Paper and Threads

This was my first figure drawing session since April - and I really enjoyed it.  There were 2 good models, fun live music, a glass of pinot noir, and Sara, my friend from our beach vacation.  The format is always the same: 10X2 min, 4X5 min, 2x10 min, 3X20 min.  I uploaded a few of my drawings in each category.

I really like the short poses best.  The models are more adventurous and I am drawing without thinking.  Here are 2 0f the two-minute drawings and 2 of the 5 minute drawings:

 One 10 minute pose:

Two 20 minute Poses.  The final pose, with both models reclining, was way beyond my previous experience, but I walked to a space where I could see them best, did a contour drawing, and then threw watercolor paint on the sketches.  I'm glad I didn't wimp out - the challenge was good for me!

Posted by Shirley at 5:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I finished painting the sketchbook page I did in honor of Charlie's 3 day visit.  More details are in the previous blog post.

Today I walked to 3 galleries to see their current exhibits and quickly sketched a few details from one of Paul Klee's Bauhaus prints.  The lady in profile captured my attention as soon as I saw the print and I had to return to sketch her quickly with my dreaded Pentel Pocket Brush Pen!  The print was from 1925 and it was in one of 3 exhibits that I really enjoyed. 

These were the exhibits - all within 10 blocks of each other on the Upper Eastside of Manhattan: 

Paul Klee - The Bauhaus Years at the Dickinson Gallery. 19 E. 66th St from May 3-June 14, 2013

Munch and German Expressionism  at David Tunick, Inc. 19 E. 66th St. from May 7 - May 20, 2013

George Grosz (Watercolor Paintings) at Soufer Gallery.  1015 Madison Ave from April 23- June 14, 2013.

Posted by Shirley at 6:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

One of my favorite Spring and Fall Art Events is the Impressionist and Modern Art Auctions at Christie's and Sotheby's in New York City.  As was written in the New York Times last Friday, "Before the Gavel Falls, It's All Free to Look At."  The paintings, drawings and sculptures that are being offered for sale at these auctions. are usually going from one private owner to another - meaning that most are infrequently seen by the public. 

My husband and I loved the preview at Christies, and they have wonderful audio descriptions of 8 major works on their website at this link. 

http://www.christies.com/sales/impressionist-modern-new-york-may-2013/evening-sale.aspx

I love ballet, ballet classes, and Degas for his many paintings, drawings, and sculptures of ballet dancers.  This one is beautiful - much more sophisticated in its rendering than many in the collection of bronzes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  I stood quietly, off-to-the-side, and sketched her, enjoying my brief minutes with her beauty.  The sculpture is 16" high and 21 5/8 inches long.  The estimated sale price is $600,000-800,000.  I will be able to look at the final sale price after the auction, but no information about her new home will be available.

Posted by Shirley at 2:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I made it to figure drawing again in April - and really enjoyed the jazz, the glass of wine and one of the models.  The other one not so much. 

Here are a few of my drawings from the evening.  The male model is really tall and skinny and he extends his arms, legs, and fingers (which must be 12 inches long) in every short pose.  These are therefore incredibly challenging and I find I have to focus on a smaller part of him to get anything drawn during these 2 minute warm-ups.

Here is an Uninspired 5 minute Pose by the Woman Model

And a 10 minute Pose by Him:

And Finally a 20 minute Pose by Him.  I couldn't capture the way he had his legs crossed over each other, he was bearing weight equally between his legs and had both knees slightly bent.  Yikes!  So I moved on and did a slightly different half-body view of him for the remaining minutes.

Posted by Shirley at 12:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Benedicte, Pat and I went to the Surrealist Drawing Exhibit at the Morgan Library and Museum right before it closed.  They had an amazingly thorough presentation - the artists that played with surrealism and the techniques that were used.

I arrived early and sketched a woman reading while waiting for the doors to open.  In the exhibit I quickly sketched a Picasso woman who was in one corner of his drawing and a Miro square that I wanted to remember for my "visual language project."  The exhibit stretched over two big galleries - lots to see and read without doing more drawing. 

Degas and his painting of Miss La La at the Circus was in the upstairs gallery.  There was information about the circus in Paris, preliminary drawings and paintings, the big painting and works by other artists who also painted the circus.  I loved the shape of a clown in a lithograph by Henry Gabriel Ibels and sketched a portion of the print.  But then I had to go find Pat and Benedicte, who still hadn't come upstairs, because I wanted to leave time to see the American Watercolor Society Show at Salmagundi.  Both of these exhibits closed Sunday. 

I love the annual watercolor show and enjoyed it again tremendously.  It is hard for me to fathom how accomplished artists can make such amazing paintings!  A real inspiration, but not a realistic goal!

Posted by Shirley at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)