If you are looking for a chance to do some good this holiday season, I urge you to check out the Team Robby facebook page. I have been praying daily for Robby Klimaytis since early November, when he was pinned beneath a tree in a tragic accident in nearby Connecticut. He is four years old. I do not know him personally, but I learned of him through a mutual friend. We are all praying that he will have a miraculous recovery (it would be a true miracle, as he suffered a lot of brain damage). His family is in the process of arranging for home care and ordering custom built equipment for him and I know they would appreciate donations. You can donate to his family here and the family has also set up a website that has more information. If you are a praying person, please put Robby on your prayer list.
©2012 Carolyn A Pappas, Rose Sketches (11-25-12 sketchbook). Pen in 8.5 x 11 inch sketchbook.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Waves. Photograph ©Carolyn A Pappas
“right now” staying focused on the present, mindful and in the moment, an image from the week, with no words or a few words, that acknowledges the “right now.” Inspired by
Ann.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
When I was at the museum last week I also stopped by to see the exhibit of 20th Century American Drawings. There were a number of drawings in colored pencil, including one by Childe Hassam that I really liked. I was only vaguely familiar with this artist, but I think I am going to look into him more, especially since he was a fellow New Englander.
What really struck me from looking at the drawings were how beautifully they were framed even though many of them were done on scrap paper, some with wrinkles in the paper and bits of perforation still visible at the top of the sheet. There was a tiny square portrait that was snipped unevenly with scissors and the mat was perfectly measured around it. It gives me the impression that I really have to treat my drawings like they are precious objects.
©2012 Carolyn A Pappas, Orange Sunset WIP. Colored pencil on toned paper, apx 7 x 7 inches.
I have made some more progress on my colored pencil sunset. This time I have scanned it to give you the full view.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
On Wednesday I had a bit of time to spend so I had a small artist date at the Worcester Art Museum. I went there especially to see the exhibit “Jill Slosburg-Ackerman — In Rome: The Pine Grove. And. Natura naturans; natura naturata.” It’s not usually like me to be drawn to installation type artwork, but I really did enjoy looking through this one. It was mainly a collection of drawings of pine cones and repetitive geometric designs, sculpture, and some furniture. I really liked how she designed the picture frames. Some were plain unfinished wood, and others were decorated. Here and there, some were hinged so they stuck out from the wall.
I was mainly interested in the drawings and paintings. The drawings themselves were very plain and simple, mostly in pencil, with plenty of erasure marks showing. She had one collection of drawings of geometric designs that was hung on the wall arranged with the most detailed and tiny designs at the top and the most large scale designs at the bottom. There were also paintings on thinnish looking paper so that it buckled and warped. In the past I may have written it off as being sloppy, but I actually appreciated seeing all the imperfections. I liked that she seemed curious in a child-like way. Overall, the colors of the exhibit were white, brown, gray and yellow. I liked the palette.
Here is a review I found on the Boston Globe website: Seeds of imagination on display in Worcester.
©2012 Carolyn A Pappas, Rose Foliage (11-21-12 sketchbook). Graphite in 8.5 x 11 inch sketchbook.
A short sketch of the roses, this time focusing on the foliage rather than the blooms. I have become interested in roses again and I have taken a lot of reference photos lately, so you may see more on this theme crop up here and there.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Bottoms Up. Photograph ©Carolyn A Pappas
“right now” staying focused on the present, mindful and in the moment, an image from the week, with no words or a few words, that acknowledges the “right now.” Inspired by
Ann.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving has always been a special day for me. In earlier years, it was always a traveling day with the promise of a late night Thanksgiving dinner with many relatives. This year, we are starting a different tradition of having Thanksgiving with immediate family, so this Wednesday feels a bit different for me.
Right now I am especially thankful for a short workweek, and that I will have some time to myself over the next few days to work on artwork and be alone (I have missed it badly). I am planning on taking an inventory of myself and getting some work done. Over this past year, I am most thankful for my family, who helps me in countless ways, and for Cate, who is making me smile every day.
I hope everyone in the US also has a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families.
©2012 Carolyn A Pappas, Orange Sunset WIP. Colored pencil on toned paper, apx 7 x 7 inches.
This is the start of a new colored pencil painting that I have started on a scrap of orange toned Mi-Teintes paper. I haven’t done anything in colored pencil in a few months, and I’m looking forward to getting back into it. I’m thinking of this as both an experiment on a different colored paper as well as a warm up for some bigger paintings that I want to complete next year.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Early Morning Geese. Photograph ©Carolyn A Pappas
“right now” staying focused on the present, mindful and in the moment, an image from the week, with no words or a few words, that acknowledges the “right now.” Inspired by
Ann.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
©2012 Carolyn A Pappas, 11-10-12 Rose Sketch. Graphite in 8.5 x 11 inch sketchbook.
A beautiful open rose (pink) sketched while Cate was on her nani nani (a term for nap in Greek). I haven’t been very inspired to sketch lately, but today I forced myself to sit down with some pencils and my sketchbook, and I got completely lost for about an hour or so. I can honestly say that I didn’t have the urge to scratch during this whole drawing session. It was lovely!
My flannel duvet cover arrived in the mail this week, but I was disappointed to discover that my down comforter was in such bad shape that I had to get rid of it. I got a really nice new heavyweight one at Macy’s (on sale) this morning and I can’t wait to sleep under it tonight! I love having new bedding.
First Snow. Photograph ©Carolyn A Pappas
“right now” staying focused on the present, mindful and in the moment, an image from the week, with no words or a few words, that acknowledges the “right now.” Inspired by
Ann.
