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Nineteen years ago, still brings tears to my eyes,  a pain in my heart. Over the years as each September 11th arrives I struggle with the pain. As a visual artist the sight of the buildings as they were engulfed in smoke, the architectural structures gnarled kept coming back to my mind. I did sketches, even did a few sculptural studies. I could not find the words in my art. I finally started a pastel piece, trying to make the abstract shapes work. I would put it away and pull it our each September to work on in hopes that maybe I was ready to finish this piece. 

Rick and I had been up to N.Y. when a barrier filled with notes, pictures, flowers and stuffed animals surrounded the area. We went up again when it was a large hole in the ground and once again when it was a memorial. That is when I discovered the "Survivor Tree", it is a Callery Pear Tree. I had added a tree to my pastel and was incorporating the shape of the Pentagon. I am now in the process of making my tree a pear tree, it is not that hard a transition. The base I had drawn was pretty close to the pictures I took at the memorial. The leaves are different so gently changing the edges. 

With all the pain that has been going on this year, my intent is to finish many partly completed works. This one is special, I do believe this will be the year it is completed. Once it is done, I will donate it to the memorial art program in NY. The "Survivor Tree" was found by the fallen buildings, Parks and Recreation helped in keeping it alive while the area was being cleared. In 2010 the tree was put back into the ground at the 9-11 site. It continues to grow and shows us how to survive. If you would like to read more about the tree here is the website link: https://www.911memorial.org/visit/memorial/survivor-tree

Be safe, be kind and we will survive.

Thank you, linda

To start this post off, I love the drawn line. Looking at something, following the path with your mind, eye and hand is for me a form of relaxing. The thought occurred to me today as I was sending an email to a friend, that sketching was meditative. When I am sketching much of the time I am outside observing nature and wildlife. I generally have a camera with me, usually have a sketchbook or journal.

Even when I am writing, taking notes, I sketch. This page was from my journal during a meditation retreat. Is this doodling?

Doodling, to doodle means to "scribble absentmindedly". There are art forms that have taken off from doodling, zen doodle, zentangle but this is not what I do when I sketch. Wikipedia says "A sketch is a rapidly executed freehand drawing that is usually not intended as a finished work." I must disagree, when I sketch it generally is not fast, it is freehand, and sometimes the sketch progresses to a finished piece.  I guess, at that point it has progressed from a sketch to a drawing. 

For me, sketching is conscious concentration observation. I do quick studies, contour and gestural sketches, which are done somewhat fast. With contour drawing you are trying to make your drawing hand slow down and follow what your eye is seeing. This can be a slow process. It is a good way to help your eye and hand learn not to just depend on what the brain thinks it knows. An example of that is a tree, are trees brown, are they straight? Look at Aspen trees, nope, not brown. Even Lodgepole pine trees have texture creating movement within the fairly straight structure of this tree. 

Try putting your pencil or pen on a piece of paper. Do not pick it up once it is placed. Look at something, anything, even your morning coffee/tea mug. Pick a point to start. Let you eye move along the outline/edge of the mug. Let your hand follow along with the movement of your eye. You can take breaks to look down at your paper but do not pick the pen up, keep moving around until your eye comes back to the starting point. Not as easy as it sounds is it, well, this is what I mean by sketching slowly. You are observing and teaching yourself to see. Once you feel comfortable with this try it again only do not look down at your paper. Remember to laugh when you are done.

This is taking you into meditation, you are not thinking of anything else. You are focused and maybe even relaxed.                          

I hope you see where I am taking you with this gentle rambling. If you take the time to sketch, to allow yourself a few moments of peaceful time. It will not only improve your drawing ability but it may help calm your mind. Help to stop thinking of all the troubles in life. 

Colored pencil sketch while driving through N.M.

Next week, I will go over cross contour, gesture and thumbnail sketches. Until than take care, be safe, mask up. linda