This mini abstract sketch came about after I bought a large plexiglass triangle with a four inch circle cut into the middle of it. Useful for drawing right angles, circles and straight lines, it looks like something you might see in The Museum of Forgotten Art Supplies. I bought it at The Guild during my recent visit to Northampton.
©2013 Carolyn A Pappas, Circular Blue Abstract. Watercolor and colored pencil, 4.5 x 4.5 inches.
Last Sunday I visited Northampton, Mass. for the day. I like to visit the area about once a year, as I always find a lot of inspiration when I visit, and it reminds me of the years when I was in school.
Northampton Greenery. Photographs ©2013 Carolyn A Pappas.
I’ve had a feeling of overwhelm lately which has led to me to taking everything slower. I’ve been focusing more on organizing my space and shedding excess possessions. I have kept my house clean for a month now and it’s amazing how my mind has become more clear! My artwork has taken more of a back burner role but I’m okay with that.
Since reading Susan Abbott’s article Painting Notes: What Painters Do, I’ve been thinking a lot about the role of art in my life. I’m definitely thankful that I’m a hobbyist, not because I think I couldn’t pull it off, but because I have a lot of other things I want to include in my life right now (raising/playing with my daughter, sewing and random crafts, writing, etc).
What a hobbyist does NOT mean is that I will give work away for free to friends and family or not maintain goals or discipline. I plan on cultivating a healthy art life for years to come.
Two Trees Diptych. Photographs ©2013 Carolyn A Pappas.
©2013 Carolyn A Pappas, Begonias. Gray Ink in 6.5 x 9 inch sketchbook.
Some beautiful cascading begonias that we got about a month ago are just starting to fade, so we arranged some of the fallen blossoms in a bowl of water. I took the time to sketch them over the weekend while listening to cooking shows.
Circular Begonias. Photograph ©2013 Carolyn A Pappas.
Taking this photo was a highly stressful experience!
Spider by the Water. Photograph ©2013 Carolyn A Pappas.
I skipped my normal Friday photo posting yesterday because I was at the Shore for a few days. It was a great trip for me as haven’t been outside of New England for a few years and this was Cate’s first time seeing/feeling the ocean. I did not do a lot of sketching while I was there, but my attention has shifted to the sea and I think it’s imagery will be cropping up in my work soon.
To see more of the photos from my trip, feel free to subscribe to my newsletter Delicate Paperwork which I will be sending out within the next few days.
Rocky Shore. Photograph ©2013 Carolyn A Pappas.
©2013 Carolyn A Pappas, Stone Harbor. Gray Ink in 6.5 x 9 inch sketchbook.
©2013 Carolyn A Pappas, Owl. Gray Ink in 6.5 x 9 inch sketchbook.
My workplace closed today, giving me an extra vacation day. I certainly need it, to recover from yesterday’s party which was great fun, but tiring. Katie had the time of her life. Also, the pear tree that I’ve been following has mini pears on it!
Katie Playing. Photograph ©2013 Carolyn A Pappas.
Mini Pears. Photograph ©2013 Carolyn A Pappas.
The next annual #twitterartexhibit will be held in Orlando, Florida from March 20 through April 11, 2014 to benefit The Center for Contemporary Dance’s Special Needs Classes. The official Call for Artists hasn’t been released yet, but the details will be posted later this summer.
If you are an artist on Twitter, you are welcome to participate and now is a good time to start thinking about what you’d like to submit. Visit this website to learn more.
Here is the piece that I have prepared for the exhibit: (I’m glad to get this done early in fact!)
©2013 Carolyn A Pappas, Hens and Chicks. Ink and watercolor, 9.5 x 13 cm.
This was a total experiment as I was going for something more colorful and illustrative than I normally do.
I hope all my friends from the USA have a lovely Independence Day tomorrow. I’m getting excited already!
Every page in this particular sketchbook is starting to look very similar. I hope to finish it by August if I continue at this rate, but soon I think I will change up my subject matter a little bit. You can see more sketches that I’ve posted at Sketching in Nature.
©2013 Carolyn A Pappas, Weeds (6-17-13). Gray Ink in 6.5 x 9 inch sketchbook.
©2013 Carolyn A Pappas, Weeds (6-27-13). Gray Ink in 6.5 x 9 inch sketchbook.
Besides sketching, I have been helping my father scan old family photos and I have started up again on my sewing project. I feel that my creative life is in a very good place right now.
Overlap. Photograph ©2013 Carolyn A Pappas.
Accidental Nose. Photograph ©2013 Carolyn A Pappas.