Monday, June 13, 2011

Thinking and planning

I have been busy sketching, all the time analysing what I'm doing, how and why - to try to convey to others at the Symposium next month - but scanning and posting have fallen behind. I think from now I'm going to do less talking and hopefully more sketches! Here are some from the two Saturdays before last...
The Joburg sketchers met at Weltevreden Farm where I managed one page of elements of the Second Cup coffee shop and gardens (after a totally sleepless night and in freezing cold weather) The cuppacino, milk tart - impressively presented under a crown! - and company made the outing well worthwhile. Here are John's beautiful plein air painting from the day and Cathy's sketches, I haven't tracked down sketches from the other two participants - one all the way from Hong Kong!

The following Saturday I ventured into town to visit Walter and Albertina Sisulu's statue after MaSisulu passed away at 92 years old two days before. Someone had draped a blanket around her shoulders and placed flowers in her arms, and a little boy climbed onto Walter's lap while I drew, something the sculptor intended for her design to encourage.
I've made an insert for a bag to take to Lisbon with me - from some very lightweight 'parachute' fabric in which I sewed pockets for almost all my pens and brushes and wrapped around a thin plastic sheet (a chopping mat from the kitchen) to keep it stiff. After schlepping it around a bit, I'm thinking it's almost too much stuff to take with me. I suspect when frenetically sketching everything and everybody in sight, less may be better - but it does work well!

6 comments:

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

What an enormous piece of cake all wrapped up with a crown!! Lovely lively sketch. Your artbag design is so clever and useful.

Benjamin J. said...

Once again, impressive. Love the insert for your bag. I must say you are inspiring. Wish I could have met ya in libson, things came up so maybe another time I can pick up a thing or two from ya. Have fun.

Cathy said...

I love your two pages!! That one of Albertina is so moving, it was a great idea to go and sketch the statues on that day!
Your bag looks very clever to me, but I agree, we always tend to take too much stuff!

RH Carpenter said...

Love the various elements to this one - the chickens, the people in the shadows, the girl with the pony-tail and that cake with its own crown??? Had to be delicious! These sketches are delicious, too :)

A Brush with Color said...

Browsed through a ton of your recent posts, and they're marvelous! I like your bag here, too--and your statue painting is wonderful! It's interesting to hear about it all from you.

Desiree's Designs said...

Beautiful and touching,love your paintings!