I didn't mean to spend Friday cleaning out the paper drawers in my studio, but our dear old weimeraner dog, newly deaf but still with a finely tuned nose, had inspected them and smelt a rat, literally. He started digging and scrabbling, pulling out the bottom drawers with precious sheets of watercolour paper stashed in them and no amount of yelling (he didn't hear a thing) or pulling would deter him. I had no choice but to remove the drawers one by one until he could fit his elderly frame into the space and at last emerge with one scrap of a mouse's Fabriano bed delicately held between his front teeth. I should be grateful... and I am, but it was the start of a long nostalgic graft sorting through 'stuff' from the seventies, eighties and upwards that I'd promised myself I'd get to one day. I've put it all back - with a potion of spices to deter rodents in case the dog didn't terrify her quite enough - you'd think in a way that I could find everything easily again, but no, I have no idea. I found so many memories, sketched, scribbled and painstakingly illustrated, one or two of which I thought I might post here, but I can't find them. I found this ultra quick NeocolorII scribble of our daughter today though, sitting on the couch with her school 'fish' art project in front of her that brings back such a strong memory of a slow, sunny afternoon - one of the few she wasn't off doing... something. Perhaps not my finest sketching half-hour but don't you love it when a few minutes with a crayon/pencil/brush long ago brings back so much?
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7 comments:
I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the sketch, as much as the story that went with it :0)
I think your sketch is wonderful...full of life. And so great that it brought back memories for you.
Yuck about the rat. Give your doggie and extra cookie for his good work.
Oh, man!!! That's a riot. Good that your dog discovered the rat there! I LOVE this sketch here--it's beautiful! I'm glad you discovered it in your piles! Just be glad the rat wasn't long dead and reeking, I guess!
ps
The color palette in this sketch is stunning.
Interesting sketch with great colours. I like the tale of sorting things out and looking/reading and putting them back in the same place. - I so know that feeling. Unfortunately with all the moves I've thrown so much away.
I can only laugh at the very human desire to be distracted from "work" by mere nostalgia! Nothing beats digging out old drawers andf falling upon albums, photos, magazines...memories.
ronell
I believe sketching brings back the feeling of an event even stronger than photography does and that's what you've done here - captured a memory on paper. Good dog, too - think of what a mess and how much more damage might have been done if he hadn't warned you about the rat.
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