Sunday sketches

I wrote a post about my dog, Gucci and cat, Kenzo way way back, in which I tried to explain the ineptness of my drawing, by saying that Kenzo DID have a flopped-over ear, really, it wasn't just that I couldn't fit it on the page... then recently, it dawned on me that her ear was quite alright again, and was standing up as cat's ears should. I thought no more about it until an article in the Sunday Times by someone whose cat suddenly developed a flopped-over ear. Googling the malady, as one does, alarmed him so much that he whisked her off to the vet post haste. The vet revealed that after a number of similiar cases in the Johannesburg area, they had been, as a profession, puzzled and without diagnosis. Until one day, a client reported witnessing his cat returning from her nocturnal patrols, over their electric-fenced boundary wall. Her ear touched one of the wires, yowling and indignant, she flew into his kitchen window, sporting a newly flopped-over ear... which, after the nerves had recovered from their assault, righted itself in due time. Such are the perils of a pet in this city...
This is Gucci the weimeraner's stock position whenever we are on our verandah, braaing (barbequeing in case anyone still hasn't heard the SA term yet...), usually on a Sunday. He lies in exactly the same spot, facing the same North-Westerly direction and stares intently into the far distance, until we move inside. We've speculated that perhaps he's hearing the ancient call of his wolverine ancestors up there in Canada, or the howl of a Namibian jackal, or maybe he just saw a rat or lizard disappear into that corner of the garden once and is waiting for it to pop out again, this time he'll be ready... who knows what goes on in a dog's head?

This is my husband BFG - doing some handyman work and relaxing with the paper while the boerewors sizzles on the fire.

Goodbye Sweet Gucci

The eucalyptus tree was not all we lost in June - two days before that we had to say goodbye to our beloved dog, "the oldest weimeraner known to man" as a vet friend of my daughter's said. I haven't been able to bring myself to post this up till now, but I want to commemorate a beautiful, brave, naughty and irrepressible part of our home for the past 16 and a half years. 

Our son, now 23 was 7 when he came into our lives - a silky blue-eyed pup who immediately recognised me as 'mom' and curled up on my lap to sleep after exhausting himself playing with the kids. Anyone on the floor was fair game to be chewed, rolled-over onto (head over heels, not sideways) and determinedly edged away from the heater, while he was a willing pillow for weary or TV watching heads once he had worn himself out. 

He was wild - crazy - we could have done with the Dog Whisperer's help throughout his uncontrollable life. I have scars from where he yanked me down steps to launch himself at the meter-man, or the postman or the sandwich men ringing at the gate. So much for 'Foods you Must Never give your Dog' - he helped himself to avocados that dropped off the tree next door, unripe plums within his reach, entire chocolate Easter egg stashes, fillet roasts, anything whatsoever edible (except peppers and chilli) that he could reach when standing on his bandy back legs. Doors were no obstacle unless they were locked - he opened them in- or outwards and preferred them all open, come rain, shine or freezing wind.

When our daughter brought a kitten home, we were quite sure that she would be swallowed whole in an exuberant gulp and kept watch to make sure she didn't wander into 'Orc' territory - till one day our vigilance slipped and we rushed, panicking, to find the kitten contentedly tucked under a bemused Gucci's chin - where she more or less stayed, in innumerable yin-and-yang poses for the rest of his days (she shows remarkable, cat-like unconcern about his sudden absence, though perhaps slightly more affectionate towards her humans lately). While rats, strange cats and hadedas were in great danger if spotted, and he refused to ever give back a ball thrown for him - when my son's pet rat's many babies all escaped into the garden, he gently retrieved every single one without so much as a bruise and brought them to us to put back into the cage.

He was my constant companion unless his adored 'dad' was home when he was the preferred target for underfoot and in-your-face attention. As I do the most mundane things now his image rises before me - sweeping, nobody trudging doggedly through the dust pile - vacuuming the floors, no one lying hopefully in my path wanting a vacuum-massage - eating an apple, no one behind to toss the core to (the Best Catcher in the World) - the ways to miss him are many and painful, but we are so grateful that he was ours. RIP dearest Gooch.

12.12.12

Well, I haven't got much to show, what with a small deluge of work coming in - just in time to go shopping :-), some very wet weather and preparations for the festive season. But I can't let the 12th of the 12th, 2012 go by without posting something, it's not going to come around again, certainly in my lifetime. So some sketches from earlier in the year of our dear 15-year old Weimeraner, Gucci and his biggest fan, Kenzo (although she happily and possessively hogs the whole bed if he's too slow getting there). I could draw endless combinations of the positions they get themselves into, as I think I've said before - yes, here, here  and so long ago - 2007! - here . When I look back at those, I do believe... yes, I think I have got a bit better at drawing the pets. Progress!

That darned cat

I'm busy painting something very hard... eggshells on a white plate...why? why? But in the meantime here is a sketch of our devoted-to-each-other cat and dog that I did a few evenings ago. This is what I wrote on the page...
I'm not good at drawing animals...I absolutely love my pets but just don't get excited about rendering them on paper. But sometimes they are the only available models, so here they are again - Gucci-dog being good and still, and Kenzo-cat being devilish. She seemed to challenge me as I drew - if I was doing her eyes, she closed them, if her head, she licked herself, her paws, she stretched them, her tail, she flicked it, all the while staring at me and saying, "Draw THAT, sucker!"

This isn't easy you know

Now I've gone and ruined my accordion sketchbook, trying to draw the dog and cat in one of their covoluted sleeping poses - from a photo up on the computer screen, as they always move the minute I start trying to draw them. I got both of these attempts completely wrong.

This was slightly more accurate, though the dog is too small, and his face a bit weird - I painted the big shapes first, then added the lines with my bamboo pen, (which isn't drawing as well as I'd hoped - I have little control over whether lines are thick or thin, or come out at all) and the values are all very bland - the dog and cushion they sleep on are rather similiar in tone, but Kenzo the cat could go much darker.

It's interesting to see today's Making a Mark post about mechanical and optical aids... I find myself feeling irritated and tense when sketching from photos, though they are definitely a useful tool when trying to remember features of a landscape, for instance - as long as I don't follow them too slavishly.

This sketch of Gucci (excuse the undignified pose!) that I did quickly after messing up the Fabriano was much more enjoyable, and I think is a lot more expressive in line and character. So - conclusion, I think drawing from life is my thing. I'll be happy to leave the photo-realism to others - for now, anyway. (I tend to make sweeping statements one week and back-peddle on them the next)

Stealing time

I took a friend to the dentist on Monday morning, and sketched in this very nice little coffee shop while I waited. Back home, while so happily engaged - burglars were busy rifling through our house. I'm glad I wasn't there, but this sketch joins the artwork in the file 'While we were being robbed'. Whingeing about Joburg and its crime is boring and futile, but honestly, sometimes one just despairs. There are far more friendly, generous, nice people here than there are thieves and vagabonds, but that small proportion certainly makes life uncertain and unpleasant for the rest.

When my son and I got home, the sliding gate was a little open and we couldn't move it any further - we walked in and Kenzo our cat was wailing to beat the band. I thought she was hurt or stuck, but she was just trying to tell us something... then we saw the dog inside the house, when I'd left him out... a bit sheepish looking, but relaxed... then we saw the mayhem.

Poor old Gucci has been an outstanding watchdog all his life, but is now a bit deaf and creaky, and sleeps like a log. He may have woken up and given them a fright, as they had been disturbed while removing the computer - I am relieved that he's OK, as dogs also fall victim to the thugs.

They were after money and firearms, which unfortunately we had in a safe, hidden, but found and removed lock stock and barrel. And our son's precious playstation, and we may still be discovering what else for a while to come.

It's hard to imagine what sort of person looks at your family photos - of children laughing on the walls, at their collections of treasures and books on their shelves, at all the evidence of ordinary daily living around a home, and then trashes it and steals not only the goods, but the trust and peace of mind, body and heart. He can only have had an awful life full of hatred and violence... well that's how I deal with it - I'm afraid some of my family are feeling rather bitter and vindictive...

<--While my car was being stolen from outside the figure drawing class.

In a journal after all the computers at my husband's business had been removed one night...

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Pet arrangements

I've been keeping a little sketchbook in the kitchen and scribbling down some of the yin and yang-like poses our dog and cat get into every night after their supper. If I'd done that over the last four years I'd have hundreds of convoluted combos in the collection. This is a crazy weimeraner who, when our daughter brought the waif kitten home, we were convinced with one boisterous nip, would bring about her very early demise. After weeks of protecting her like a coopfull of mother hens from 'The Orc', as we rudely referred to Gucci (the designer dog), one unguarded moment we turned to see Kenzo the kitten tucked under his chin, and both of them fast asleep and very contented, and that's the way they've snuggled up ever since.

And since those first raindrops started plopping down in my last post, it's been raining and pouring here. It's the 25th International Sketchcrawl tomorrow, but with this being the forecast for the next 48 hours, I'll have to find a shopping mall or some such dry place, to take part. I haven't tried very hard to find other sketchers to join me, but if anyone is in the neighbourhood and would like to, leave a comment or email, I'd love to have company!

A hibiscus and an award

Our next-door neighbour's daughter had her engagement party on Sunday and I painted this hibiscus for her card. It grows in their garden, but overflows, happily, into ours. Hibiscus do not like being put in vases, and start to droop before your eyes. The next day it looked like this-> still very beautiful, but definitely after the ball was over (I remember Laurelines painting these and likening them to discarded ballgowns - very apt!)

I have been awarded some awards! I was tagged by Mona back in December I'm afraid - to disclose 7 inconsequential things about myself and in the last couple of days I was awarded <-this by Rhonda and Joan for which I am to list 7 things I love and pass it on to 7 more bloggers - thank you very much, it is so kind of you and gratifying that you are enjoying what I put up here, hotchpotch that it is!

Seven things I love...besides the major and obvious of husband, children, sisters, nieces, nephews and friends...

• the constant comforting presence of my pets - dog Gucci and cat Kenzo, and the way they follow me to hang up the washing, peer into the hole I'm digging or attend the creation of a new masterpiece

• swimming in the sea - on the warm Indian Ocean side of SA

• paint, paper, pens, ink, brushes, crayons - you all know what I mean

• book shops

• babies - thankfully no longer my own these days, I'm happy to borrow others now - for a while

• dancing in the kitchen to Golden Oldies on the radio - great exercise and makes mopping fun

• dozing in a sunspot in winter and the first smell of jasmine in spring and walking in leaves in autumn (that's cheating, hey? - three in one ;)

• ooh - and cricket! To watch, not to play

I think that covers the inconsequential things too, as I've gone over the seven. As to passing it on - um - I think I'm going to mull over that for a little while, and might cop out, 'cos lots of my regular reads have had one already... I'll let you know!

Pastel Rocks

Some more pastels produced while taking the online course on by art professor and teacher Gregory Kerr, using different methods of creating the paintings. This one of my son - about 25 years ago - and our dog Gucci who has featured elsewhere on this blog... he wasn't actually present at the rock pool, or even born at the time, but due to the wonders of photography and drawing he makes an appearance. This one was built onto a charcoal base.

And this was onto a base of a tonal ink painting, which is how I got such dark areas - difficult otherwise with the medium. This is my husband's grandmother's bridesmaid transported from Cape Town in 1910 to a Kidds Beach thicket of bush. How are those flowers!

So what do I like about pastels?

• They are quick, you can lay down colour in seconds, layer after layer.
• They are easy to change, almost endlessly depending on your paper. You can work and rework and add and remove over and over again.
• There are loads of colours available, but you can get lots of effects just with a basic set.
• They're easy to take out and put away.
• You can get lovely veils of colour, as well as expressive marks.

What don't I like?

• They are dusty, chalky, stick to your fingers and clothes and work surfaces. Which actually you don't even notice when you're deep in the process, but do have to clean up eventually - the whole room!
• There seems to be a lot of waste - so much pigment just falls down the paper, and some colours get used up fast. I've been collecting it in an envelope, perhaps to use as a base for another one - waste not, want not, or just Scrooge?
• The results I've had so far are - pastelly, I want to get some bright brights, dark darks - which is possible as I've seen in others' work but not in mine so far.
• I tried quick sketching with them (below) and they were - ungainly, clutzy, although once I stopped trying so hard to control them (got really annoyed!) and let them do their thing, I was happier with the results - in the last drawing. 
• They seem very fragile - you can fix them very lightly with hairspray or fixative, but a heavy coat changes the surface alarmingly. Storing and framing must be a challenge!

I've always wanted to paint this chair with the about-to-bloom cymbidium, and the light behind them - more of this subject to come I hope, if I can stick with it!  (This was a London USkTalks project to use different colour papers, and different to your usual palette)