the other night I could hear a raccoon family talking to each other in the trees out behind my studio. I don’t see them around much, but sometimes in the summer some young ones come exploring. It was dark out, so I didn’t see them again, but that doesn’t stop me from drawing them however inaccurately it might be
I also got this silly critter as finished as it’s going to get, so here’s the side-by-side with the originally posted version, 11 June 2023. Not much difference I suppose, but enough for me to put it away.
no new pictures, just updating older ones that have changed since they were originally posted.
This one might be done. At any rate, it’s off its board.
Apologies for the below; I was working on trying to catch the aura of irritation and petty evil, stirring the pot to incite anger and violence. Another kind of carrion beast, but one with no honor. The teeth version is how it looks now, and I’m ready to put it where I don’t have to look at it any more.
(Thank you Sarah M. for the new colored pencils in a wide array of hues!)
Well, I’ve gotten myself to a place again where the drawings I want to work on will take more than one day or session to finish. They’ve piled up around my work table, and this one just adds to the pile.
I think for the next however-long, I’ll just post what I’m working on for the day, finished or not.
Also: At the start of each month I change out the dozen daily arts I show at the Harmony Collective Artist Gallery in Brattleboro. I never remember to post it, but always take a photo for reference. In case anyone is interested, here’s what my display looks like for May. I went with the theme of Beltaine; bones and flowers.
Might as well post it here as anywhere, the 2023 edition of my eulogy for Old Man Winter:
It’s time to dispose of the remains of Old Man Winter, but we shouldn’t unceremoniously dump him without a eulogy! But really, who is the eulogy for? It’s not for Winter – he’s long gone and couldn’t care less. It’s certainly not for the benefit of Spring – they are way too busy claiming the land to give a care. It’s really just for us: to honor the lessons, grieve the losses, and celebrate the pleasures that he brought us this season past.
In my neck of the woods, Winter was not especially memorable for his strength or commitment. He arrived rather late, spent his youth not too sure of purpose. I barely had use of my down parka, the whole season. By the end he managed to muster up a couple of good storms, but then gave up pretty early and tottered off in an impressive welter of mud. There was one last late hissy fit of a snowdump, and an encore on the mud, but the last frost in my parts is well behind us already.
Even so, he was enough to remind me of the lessons past Winters have taught: The importance of husbanding resources and energy. Guarding the warm places. Taking care of the people we love.
Winter often brings sorrows, and this one was no exception. Sometimes we had to struggle with things like the power being out for days, or not being able to get places we needed or wanted to go. There was illness and death, and often isolation. Hard things may happen in any season, but Winter’s darkness and coldness can make them hard to bear.
But he also brought pleasures that we can not deny. The transformation of the land under new snow, the way light sparkles off crystal flakes. The bracing challenge of outdoor activity, whether play or work, can be so joyful. And Winter’s spare coldness makes warmth especially delicious. The times we gather with loved ones carry extra sweetness.
And the final, great pleasure that Winter offers, is the moment we consign what’s left of him to the water or the fire, and clear the way for the offerings of the next season. Good bye and good riddance, for in the end he is gone, and we are all still here.
One of my favorite things about Twitter has been the various accounts that post macroscopic photos of tiny bugs. These weird little gems remind me always that nothing I can imagine is stranger or more improbable than something that actually exists in the world, if you only pay attention.
Some of the accounts I follow for this reason:
@bernoid bugs and fungi, illustrator’s perspective
I work a lot with Caran D’Ache water soluble crayons, but don’t love that the colors are a bit chalky and very susceptible to damage. So I tried coating this with acrylic varnish, and it seems to work beautifully to address both issues. Will be playing with this for a bit, I suspect!
This evening I had no inspiration and no desire to make a picture. I looked around me and saw a kneaded eraser that reminded me of a fat pigeon, so that’s what I drew. Must not be afraid to be goofy! That is a serious block to creativity. So, recognizing the green bird as a blockade runner, I gave them company – fish usually work for me as something to draw when I have no ideas, and the original Blockade Runner, a princess. Looking at the picture now, I’m seeing the team that opposes the gang of inner critics that kept me from calling myself an artist for most of my life, and even still now. Because really, I am just not serious enough for that title.
eyespider 