Landscape of Virginia

There is nothing better than reworking an older 'put aside' drawing, when one gets the chance to bring new life to an old tired out work one by reworking it. In as much as I've done so before I once again brought new dimensions to this drawing by elaborating on its' city life. I added to what lay within its windows and streets by adding figures and shadow with light falling on its characters. I believe it brings the dream into focus much better with these improvements I imposed upon it.

Sometimes there is some street drama in the city, it can often be missed as daily activity but in reality there is much behind the story, more than meets the eye. In this case its a scene of a couple doing there best to leave a place without being noticed, and of course they are. Its happening in daylight and with busy people walking by going about their daily business. But the fun is in seeing how this woman is contorted in sneaking about going out the doorway. I might have blown her actual ability to twist and turn some but forgive me for that problem and you can see how she is trying to hide her face with a pose that actually bring attention to it. I've actually seen people do this and I can't believe they can have any thought to being discreet, cuz they aren't and they stick out like a sort thumb. Such is life. I just had this thought as I completed this drawing. When I began it I drew the guy holding the box and then the sidewalk which lead to drawing a figur...

A day where if we wish hard enough will be the very day we we're most thankful to be 'in', it may be today but its always that day your at the coffee house. I haven't ever been regretful for hanging out in one of the many coffee houses in our little college town. In fact with the spreading of the 'coffeehouse' nich to even some of our small towns near here, there have been many more places in which to enjoy the locals' and there stories as they talk. Easedropping? Perhaps I am guilty of it but what the heck, its fun and I don't spread what I hear around for others to dig their teeth into the latest from the grapevine, so I'm not really so bad. Am I?

I often have fun with some images of my cats in my drawings at home, and I've never really been that good with there faces but this one (drawing) isn't so bad. I started with drawing one of my cats that I've had (Camel) sitting licking itself (or preening as I've heard it called) on my armchair. From there we flash to this afternoon: my cats were running amuck all over me and of course I submitted to petting them, well this drawing came out of my pen a few minutes after they had calmed down some and commenced to sitting on the rug while I drew. I like it however it is kind of weird, I suppose one must have lived with cats for a while to appreciate it enough to enjoy it. Anyway so it goes on my drawing board today.

Out here in the remote side of life, the idea of serenity seems like it would be a great part of life here but its not necessarily so. People are people wherever one goes, there you are among people. The truth is the surroundings are very suitable to it but one must do the work on the inside to gather serenity on the outside. And one can have ones outsides thrown to the dogs all over again in a moment when one doesn't expect it but your intuition can not always be of help in warning you went its going to come, yet somehow most of us do manage some serenity once in a while, in-between the chaos and striving to get ahead of the pack. Some even want to be in charge of the pack, go wonder about that one, I do. Anyway this drawing deals with those times between when there is a moment when one says "yes, this is what its about" and for those moments I dedicate this drawing of a young couple just sitting out in a meadow enjoying the day and each others' company.

My short relief from running this blog w my art was much needed, yet its still quite a joy to come back to it with something new. I have turned to the basics of drawing for a relief from painting. It working out very well, I've sunk back into my 'old ways' of working from my imaginative funny spot of caricatures and lampooning innocent folks doing nothing more than dinning at a local spot (completely made up in my mind of course) and so it had brought me to a new enjoyment of a good laugh for laugh's sake. I'm hoping to have a little fun before I return to the serious work of painting buildings of note to those who've lived in the college town nearby of Charlottesville. Well on with the fun.

Just one more small one before I drop out of sight for a while: this is a pen and ink about my slightly ajar memory of drinking coffee in a restaurant in Philadelphia back in the 70's. I couldn't say that there was anything wrong with the people up north, they were just different and kind of personable in a different way than our southern traditional welcoming kind of folks. I enjoyed being with them, so don't get me wrong, I was weirder looking and acting than any of them when I lived up north but I just can't help make stuff up about them. Of course its all true what they say about me back up their (but they did some stuff too). The food was great. The places that served it were great too and I am just having some fun drawing some weird situational comedy afterall so go figure where I'm coming from. Enjoy!