'The time has come,' the walrus said, 'to talk of many things: of shoes and ships - and sealing wax - of cabbages and kings.' Lewis Carroll
The time has come to review past months and explain a bit where I have been, yours truly, the intrepid sketchbook artist.
Is intrepid the right word? Would Lewis Carroll have used the word intrepid? Maybe intrepidishly or intrepisomely with a lot of jabberwocky added.
I broke my wrist in May, hanging an art show for my students at Naperville Classical Academy. I was stepping off a ladder and missed the bottom rung. I continued to be intrepid, adventuresome, heroic, even a bit reckless in the last days of teaching and in making more artwork. Not to give myself too much credit for being lion-hearted, I only broke my left wrist, the sprained part hurt the most, and I am right-handed. Although it is kind of surprising how many daily actions take two functioning hands to manage. Buttoning my jeans, unbuttoning anything, changing diapers, tying shoelaces, and measuring a teaspoon of vanilla for chocolate chip cookies were some challenges.
Speaking of changing diapers, I have been occupied with so many many diapers these past months. I am now the grandmother of five little people. Here I am photographed holding two of them, babysitting while wearing my cast. The newest grandbaby is two months old now, sketches or something to record her beautiful newness are coming to this blog eventually.
A great many things are in transition right now, the addition of all these new little people in my life have added wonderful joyful complications. But complications must be considered. I have changed my art studio completely around this summer. After reading KonMari Kondo's book on de-cluttering, I have been valiantly trying to make my studio space more of a calm environment to seclude myself and paint.
I tend to do a lot of my sketching sitting at the kitchen table or outdoors while watching the grandkids, or waiting for naps to finish.
I like to be able to look out the window a lot and draw in natural light from life and it is inspiring to be surrounded by so much life.
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| Rhino by Janice Skivington (after Albrecht Durer) |
