A Little Life in My Drawings

"I sometimes think there is nothing so delightful as drawing."
Vincent van Gogh 

I have finally, FINALLY, found a life drawing group! I drive 1 hour south of the Bay of Islands once a week, to draw. That's how much I miss being surrounded by artists and getting my hands dirty with charcoal and graphite. Life drawing is one of the few activities that makes me lose track of time. Those who know me, are well aware that I have the attention span of a gnat. Yet, when I have a pencil in my hand and a model before me, I am so focused that I am only aware of time going by when my back starts getting achy.

I'm still finding my way back around curves and lines, but the process is as familiar as it is comfortable.

The Call of the Wild

Opua, New Zealand 

Filling the page

I am far away from the land I have called home for most of my life. Throughout our sea voyage, I wrote. I analyzed and observed from my perch as a sailor and traveler and I have also taken innumerable photos. The last 32 months have crammed themselves into my psyche. I’m bursting at the seams.

And now, I’m drawing.. Faces. I’m obsessed with faces: my partner’s, strangers’ faces, the faces of friends and ex-lovers. I want to draw, draw, draw. It's as if the floodgates have opened.

Drawing like any form of art requires practice. It requires doing over and over. That's the only way to improve, grow and play with ideas. While we sailed our boat across the Pacific I was too busy absorbing my surroundings and rarely picked up a sketchbook. At first I chastised myself, but after a conversation with a fellow artist, I realized that it, whatever “it” is, would come back to me. I needed space to create. And I am carving that space for myself now.

Profile

As I pick up my pencil today, I find my fingers are a little stiff, my drawings lack a certain fluidity. But I’m remembering, and I’m embracing the imperfections as part of the process.

Did I tell you I'm drawing again?



Click on images to enlarge them.

Doing not judging, imperfections welcome

Working on quick choices and trusting the line

Somewhere Over the Horizon

Nyon sailing in the Gulf Islands, Canada

If you are among the few who periodically checks into Musings , please note that this blog will be inactive until further notice. My focus as shifted to my upcoming voyage. If you are interested, you are certainly welcome to  read our blog about our sailing adventures.

I will attempt to continue to do art, and create a space for myself and my studio on our sailboat. I am simply unable to keep up numerous blogs, in the chaos that is planning a sea voyage!

Cheers, Kyra

A Floating Canvas

Home Sweet Home

My partner and I live aboard our Lapworth 36, a lovely 53 year old wooden sailboat. For the past 4 years we have been refitting it for our first offshore voyage. As I have mentioned earlier, we will be leaving Canadian shores in September 2011, heading south. We know we'll be exploring the Sea of Cortez, and beyond that... Well, let's just say our plans are carved in jello. Will we go south or west? The Panama Canal is an option, or we may make our way north again.

We want the freedom of possibilities. The life of seagypsies calls us both. No more 9-5 jobs, (we've never been great at that), no more car, no more routine per se... We know it won't be an easy life, but it will be one rich with experiences and adventure. Should you wish to follow our adventures, follow our log entries here.

Truthfully, we have no idea what it's really going to be like. (So we've been told by the Salty Sailors in our midst). Our boat is our home, my studio, and our main mode of transportation. Home has always been a reflection of us. When my partner suggested we turn it into a mini-gallery, I was game. We decided that our locker doors would make great canvases... And why not? Here is my latest project, an aside, on a long list of boat projects as we prepare for our journey.

Octopus' Garden in Progress

My partner asked for an Octopus' garden in the Head. (The head is the washroom to you landlubbers.) My illustration is not super original, but it was fun to do.

Illustration has always been my first love when it comes to art. They tried to beat it out of me in art school, but it didn't work, I love illustrating. My style evolves and varies greatly depending on the project.

Here is the finished product below. Our head is small, but now it's more colourful. And there is the added bonus of Ethel's company. (Ethel is the octopus.)

Ethel's World

Jellyfish coming to life.

The Galley needed some life added to it too. Some of our friends and family laughed at my ocean theme. I live on a boat, on the ocean, why am I painting all this sea life? Why not something else entirely? I couldn't help myself.

I'm fascinated by jellyfishes. They are beautiful, but they have an air of danger about them. While creating these whimsical images, I was listening to CBC 2, and This American Life . What a fabulous way to spend a few days. 

Our Galley today.

The Art of Working in a Small Space

Mini-Studio

I'm still adjusting to painting aboard our sailboat - I admit at times I feel constrained by the limits of the space. I also miss not being able to make a mess, this is our living space after all. A major clean-up is necessary after each session.

I miss actually standing at the easel. Of course, now that I must work small, due to the size of the cabin, I crave working on a large canvas...

I do, however, love that I don't have to hop on a bus or ride my bike for 30 minutes when I have the urge to paint something "now"! I can drink my coffee while staring at my work to assess my next step, crack open a tube of paint and just begin...

 

Playing With Colour (Inspired by a sketch in "An Illustrated Life")

Leaping (Reference: Anatomy for the Artist)

Porltand Island Resident

The Joy of Sketching

I like the angular quality  in the figure on the right. It's something I have struggled with a lot, while drawing the male figure. I still do.

I sat on a concrete block in December, drawing a store front. The most interesting thing in the drawing is this telephone pole. I tried to capture the details in a very loose way. It feels a bit odd. I usually only get like that when I'm life drawing.

Now, I just begin drawing; not wondering if it's a worthwhile subject to draw, I just do it. The cormorant was fun. I was cleaning the cabin in preparation for our Christmas, on the 24th. He just sat there on the next dock, waiting out the gale force winds. So, I grabbed my sketchbook, and started sketching. He stayed in one position too long, meaning I got finicky; but then he kept darting here and there. The second and third drawings, are more fluid as a result.

Working on a small painting in the cabin.

Art That Makes My Heart Sing

Le double portrait au 
verre de vin by Marc Chagall

I saw this image, (a tiny thumbnail), on the Bau-Xi Facebook page and didn't realize it was a Chagall painting.... It drew me in instantly. His art has done that for me in the past too, apparently I'm a fan of Chagall's work.

Icarus I by Jylian Gustlin

I am continually inspired by Jylian Gustlin, (I've mentioned her before.) She's an artist from San Francisco... Check out her site, it's a feast for the eyes! She works in so many mediums: From digital, to fiber, to mixed media, even photography.

Primary Concern by Michael den Hertog

Michael den Hertog is a Vancouver artist. I have met him and found him to be genial, he also allowed me to pick his brain about the business of art... I own a print by him. Maybe one day, I'll have an original. See his current works gallery here.

Ne me quittes pas by Ken Flett

The first time I saw this next Canadian artist's work, was when one of his pieces was used by the Belfry Theatre on the poster for a production a few years ago. I liked it so much, I searched for more of his works. It's raw and beautiful. I also couldn't help but love the title of this particular piece on the right, as it's a nod to one of my favourite singer songwriters, Jacques Brel. Ken Flett's works must be seen in person to really be appreciated.

Study For A Saint About To Fall by Rachel Berman

I spend a lot of time, looking at art. I'm one of those people that loves art history as well as visiting my contemporaries' studios. When an artist's style varies greatly from mine, I still find inspiration in their technique or their vision. I can count many artists among my friends. Each one is unique. I remember laughing with Rachel Berman in a bookstore, (a fabulous and inspiring artist), about how we just loved talking about art but that it was hard to get to work right after conversations about it, because we get too wound up in our excitement!