En route to an Albert Handell mentorship

Inside the sunroom, outside the guesthouse, 7 x 9 ½" watercolor

I had no idea when Jerry Stocks first invited me to stay with her and Ray what a treat I was in for. Last year, and more recently I was en route to workshops that took place south of Beaufort, SC. I have since fallen in love with this delightful little community where they reside. Southern Charm plays second fiddle only to Southern Hospitality at the Stocks’ house. If Jerry ever decides not to be an artist she might consider being a chef. She’s a superb cook. I had my first Low Country Boil at her table, as well as my first shrimp pie and tomato pudding. My last trip through, we netted the crabs we ate later for dinner. Beaufort, SC is quintessential Southern. How fortunate for those lucky enough to live there. What a wonderful backdrop author Pat Conroy had for so many of his novels.

Both of today’s paintings feature the Stocks’ guesthouse (where I stayed) and both paintings will be gifted to the Stocks (if they want them). I couldn’t have the life I do if it weren’t for the generous hospitality of the wonderful people with whom I have the good fortune to stay during my plein air travels.

Inside the guesthouse, 7 x 9 ½" watercolor

Meet Lee

Lee 1, 15-minute Creatacolor® sketch

Lee 2, 15-minute Creatacolor® sketch

Lee 3, 20-minute Creatacolor® sketch

Lee relaxed, Sharpie® sketch

The consensus is that I do put some of my previously posted yoga pose sketches up for auction. But later. I’ll let all know when this happens.

I’m pooped. It was a quick trip up to the Triangle today. Stops included another two productive hours at Chambers Arts! We had a different model today. Lee had never modeled before, and I feel he did a great job. First we had our typical ten 1-minute poses. The rest of the time was divided into three 15-minute poses and one 20-min. pose. When Lee saw Lee, released (above) he gave me the biggest compliment anyone can pay me as an artist, and that was that I had caught the essence of the pose. In fact I’d rather hear the word essence than to hear likeness, which is what was said for the longer-pose sketches. This was all great portrait practice for me, and I’m grateful to Lee for his ability to strike a twenty-minute pose without flinching. Good job there, Lee!

Stretching reality

Picasso Yoga, Sharpie® rendering on paper

 Last Thursday, I was privileged to attend another Life Model Open Studio session at Chambers Arts!

And fortunately, we again had artist Kathyrn Cook as our model. And finally, I asked her, “Do you teach it [yoga]?” She confirmed, also telling me she’s been doing yoga for some ten years. Yow! And I have trouble making it to my first session!

Again, we did ten one-minute poses. Tell me if you think I should put these drawings up for auction? I’m thinking in this economy, they would give me some pieces with a significantly lower (teeny-weeny) price point that might actually move.

After getting into the rhythm of these poses, I focused on conveying more info with fewer lines, and voila! I ended up with Picasso Yoga (above). Picasso’s drawings and paintings of many of his models look about as close to reality as some of Kate’s stretches are relative to human form as we know it. —This is why Kate’s poses make for such good drawing practice.