yesterday I had the added benefit of walking across campus from a faculty meeting where one of my colleagues gave me a box of books. It wasn't heavy at the start so I turned down the offer for a ride (across campus, are you kidding?) and by the time I got back to my office it was a good workout.

Nuremberg Castle 003

What I think I'm seeking in this 100 drawings in 100 days project is a departure from last year's project. So instead of objects about the size you can hold in your hand, I'm turning to other sources for imagery. Room views, more complex still life arrangements and tonight, photographs.

I have a few photographs in my studio that were taken by my father when he was in the service and stationed in Germany. I think about what his experience was, what he saw, how it felt and what his memories might have been.

April of 1954 is the date written on the backs of some of the pictures.

What is interesting to me is that they aren't all tourist snapshots but rather composed photographs that seem to reveal his artistic eye and desire to create artful photographs.

Brush Can 002