Recently in Tuesday Gang Category

Tonight was the Tuesday Gang  - great time and great lesson - this is my night to grow and learn - we are doing figure drawing - and we always have a few snacks - and a little wine - we meet at 6ish and none of us eat supper first so we just snack - mostly I am the snacker -

First we did some 10 second drawings - and as soon as he realized we were not quite that quick on the 'draw', he extended it to 30 second drawings.  I can hardly get an oval for the head and the torso done in that amount of time.So we moved on to 90 second drawings.  Not much time still -  But I need to be forced to get the basics down and not overthink - it is all about get a few lines in the right place and the proportions approximately right! - Finally we were working on a 30 minute drawing - more my regular speed.  I was so intent on my second glass of wine ( did I mention the 16 oz. styrofoam cups?)  - ok - I don't fill it all the way!!

But this is my night to relax - keep that in mind... anyway - my easel is positioned right by the snacks - I am sure I must do that on purpose ( note to self: move next week ) - have I made enough excuses yet?? - We had some wonderful cashews that I was so intently munching on.  My eyes were focused on the model and my paper - and still I was munching away.  Suddenly the cashew that I put in my mouth had a funny texture and no taste at all.  YES - I  had eaten a piece of charcoal!! 

Actually charcoal is not all that bad - and it was a really small piece - that is my excuse for mistaking it for a cashew!! - But I was so-o-o surprised and it was a little funny.  I have dipped my brush in the wine before - but not actually eaten art supplies before.

 - I guess this means I shouldn't relax quite so much on Tuesdays! - NAH!!!

The real lesson here is one that I well know: never eat in the same area that you work in - most art supplies are not healthy if ingested!

Still not ready to show off my figure drawing yet  - but later

 mj

Well - as semi-promised - here is the leaf -

It was done in oil sticks - but not in the manner that most people use them - I couldn't just draw and let the lines create the art - I had to get in there and finger paint it - apparently I am still too obsessive to let go -

Valium anyone??????

Someday the photography of my art will be better - that is one thing I have noticed about really good bloggers ( at least the ones I like to follow) They are also very good at photography - I can do better if I try - and 'try' is the operative word there.

well - see what you think

 Last night the group did a little figure drawing with the wonderful guidance of Gregg Coker - It was really much better than I thought I could do - But definitely will require lots more practice before you see any of that here.  The other thing was I just loved the music he was playing.  That can really set the tone for the work you are doing and last night it really hit my mood - I will have to ask him what it was - It was not mellow at all -  :)

later

mj

Just found out the cd was by Tom Waits - described to me as music for lonesome barflies :)

Part of all this writing is so that I can get all the kinks worked out in this blogging business.  Though I know I will never ever be an expert - Life is too short........

I have to mention my "fifteen minutes of fame" - it actually is over - but hey, let me mention it anyway!

Last year I was asked to prepare an exhibit for TRAHC to be displayed in the Regional Art Center's entry and hallways - (sorry to disappoint you, not the main galleries - but maybe someday!)  The exhibit ran from November 13, 2007 through January 6, 2008.  What you see in this photo is the signage and brochures they prepared to go along with the exhibit.  I called the exhibit "The Common Thread" because I included two works each by my mother Jane Stanhope Miller ( whose focus was figurative mostly) and my grandfather H.D. 'Baron" Stanhope (whose strong point was landscapes - he loved the mathematical aspects of perspective).  We did have a FABULOUS reception.

The piece that TRAHC chose for the signage shown here -is not one of my very favorites but they liked it.  It is a watercolor of a fuchsia that I photographed on my Dad's back patio. (Can you tell he doesn't live around here?) It was actually the first watercolor I had done in about 15 years. I really thought I didn't like watercolor, but I think I changed my mind!

As part of my getting back into art, our Tuesday Gang has been trying all kinds of media. We could call it being adventurous, breaking away, inspired....... or just really, really A.D.D.  We have done some on our own and have had guest teachers come in and 'inspire' us.  Nicole Brisco worked with us in collage, and then some cool creativity exercises.  Then we did watercolor on Yupo paper with Judy Wright Walter.  The art of mosaics was fun with Sheila Keever.  The last medium that we explored was pastel with Cindy Holmes.  Most of us had tried all these things before, but my theory is that you never stop learning.  Expose your self to many different artists and styles to help you develop.  You can take a little inspiration or 'how to' from each person to help you find your own voice.  It is a little dangerous to study under one person for very long, your 'voice' will resemble theirs.  We have been together for several years now and have become a very close group.  We have our own unspoken trust in each other and we are small enough to keep our schedule flexible.  I am afraid we are a very strong group of personalities but we blend perfectly.  We do not follow instruction well at all.  Our members are all very much in charge in their professional lives, so we like to be in charge of our art also. Our next guest 'instructor"  is abstract and figurative artist Gregg Coker. - Can't wait!! - He does things with encaustic that I have been dying to try - I may experiment on my own before the group gets to it.

Talk later - mzj

I feel like I am jumping in midstream....

at least in reference to this wonderful journey of creativity.

I am a novice blogger, but have been so intrigued by all the sites that I have visited in the past few months. I must admit to many interests aside from art. There is no telling where my wanderings online will lead me!

Just as a way of introducing myself, I am a third generation owner of an art related retail business called Stanhope's Art, Framing & Stationery. In years past, I have taught children's art lessons, as well as decorative painting. This was how I kept my skills going all the years that I was also a little busy raising children.

A few years ago, I joined a group of wonderful friends for some creativity exercises on Tuesday evenings as a way to get back into art for art's sake. We have had some wonderful times together and I have started getting back many of the skills that had gotten a little rusty. - More about these guys later....

I also work with a really creative gal named Blanche - It has been invaluable to have someone to help you work out those ideas that come to you! -

Blogging will be another form of therapy and I hope you will get a little something out of it.
I will also get a little exercise in grammar usage - You would not believe how hard this was to write without ending a single sentence in a preposition!!

well - more later
m