Over the past few weeks I’ve been working on some new drawings. In addition to teaching, and sketching on location, I show larger, more detailed works in galleries and exhibitions. I used to think I didn’t have the patience to create a piece that might take ten or more hours. Now I find that I enjoy the long stretches of quiet focus needed for these works. By large, I mean anything bigger than 10 x 16 inches. Currently, I have a 15 x 20 and a 22 x 30 in progress. Here’s a sneak peek of a portion of the largest one:
Much of the work in galleries and exhibitions today is some kind of painting. And while my work could be called mixed media, I consider them drawings since 90% of the time I have a pen in my hand. I used to exhibit paintings and it’s a delight now to show my drawings along side oil, acrylic and watercolor paintings. Just this week I was excited to learn my ink and watercolors have been juried into a plein air painting competition later this summer. Watch for more about that in August!
Drawing is a valuable form of fine art. While I love sketching, working on location and doing spontaneous work, I also savor these more deliberate pieces. I can put on some music, or listen to a podcast, and escape to the drawing zone. Time to get back to the work.
