 |
6/1/07 ~
Raccoons
Today was the first
day of my Drawing Everyday 2007 Project, however, I've been
unable to get online all afternoon. I'll send this out as soon
as I get reconnected.
I got this reply to yesterday's Spirit Art image from member
Bobbie Zurbach,
"What a great first drawing, Sandy. Since I just saw your
beautiful Raccoon friend
the other day, I really enjoyed it. She is, by far, the prettiest
Racoon I've ever seen and you did her proud!"
sandy
|
 |
6/2/07 ~ Appel
Farm Arts & Music Festival
Today we set up our
tent at a music festival in Elmer, NJ. It was our first time
there and it was a good experience despite the heat. I enjoyed
listening to the music.
It was a blast from the past with WXPN represented, including
MC's Michaela
Majoun and Gene Shay. Recording artists such as Joan Armatrading,
Leon Redbone
and Chris Smither added to the feeling of nostalgia and good
times.
sandy
|
 |
6/3/07 ~ Where
Did My Hummingbirds Go?
It is nesting season
here in southern NJ for the hummers. I haven't seen any
females in several weeks. The necter from Mountain Laurel, Honeysuckle
and
other flowering plants in the woods are readily available to
them now. Lots of
people have been contacting me, concerned that theirs have disappeared
also.
Although rarely seen, I do hear their distinctive cheeps whenever
I go outside.
I keep seeing an occassional male or two, but the moms are out
of sight.
I'm looking forward to seeing all the hens and fledgelings
appear at my feeders any day now.
sandy
|
 |
6/4/07 ~ Where
Did The Icebergs Go?
Polar Bears have been
on the environmental "hot seat" for a while now.
They are a species in peril for sure. Not only are they hunted
ruthlessly as trophies, their habitat is quickly changing and
shrinking as global warming takes it toll.
|
 |
sandy
6/5/07 ~ More Polar
Bears
Last December, the
U.S. government proposed listing polar bears
as threatened with extinction under the Endangered Species Act
because the animals' sea ice habitat is melting.
Go to Polar Bears International for tons of educational polar
bear
information, pictures and research at: www.polarbearsinternational.org
sandy
|
 |
6/6/07 ~ Lively
Tuba Solo
I found this clip
on the web of Oystein
Baadsvik doing a combination
of whimsical stand up comedy and amazing musical mastery.
As he joked and played his tuba,
I sketched these gesture drawings.
What a skillful musician and interesting instrument!
|
 |
6/7/07 ~ Another
Study of Oystein
Another sketch of
Oystein Baadsvik playing his tuba.
Yesterday I sent gesture drawings and today I put the
clip on pause and did this longer 20 minute study.
|
 |
6/8/07 ~ Crazy
Frog
Today's sketch is
a pencil and wash of a crazy looking bullfrog. The
other night when coming out of a restaurant, I nearly stepped
on a big
one in the dark parking lot. Jerry threw it back in the adjoining
pond.
|
 |
6/9/07 ~ Adorable
Mallard Ducklings
I spent some time
drawing ducks from life at a art show
in North Jersey today. The little ducklings were so cute
and entertaining! Once I spotted them, I just had to draw them.
It was a most enjoyable break, sitting in the sun on the grass
by the pond sketching while Jerry took care of business.
|
 |
sandy
6/10/07 ~ Men On
A Bench
Carol Anderson writes;
" I really enjoyed your duck drawings. What
medium did you use? It looks like markers from this vantage."
Yes,
it does look like markers and I'm sure you could get the same
effect
with a few fine tip grey markers; like a 20%, 40% & 60%.
I did the
ducks in my usual technique however, pencil first, then wash
over top.
Here's another done from live, actively moving models, yesterday.
sandy
|
 |
6/11/07 ~ Amusement
"You should often
amuse yourself when you are out
for recreation, in watching and taking note of the attitudes
and actions of people as they talk and dispute, or laugh or
come to blows with one another... noting these down
with rapid strokes, in a little pocket-book which you
ought to always carry with you." ~ Leonardo da Vinci
sandy
|
 |
6/12/07 ~ More
Amusement
I've got a little
desk set up in the studio looking out the window by a
hummingbird feeder. One of our feisty males would not let any
females or
fledglings near his 'HummZinger' while I tried to draw today. He is
the
same model in all these poses, except for one female taking a
brief drink.
Although a challenge to sketch, frequent giggles kept frustration
at bay.
|
 |
6/13/07 ~ Grizzly
Cam
You can see grizzlies
live online if your computer is new enough.
Since I got Jerry a laptop, I've been checking for them on wavelit.com.
Still nothing today, so I sketched
the scene and put my own bears in!
|
 |
6/14/07 ~ Cat and Crow
There are some amazing stories on
the web! These drawings were inspired by
one of a wild crow adopting an abandoned kitten. The video showed
them
playing and eating together. The kitten's human said they were
best friends.
|
 |
6/15/07 ~ Guardian Angel
The story of Cassie The Cat and Mo
The Crow goes something like;
whenever Cassie went into the road, Mo would scold her and get
her
to move out of it. I wish all cats had a guardian angel like
Mo!
|
 |
6/16/07 ~ Little Falcon
Commonly called Sparrow Hawks, Kestrals
are the smallest members
of the falcon family. Falcons need to flap their wings constantly
as they
fly unlike hawks which flap and glide. These birds can be seen
hovering
motionless in the sky or perched on telephone wires throughout
North America.
|
 |
6/17/07 ~ Herd Members
This is a quick study of a couple
of members of the herd
of deer that lives with us out here on the Sandarosa.
Happy Father's Day to all you guys!
|
 |
6/18/07 ~ Foxy Lady
We've got the most beautiful gray
fox that we often see around
twilight at our place. I just recently found out that gray foxes
are the only members of the canine family that can climb trees.
|
 |
6/19/07 ~ Foxy Mom
I did this quick study of our resident
gray fox. It was done from a bad photo
I took of her. At dusk we saw her gathering up bread we put out
for the birds
under our bird feeders. The way she stuffed her mouth and took
off, I'm sure
she has a den of hungry pups at home.
|
 |
6/20/07 ~ Fox Pup
Thinking about our gray fox pups,
I looked up some pictures
in one of my nature books. Today's sketch is one of the little
ones. I wonder if mom will ever bring them out for us to see.
|
 |
6/21/07 ~ Horse Park
This past Saturday three of my friends
and I went to an Arabian Horse
Show at the NJ Horse Park near Allentown, NJ. It was an interesting
afternoon. It is a nice facility where all kinds of equestrian
events are
held. I'm glad I finally got to see it since its been open now
for almost
25 years. Man, how time flies!
|
 |
6/22/07 ~ Wild Spirits
Working on an idea for an Animal Spirits
painting today,
I came up with this unusual composition of a hawk and a wolf.
|
 |
6/23/07 ~ Drawing Exercise
There are lots of instructional videos
on the web. I came across some
great ones on drawing the head by a young artist called Sycra
from
Vancouver, CA. As the videos played, I sketched along with them.
It's fun and a great exercise in speed and eye / hand cooridination.
|
 |
6/24/07 ~ Roly Poly
Our resident momma raccoon, Snowflake,
has been bringing
four roly poly babies to our bird feeder for a week now.
Arriving after dark, it is hard to get a picture of them. Using
a
flashlight through the window, I study them for future reference.
|
 |
6/25/07 ~ Siblings
A quick study for you today of a couple
of the animals
that presently share my thoughts and my yard.
|
 |
6/26/07 ~ Masked Marauders
Here's one more sketch of a couple
of our masked friends.
Masks are often used in ceremonies to transform and
connect participants to altered states and higher powers,
thus raccoon is symbolic of concealment and mystery.
|
 |
6/27/07 ~ Jersey Devil Legend
I've been playing around with some
different Jersey Devil Drawings today.
This one was inspired partially by Irvane Spraklin's wood block
prints.
See "Legends" on www.pinebarrensbyirvane.com.
|
 |
6/28/07 ~ Elephants
Here's a sketch I did today of a couple
of elephants.
It reminds me of my favorite stuffed animal from early
childhood, Ellie.
|
 |
6/29/07 ~ Elephant Responses
"Neat! I love elephants! They
have such spirit, warmth,
and gentleness - they amaze me!" ~D. Simpkins
"nice one....you know how i love
those elephants!!!!" ~ M. Christensen
"I just had a friend ask me about
elephants today. He believes that's his power animal
and here you are sending me beautiful pictures of them."
~ M. Roth-Parrish
|
 |
6/30/07 ~ Wildlife Ambassadors
One of the best things that comes
out of our local festivals
is the work done by caring people like Luanne and Dan of Cedar
Run
Wildlife Refuge in Medford NJ. Not only do they educate and entertain
folks while showcasing beautiful wild creatures, but more importantly,
they
teach people basic ethics and responsibility for our fellow animal
relations.
|
|
|
