EDM Challenge #114: Draw Something Ugly
I had a great deal of difficulty selecting something from my everyday life that was ugly, kept for sentimental reasons, and worthy of a sketch. Our almost 35 year old salad spinner, purchased by our first Nannie for our small kitchen in LaJolla, is now cracked, but still working. It is really ugly, especially with a crack in the lid. It is also probably vintage and nearly a first edition! But I just didn't feel like sketching and painting it. So I selected my very favorite, brown leather, pocket-sized Filofax - which was purchased new when we moved to New York City in 1993. The snap on the small piece which closes the notebook is broken, and the estimate to replace it was $50 approximately 5 years ago. A new comparable Filofax was only $85 and I just wasn't ready to retire mine. So I made a small quilted wrap for the notebook and added a long piece of velcro along the end to close it. It is still my only calendar and general all-purpose notebook and it travels everywhere with me in my purse.
Comments
Is that the same salad spinner whose lid unceremoniously flew out your kitchen window while we were preparing for Lauren's bridal shower?!
Posted by: Shannon | April 15, 2007 7:54 PM
Yes Shannon, the very same one that flew out the window and fell two whole floors to the cement sidewalk below! And still it lives and works just fine! I think it deserves to continue to live and not be replaced!
Posted by: Shirley | April 15, 2007 9:27 PM
Such a nice entry(I would love to see the spinner as well, sounds like a great history it has!)Lovely drawing of your filofax, Yes, it has become rediculous, the prices of these agendas, even just the yearly refill.
Nice work.
Ronell
Posted by: Ronell | April 16, 2007 2:38 AM
Yu have a lovely style and I just love your colours. So subtle but always just right.
Posted by: andrea joseph | April 16, 2007 6:12 AM
You did a wonderful job on this, Shirley. I agree about it being a very difficult challenge - it goes against the grain, somehow, portraying something ugly.
Posted by: Casey | April 16, 2007 7:39 AM
Sometimes it IS really hard to find something ugly. Usually we don't keep stuff we find ugly around. I still can't think of what to draw, myself! :) Really wonderful drawing!
Posted by: laserone | April 16, 2007 9:39 AM
isn't it funny how we keep things for sentimental reasons and 'just because' reasons. You did a great job on this filofax.
Posted by: teric | April 16, 2007 2:26 PM
This looks well loved, and not at all ugly. I'm not surprised you are not ready to part from it.
Posted by: Carole | April 16, 2007 5:00 PM
There's nothing ugly about this sketch, it's beautiful. The colors you used are wonderful.
Posted by: Lynn | April 17, 2007 2:06 PM
I'm very attached to my Filofax too. It's like a dependable old friend! This is a wonderful choice of subject, though not ugly in the least. $50 to replace the clasp?? Your solution is way more creative.
Posted by: E-J | April 18, 2007 6:54 AM
Terrific idea about using the quilt band. I like all the detail you've captured and the lovely warmth of the brown. Cheers! Mary Ellen
Posted by: Mary Ellen | April 28, 2007 7:29 PM
I love the sketch of the Filofax, and the story behind it. Its one of my biggest regrets in life ,that I have ZERO artistic talent whatsoever, yet love looking at art. I had some lessons, but soon realised it was a lost cause. I'd be content with just being able to sketch something I see when travelling, like your lovely sketch of a gate. I'm currently setting up a Filofax to take to Italy as a travel journal, and I'm also hoping my wife will do some sketches while we are there, for memories.
Looking forward to seeing more of your work.
Posted by: Paul | August 16, 2012 8:03 AM